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From: mjp@spice.cs.cmu.edu (Michael Portuesi)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: my previous "Re: statement"
Message-ID: <1108@spice.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Mon, 15-Dec-86 02:49:48 EST
Article-I.D.: spice.1108
Posted: Mon Dec 15 02:49:48 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Dec-86 18:38:58 EST
Reply-To: mjp@spice.cs.cmu.edu (Michael Portuesi)
Distribution: net
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 35

Keywords:


Regarding my previous article, I just thought of another method to
implement an argument-passing mechanism for Workbench.

Change the icon definition so that the icon contains a template of the
allowable syntax for the command.  If the command has entirely
optional parameters, the command just executes if clicked on with the
"Open" option or if double-clicked.  If the command has required
parameters, the Workbench throws up a requestor box and waits for the
user to enter the necessary info.  A side effect of this is that the
requestor automatically gives the user the syntax of the command.

If the user wants to pass arguments to a command that has purely
optional arguments, he can select "Open with Args" from the
"Workbench" menu or else he can set Preferences to always open a
requestor box for commands by default.

An icon definition can also state the a command does not accept any
parameters at all.  In this case, the command is simply executed no
matter what method the user takes...double-clicking, "Open" or "Open
with Args".

Matt, what do you think?

-- 

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| Mike Portuesi								     |
| Carnegie-Mellon University Computer Science Department		     |
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| ARPA: mjp@spice.cs.cmu.edu						     |
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| "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"		     |
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