ralph@mit-atrp.UUCP (06/29/87)
In article <1443@xanth.UUCP> kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: > >For the particular case of a bunch of workbench programms lurking in the >background with no visible screen representation, I'd rather have one >RSLclock sized window for the commodities broker, with one dynamic menu of >all the programs available for call, by name, than to have to remember all >the (possibly mutable) hot-key combos to call them up. Guess the brain >cells are just getting a bit soggy with age, but ... > >Other's comments? > >Kent. > I agree with this idea, since I'm one of the few(?) folks who does as much as possible from the workbench and the mouse. While we're on this subject I have an additional idea I'd like to toss out. Background: I just started using U-edit. This guy will turn into a tiny little window on the workbench when you left-click in it's menu bar. Then, to restart it you just click in the little window. Suggestion: The workbench should support this automatically. It should use a normal icon just like all the rest of the icons. Incredible Idea: And to make the whole thing work smooth (this is the point of the Workbench..?) you should be able to shift select some other file (via icon) and then reactivate your iconified program and have that file name passed to it just like it normally happens when you start programs(when properly designed) from the workbench. I'm the kind of guy who likes icons and gets annoyed when I start my favorite icon'ed program and it hands me a *text* based file requestor. Ouch ! Realization: This is similar to what the old "resident" command was supposed to do. Now instead of having my editor (or whatever) on my ram disk and loading another copy to executing memory to run it, I just start it at boot time and keep it running, iconifying when not needed. Additional Point: U-edit, when iconified, releases it's chip ram for it's screen when it's iconified. It also runs background tasks to cleanup up it's buffers, so it runs very smoothly. And, it also can be told to close its workbench window and open it's own screen, *without* stopping execution or unloading edit buffers. Wow ! Conclusion: I think we're beginning to see the some really new and fantastic ideas for user-interface coming together. Thanks for your ears....err...eyes. Ralph
peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter DaSilva) (07/02/87)
> Incredible Idea: > And to make the whole thing work smooth (this is the point of the Workbench..?) > you should be able to shift select some other file (via icon) and then > reactivate your iconified program and have that file name passed to it just > like it normally happens when you start programs(when properly designed) > from the workbench. I'm the kind of guy who likes icons and gets annoyed > when I start my favorite icon'ed program and it hands me a *text* based > file requestor. Ouch ! Even better... picking up a file and dropping it on ANYTHING should do something useful. Dropping it on a program should start that program with the file name in its WBargs (a-la Xerox). Dropping it in a window that has the appropriate IDCMP flag set should pass the directory lock and file name to the program in an IntuiMessage. This way Deluxe Whatever could leave an "input" window open in the Workbench screen and let you do the file selection yourself. As for text-based file requestors... I have one I've posted to comp.sources.amiga that blows the doors off any other's I've seen. Primarily because it doesn't hit the disk unless *absolutely* needed. And you can completely specify a file name for reading by mouse commands only... it has a "VOLUME" gadget. Unfortunately, comp.sources.amiga is a bit bucket. I may repost in a couple of days. -- -- Peter da Silva `-_-' ...!seismo!soma!uhnix1!sugar!peter (I said, NO PHOTOS!)
kinner@wsucshp.UUCP (Bill Kinnersley ) (07/16/87)
In Message <351@sugar.UUCP> peter@sugar.UUCP (Peter DaSilva) writes: > [suggestions for Workbench improvements] Having recently written and posted HackBench, a Workbench clone, I have some comments. > Even better... picking up a file and dropping it on ANYTHING should do > something useful. As long as it's simple and consistent. I think we don't appreciate how complex the Workbench interface is already. Few beginners read the manual, and even the manual ("Introduction to Amiga") doesn't cover all the little if's and's and but's of using Workbench. Just because it's done with icons doesn't guarantee it's going to be simple. > Dropping it on a program should start that program with > the file name in its WBargs (a-la Xerox). Nothing startles a beginner more than having the drives suddenly spring to life. What did I just do? And how can I get out of it? The Xerox system you mention may make a clear visual distinction between Tools and Projects. Workbench doesn't. > Dropping it in a window that has the appropriate IDCMP flag set should > pass the directory lock and file name to the program in an IntuiMessage. > This way Deluxe Whatever could leave an "input" window open in the > Workbench screen and let you do the file selection yourself. This sounds like a good one. Just a caution: don't expect the icon to actually appear in the window. Workbench needs to keep track of its icons, and can't let them go to live in somebody else's window. If the window was covered, resized, or closed, things might start to disappear. --- "Nesting is for the birds" --Bill Kinnersley USENET: ...!ucbvax!ucdavis!egg-id!ui3!wsucshp!kinner INTERNET: kinner%wsu@RELAY.CS.NET CSNET: kinner@cs1.wsu.edu MAIL: CS Dept, Washington State Univ, Pullman WA 99164-1210 PHONE: (509)332-4008