Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!plaid!chuq From: chuq%plaid@Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Hypercard Message-ID: <30594@sun.uucp> Date: Mon, 12-Oct-87 02:41:20 EDT Article-I.D.: sun.30594 Posted: Mon Oct 12 02:41:20 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Oct-87 02:13:49 EDT Sender: news@sun.uucp Lines: 66 [Warning: Hypercard is addictive. Warning: Hypercard is addictive. Warning:] I want to thank everyone for their ideas and feedback on my previous questions. I now have radio buttons up and working, and also have a heterogenous stack with linked lists in it working. If there is interest, I'll post the code that handles linked lists (it can probably be cleaned up pretty well, but it works). The stack I'm working on is shaping up better than I'd hoped! I wasn't sure Hypercard could handle what I want it to do (I'm building a stack that will handle my book collection, all my review copy information, books received for OtherRealms and a full review Index, plus report generation facilities for various things to interface to ReadySetGo for layout into OtherRealms) but I'm now sure that I'm STILL underestimating what it'll do when I figure it out. People should be warned. Hypercard IS addictive. For the first time, I can simply point and push buttons and get the mac to do what I want it to do -- without having to hassle trying to write the code or understand Inside Mac. Whew. I've even figured out a way where I can (I think) write Rogue in Hypercard. It wouldn't be neat, it wouldn't be fast, but by damn it would work. I think. (No, I'm not planning on it). Anyway, I've got (of course) a few more questions. My thanks in advance to the group mind! (1) Is there any way to realiably and completely trap out cloverleaf commands? I want to keep the user from doing things like creating new cards, deleting things, or using the clover-{1,2,3,4} keys because it really hoses out the linked lists (and EVERYTHING in this stack is linked). I've got buttons on the various backgrounds to do the equivalents, and the menubar is hidden, but if the user types %N it'll create a card that won't get linked in to any of the lists and get lost. God forbid they delete a card when I'm not looking, and First/Next/Prev/Last have little usefullness when you're talking about lists of lists. I've tried trapping newCard at the stack level to see if commandKey is down, but if they have quick fingers this isn't reliable. I still need things like New Card, but under program control. I suppose I can set global flags and refuse the newcard if the flag isn't set, but trying to do that for everything I wnat to control on the menu seems grotty. Since I want to release this thing to the Real World, I want to monkey proof it as much as possible. (2) Hypercard seems pretty weak with invisible toys. Say I create a button or a field and make it invisible. How do I get HC to let me select it? It disappears, and HC doesn't seem to want to let me play with it unless I use the message box to make it visible again -- which is very tough if you forget the name you gave it.... One suggestion for a future enhancement. When you're in button or field mode, and a new menubar item, either "Button" or "field" (or, if possible, leave them both up all the time!). the items under the menu will be the appropriate card/background items of that type for the current card/background. Why? two reasons. First, you can then select fields or backgrounds off the menu, even if they are invisible, obscured, hidden, or hiding. Second, if you're editing a script, you can click the menu and refresh your memory of exactly what you called the silly thing you're trying to stuff a value into. I hope the next release of HC has strong script editing facilities. This area is still a bit weak, which I find disappointing. But the thing is so neat! Like, wow! chuq Chuq Von Rospach chuq@sun.COM Editor, OtherRealms Delphi: CHUQ Bye bye life! Bye bye happiness! Hello, loneliness, I think I'm gonna die.