Program Linking

[Ben Rubinstein]

on 13/3/02 1:23 AM, Richard Gaskin at ambassador at FourthWorld.com wrote:

> Of course, if the communication is between a Rev-based app and something
> else, you're limited to what that something else provides.

I think you're missing the point.  This is useful exactly for communication
betwen a Rev-based app and something else; it's part of the interface a
decent Rev-based app that does something using or to other apps may need.

*  You write something in Revolution to do something to a text file - count
the words, for example.   You need an interface for the user to choose a
file to operate on.  You could have a field in which the user types the path
to the file - that's ugly, work for the user, prone to error.  You could use
the "folders" and "files" functions to write your own disk browser, to let
the user select a file for your code to operate on - that's a lot of work.
Since the operating system has built in disk browser functionality, which is
the standard used by most other apps, you should be able to invoke that.
You can: "answer file".

* You write something in Revolution to do something using QT visual effects
- display a slideshow, say.  You need an interface for the user to choose an
effect to use between slides.  You could have a field in which the user
types the effect name and parameters - that's ugly, work for the user, prone
to error.  You could code a dialog stack yourself, using the "QTeffects"
function to find out what effects are available, coding all the different
kinds of parameters each needs, etc - that's a lot of work.  Since QuickTime
has built in effects browser functionality, complete with pretty previews
etc, which is the standard used by most other apps, you should be able to
invoke that.  You can: "answer effect".

* You write something in Revolution that does something to a third-party app
over AppleScript.  You need an interface for the user to choose the app to
target, which may be on another machine on the network.  You could have a
field in which the user types the full path - that's ugly, work for the
user, prone to error.  You could code a dialog stack yourself - but hang on,
you can't - how can you establish what machines are on the network, and what
AppleEvent-aware apps are running on each machine?  Since the operating
system has a built in AppleScriptable-process browser, which is the standard
used by most other apps, you should be able to invoke that.  You can't.
That's why Rev/MC should support "answer program".
 
  Ben Rubinstein               |  Email: benr_mc at cogapp.com
  Cognitive Applications Ltd   |  Phone: +44 (0)1273-821600
  http://www.cogapp.com        |  Fax  : +44 (0)1273-728866