Script Analysis

[Jan Schenkel]

--- Monte Goulding <monte at sweattechnologies.com>
wrote:
> 
> Hi All
> 
> I'm looking for a script analysis tool. I'm mainly
> interested in being able
> to choose an object and a message and view all
> script that is executed in
> response to that message.
> 
> I guess this would involve firstly parsing the code
> to find custom functions
> and handlers then parsing the scripts down the
> object heirarchy to find the
> script they refer to. Then repeating the process
> with those scripts until
> there are no more scripts to parse. It would need to
> handle frontscripts,
> backscripts, libraries, setprops, getprops and sent
> messages also.
> 
> Anyone interested in working on it with me or have
> anything to help me get
> started?
> 
> Monte Goulding
> 

Hi Monte,

Though I've seen such stacks in the past (for
HyperCard, mind you), which would list globals and
where they were changed, and for handlers where they
were called from ; they could never receive 100%
accuracy due to the nature of the language.

The real problems in this area are the 'do','send' and
'call' commands, which allow you to compose calls to
handlers from variables.
The same thing goes for 'frontScripts', 'backScripts'
and 'libraries': these are fluctuating and depending
entirely on their state at a point in time.

I suppose one _could_ build a combination of a
frontScript and a backScript to keep track of what the
'do','send' and 'call' handlers do at runtime, and in
analogous form track the status and/or evolution of
the 'frontScripts', 'backScripts' and 'libraries'.
But that would at best be a black box, giving you a
limited view, based on one instance.

Sorry to disappoint you there.

Jan Schenkel.

=====
"As we grow older, we grow both wiser and more foolish at the same time."  (La Rochefoucauld)

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