Command Line Workspace (was RE: Language implementation inSqueak)

Dan Ingalls Dan.Ingalls at disney.com
Wed Nov 17 20:39:20 UTC 1999


>> > >I have one question for the long-time Smalltalkers...  Why did
>> > >you move from a read/eval/print loop to the workspace model?  I
>> > >don't have anything against the mouse but I find a listener with
>> > >a good history mechanism is a faster interaction mode for me.   

>It seems like it wouldn't be too hard to create a hybrid command line
>interface/workspace in Squeak.  Call it a "command line workspace".
>Hitting <return> after typing an expression would simply do a "print it"
>on the expression, output on the next line.  And you could still have the
>full text editor menu with "do it", "inspect it", etc., if you wanted to
>highlight text and do workspace-like stuff.

Most of this convenience is already inherent in the fact that if you just click (null-select) in a workspace, and hit ctrl-d, -p, or -i, Squeak will extend the section to matching CRs, and do, print, or inspect that expression.

You might want to change the printIt separator from space to CR (see ParagraphEditor insertAndSelect:at:) to get closer to the effect of a scrolling command line.

Also, if you like to keep a record, do this all in a fileList and hit cmd-s whenever you want to save what you've done so far.

These are the reasons I don't miss a sequential listener.

Hope this helps

	- Dan





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