Fwd: Revolution and SERVICE USB -hardware control with REV

[Mark Schonewille]

Hi Stephen,

There is definitely a difference in performance. If you need to 
read from the Service USB device every few milliseconds 
--something between 50 and 100 millisecs-- to get accurate 
results, you just can't do that with a simple do as AppleScript 
command, but you can with a good external.

Every time you use AppleScript in Revolution, it compiles the 
script. This slows down performance extremely compared to e.g. 
HyperCard and SuperCard. To work around this problem, the larger 
part of your code will have to consist of AppleScript. For 
example you can create an applet that keep running and interacts 
with Rev.

It would be very interesting if B&K oHG included an external for 
Rev with their device, as they used to do for HyperCard. They 
would also have a significant competitive advantage, if they did.

Best,

Mark


Stephen Barncard wrote:
> Continuing the thread about machine control...
> I read the specs from
> http://www.bkohg.de/service_e.html
> 
> and wrote requesting info about more directly connecting Rev.
> Marco Bönig wrote back and suggested using their Applescript interface.
> 
> Would there be an advantage in having an XCMD do this instead of 
> Applescript? Would there be some latency in using Applescript instead of 
> directly?
> 
> I don't need this now, but I figure sometime in the future I will. I 
> often end up in strange hardware-software lashups.
> 
> stephen barncard
> 
> 
>> From: Marco Bönig <mb at bkohg.com>
>> Subject: Revolution and SERVICE USB
>> Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 10:52:35 +0100
>> To: stephenREVOLUTION at barncard.com
>>
>>
>> Dear Mr. Barncard,
>>
>> it's funny. We got a lot of requests about Revolution and we think, we 
>> had forgotten to support Revolution. Sorry for that.
>>
>> However, we tested our Interface on MacOSX with Revolution and it 
>> works. Revolution can control AppleScript and AppleScript can control 
>> SERVICE USB plus. For example, to set the output value to 85 (= 
>> 01010101 binary) the syntax is:
>>
>> do "set SERVICE output value 85" as applescript
>>
>> We have no sample stack yet, but we will create a sample stack, 
>> starting in a few days.
>>
>> SERVICE USB is a Mac-only product. Maybe it is a good idea to work 
>> with Revolution and SERVICE USB on a PC. But we have no resources to 
>> handle support for an additional platform, like PC and Windows. Thus 
>> we have no plans to create a PC-Version.
>>
>> If you are a hardcore system-programmer, we can explain the SERVICE 
>> USB low level protocol to you and try to help creating a PC Version.
>>
>> best regards
>> Marco Boenig
>> ________________________________________________
>> Marco Bönig                  mailto:mb at bkohg.com
>>
>> Bönig und Kallenbach oHG     Tel. 0231/753650
>> Lindemannstr. 25             Fax: 0231/753659
>> D-44137 Dortmund             http://bkohg.com
>>
>>
>>
>> Am 04.11.2005 um 21:18 schrieb stephenREVOLUTION at barncard.com:
>>
>>> I think you have a great product, with many uses. I use a software 
>>> platform called Runtime Revolution
>>>
>>> http://www.runrev.com/
>>>
>>> - it's an evolution of an earlier product called Metacard. It's a RAD 
>>> that is the clear and superior succesor to Hypercard.
>>>
>>> Since it appears that you have created middleware for almost every 
>>> other development platform, I wonder if you would consider helping us 
>>> Rev users get connected to your interfaces. You'll find a lot of 
>>> folks that will help you do it on our rather friendly email list.  
>>> Right now I'd be happy with a Mac XCMD that would work with Rev, but 
>>> I'm sure the others would love a PC version at some point.
>>>
>>> OR perhaps you have a SDK that might point the way.
> 
> 
> 

-- 

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