Custom Properties

[J. Landman Gay]

Devin Asay wrote:
> 
> On Apr 12, 2006, at 11:44 AM, Thomas McGrath III wrote:
> 
>> Does anyone have any examples on the get/setProps in real usage? I  
>> have been using custom props but not the setProp etc. I would love  
>> some more insightful ideas on it's usage.
> 
> 
> The way I use it is much more pedestrian than the Marks'. For me it's  a 
> really easy way to make sure my interface objects get set to the  proper 
> states. For example, let's say I want to toggle between an  'editable' 
> and 'noneditable' mode for a text editor:
> 
> setProp editMode pMode
>   if pMode then
>     enable button "Save"
>     enable button "TextColor"
>     set the lockText of fld "myfld" to true
>     set the traversalOn of fld "myFld" to true
>   else
>     disable button "Save"
>     disable button "TextColor"
>     set the lockText of fld "myfld" to false
>     set the traversalOn of fld "myFld" to false
>   end if
>   pass editMode -- the docs say you have to explicitly pass it to  have 
> it set the prop
> end editMode

I have thought about doing this many times, but I usually revert back to 
using a command or function handler instead, probably out of habit. For 
example, the above could also be done by:

   setEditMode true

rather than using a property assignment like "set the editmode...". For 
me, seeing a handler name informs me that there is a related script 
somewhere. Setting a property doesn't give me the same, immediate 
knowledge; later on when I've forgotten why I wrote a script a certain 
way, seeing a statement that sets a property doesn't tell me as clearly 
that a lot of other actions will be taking place at the same time.

Now I'm curious what's the advantage, if any, of using a setProp handler 
over a standard command handler? This isn't just to you, Devin, but to 
anyone who uses these regularly.

I should also say that I do use one of these routinely: when I set a 
stack's version number property, I often use a setProp handler that 
updates the version display in an About box, or wherever else it happens 
to show. In this case, I usually set the version property from the 
message box, so a setProp handler gives me an automated way to get a lot 
of stuff done without having to type in (and remember) a handler name. 
But when called from inside a script, I'm not sure what the advantages 
would be.

-- 
Jacqueline Landman Gay         |     jacque at hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software           |     http://www.hyperactivesw.com