Functional Documents Created by Application

[Joseph Martinez]

Thank you!  Your response and the web resources you recommended were VERY
helpful to me.  

Joseph

On 6/10/06 12:43 PM, "Richard Gaskin" <ambassador at fourthworld.com> wrote:

> Joseph Martinez wrote:
> 
>> I have a technical issue that I hope the list can help me resolve.  I've
>> been researching it for days, so now I realize it might just be better to
>> ask the experts.
> 
> Bringing issues to this list is generally useful, certainly better than
> spending another few days hacking it out yourself. :)  With this one
> move you're already more than halfway to your solution.
> 
>> I am creating an application that -- when opened --
>> requires the user to either 1) create a stack or 2) open an existing stack
>> (created by the App).
>> 
>> 1. When the user creates a stack, the App clones the mainstack so it has all
>> the controls required and immediately enables the user to save it anywhere
>> on the drive.  The new stack, however, would have almost no scripts of its
>> own and just use the mainstack and substacks in the application for its
>> script functionality.  The stacks in the App therefore would be in the new
>> stack's message hierarchy.  Is this possible, and how would I get the App
>> and stack to find each other?
> 
> If by "find each other" you mean associate the file type with the
> application?  On Mac this is a function of the plist file, created by
> the standalone builder, and on Windows this is a function of the registry.
> 
> For more background on this see Ken Ray's excellent notes at:
> 
> <http://www.sonsothunder.com/devres/revolution/tips/file005.htm>
> <http://www.sonsothunder.com/devres/revolution/tips/file004.htm>
> 
> 
>> 2. Also, when the user double-clicks on a previously created stack, it open
>> the App that created it and likewise would use all the stacks in the App for
>> functionality.  It's similar to the way a word processor works -- the app
>> creates a blank document, and the document relies on the app to do
>> everything it can do.  Is this too possible?
> 
> Not only possible, but common.
> 
> These apps are modest examples:
> <http://www.macaddict.com/issues/2006/4/reviews/transcribe>
> <http://www.fourthworld.com/products/sophie/index.html>
> 
> The standalone's mainstack script is available to all stacks run in that
> standalone, even separate stackfiles such as the documents.
> 
>> 3. Also, can the stacks created as "documents" retain their editable data
>> whenever opened and closed using the structure above?  And, would this work
>> cross platform?
> 
> Stacks are stacks, on any platform. Same format on each -- that's one of
> the nice things about using stack files for data storage.
> 
> To save them all you need is the save command.  In your File->Save menu
> item you'll want to check if the fileName property of the stack is empty
> (which means it's a fresh clone that has never been saved), and then
> call your Save As routine to bring up the ask file dialog so the user
> can save it.
> 
> --
> Richard Gaskin
> Managing Editor, revJournal
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