w165011@yogi.ucdavis.edu (03/01/91)
About a week ago, I saw someone post on the net asking about a comparative review of Hyperstudio vs. Hypercard GS. I haven't seen any responses to it and I was wondering if I missed it. If so, could someone mail me the review please? If not...can someone please tell me about them both? I'm mostly considering the ease of making stacks, not complicated ones, most will be rather simple. I'm looking to make a map type of thing, where you are given a world map, and you click on a continent, then a country then a city, city-block, and so on down. Well...it might not go that far...but you get the idea. I'm sure these kinds of stacks have alray been made a dozen or two times as well. I think that Hyperstudio comes with a little microphone thingy that will let you input sounds into your stack. Does Hypercard GS do the same? If not, how do I get sounds into a stack? Sound (at the moment) is not incredibly important, but it may become so later one. Last, is there conversion utility for moving stacks from Hyperstudio to Hypercard GS? Thanks all for your help. Paul Hirose pthirose@ucdavis.edu
mcgurrin@MWUNIX.MITRE.ORG (03/01/91)
Paul, I posted the original question, and got about 3 responses. All recommended HyperCard GS over HyperStudio, although one said get both! I have no personal knowledge, but summarizing from responses I've gotten, there is not, and it is unlikely there ever will be a conversion utility from Hyperstudio to Hypercard. From my own reading, Hypercard does not have ANY sound support, but the language can be extended, and sound extensions are being developed by others than Apple. I gather that Hypercard is capable of much more, but that you can get into it at different levels, so you don't need to learn all the complexities to do simpler things that can be done with Hyperstudio. Which one is actually easier for simple applications, maybe someone else could answer. FYI, I don't know your application, but the US Census Bureau has map data down to individual blocks for major metropolitan areas on CD-ROM. The data consists of multiple ASCII files with various files containing various attributes of features (roads, rivers, etc.). It's vectors with lat/lon data defining endpoints, plus names, etc. The files are called TIGER files, and there's typically one CD per state. Pretty much any GIS system can read the data and generate maps. Many applications developers start with the TIGER data and add value.
mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) (03/02/91)
To answer both of your HyperCard GS/ HyperStudio questions: HyperStudio, I have heard, is easier to program than HyperCard... I have HyperStudio, but I've never programmed HyperCard. I recommend HyperCard because if there are any MAP applications already written for the Mac, they can be converted to the GS version of Hyper Card. I think HyperCard supports simple sound (like the Mac sound) but full GS sound will be supported with extra add-ons (for the sake of compatibility with Macintosh stacks). Yes, that's right, the Macintosh sound capabilities are pretty sad in comparison to the GS...I guess that's why we got the bad speaker, so we couldn't tell (enough about that!). I plan to buy HyperCard GS as soon as it is available because I want to write stacks that can be easily converted for use on a Mac, and I want access to Mac stacks. As was said before... there is not now, nor will there ever be a way to convert HyperStudio stacks for use onf HyperCard...the programs do similar things, but are written entirely different. Hope this helps! Mike mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
stadler@Apple.COM (Andy Stadler) (03/02/91)
I don't usually get involved in the "HyperCardIIGS vs HyperStudio" debates (because I wrote one of them!) but I thought I'd point out a couple of bits of info, responding to a recent posting. 1. Conversion We have already developed a conversion package for moving Mac HyperCard stacks to HyperCard IIGS. It would be extremely easy for RWP to create a tool which dissasembles HyperStudio stacks in a compatible format, which our HyperMover could then reassemble for HyperCard IIGS to use. Moving stacks from HyperCard IIGS to HyperStudio will be almost impossible because the program has so far fewer capabilities. 2. Sound Support HyperCard IIGS DOES support sounds. But since we don't sell any sound input hardware, we couldn't exactly write any drivers to RECORD sounds. The sample stacks included with the HyperCard IIGS package include (among other things) a library of sound samples which can be used for sound effects or music. It is also quite easy to write XCMD's to support more advanced sound systems like Midi Synth or SoundSmith. Finally, I expect we'll soon see 3rd party drivers for well known sound digitizing hardware. Andy Stadler HyperCard IIGS Team Apple Computer, Inc.
ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com (Eric Mcgillicuddy) (03/04/91)
>We have already developed a conversion package for moving Mac HyperCard stacks >to HyperCard IIGS. It would be extremely easy for RWP to create a tool which Is the conversion utility supplied with HCGS and how does it read the Mac disks to extract the stacks? Do I have to read the with a2fx (or equivalent) first and then do the conversion? >HyperCard IIGS DOES support sounds. But since we don't sell any sound input >hardware, we couldn't exactly write any drivers to RECORD sounds. The sample >stacks included with the HyperCard IIGS package include (among other things) What format does HCGS expect to have its sounds in? ACE? I'm not really up on computer sounds and music, so keep it simple please. :) >Andy Stadler >HyperCard IIGS Team >Apple Computer, Inc. Thanks for taking the time to post the information. You must have to wade through a lot of stuff not related to HCGS before you find something of interest. UUCP: bkj386!pnet91!ericmcg INET: ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com
stadler@Apple.COM (Andy Stadler) (03/04/91)
In article <553@generic.UUCP> ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com (Eric Mcgillicuddy) writes: >Is the conversion utility supplied with HCGS and how does it read the Mac >disks to extract the stacks? Do I have to read the with a2fx (or equivalent) >first and then do the conversion? HyperMover is really a pair of stacks: HyperMover.Mac is a mac stack which will disassemble any other mac stack. The output is a long text file, plus a number of associated files (pictures, sounds, etc) in a folder. You can then use -any- file transfer system to move them over to a GS disk (AFX, a2fx, an AppleShare file server, serial ports, whatever). The companion GS stack, HyperMover.gs, recombines the files into a HyperCard IIGS stack. >What format does HCGS expect to have its sounds in? ACE? I'm not really up on >computer sounds and music, so keep it simple please. :) The sounds are stored as resource format $8024, the "Sampled Sound Resource". It is documented in Apple II tech notes. >Thanks for taking the time to post the information. You must have to wade >through a lot of stuff not related to HCGS before you find something of >interest. It's easy, I just use 'k' a lot. Andy Stadler HyperCard IIGS Team Apple Computer, Inc.
mcgurrin@MWUNIX.MITRE.ORG (03/04/91)
Andy, thanks for the info! Are the conversion routines part of the Hypercard package, or must they be purchased separately? How much do they run, if they are available yet, and from where? Thanks!
sb@pnet91.cts.com (Stephen Brown) (03/21/91)
mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) writes: > >To answer both of your HyperCard GS/ HyperStudio questions: > >HyperStudio, I have heard, is easier to program than HyperCard... >I have HyperStudio, but I've never programmed HyperCard. > [cut] HyperCard-IIGS (HCGS) and HyperStudio (HS) are two totally different approaches to the same problem. HCGS is admittedly MUCH more powerful; its also much more complex to use. Each button gets its instructions from a "script", a program written in a language called HyperTalk. Since its a bona fide language, with structure, it would take an awefully long time to explore every possibility. HS uses the 'point and shoot' method to program buttons. You tell the button what to do by doing it once. Really easy. I can plot down some pretty complex buttons in no time with HS, with no effort. To do the same with HCGS would be non-trivial. HCGS vs. HS...? What do you need it FOR? Who's going to be programming it? Do you want to learn programming? Ask yourself these things first. One final thought: You MUST own HCGS to use its stacks. You don't have to own HS to use its stacks. Think about it. UUCP: lsuc!graham!pnet91!sb INET: sb@pnet91.cts.com