I've push a changeset and macintosh plugins onto the server, they  
should appear in a few days.

The SerialExtendedMacOS9Plugin.sit goes in the mac 3.5 noncarbon plugin  
location
The SerialExtendedUnixPlugin.bundle goes in the mac 3.5 carbon plugin  
location
{yes the name implies unix, but os-x is unix...}
The EnhancedSerialPorts-JMM changeset which is the classes and plugin  
interface logic you need to file in.


I suspect usage will be limited but it enables you to do things with  
serial ports (and file handles, hint any file handle) that you can't do  
otherwise. I would think to compile this code on your favorite Linux  
box that would be a snap.

Only one platform specific primitive or method exists  
serialPortFindNamesPlusKeysstorage which on os-x invokes the  
IOServiceGetMatchingServices() call to get path names to devices  that  
support the serial protocols. This primitive call a common  Linux box  
could be replaced by smalltalk code to iterate over /dev or read some  
sort of control file etc to figure out  the path names to the serial  
devices. For mac os-9 this functionality was already part of the VM.  
I'm hoping that  no platform specific C code will be required for unix  
boxes. Alas windows users require someone to do the dirty work  if you  
want windows specific serial calls? Or will unix emulation  
somewhere/how etc work?  Couldn't speak for parallel ports, never even  
occurred to me to investigate till now.

I should point out that Dan Ingalls <Dan at SqueakLand.org> was kind  
enough to actually fund with  real USA $  some of the work required to  
build this plugin, then willing to release it to the public. So enjoy,  
and  thank Dan for motivating ($) me to write the code and for  
releasing it.

PS I won't pass up an opportunity to point out if you've an obscure  
macintosh specific feature you would like and like Dan have a bit of  
cash to pay for it, then we should talk.

--
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John M. McIntosh <johnmci at smalltalkconsulting.com> 1-800-477-2659
Corporate Smalltalk Consulting Ltd.  http://www.smalltalkconsulting.com
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