Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!apple!apple.com!carterbk
From: carterbk@apple.com (Bryan K. Carter)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Re: HyperCard Implementation Questions.
Message-ID: <739@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 22 Feb 89 00:56:29 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Distribution: usa
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 32
References:<1184@unioncs.UUCP> <26170@apple.Apple.COM> <26177@apple.Apple.COM>

In article <26177@apple.Apple.COM> desnoyer@Apple.COM (Peter Desnoyers) 
writes:
> In article <26170@apple.Apple.COM> dan@Apple.COM (Dan Allen) writes:
> >
> >Structured statements like repeat and if are not allowed currently in
> >the message box.  They must be in a script.
> >
> Is there any particular reason for this? It would be very convenient
> to be able to use these statements from the message box.

In order to execute a repeat there needs to be more than just one line of 
code, i.e.:

repeat 3
   do this
   do that
end repeat

As far as 'if' statements being in the message handler, the same concept 
may apply.  There are so many possibilities for an if/then/else/end if 
statement, that one line of code is not going to cut it.  However, 
something like 'if the msg box is not empty then beep' should conceivably 
execute, but it doesn't.  If/then/else statements are usually called to 
check prior values which the code (script) may/may not have generated.

If/then/else's and repeats are 'structured' (operative word here)
statements in programming, not single line statements.

Bryan K. 'STAKMan' Carter
carterbk@apple.com
<<There are two kinds of every snow flake in the world, it just depends 
upon who's second grade class you are in.>>