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From: han@apple.UUCP (Byron Han)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: ... programming the Mac difficult? [LONG]
Message-ID: <978@apple.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Jun-87 12:13:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: apple.978
Posted: Wed Jun 10 12:13:52 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jun-87 04:12:44 EDT
References: <869@apple.UUCP> <1499@midas.TEK.COM>
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, USA
Lines: 89

Sorry about quoting the posting [since I've been guilty of the
dreaded over-quote syndrome :-) ]  And sorry about the length of the
posting, too.

In article <1499@midas.TEK.COM>, herbw@midas.TEK.COM (Herb Weiner) writes:
> --------
> 
> In summary, I believe that there are a few common operations (... every
> application developer needs to deal with) that are not handled completely 
> by the toolbox routines:
>  
> 1.  ...to put up a dialog with the default button highlighted. 
>     ...  I must provide my own code to highlight the button.

I normally keep around a small library of routines that I call often.  
I'll post them in a following posting.

This is actually very trivial.  Create a UserItem in the Dialog with the
same ItemRect as the default button, and use SetDItem to set it to have
a user item proc of a outline drawing routine.

>  (Clue that this is difficult: so many applications simply neglect
>     to highlight the default button.)

This is actually a sign of laziness.

>  
> 2.  I want to do a CopyBits of more than 3K bytes.  I must write a loop to do
>     this.  

You could set your application stack size to be larger at startup.
 
>  
> 3.  My desktop (file) has seen countless failed attempts (by public domain and
>     shareware programs) to create custom icons for applications and documents.

I guess this is tough to answer.  Once you get the hang of it, it isn't too bad.

>  
> 5.  ... I'll just say that doing *anything* with HFS is difficult, 

Amen.

>     ... and creating/playing back pictures (OpenPicture/DrawPicture) 

This may help.

VAR
	thePict : PicHandle;
	PictRect : Rect;
	saneRect : Rect;

BEGIN
	{ standard init stuff like InitGraf, etc etc etc}
	SetRect(saneRect,0,0,screenBits.bounds.right,screenBits.bounds.bottom);
	SetRect(PictRect, 100, 100, 200, 200);
	thePict = OpenPicture(PictRect);
	MoveTo(0, 0);
	LineTo(10, 10);
	...
	ClosePicture;
{set up a normal clip region so DrawPicture doesn't ack}
	ClipRect(saneRect); 
	DrawPicture(thePict, PictRect);
>  
> I recognize that MacApp *might* solve some of these criticisms, but MacApp is
> not a solution for everyone.

That's right.  There are no magic panaceas.
 
> ...I would like to point out that I would not have taken the time to offer
> these constructive criticisms if I did not like my Mac.  

No - you should LOVE your Mac.  ;-)

>                -- Herb Weiner (UUCP:      !tektronix!midas!herbw)
>                                                (AppleLink: D0521)


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Byron Han            |   UUCP: {sun,voder,nsc,mtxinu,dual}!apple!han
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