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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Hi</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>First off I admit to having never used Squeak or any
Smalltalk in anger (or even in a very slight temper). I have looked over Squeaks
shoulder several times though in the last couple of years and it always fascinates
me. I have a play, think, not sure how to actually build anything in this and scuttle
off back to python land or java land or whatever. I think, this time I might
get further. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Ok, I have an application (this is hobby time not
work time) in Python that is a software defined radio, running in two parts
over a network. The server and the client part communicate using Pyro (a
distributed object protocol for Python). The server is mostly 'C'
with Python wrappers. For this experiment I intend leaving the server much as
it is except I have to connect to it from Squeak. I guess I would have to use
plain sockets and devise a text based message protocol to get these two parts
to communicate.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>First question - is there any better way
(meaning higher level) way to do this communication, perhaps using Squeak on
both sides. I could arrange for the server side Squeak to talk to the 'C'
processes through named pipes if this makes things easier. The server is on
Linux (Suse 9.3) by the way. The client in on Windows XP.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Second question - well actually quite a few
questions. I have been playing with Morphic as the major part of what I would
need to build is the UI. Having found the tutorials not particularly helpful in
explaining how to build a UI I have discovered/questions on the following,
which is no doubt only the tip of the iceberg.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><font size=2
face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>1.<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I find the Supplies and Widgets flaps
a bit odd. The widgets seem to be what I would best describe as applets and the
supplies what I would best describe as widgets. At first I though, where is
everything, expecting to see all the usual suspects for building a UI but
finding (to me) a rather odd and small selection of bits. I then found that the
'new morph' menu item gives a huge selection of parts and buried in
there I have found quite a number of the more standard parts although how to
use them is another question. I didn't find things like check box, radio
button and box but I assume they are somewhere. At the risk of being shot down
I think the flaps and their contents, with the possible exception of the tools
detract from the overall look of the default distribution. Some better crafted
graphics and a better selection would make all the difference.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><font size=2
face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>2.<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Ok, so I can drop parts onto the
main window and play with them. It took me a while to work out there is for
example an 'Alignment Morph', which I could then turn into a window
and add components to it. There also seem to be some layout managers/sizers
(not sure what Squeak calls them). I guess if I work at this long enough I
would figure out how to combine alignment panels and layouts to get a finished UI
with the correct layout and resize behaviour. Is this the way people do it,
just work it out for themselves or did I miss a whole load of info somewhere.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><font size=2
face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>3.<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Having got my layout, what do I do
with it? I am used to GUI builders that drop code. I found several menu items,
but none seemed to help.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><font size=2
face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>4.<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>While playing I got a lot of 'Message
Not Understood' errors. Bearing in mind I'm not writing any code
yet why do I get these. Mostly they can be Abandoned but occasionally I get a
whole string of them that brings the thing to its knees and I have to restart.
Some morphs I have tried also throw errors immediately and every time I mouse
over them. How do you get rid of these as you can't bring up the halo.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Sorry for a lot of questions but I wanted to get as
far as I could in a reasonable amount of time and then fire enough off to get
me to next base. If you only know the answer to one question, please don't
hold off as any info will help me move forward.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Thanks</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Bob </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p>
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