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From: kazim@Apple.COM (Alex Kazim)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Communications Toolbox questions
Summary: Let's see what we can do...
Message-ID: <36869@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 30 Nov 89 00:40:45 GMT
References: <9125@hoptoad.uucp>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 69

In article <9125@hoptoad.uucp> tim@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Maroney) writes:
>
>(1)  Is there a way to configure tools "off-line", that is, without an
>underlying connection?  The idea would be to save the configuration

I'm not sure what you mean by "off-line".  Couldn't the user create a
new document, configure the tools, save the doc, and then close it.  She
hasn't actually attempted to open the connection, so she is "off-line".
Or do you want to be able to set the configuration without having to
perform a CMNew()/CMDispose()?

>
>(2)  Are you going to make the installation process less painful for
>users who have 6.0.x?  This is pretty important for marketing reasons.

Uh, no.  We'll be using an Installer 3.0 script for the 6.0.x systems 
to install the toolbox into the System file.  The reason is that we have
to run before inits that register themselves with the Comm Resource Mgr.

>
>(3)  (No need to answer)  Are you aware that the status dialog boxes
>for the Modem tool are way ugly?  They need some graphics, better
>placement, and less need for the user to keep clicking OK.

Was this the B2 APDA version?  I'll see what I can do.

>
>(5)  The "sub-protocols" of file transfer are handled weakly.  The user
>should select a mode (such as text, MacBinary, or data) every time she
>transfers a file, sending or receiving.  It is certainly not true that
>you will always use the same mode or sub-protocol on every file
>transfer for a particular session document.  But the only way to do

I'd debate this one.  90% of the files I transfer are TEXT, but that's
more a reflection of life at work.  

>this seems to be to follow Standard File with a complete file transfer
>configuration dialog.  I would prefer to put the mode control/pop-up
>in the Standard File box itself.  Is there any way to do this?

This can be done a couple of ways.

We can add a feature to the XMODEM tool that puts up its own SFGetFile()
on sends and includes the protocol info. 

The app can include a popup and call FTSetComfig() with the value.  The
BIG problem lies in the lack of generality: the app would have to hard
code the values of the popup, which would be fine until the user chooses
someone's KERMIT tool which may or may not understand the FTSetConfig().

The reason for this is that there's no way for the app to query the 
tool to get ALL the possible values for a given parameter.  For instance,
give me a list of strings for all the Methods this tool supports.

Several developers have asked for this feature, and we are looking into
it.

My advice, and worth every penny, would be to include a button in the
SFGetFile() that would allow the user to bring up the configuration
dialog if she wanted to.  That way, people like me who always use the 
same protocol can ignore it, and people like you can bring it up.  Of
course, you run into the ugliness of dialogs on top of dialogs.

Hope this helps.

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Alex Kazim, Apple Computer
2 AA Standard Disclaimers Included
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