jem@sm.luth.se (Jan Erik Mostr|m) (08/31/90)
Is there a "HyperCard" program that can be used on a MS-DOS machine ? If so where can I get it ? jem Jan Erik Mostr|m jem@sm.luth.se Univ. of Lulea,Sweden (Bitnet: jem%sm.luth.se@sekth.bitnet)
JK3@psuvm.psu.edu (09/01/90)
Many may reply with "TOOLBOOK" from Asymetrix (?), but you might want to look into "PLUS" from Spinnaker. There is a version for the Mac, which imports existing stacks and saves them as PLUS stacks. Then, thru AFE, etc, you can transfer these to PLUS which runs under WINDOWS 3.0. Haven't been able to try this just yet to know of the major problems, but, in theory, ... Good Luck, Jeff Kushner
jlc@atux01.UUCP (Jim Collymore) (09/05/90)
In article <1609@luth.sm.luth.se>, jem@sm.luth.se (Jan Erik Mostr|m) writes: > Is there a "HyperCard" program that can be used on a MS-DOS machine ? > > If so where can I get it ? > > jem > > Jan Erik Mostr|m jem@sm.luth.se > Univ. of Lulea,Sweden (Bitnet: jem%sm.luth.se@sekth.bitnet) Jan: Look into a new application called: Toolbook THis came out about the same time Windows 3.0 did, and I believe it allows you to convert HyperCard stacks and run them on MS-Dos with Windows 3.0. Jim Collymore
jfmjfm@caen.engin.umich.edu (John Mansfield) (09/05/90)
In article <115@atux01.UUCP> jlc@atux01.UUCP (Jim Collymore) writes: > >Look into a new application called: Toolbook >THis came out about the same time Windows 3.0 did, and I believe it allows you >to convert HyperCard stacks and run them on MS-Dos with Windows 3.0. > > > Jim Collymore I am very interested in this ToolBook product but am curious to know if there are the equivalent of XCMDs for it. I need to be able to format disks and copy files from within the Stack/Book. Thanks John Mansfield
dlugose@uncecs.edu (Dan Dlugose) (09/05/90)
In article <1990Sep5.143306.28559@caen.engin.umich.edu> jfmjfm@caen.engin.umich.edu (John Mansfield) writes: >In article <115@atux01.UUCP> jlc@atux01.UUCP (Jim Collymore) writes: >> >>Look into a new application called: Toolbook >>THis came out about the same time Windows 3.0 did, and I believe it allows you >>to convert HyperCard stacks and run them on MS-Dos with Windows 3.0. Although the scripting language "OpenScript" is almost identical to "HyperTalk" (it seems stolen!), there us not YET a released program for converting stacks to books >I am very interested in this ToolBook product but am curious to know >if there are the equivalent of XCMDs for it. I need to be able to >format disks and copy files from within the Stack/Book. ToolBook can call seperately compiled files called DLLs with the call linkDLL. Indeed, any Windows 3.0 program can do this. After the DLL is linked, you can call its procedures and functions. This is discussed in documentation for ToolBook and more fully in Microsoft Windows Software Developer's Kit documentation. There is also the Windows DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) facility with which you can ask other applications for values, or tell them to set values or execute functions, etc. For example, you can ask Excel to put the contents of Toolbook field 1 into cell R3 C3, perform macro x, and then report back the value of cel R4 C4. If it turns out from an error code that Excel is not running, you can fire it up with document x. So in some respects Windows/Toolbook is ahead of HyperCard 2.0, but on the other hand, the Windows platform is very expensive and slow, so if PC owners ever get sold on GUIs like this, they'll appreciate Macs more! -- Dan Dlugose Internet: dlugose@uncecs.edu UNC Educational Computing Service Box 12035, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2035
silvert@cs.dal.ca (Bill Silvert) (09/06/90)
In article <1609@luth.sm.luth.se>, jem@sm.luth.se (Jan Erik Mostr|m) writes: > Is there a "HyperCard" program that can be used on a MS-DOS machine ? > If so where can I get it ? There are several. A free version was described in a recent Dr. Dobb's and can be gotten from them. I'm very happy with HyperHelper from: Azarona Software PO Box 13433 Denver CO 80201 at a cost of about $50 US. It is very easy to use, but quite different from HyperCard. One problem is that none of the PC versions I have seen support graphics. Dan Bricklin's Demo II program supports Hercules and CGA graphics, but I find it a pain to use. The problem with PC graphics is that you have to determine the monitor type. It isn't worth the hassle so far as I am concerned. -- William Silvert, Habitat Ecology Division, Bedford Inst. of Oceanography P. O. Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, CANADA B2Y 4A2. Tel. (902)426-1577 UUCP=..!{uunet|watmath}!dalcs!biomel!bill BITNET=bill%biomel%dalcs@dalac InterNet=bill%biomel@cs.dal.ca
jgsmith@watson.bcm.tmc.edu (James G. Smith) (09/06/90)
What ever happened to HyperPAD? It was supposed to be very HyperCard like. I know I've seen one book written on it. Is it gaining any popularity? *
jamesth@microsoft.UUCP (James THIELE) (09/06/90)
In article <115@atux01.UUCP> jlc@atux01.UUCP (Jim Collymore) writes: >In article <1609@luth.sm.luth.se>, jem@sm.luth.se (Jan Erik Mostr|m) writes: || Is there a "HyperCard" program that can be used on a MS-DOS machine ? || || If so where can I get it ? || || jem || || Jan Erik Mostr|m jem@sm.luth.se || Univ. of Lulea,Sweden (Bitnet: jem%sm.luth.se@sekth.bitnet) | |Jan: | |Look into a new application called: Toolbook |THis came out about the same time Windows 3.0 did, and I believe it allows you |to convert HyperCard stacks and run them on MS-Dos with Windows 3.0. | | | Jim Collymore You need a tool called ConvertIt! from Heizer Software to convert an HC stack to Toolbook. ConvertIt! reportedly translates most but not all HC features. (I haven't seen it.) By the way, Toolbook is slower on a 20 MHz Compaq 386 with 5 Meg RAM than HC 1.2.2 on a Mac Plus (8 MHz 68000?) with 1 Meg. (I have seen this.) James Thiele -- microsoft!jamesth
hmarvel@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Howard P. Marvel) (09/07/90)
According to the people at Heizer, about 80% of HyperCard is translated. The translation is done with a simple dictionary lookup, feasible since the Toolbook language is very similar to HyperScript. Verrrry similar. The conversion fails when the two languages diverge. None of the paint tool scripting translates (and that shoots the 80% for me). Naturally, sound stuff doesn't work and XCMDs and XFCNs break. One important issue in the choice of a PC HyperCard substitute is the PC vendor's attitude to licensing. Plus is apparently going to be targeted to users who roll their own and want to support two environments. They expect to charge a substantial sum for run-times. Toolbook permits distribution of a runtime if you buy their Author's Resource Kit. The kit goes for $457.00. Combined with the 199 for ConvertIt and the cost of Toolbook itself, that's about $1000 to convert HyperCard stacks and deliver them in usable form to PC users. The high cost a decent Windows machine suggests that the commercial market is likely to develop very slowly. Nevertheless, the Asymetrix attitude seems less myopic than the Plus approach. If someone actually gets a copy of ConvertIt, could you drop me a line? Our local Heath-Zenith outlet hasn't heard of it, an interesting development since Heizer apparently intends to distribute directly and through Zenith outlets.
jlc@atux01.UUCP (Jim Collymore) (09/07/90)
In article <1990Sep5.164339.1036@uncecs.edu>, dlugose@uncecs.edu (Dan Dlugose) writes: > In article <1990Sep5.143306.28559@caen.engin.umich.edu> jfmjfm@caen.engin.umich.edu (John Mansfield) writes: > >In article <115@atux01.UUCP> jlc@atux01.UUCP (Jim Collymore) writes: > >> > >>Look into a new application called: Toolbook > >>THis came out about the same time Windows 3.0 did, and I believe it allows you > >>to convert HyperCard stacks and run them on MS-Dos with Windows 3.0. > Although the scripting language "OpenScript" is almost identical > to "HyperTalk" (it seems stolen!), there us not YET a released > program for converting stacks to books > -- > Dan Dlugose There IS a product out on the market supposedly able to convert HyperCard stacks to ToolBook books! It is called "ConvertIt!" developed by the HyperMedia group. Loosely excerpting from Heizer Software's latest catalog: ConvertIt! converts stacks into HIFF (HyperMedia Interchange File Format) on the Macintosh side. HIFF files are then moved to the PC platform via a network, diskettes, modem, etc. On the PC side, ConvertIt! reads HIFF files and creates new ToolBook books. The program does not rely on Apple's proprietary file formats when creating the HIFF file. It is claimed that most HyperCard stacks should convert 100%. With complicated stacks which contain XCMDs & XFCNs and complex scripts, the converter should be able to do about 80% of the conversion work. You can get more info about ConvertIt!, as well as purchase it, from Heizer Software. THe cost is $199. Heizer's phone number is: 800-888-7667 I hope this helps. Jim Collymore
thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (Thom Gillespie) (09/07/90)
ToolBook is a nice product. The problem is that is runs on Windows 3 -- still a problem. Convertit does a pretty good job but it does leave you with that 20-30% which needs to be fixed. XCMDs, forget it... set aside some serious worktime. So far HyperCard is free or cheap -- I haven't meet anyone who admits to having bought it. Apple sells hardware, what do you expect. But this does mean that Hypercard is the pencil of electronic media today. Getting started was never easier and who needs a run time version of a pencil. Look for ToolBook's price to be cut in half at a minimum or else it will just be a developers tool doing what was done in the past ... until someone invents the pencil for the DOS world. --Thom Gillespie
jamesth@microsoft.UUCP (James THIELE) (09/11/90)
In article <38641@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Thom Gillespie) writes: >So far HyperCard is free or cheap -- I haven't meet anyone who admits to having >bought it. I bought HC 1.0 when it came out for the Mac Plus I already owned. I may buy 2.0, altho in the past dealers let you copy if you brought in your original floppy. James Thiele -- microsoft!jamesth
alcmist@well.sf.ca.us (Frederick Wamsley) (09/13/90)
In article <4470@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu> hmarvel@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Howard P. Marvel) writes: >One important issue in the choice of a PC HyperCard substitute is the >PC vendor's attitude to licensing. ... >... Toolbook >permits distribution of a runtime if you buy their Author's Resource >Kit. The kit goes for $457.00. Also, a runtime Toolbook is currently bundled with the retail version of Windows 3.0. The Author's Resource kit includes a few other goodies besides the runtime license. It includes a program to remove the text of all scripts in a book. This has a useful undocumented feature -- it also checks the file for consistency. -Fred (Asymetrix pays me but I'm not an official spokesman) -- Fred Wamsley {ucbvax,pacbell,apple,hplabs}!well!alcmist; CIS 72247,3130; GEnie FKWAMSLEY; USPS - why bother? "There's a perfectly logical explanation for all this"