Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!peter
From: peter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: Env vars under 2.0
Message-ID: <13000@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 2 Jul 90 18:46:38 GMT
References: <3486.AA3486@pnt.CAM.ORG> <12940@cbmvax.commodore.com> <9aR.02=i01Kp01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com>
Reply-To: peter@cbmvax (Peter Cherna)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 31

In article <9aR.02=i01Kp01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> ked01@ccc.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) writes:
>In article <12940@cbmvax.commodore.com>, peter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna) writes:
>So I ask again, will the 2.0 implementation be of the "files" variety, or will
>env: be a real device (as your "BTW" below would seem to imply)?

I think I didn't say "yes" because several other people on the net said
so already.  Yes, environment variables are files in ENV: under 2.0.

>> BTW, another big difference is your application can be automatically
>> notified when an environment variable changes.
>
>Sounds like a very useful enhancement.  How's this accomplished?

You may request notification when a file changes.  DOS has a couple of
calls (StartNotify() and EndNotify()) through which you can arrange
to learn when a file changes.  For example, IPrefs waits on notification
from a bunch of files including ENV:sys/pointer.ilbm.  Try saving a
4-color brush from DPaint to that name.  IPrefs will pick up the change
and make it your new pointer!

Notification is very useful for Preferences and dynamic data linking.

>/kim

     Peter
--
     Peter Cherna, Software Engineer, Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
     {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!peter    peter@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
My opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of my employer.
"If you insist on spending $10000 on a 68030 technology, may we humbly
suggest you buy three Amiga 3000's."