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From: austing@Apple.COM (Glenn L. Austin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Communications Toolbox questions
Message-ID: <36915@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 1 Dec 89 09:19:20 GMT
References: <9125@hoptoad.uucp>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 58

In article <9125@hoptoad.uucp> tim@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Maroney) writes:
>I sent these questions to Byron Han at Apple some time ago, and it's
>obvious I'm not going to get an answer, so I thought I'd throw them
>open to the net.  Any help greatly appreciated.
>
Considering how busy Byron is, I'm not surprised you haven't received
an answer yet!
>
>I've been working with the Comm Toolbox and I wondered if you could
>give brief answers to a few questions:
>
>(1)  Is there a way to configure tools "off-line", that is, without an
>underlying connection?
Sure -- just use xxGetConfig and xxSetConfig.  They aren't just for
scripting you know...
>
>(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.
>Since the installation will be as part of the system installation on
>7.0, there's no need for a change there, but I trust you can see what
>the problems are with 6.0.x installation.  It should be a file that
>can be dragged into the system folder.
>
Nope.  It's part of the system, so you have to go through the installer.
Sorry, but there's no real easy way around that one.
>
>(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.  
>
There is a very good possibility that a majority of a user's file transfers
are of the same "mode".  Sorry, but I'll have to score you a miss on that
one, since every other Mac communication package forces you to do the same
(not that it is good, but at least it is consistent).
>...I would prefer to put the mode control/pop-up
>in the Standard File box itself.  Is there any way to do this?
>
Sure, but you'd have to know what the *REAL* name of the tool is, what the
range of parameters are, and so on.  The CTB is supposed to ensure that the
application writer *DOESN'T* need to know how to implement the parts, just
that it gets done!

>Thanks for any help you can give....
>
No problem.  Glad to help.

-- 

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| Glenn L. Austin               | "Have you ever danced with the devil in   | 
| Communications Toolbox Hacker |  in the pale moonlight?" -The Joker       |
| Apple Computer, Inc.          | "You made me!" -Batman                    | 
| Internet: austing@apple.com   |                                           |
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| All opinions stated above are mine -- who else would want them?           |
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