Squeak-dev July 2005

squeak-dev@lists.squeakfoundation.org

153 participants
204 discussions

Current Harvesting Status/Organization
by Ken Causey 01 Sep '05

01 Sep '05

I'm wondering what the current status is of the harvesting process from the standpoint of the harvesters. I'm a little bit bothered by the most recent addition to 3.9alpha. Judging from the HTTP info 6667TallySupport-ab.cs went into the update stream on the 22nd or 23rd. For some reason this update has no preamble although the versions both in BFAV (closed by the Janitors) and with the issue (ID 1014) on Mantis have preambles. Also the issue on Mantis is still marked as new and there is no evidence that harvesting (beyond the review step) is occurring regarding this issue. I realize we are in a highly transitional time here and that as a result there may be some confusion, but even if we don't have solid stated procedures I would hope that anyone modifying the update stream will make some effort to maintain a minimum level of documentation regarding the handling of each issue. Admittedly I'm complaining here a little bit. But more than anything I would really like to have a bit better understanding of how updates will be entering the update stream in near future and what sort of changes, if any, those doing that work would like to see in the process. Very shortly I want to state publicly that in my opinion the future of Squeak progress is in the form of individuals and teams taking direct responsibility for packages and parts of the image. I think that anyone who has an interest in doing this should not wait and should speak up ASAP. Ken

7 8

[MultiRep-Monticello] Multiple repositories support for Monticello
by Michaël Piel 25 Aug '05

25 Aug '05

Hi all, As I recently set-up a squeaksource server, I have written a small add-on for monticello that allow a package to be saved simultaneously on all its repositories (i.e. with the same version number). I made 2 versions : - MultiRep-Monticello.1.cs : 2 buttons : the 1st save to selected repository (like before), and the 2nd save to all repositories. - MultiRep-Monticello.2.cs : same as previous but there is only one button which opens a popup. It's as you wish. This add-on require a Monticello version >= 231 (note that on version 258 it removes the #checkForNewerVersions test added since 231). If you have any comments and/or suggestions, don't hesitate. Michaël

3 3

re: another balloon picture
by Darius 11 Aug '05

11 Aug '05

Looks terrific. But will it fly? :^) Which 3D tool did you design it with? Blender? Could we have a copy of the 3D model?

4 6

mac squeakland plugin 3.8.8b6 posted
by John M McIntosh 10 Aug '05

10 Aug '05

I've posted a new NPSqueak.bundle to my idisk, this is the plugin that allows you to launch Squeak in a browser and in Dashboard. http://homepage.mac.com/johnmci/FileSharing.html This brings the plugin upto the 3.8.8b6 level. However drawing still uses quickdraw, versus Quartz, but now is buffered to solve throttling problems in 10.4 If interested folks could try it, that would be welcome. Copy the NPSqueak.bundle and replace the one currently found in Internet Plug-Ins Fire up your browser and please confirm things work as expected. Thanks -- ======================================================================== === John M. McIntosh <johnmci(a)smalltalkconsulting.com> 1-800-477-2659 Corporate Smalltalk Consulting Ltd. http://www.smalltalkconsulting.com ======================================================================== ===

6 6

Pending mac 3.8.8b6
by John M McIntosh 08 Aug '05

08 Aug '05

After pushing 3.8.8b5 out a few people let me know that there were problems with it. a) Hide, show all, hide other menu commands not working (actually this problem started in 10.4). b) The CPU time taken as a background application went from 7% to 20%. c) Drawing seemed to have an excessive lag time. In poking at the menu command logic again I discovered that I was passing the hide/hide others/show cmd to the squeak event queue for Tweak Ffenestri processing, this was not a problem in 10.3.9 because carbon was processing the resulting cmd (I handled it) incorrectly. This bug was fixed in 10.4, but then exposed the problem in Squeak. The change is to ignore the hide/show menu cmds and let the base carbon UI handle the behaviour. The window drawing was altered to flush every 1/50 of a second to satisfy changes to quickdraw in 10.4, and to address the fact that Quickdraw is going away. What I found was setting up the carbon event timer to flush all window every 1/50 of a second was too expensive. So I decided on a more radical approach and moved to Quartz for drawing the bitmap image. I need to do this to take advantage of pending Quartz changes and for MacIntel. Work earlier in the year showed me how to take Squeak bitmaps in 1/2/4/8 bits of color and use QuickDraw to convert to 16 or 32bit color before drawing, this was carried forward into the Quartz draw logic since we work with only 16 or 32 bits of color for the host window. Early Shark benchmarking shows that timing are similar to the times the Quickdraw memcpy logic gave us. Many late hours were taken to figure out how to flush the screen. First I did a GCSync operation after each draw which should trigger a flush about every 1/50 of a second, however this fails when the drawing area becomes very small say 1 pixel and is updated at very high rates. What I found is that I need to do a CGContextFlush every 100ms or so to make the drawing not lose sync. Feedback on the drawing changes are welcome. Things feel better and I think Croquet works faster? http://homepage.mac.com/johnmci/FileSharing.html or see the following ftp directory for the zip file. ftp://ftp.smalltalkconsulting.com/ -- ======================================================================== === John M. McIntosh <johnmci(a)smalltalkconsulting.com> 1-800-477-2659 Corporate Smalltalk Consulting Ltd. http://www.smalltalkconsulting.com ======================================================================== ===

2 2

Squeak 3.8 What has happened to "smart tabs"
by Andreas Gerdes 06 Aug '05

06 Aug '05

Hi all, Automatic indentation in Workspace and Browser seemed to be normal behaviour in 3.7, in 3.8 it does not seem to work at all (not even in shout and not even with key combinations). Have I missed sth? Andreas

4 4

Re: LookEnhancements enhancement
by John Pierce 02 Aug '05

02 Aug '05

Hi Chris, I don't think I will be making the call on whether my (and Ben's) LookEnhancements will go into 3.9. There was some interest in that topic a month ago or so, but it seems to have died down. I pretty much don't care if it isn't included since I will just keep maintaining the enhancements and applying to future editions of squeak as an add-on. I would certainly welcome the incorporation into Squeak, but then I might lose control over the enhancements if that happens. Anyways, if you are interested, I know the enhancements work in 3.9. I'll look over your proposed enhancements and consider them for inclusion in the code. Thanks for your nice words and proposed enhancements! Regards, John On 7/20/05, Chris Muller <chris(a)funkyobjects.org> wrote: > > Hello, I wanted to you let you I really like your LookEnhancements. Quite > gorgeous. Is this going into 3.9? > > I wanted to share an additional enhancement I made today. After loading > LookEnhancements 6-31 from SqueakMap, I added a new preference to windows > category called "inverteBright". It inverts the brightness, using white > text > on dark or black backgrounds. > > Here is a screenshot. > > http://minnow.cc.gatech.edu/squeak/5729 > > Also note the other minor enhancement. The list-selections match the > textHighlightColor, even in the Explorer view.. > > When day returns, the normal bright view is mostly unaffected. Should you > wish > to download and try it out: > > > http://map1.squeakfoundation.org/sm/account/package/5c9346cf-9f4e-4b38-af2b… > > Would you be interested in absorbing this into LookEnhancements? > > Cheers, > Chris > -- It's easy to have a complicated idea. It's very very hard to have a simple idea. -- Carver Mead

8 21

set and stream
by Houssam Fakih 02 Aug '05

02 Aug '05

Hello, Im trying to concatenate many collections (sets) together. I learn (from becks book) that the use of stream is efficient so I try the following code write _ WriteStream on: Set new. write nextPutAll: (Set with:4 with:5) write contents but it doesnt work because Set isnt a member of a SequenceableCollection then it doesnt understand the message : replaceFrom:to:with:startingAt: Finally I try a code as: write _ WriteStream on: {}. write nextPutAll: (Set with:4 with:5) write contents asSet Im happy with the result but I need just to know if there is another pattern to use Set and Stream. Thanks, Houssam ____ "Le paradis touche les pieds des mères..." >>> http://csl.ensm-douai.fr/fakih

3 4

Re: [ANN] Fun programming with your kids
by Ed Boyce 02 Aug '05

02 Aug '05

Stephane, I just purchased your book, which will arrive on Monday, for introducing my almost-9 y.o. daughter Quincy to more formal experience in Squeak than she's had so far. Quincy is an academically accelerated homeschooler who has used computers (with various operating systems) since the age of 1. Quincy has played around with EToys and Croquet but not with any organized sustained curriculum plan, and tends to have high visual excitement and creativity expectations from software. I will try using your Bots, Inc. book, along with BJ Conn/Kim Rose "Powerful Ideas in the Classroom" book as texts for her first "course" in computer science. We'll let you know how it goes. Additionally, I'm going to try to incorporate the defunct MathMorphs material into her Math curriculum. I'm wondering whether you know of anyone else who may have a keen interest in reviving that project? Best Regards, Ed Boyce ----------------------------------------------------- Ed Boyce Education and Outreach Writer/Editor Coordinator, Visualize Education Virtual Institute Engaging People in CyberInfrastructure (EPIC) Program http://www.eotepic.org Boston University Center for Computational Science 3 Cummington Street, 5th Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02215 413-245-3997 edboyce(a)bu.edu ------------------------------------------------------ stéphane ducasse said: > Hi > > If you are a parent, an educator or a programmer having kids this is > for you! After 4 years of work, my new book "Squeak: Learn > programming with Robots" will be out soon > > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1590594916/ > qid=1117218524/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-5642974-5143261?v=glance&s=books > > http://smallwiki.unibe.ch/botsinc/ > With Bots Inc you will learn how to program robots in an interactive > environment. Bots Inc proposes three teaching approaches: direct > command of robots, scripting robots and programming robots. The book > contains 24 chapters going step by step over topics with a lot of > examples. Bots Inc is fun but it is not a toy, it teaches you 100% > real programming in Smalltalk: a pure object-oriented programming > language that has been copied by Java. Bots Inc is built on top of > the rich open-source multimedia Squeak environment that you can also > discover. > > My goal is to explain key elementary programming concepts (such as > loops, abstraction, composition, and conditionals) to novices of all > ages. I believe that learning by experimenting and solving problems > with fun is central to human knowledge acquisition. Therefore, I have > presented programming concepts through simple but not trivial > problems such as drawing golden rectangles or simulating animal > behavior. The ideal reader I have in mind is an individual who wants > to have fun programming. This person may be a teenager or an adult, a > schoolteacher, or somebody teaching programming to children in some > other organization. Such an individual does not have to be fluent in > programming in any language. As a father of two young boys I also > wrote this book for all the parents that want to have fun programming > with their kids in a powerful interactive environment. Programming in > Smalltalk is an interactive, fun but deep experience. > > Testimonies > > "I am using the version of the book on your web site to teach my > oldest daughter Becca some programming. She absolutely loves it. We > are doing the Bot graphics right. My other kids are showing interest > as well. My Fall semester schedule leaves me with almost no time free > but in the Spring I hope to bring Squeak and your book to our > elementary school's "gifted" program." C. David Shaffer > > "I'm using the Bot Lab environment for three years and found it > really valuable in teaching computer science concepts for a young > audience (and even less young !). The bots commanded through balloon > (as in comic strips) is a very nice introduction for young children, > and when this aspect is well understood, you can use the Bot > Workspace to teach the notion of script, a first step in programming > languages. The Micro Browser allows children to add new behavior for > their bots, and have fun with their creation. This three-layers tool > - Balloon, Micro Workspace, Micro Browser - offers to the teacher a > fun way to introduce gently the basis of object-oriented programming > concepts. With Bots Inc, learning is playing ! ;-)" Samir Saidani - > University of Caen - France > > "I recently started a course with 7th-graders (age about 13 years) > with Stephane's book --- they love it. They all know about syntactic > issues from maths --- in a way they know that an expression in a > formal language must be well formed. So they easily grasp the fact > such as "there must be a colon after the message-name if an argument > follows". Of cause they don't really read the error-messages, they > just see "there must be some error" and they remember the simple > rules. Don't underestimate Smalltalk --- it's easy understandable > because it has a simple and straight-forward design." Klaus Fuller - > Germany > > Have fun...please distribute > > Stef > > > http://www.iam.unibe.ch/~ducasse/ > "if you knew today was your last day on earth, what would you > do different? ... especially if, by doing something different, > today might not be your last day on earth" Calvin&Hobbes > > > > > >

3 2

RE: First attempt at SVG for squeak
by José L. Redrejo Rodríguez 01 Aug '05

01 Aug '05

El dom, 31-07-2005 a las 10:25 +0100, "Gary Chambers" <gazzaguru(a)btinternet.com> escribió: Great, all the graphics that in the previous version caused primitive fails are working now. The only graphics I can not see yet are those with problems with the gradient keys. Now that I can see much more graphics I have detected some problems else. I have upload to example files for you to testing, they are at: www.itais.net/sea.svg and www.itais.net/castle.svg. In sea.svg you just can see as the colours are wrong. In castle.svg you also can see a funny error: the castle gate is drawn upside down. About my previous mail, It is clear I didn't express myself well in my poor english. I will try it again: when picking up a SVGgroup , the size of the morph is the size of the sheet where it was drawn. I would like to see the size of the morph reduced to the size of the drawing. It is similar to sketchMorphs: Using, for instance, The Gimp program, you draw a bitmap graphic in a 400x800 pixels sheet, but the background is transparent and the drawing inside the sheet is only 48x48 pixels sized. When you import the png in Squeak, the sketchMorph size is only 48x48 pixels, not 400x800. In this case, the drawing is easier to handle. Finally, do you have intention to implement a method or put a menu to adjust the antialiasing level? > > > > New release available on SqueakMap. v 0.2.1 > > Hope you like the inmprovements, can handle things better but still has > problems with artifacts on some files. > > Basic text handling has been added, though this means that it no longer > works with Squeak 3.7 due to the changes in font handling. > > Works on 3.9a-6646 too (install Monticello and YAXO first) > 3.8 is good though :-) > > Enjoy, Gary >

2 1

Jump to page: