On Sun, 9 Dec 2001, James Stark wrote:

> Hi!
> 
> I have a number in a variable number called:
> 
> (anumber)

Ok.

> I want to output this to a file... but smalltalk comes up with something 
> about "ERROR: anString) when I put nextPutAll.

#nextPutAll: puts *collections* on the stream. So if you feed it a scalar,
it will hork and hork hard. Try #nextPut:

>  It does it with strings ok, 

Strings are collections (of characters, to be precise).

> but with numbers it will not output to a file, any suggestions?

There are at least two issues here: Writing objects to streams, and
writing objects to files (via a stream). The first involves the difference
between #nextPut: and #nextPutAll:. The second involves what the file is
expecting and what marshalling/serialization you want to do.


> is a number 
> a byte?

No. Never. Good thing too.

Of course you can *encode* Numbers in a variety of ways.

> I actually convert from String to Numbers using "anNumber" method.... how do 
> you convert the number back to being a string?

Typically, using something like #readFrom: and #readFrom:base: but there
are other methods (even some in String) if you can make certain
assumptions about your input.

>  since when I convert floats 
> to numbers they are fraction... I want to get them back again... how do I do 
> that?

Try #asFloat:

	(3/4) asFloat

> Any suggestions would be welcome since I am finding it hard to program in 
> Smalltalk since it seems to take the pinciple of oo to the extreme!

Actually, it *does* take it to rather an extreme, not merely seems to.

But I seriously doubt that that's the problem at the moment.

Reading a tutorial might help, just if it familiarizes you 1) with the
basics of a Smalltalk system and 2) with the tools you need to explore
one.

Cheers,
Bijan Parsia.