MC IDE v2.6b12 posted

[Dave Cragg]

On 30 Dec 2005, at 19:17, Richard Gaskin wrote:
>
> I just added this line to the preOpenStack handler of mctools:
>
>   set the mcversion of stack "MetaCard Menu Bar" to the version
>
> This will remove an ongoing annoyance for most users, but will fail  
> to notify anyone using engine versions more than a year old.  There  
> should be no behavioral differences if using any engine from v2.5  
> or later, only cosmetic.

I hate to bring bad news, especially at this time of year ..... but ...

The current libUrl version (1.1.4) will only work with engine  
versions of 2.6.1 or later. This was when the secure socket feature  
was added. The syntax "open secure socket" will cause an error on  
earlier versions.

I remember struggling with the problem when secure sockets support  
was added, but couldn't come up with a satisfactory solution. And I  
have to confess that I've not paid enough attention to MC IDE  
developments recently. (My shame, I know. :-))

The libUrl updater I've made available is smart enough to update the  
appropriate version of libUrl for pre/post 2.6.1 versions. But  
Richard's problem is which version to include originally with the IDE  
release.

I've no doubt it's possible to add something to the IDE so that it  
can detect the engine version at startup, and use the appropriate  
version of libUrl. (I actually made a version of libUrl that was just  
a stub that loaded the appropriate library. But this meant adding  
three substacks instead of one to the IDE, and then the standalone  
builder has to know what to do as well.) But more generally, this  
isn't just a libUrl issue. As the IDE is built using metatalk/ 
transcript, as soon as any new syntax is added to the IDE, you  
immediately break backwards engine compatibility. Apart from the  
secure socket example, I've been caught out before with libUrl in  
trying to add the *modern* PCRE regex syntax. So maybe some kind of  
engine version control is unavoidable.

Please think about it over the holidays!  (Just kidding. I know  
you'll have a solution ready tomorrow. :-))

Meanwhile, as I stuff myself with food and drink a glass or two, I'll  
be thinking fondly of the wonderful people who use MC/Rev.

Very best wishes

Dave