Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!otter.hpl.hp.com!otter!nhm
From: nhm@otter.hpl.hp.com (Neil McKee)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.smalltalk
Subject: ST80 with no windows
Message-ID: <2610003@otter.hpl.hp.com>
Date: 28 Mar 91 11:41:58 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol, UK.
Lines: 46

Has anyone ever been able to run ParcPlace ST-80 4.0 without any windows ?

The plan is to be able to develop an application using the windows environment,
and then strip everything out, including the windows, graphics etc. for
a smaller, streamlined run-time system.

The adavantage of this is that I could then run my application without
first having to run up X11.  The image could be a lot smaller too.

I have been experimenting...
	If you fork a piece of code that closes all the windows, replaces
Cursor and NotifierView with dummy alternatives, kills
off processes in classes like InputState and then takes a snapshot,
(having edited the SystemDictionary so that it dosen't try and install
Screen, InputState, DisplaySurface and ImplementationFont on restart) then
the new image appears to run up OK - provided you don't *do* anything.
I did the same thing but with a piece of code that was set up to run when
the system started (dependent on Smalltalk) and the program stopped
immediately with the message ``Alarm clock'' - and not so much as a core
dump !
The interesting bit was that running the strings program on the virtual
machine did not turn up this error message. In fact, I couldn't find the
string 'Alarm clock' anywhere !

I would also be interested if anyone were able to list for me all the instances
of Process that are lurking in the system
(most of them suspended at any instant) and explain who owns them and what
they are for.

....bemused from Bristol....


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UNIX-MAIL : nhm@otter
	    nhm@hplb.hpl.hp.com

REAL-LIFE : Neil McKee
	    Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
            Filton Road, Stoke Gifford
	    Bristol, UK
	    BS12 6QZ

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