> Eric: ... but script errors do happen,
> and it is really nice to be able to
> watch global variables.
Alain: Yes, one of HC's most endearing features is the
ease with which one can debug one's scripts. The
variable watcher, and the step-by-step debugger too.
> Eric: hmm, come to think of it i maybe could do
> a script for a variable watcher stack...
> but how would we do a message watcher?
Alain: Both of these should be external and programmed
in low-level code, just as it is now in HyperCard,
such that the debugging stuff remains efficient and
transparent.
> Eric: Ideally both would be in xTalk
> rather than in C ...
Alain: We can improve the debugging facilities
currently provided by HC's Script-Editor,
Variable-Watcher, and Message-Watcher. Among other
things, we could add new scriptable properties that
allow us to adapt FreeCard's default debugging
behaviour to our specific needs, instead of
re-inventing the whole thing in FreeScript.
> Eric: ...because XCMD's are not cross-platform.
> (incidently cross worlds has some demo xcmd's
> which are both windows and macos compatible...)
Alain: It depends on the XCMD. If your XCMD was made
in order to hide/protect your code and/or make
repetitive actions faster, then it is likely that
these XCMDs will continue to run properly on all
platforms. The problem arises when your XCMD
capitalizes on platform-specific features.
Uli: Eric, this is a tough point. I think we'll
certainly add support for message & variable watchers
implemented using scripts somewhere down the line.
Alain: We are aiming at 100%-HyperCard-compatibility
in the 1.x versions of FreeCard, correct? If so, then
the above should be included as soon as possible. Do
you agree?
Uli: But it needs to be supported by the engine, e.g.
by having it automatically open up a stack and send a
message to it resp. send a message to a certain stack
if it's open.
Alain: In HyperCard, the Script-Editor, the
Variable-Watcher, and the Message-Watcher are external
resources, coded at the same (low-)level as HyperCard
is. What's more, you can substitute these resources
with your own variants of these debugging facilities.
Isn't this how we should do it too?
Uli: Who wants can create some within the constraints
of MetaCard's engine for now ...
Alain: This exceeds my current knowledge and
experience in programming, unfortunately.
Uli: ...as we'll certainly try to support as much of
their syntax as feasible.
Alain: This is news, sort of. I surmised, of course,
that we would eventually get around to comparing
ourselves to ALL of the other xCards out there, but,
to my knowledge, nothing has been posted about this,
until now.
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