My last post about this went "thud" :-) That's OK, I decided I'd just try it for a while. After two days I have to say that the idea of saving workspace contents to class-side methods is working pretty well so I published WorkspaceAsMethod to squeaksource.

In Squeak 4.1 install with:

Installer ss project: 'WorkspaceAsMethod'; install: 'WorkspaceAsMethod'

From the Workspaces class documentation:

This class simplifies storing Workspace contents in class-side methods. Right now there is no UI support so you have to do things manually. Begin by creating a class to house your workspaces. Make it a subclass of me. In this example I'll call it TmpWorkspaces:

Workspaces subclass: #TmpWorkspaces instanceVariableNames: '' classVariableNames: '' poolDictionaries: '' category: 'WorkspacesDemo'

Now create a new workspace by evaluating:

TmpWorkspaces openNewWorkspaceSelector: #firstWorkspace label: 'First Workspace'.

If you browse the TmpWorkspaces class you'll see a class-side method called firstWorkspace. This is where your workspace contents will be saved. Modify the workspace and 'accept' your changes. The class-side method will be updated accordingly. You can close the Workspace without fear of losing anything. To re-open it just:

TmpWorkspaces firstWorkspace

or

TmpWorkspaces open: #firstWorkspace

To open all workspaces just:

TmpWorkspaces openAll.

The #openAll method assumes that your workspaces are all in the method category 'workspaces' so if you move them they won't be opened by this selector.

David