Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!apple!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!bellcore!uunet!mcsun!ukc!axion!uzi-9mm.fulcrum.bt.co.uk!cat.fulcrum.bt.co.uk!nan.co.uk!sw
From: sw@nan.co.uk (Sak Wathanasin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: MPW Shell 3.2 wish
Message-ID: <0101000D.dgilq1@nan.co.uk>
Date: 6 Jan 91 22:05:21 GMT
Reply-To: sw@network-analysis-ltd.co.uk
Organization: Network Analysis Ltd
Lines: 44
X-Mailer: uAccess - Mac Release: 1.0.3


In article <2614.278613ee@waikato.ac.nz>, ldo@waikato.ac.nz (Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Waikato University) writes:

> As for syncing two different files, the 3.2 Shell already partially supports
> that. The new built-in command "ShowSelection" lets you, among other things,
> scroll the view in window so the specified line is at the top. You could
> use this from a script, together with the output from "Compare", to
> browse through two files, showing the differences side-by-side.

There's already a script to do this called "CompareFiles" in the std MPW
distribution, and very useful it is too.

I rather like the new windows, but I wish that they had left the status
panel where it was. It now takes up a whole line in the window. Or if
they are going to leave it there, how about echoing the entire shell
cmd-line instead of just the first word?

Also, has anyone noticed that the "read-only" check box in the open file
dialogue is now "sticky"? Having set it once, it stays set unless you
turn it off; this is the case whether you use the command line or the
file menu to open subsequent files. "Open -r" however works the way it
used to in MPW 3.1.

I like the mark browser too, and the alphabetic attribute in the "mark"
menu. But it would be nice if this attribute lived with each file
instead of being a global property.

And while I'm on the soapbox, there's a problem with the 3.2b9 shell
that was in the ETO #2 CD. It doesn't seem to like tags (the option-R
meta-char) in selection expressions. Gives an error "Illegal @
expression" (read @ as option-R) whenever I try it.

> Apart from that, I agree with Leonard: overall, the new Shell is
> a significant improvement!

Yes, well done.

---
Sak Wathanasin
Network Analysis Limited

uucp:	...!ukc!nan!sw
other:	sw@network-analysis-ltd.co.uk
phone:  (+44) 203 419996
snail:  178 Wainbody Ave South, Coventry CV3 6BX, UK