GLX application framework: application stacks and .dat files?

[Trevor DeVore]

On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 10:37 AM, Keith Clarke <
keith.clarke at clarkeandclarke.co.uk> wrote:

> I had the Application stack's kProgramStackName pointing at the name of the
> .rev file I had added within the Stacks and Externals configuration
> dialogue, rather than the main stack name *within* this file.
>
> Now that I understand this subtle difference in terminology between 'stack
> and 'stack file', might I suggest an enhancement to this lesson to help
> future readers?
>

I added a note about using the stack name in memory and not the stack file
name on disk.


> It would really aid clarity if an example application was shown through the
> steps, alongside the default files to be deleted. Perhaps an .rev file
> called, say, 'my_new_app.rev' and its main stack, called 'my_main_stack',
> with the following tweaks(?):
>
> 1. Move Your Stack Files into Application Directory:
> Add a 'my_new_app.rev' file in the finder, under the program.dat file;
> identifying in the the notes, (1) the file added and (2) program.dat to be
> deleted.
>
> 2. Update Application Stacks:
> Show the added .rev file to show that it's OK to have files that don't have
> a .dat suffix
> (I was trying to open the .rev bundle on OSX to extract individual stack
> files, before I realised that 'stack file' was not an individual stack,
> extracted as a 'stack.dat' file but rather, a 'file of stacks' or more
> simply, a '.rev' file!)
>
> 3. Edit kProgramStackName Constant:
> Extend the first sentence to read '...to match the name of the main program
> stack, for example, 'my_main_stack'.
>

Time is a bit tight right now so if you would like to write this up and take
the screenshots then I can add it to the documentation. Alternatively you
could propose documentation additions on the Google Group list for the
framework (framework discussion should probably move over there anyway) and
see if anyone picks it up. Here is the URL:

http://groups.google.com/group/glxapp/


> BTW I had read the lesson on the purpose of the various '.dat' files - my
> question was more regarding why '.dat' rather than .rev, etc?


When distributing a final application to customers I don't like to use a
.rev suffix. The files aren't meant to be opened in an IDE at that point. So
I use the .dat extension. The only file in the framework that I use the .rev
extension for is the launcher.rev stack as that is the one you open up
directly in the IDE. All the rest are loaded for you when the application is
launched.

-- 
Trevor DeVore
Blue Mango Learning Systems
ScreenSteps: http://www.screensteps.com
LiveCode Resources for Developers: http://livecode.bluemangolearning.com