paulb@cbnewsk.att.com (paul.l.bidwell) (03/04/91)
I recently got an A3000, and after reading the manual, I began trying to do something useful with it. In order to impress my wife with how easy it was to use (from the WB), I tried to do the following task: She needed to type a letter. Since I don't have any word processors yet, I was going to use ed or memacs. My goal was to create a file and a icon for the file such that when she double-clicked on the icon, it would take her directly into the editor. Also, when she wanted to print the file, she could click on it, then double-clock on the "printfiles" icon. I was able to do it, but things seemed real awkward. First, I created the file using ed. But then, I had no icon for the file. What I finally ended up doing was using IconEdit. Is there an easier way? Do commerical word processors automatically generate the icon? (One of the schemes I tried was the "show all files" menu selection - this created the icon, but wouldn't let me type anything in the default tool field). After creating the icon, then I wanted to have a double-click on it invoke an editor. First I put the string "ed" in the default tool field. When I double-clicked, nothing happened - just a message "Attempting to load ed", next I tried "more", and lo and behold, that worked just fine. Then I tried "type", and the machine guru'ed. Then I put in "memacs", and that worked. Why do some programs work in this manner and others don't? In any case, I got the job done, but I was wondering if there were easier ways to accomplish this? Paul Bidwell p.l.bidwell@att.com
patrick_meloy@outbound.wimsey.bc.ca (Patrick Meloy) (03/06/91)
I was going to make this a private letter but then decided it'd be better to share the info. Paul Bidwell writes: [Lotsa stuff deleted] > She needed to type a letter. Since I don't have any word processors yet, > I was going to use ed or memacs. My goal was to create a file and a icon > for the file such that when she double-clicked on the icon, it would take > her directly into the editor. Also, when she wanted to print the file, she > could click on it, then double-clock on the "printfiles" icon. > > I was able to do it, but things seemed real awkward. The easiest way around this problem is to get a real word processer of course (Most newer ones generate their own icons). The next easiest way to do it is indeed the 'show all files' routine, but use the same method as you do for 'printfiles' (Click once on the document to select it, hold down the shift key, then double click on 'ED'). The reason you can't save the 'information' about default tools etc is that the file HAS NO ICON. The icon file '.info' is where this stuff is usually stored. Actually, I'm not sure that Emacs will allow the shift click method (FYI) If you want to put icons on these files, copy the 'shell' icon to <documentname>.info and change the default tool to 'ED'. This will prove to be difficult because there is no automated way of attaching icons to the files you wife will generate, you'll have to do it manually for each one. If you decide on buying a word processer, my favorite is 'Prowrite 3.1.1' (Packaged simple as Prowrite 3). Its got all the functions I'd ever need in a WP and a few extras. Be warned however, I don't write in any 'professional' capacity at all so don't take my word on 'professional' WPs. (I'm a staunch Word Perfect HATER!). --------------------------------------- | patrick_meloy@outbound.wimsey.bc.ca | | 'The Outbound' BBS Vancouver BC | ---------------------------------------
mark@tc.fluke.COM (Mark D. Nagel) (03/08/91)
Would it be possible (reasonably so) to create a script file which
would handle the creation of a ".info" file, and then call the editor?
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ralph@atrp.mit.edu (Ralph L. Vinciguerra) (03/09/91)
Just thought I'd pass along a simple trick for dealing with programs which don'tcreate icons. The old interfaces which formed the roots for the ones we use now usually worked this way: If you wanted a new document, you would make a copy of a blank one, and then rename the copy and double click on it to get going. This removed the need to even reference the document program at all. Thus you can do this (I use this technique all the time): - Create an empty document, name it "empty" or "blank", with an icon and perhaps place it in a drawer named "supplies". - Now, each time your user wants to create a new document, they just pull a copy out of the supplies drawer and go. If the supplies drawer is on a different disk volume, just dragging it over to a new place will make the copy. Otherwise, they'll need to use the workbench "duplicate" menu choice.
jerry@truevision.com (Jerry Thompson) (03/12/91)
Ok, here's the script, someone else will have to provide the memacs key binding
to save the file and execute the script.
.key file
if NOT exists "<file>.info"
copy default_text_icon.info to "<file>.info
endif
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I loved the peace and solitude | \\ // and | | | | Sarcasm and
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