Libraries, 'start using' and stacks

[Graham Samuel]

Folks - I'm trying to decide on a strategy for a library suite for a  
set of apps. I have never had to do this systematically before. I  
would like my library to consist of scripts (handlers which are  
common to the various apps) and stacks (for example stacks for the  
preparation of printed pages). To this end I am exploring the 'start  
using' command, and I've just read Richard G's very useful "Extending  
the Runtime Revolution Message Path".
It seems to me that 'start using' can invoke a mainstack (rather than  
just a substack of the calling app) and presumably the library  
mainstack can have substacks although so far I don't know how their  
scripts (or the scripts of any objects in the library system) fit  
into the message path. What I don't understand is whether the stack  
one 'starts using' is actually opened at that point. In the IDE  
(well, Galaxy) it doesn't seem to be - in other words there is a  
difference between making the script of a stack available and making  
the stack itself available.

How do people approach the problem of a library of stacks, which  
might for example be visible to the user, and might contain controls  
such as buttons? I see that this is different from extending the  
message path, but I am not clear if there is any formal mechanism for  
doing this at all. Perhaps it's just a matter of bundling the library  
stacks in with the app, tho one might have to take steps to avoid the  
app and its libraries getting separated. Maybe I'm just thinking  
about it the wrong way...

TIA for any clarification.

Ignorantly

Graham


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Graham Samuel / The Living Fossil Co. / UK and France