Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!lll-winken!sun-barr!newstop!sun!amdahl!JUTS!ked01 From: ked01@ccc.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech Subject: Re: Env vars under 2.0 Message-ID: Date: 5 Jul 90 08:59:47 GMT References: <3486.AA3486@pnt.CAM.ORG> <12940@cbmvax.commodore.com> <13000@cbmvax.commodore.com> Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Lines: 48 In article <13000@cbmvax.commodore.com>, peter@cbmvax.commodore.com (Peter Cherna) writes: > In article <9aR.02=i01Kp01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> ked01@ccc.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) 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. Thanks Peter (and in a subsequent posting, Andy) for the confirmation. I did see postings from other folks (thanks also), but with all of the various beta, gamma, and "diga" :-) levels of "2.0" floating about, it was unclear if that was to be the finalized implementation. Sorry if I sounded a bit "testy" ... I was just trying to emphasize that I really did need to know what the real implementation method is/was to be. > >> 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. I like it! Very nice enhancement, and sounds like a nice, simple implemen- tation. Without much thinking, I can see lots of uses for this ... thanks! BTW, congratulations on being this year's winner of the Boing! award. Well deserved! And have fun carrying the "Intuition Torch" ... I suspect you'll be in for a busy year or two ... /kim -- UUCP: kim@uts.amdahl.com -OR- ked01@juts.ccc.amdahl.com or: {sun,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,uunet,oliveb,ames}!amdahl!kim DDD: 408-746-8462 USPS: Amdahl Corp. M/S 249, 1250 E. Arques Av, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 BIX: kdevaughn GEnie: K.DEVAUGHN CIS: 76535,25