Aloha Kevin:
I am putting this on the list at the risk of burdening everyone with my
"basic training," but, in the absence of any complete, integrated user's
guide we don't see any other option other than to keep asking questions. .
.but if anyone can "point me to where I can do the homework" I am ready to
study up off list. . .
(thanks, Hugh Senior for the "./relativePathFolder/isHere.file" yes. . .it
does work and Andu. . .I promise to check all docs in the future before
posting "silly questions")
=======
I got the two externals packages for Tuviah Synder's externals, thanks
the directory for the PC externals folder is:
EXT.dll, EXTDDE.dll EXTEXPORT.dll EXTSHELL.dll EXTSPEECH.dll EXTWINDOW.dll
ReadMe.doc
i.e there is no "Externals Collection stack" with information on registering
or implementing the externals. . .only the read me. The Metacard "concepts'
stack talks about setting the externals property and a short cryptic note
about "These executables or libraries must be stored some place on (?in?)
the current PATH environment variable." But no further explanation of what
that means or how to use it. The tutorials are for making externals. The
read me file in the externals packages only offers this by way of
implementation:
==========
"To use an external component, copy one of DLLs from the "extcomponents"
folder to the MetaCard directory. Then set the externals of your stack to
the name of DLL. "
=========
And nothing in the MAC side though it's obvious one just uses resEdit to
make a resource fork and copy the X's to that. . .but
Still very in the dark. . .so let's break this down into discrete queries.
1) If one chooses the "stack properties'from the menu. . .their is no
"externals" among the settable properties. . .I assume one does this by
script or from the message box: where/when?, on pre-open stack? or at any
time, and then, once it is set at any point in time/saved, it remains set
and does not have to be set again each time the stack is opened?
2) Kevin says: "You must run the PC stack on a PC, the Mac stack on a
> Mac."
But the MetaTalk reference card 514 on the externals property, makes no
distinction between Mac OS and Windows OS and thereby implying that setting
the externals property to a file list should work on both platforms. i.e.
why not, instead of using the resource fork on the "Mac" stack just set the
externals property? and eliminate the need for two different "kinds" of
stacks, one for MAC and one for PC? I thought the whole point was that one
stack would run on both platforms using different engines ( assuming you
check in your scripts for the appropriate platform and implement things
accordingly) but only one MC file. (I am probably naive on this one. . .)
Please clarify.
3) "These executables or libraries must be stored some place on the current
PATH environment variable." Where is there more information on this? I
dutifully (thanks andu. . ) tried to find everything related to externals in
all the material delivered with the package. . .but come up with almost
nothing.
4) And most importantly of all, where is the syntax guide for each of the
specific externals, main call command, parameter (s) definitions, and
description of returned data from each of the XFunctions?
5) Then, for internet delivery, since DLL's have to be loaded to the hard
drive and called from there (maybe that assumption is not correct). . .does
this mean that externals simply cannot work on Windows stacks that are
received via the net unless you have the client save all the files in the
right places first and then manually boot the stack? i.e. if you did a
"download and go" to "fetch" a Mac stack the externals calls would work
"right out of the cache" because the resources would have been delivered
along with the stack in the resource fork. But not so for the same stack
sent to a Windows machine. Right?
On a CD of course you can make all this work. . .but since "hot/live"
internet delivery to a 90% Windows audience is a key aspect of what we want
to do ("do it right now" education, children's on-line content i.e. to
individuals who won't want to or will not be in any position to "put files
in the right directories and make it all work right") this is a "ground
zero" critical path strategy question for using or not using externals.
a BIG FAQ on this one would be helpful for the future.
Thanks . . .
Hinduism Today
Sivakatirswami
Editor's Assistant/Production Manager
www.HinduismToday.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> From: Kevin Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
EXT_CDROMS
EXT_LOADFONT
EXT_UNLOADFONT
EXT_REBOOT
EXT_SYSCOLOR
EXT_ANSWERCOLOR
EXT_ANSWERFONT
EXT_OPENFILE
EXT_PRINTFILE
EXT_GETCLIP
EXT_SETCLIP
EXT_SHORTCUT
EXT_APPSOPEN
EXTEXPORT - Functions related to image export
EXT_EXPORTCARD
EXT_COPYCARD
EXT_COPYIMAGE
EXT_EXPORTIMAGE
EXT_EXPORTCLIP
EXTWINDOW - Functions related to windows
EXT_ROUNDRAD
EXT_OVALWINDOW
EXT_RRECTWINDOW
EXT_POLYWINDOW
EXT_MAXWINDOW
EXT_DEFWINDOW
EXT_DRAGDROP
EXT_DRAGTEXT
EXT_MENUSIZE
> Subject: Re: Externals/ Implementation
>
> There should be two folders with the Externals Collection: one for the MacOS
> and one for Windows. [There were] Inside the Windows folder is a stack [no
such stack] and readme file, between these they contain complete
information on using the PC version of the externals, the stack has examples
of all the function supported in the PC version in use. You must run the PC
stack on a PC, the Mac stack on a Mac.
Kevin
Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/metacard%40lists.best.com/
Info: http://www.xworlds.com/metacard/mailinglist.htm
Please send bug reports to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, not this list.
