There's no place like Home

[Richard Gaskin]

Eric Chatonet wrote:

> It could display different things according to a kind of user level  
> from a simple stack launcher to a lib and plugin manager, environment  
> info and much more.
> The stacks launcher would includes presentation stacks, videos and  
> templates for beginners as well as more sophisticated stuff about  
> plugins, building externals, etc. according to the user level chosen.
> In addition, and it did not existed in HC of course, internet links  
> should be included.
> As for RevOnline, it would be accessible in all cases directly or  
> from the home stack but contents showed should reflect the user level.
> Actually it could receive the 'Getting Started' and the user guide  
> parts of the current help, the help stack being limited to the  
> dictionary/glossary, i.e. all things directly related to the vocabulary.

Good suggestions, thanks.  Since the MC IDE will be incorporating RIP 
properties going forward, it does make sense to put a component 
manager/updater into the stack which makes smart use of those.  Good idea.


> PS1. Richard: actually the HC engine inserts the Home script as a  
> back script :-)

While the Home stack is in the message path in both HyperCard and Rev, 
it isn't among the backScripts.  BackScripts were introduced in 
SuperCard and later added to MetaCard/Revolution, but that specific 
mechanism was never supported in HyperCard.

HyperCard did support libraries ("start using..."), but the Home stack 
isn't list among those either.

It seems the Home stack is a special case, inserted into the message 
path automatically without either of those mechanisms.  Given that the 
development engine requires it there's nothing we can do about that; 
whether we show it or not that required stack will still be in the 
message path during development in any IDE.

That said, we can at least be as conscientious about it as possible and 
not add any other complexities to it, keeping its own handlers to a 
minimum and not adding any other frontScripts, backScripts, or libraries 
to it.

With all the talk of open source here lately, anyone here want to take 
up the task of crafting an updated Home stack for the open source 
MetaCard IDE?

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Managing Editor, revJournal
  _______________________________________________________
  Rev tips, tutorials and more: http://www.revJournal.com