[Newbies] User interfaces | getting started

[subbukk]

On Monday 21 May 2007 2:25 am, Darren White wrote:
> Hello,
> This is my first post here.... how do I proceed and for a GUI
> program what is the main form/frame/window to hold the components. So the
> main thing I'm stuck with is the user interface, I have read enough to know
> how to create classes and their method bodies (though my code may be bad at
> this stage :-) ).
Welcome! Squeak is not just a programming environment. It is like 
a 'construction kit'. In real life, one learns to build stuff by taking 
things apart to see how it was all put together (and perhaps repair it before 
Dad comes home! ;-). At some point, you learn enough to build one yourself.

You could take the same tack in Squeak. For instance, open a Workspace and 
drill down using halos till you get to the smallest part. Drag it to a 
different place. Repeat for all the parts. Then 'inspect/explore/browse' each 
part to see how it was put together. You could also try tracing code 
execution using "debug it" to pick up programming idioms. Use 'explain' to 
find out more about new words/terms. Debug through ClickExerciser object to 
see how it handles mouse clicks.

Enjoy .. Subbu