Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!cunyvm!byuvax!taylorj
From: taylorj@yvax.byu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Re: Setting userLevel at openStack time & flame
Message-ID: <1150taylorj@yvax.byu.edu>
Date: 5 Mar 90 21:00:37 GMT
Lines: 44

In article <48201@cc.utah.edu>, Eric Kofoid flames Jeanne Devoto for voicing a
well-founded opinion, not answering the question (even though she did), and
then provides an example of the WRONG solution to the problem.

First off, Jeanne constantly provides very helpful answers and advice and is in
no way deserving of irresponsible flames.  I would understand it if Eric
presented his own conflicting opinions in a civilized manner, but derogatory
personal attacks are uncalled for.

Second, I get "supremely pissed" (to use Eric's words) when some know-it-all
traps the startUp message.  The startUp handler in my home stack does much more
than call getHomeInfo, and I don't appreciate it when it's bypassed by someone
who thinks simply calling getHomeInfo "does startUp's useful work".

So, please DO NOT PUT THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR STACK SCRIPT:
              ---
  on startUp
  end startUp

If you must set something on openStack that might be changed in the Home
stack's startUp handler, set a flag and test it later.  For example:

  on openStack
    global initialized
    put false into initialized
  end openStack

  on idle
    global initialized
    if not initialized then
      set the userLevel to 2
      set the textArrows to true
      -- etc. --
      put true into initialized
    end if
    pass idle
  end idle

If you don't like using an idle handler, you can check the flag when the next
card is opened, or whatever.


Jim Taylor
Microcomputer Support for Curriculum
Brigham Young University
taylorj@yvax.byu.edu