[net.micro.amiga] Some wishes

rico@oscvax.UUCP (06/17/86)

Here's something to add to the wish list (I guess this will be for 1.3
(sigh)).  I would like the workbench screen to use *my* font instead of
the usual Topaz80 or whatever.  Many of my problems would go away if
there was a way to use a smaller font in con: windows and such.  Just
think how hard it's been to make a terminal program that uses all eighty
columns (the best I've seen is GIZMOZ, which puts itself into a screen).
This will make the font editor even more useful than it already is... 
While I'm at it, how about a way to put a CLI into an arbitrary
screen/window.  Come to think of it, I suppose this could be managed by
adding a suitable device driver for the CLI to attach to. 

My compilments to the writers of the Font editor, it is quite usable. 
My only beef is that pixels aren't complemented when you click on them,
you have to click on a gadget to get into set/reset mode (am I missing
something?).  I would have liked it better if when the cursor was
"dragged" around then whatever happened to the first pixel would happen
to all subsequent ones...  ie.  if the first pixel was on, then clicking
on it would turn it off, dragging the cursor around would then only turn
pixels off.  Similarly, if the original pixel were off, then dragging
would turn pixels on.  I believe this is the way most 'fat bits' type
programs work.  I guess this goes in 1.3 too (or does it qualify as a 
"bug"...)

I still haven't gotten any replies RE. message send/recieve/reply time
and addition of devices to AmigaDOS (Yes I read the pages about it in
the 'information for the advanced developer' section of the AmigaDOS
Technical reference manual, can *you* understand that??  If you can, I'd
really like to worship, err, I mean, hear from you....)

	Sorry this got so long
	  -Rico

	...{allegra|ihnp4|watmath|linus|decvax}!utzoo!oscvax!rico

If there are already reasonable ways of doing any or all of the above
and I'm just too stupid to think of them, feel free to call me an
idiot and then tell me how...

mykes@3comvax.UUCP (Mike Schwartz) (06/20/86)

I hope that there is still a chance to get this question answered:  how
can you get a CLI to work in the window of your choice?  I swear I've read
every page of the AmigaDos manuals, and searched through header files and
everything. 

I would like to finish MyCLI the way a CLI should be for the Amiga
(sorry but it is not Unix style - which may be a good idea:) with pulldown
menus for simple commands, a close gadget to use instead of EndCLI,
full-time directories on screen (tag & delete a bunch at a time), etc.


OK, so here is how far I have gotten:
	1. open custom screen
	2. open custom window with desired gadgets & menus
	3. open a console.device to work with window

At this point, I give up.  I want to use Execute() to run a program, but
I want to REDIRECT it's input and output to MY WINDOW.  Is there a sanctioned
way of doing this?  I have seen several people make similar requests, 
especially those who have worked on CLI replacements (Matt Dillon, for one).
CLI may have been an afterthought, but it is clearly getting the most
programs written for it (sad but true), and being able to get Intuition and
CLI to work together makes a lot of sense.

rico@oscvax.UUCP (06/23/86)

In article <548@3comvax.UUCP> mykes@3comvax.UUCP (Mike Schwartz) writes:
>I hope that there is still a chance to get this question answered:  how
>can you get a CLI to work in the window of your choice?  I swear I've read
>every page of the AmigaDos manuals, and searched through header files and
>everything. 
>
>I would like to finish MyCLI the way a CLI should be for the Amiga
>(sorry but it is not Unix style - which may be a good idea:) with pulldown
>menus for simple commands, a close gadget to use instead of EndCLI,
>full-time directories on screen (tag & delete a bunch at a time), etc.
>
>
>OK, so here is how far I have gotten:
>	1. open custom screen
>	2. open custom window with desired gadgets & menus
>	3. open a console.device to work with window
>
>At this point, I give up.  I want to use Execute() to run a program, but
>I want to REDIRECT it's input and output to MY WINDOW.  Is there a sanctioned
>way of doing this?  I have seen several people make similar requests, 
>especially those who have worked on CLI replacements (Matt Dillon, for one).
>CLI may have been an afterthought, but it is clearly getting the most
>programs written for it (sad but true), and being able to get Intuition and
>CLI to work together makes a lot of sense.

I've been thinking that I want to do something very similar to what you're
talking about.  I was planning on using an icon based system though... kind
of like a programmers workbench that shows *everything*, not just files
with associated .info files.  

Now, about attaching a CLI to a custom screen/window... well I don't think
it can be done with the existing device drivers.  As I see it, the problem
is that the CLI wants to be attached to something in the AmigaDOS filing
system (it really likes con: windows).  Since con: windows are not general
enough (are they??) to attach to custom screens (ie. they must live in
the workbench and use the system font and... and... and...) you are kind
of stuck.  My solution?  Well since I just (this weekend) figured out
how to tell AmigaDOS how to find my very own device handler, I can
now go about writing a more general console-ish thing.  One that would
allow you to attach to *any* window in *any* screen and use your very
own favourite font and other IntuiThings.  Sorry I can't promise a
delivery date on this thing, it could be yet another project that Rico
starts but never finishes.  Feel free to steal the idea (if you feel
guilty about doing this, also feel free to name your firstborn son
after me :-) ).

Has anyone heard anything about the pipe: handler that was promised
way back when and a long time ago (are you listening John Toebes??).
Does anyone know anything about the Pipe-Handler file that is mentioned
in the 1.2 Beta2 file listings?  It says that it's supposed to be in
the l: (I think) directory of the Workbench disk, but it's nowhere
to be seen.  What gives?

	-Rico

	...{ihnp4|allegra|decvax|watmath|linus}!utzoo!oscvax!rico

DISCLAIMER:  This article is not the Science Centre's fault... leave them alone.