Close Stack Cleanup

[Curry Kenworthy]

Jacque:

 > I did a test before answering and the message was sent to the card
 > of my otherwise blank stack, after dismissing the IDE dialog.

Same here!

Bob:

 > there have been at least 2 versions that were unstable that crash
 > to desktops were not uncommon, and after losing so much data, I
 > save frequently, and auto save whenever I close a sub stack.

I agree, saving carefully/saving "big-league" is a must for LC IDE! :)
Got in the constant-save habit way back with version 1.1.1.
(Which had a tendency to vanish in the middle of a coding session.)

Here's what I do (and it all works, no message problems, no bugs):

1. If I edit any script, I manually save when I apply changes.
(I don't write more than 3 lines of code before saving.)

2. If I edit any UI or properties, I manually save.
(I save every 5 minutes or less, and before leaving a dirty card.)

3. Before I close any stack I've edited, I MANUALLY save.
And if I use auto-clean, it's hooked up to saveStackRequest. Reliable.
No message difficulties. And I know it's saved.*
(If I forget to save, it warns me. That's my backup if habit fails.)

4. *For each of the above, #1-#3, I look for the dialog while saving.

5. *And every session (and before closing an edited stack) I look at the
stack in the Finder/Desktop to check the Mod date. I also make a copy.
("Sorta trust, but verify the heck out of it." There can be the known
disassociated-SE, or other bugs, that prevent IDE from really saving.)

6. *If in step #4 or #5 I find that it wasn't really saved,
I can save again or take any other necessary steps I deem appropriate,
because ... I have NOT closed the stack yet! That's why.
I intentionally save, then double check, then intentionally close.

IOW, If you and I don't trust the IDE enough to let it decide when we
should save (which is a big part of the reason this thread exists) ...

... then why should I trust it to SAVE FOR ME when I close a stack?
To me, that seems risky, plus it's not building on the same premise.

Even if the IDE did NOT have a known bug (or complication) and even if
the close message DID usually work, I would still save manually,
each and every time before closing a stack. That way I know.

(LC IDE should be more reliable, yet there is a silver lining:
it has taught me to save more carefully in EVERY app!
Because the idea of a completely reliable app instance is fantasy;
the computer itself could have a hardware or OS failure at any moment.
My manic LC save habits have "saved" me in other apps, more than once.)

Best wishes,

Curry Kenworthy

Custom Software Development
"Better Methods, Better Results"
LiveCode Training and Consulting
http://livecodeconsulting.com/