Letters
Here's this month's installment of letters. To put your letter in this
section, just e-mail it on over to dantheox@aol.com.
I actually got a ton of letters this month! Wow! Keep 'em coming!
Every time a new issue of RB Monthly comes out, I get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. - David Norton
Wow! That's amazing!
I have an app I have been working on for over a year and it has been crying for a database. That, and the new support for Win95/NT is swinging me rapidly to RB2. I had been really struggling with the database documentation and the whole issue of terminology (I am not familiar with data bases at all). The april issue of RBMonthly was discovered at just the right time. I had not yet committed suicide! - James Wagner
You read it here folks—RBM stops people from commiting federal crimes!
First off, thanks to all of you at RBM. A great magazine, and a critical service for those of us newbies out in the developer community.
Thanks!
I particularly enjoyed your article on making an RB application AppleScriptable. One thing that the author did not comment on was extending RB's object model. In fact, there was no comment on RB's object model at all; as far as I can tell, you can't write a standard applescript to retrieve, for example, "the name of window 1".
This isn't a bug. RB doesn't store the actual name of a window or control—just a reference to it. This speeds up code execution.
You can use RB to send object specifiers, but you can't use it to parse them. I don't see any methods that allow the developer to intercept or patch AE manager calls for ospec resolution, so I assume that this feature is just not supported yet. Of course, it's possible to work around this by coding a new appleevent for every core event, but... - "RPeters137"
Like I said, AppleEvents can get complicated... =)
Great idea for an electronic newsletter for the Realbasic community.
I'm a *very* beginner programmer (but a designer of almost 10 years) and haven't
yet purchased a full version of Realbasic, but am seriously considering it to dabble
and create basic apps for myself and others.
I'd love to see a "Beginner's Section" in your newsletter,
describing some basic methods of programming. I don't get a sense of completeness
with the manuals supplied with Realbasic, and will probably just hack through until
the trial period is over and give up. No decent manuals make it VERY tough to learn
this stuff. Back to original thought. How about a beginners section helping us lowly
begineers learn this stuf? – DAVID JANIK-JONES
Thanks! I don't know if I'll add a beginners section, but there are tons of tutorials around the internet. A good place to start is www.realgurus.com, or the web ring.
I've just bought RealBasic. Your newsletter has been very useful.
Maybe I've misunderstood your points but I disagree with your complaints
about multiple versions of RB, what with the release version and DR2 bleeding edge
version. I think it's highly desirable to have a stable release version and a separate
one in development. If I'm writing an application I don't want to be simultaneously
debugging an RB beta. – GOWAN
After experiencing constant crashes whenever I RAN A PROGRAM in DR2, I have a new appreciation for the stabler versions. However, I still think that chaos isn't the way to go for version numbers. (yes, chaos is the right word. F9 can't open projects that have been saved in DR2)
It is good to see such interest in REALBasic. I think that this product is going to catch fire and be the top choice in rapid application development. When it does, this eMag will be our viewport into classes and techniques available. Keep up the good work! –AARON BRATCHER
Thanks!
I was having problems building the chat application listed in this months RB monthly and was wondering if there was a completed version somewhere that I could download and look at to compare to what I had? — KYLE PAULEY
The completed version isn't on the internet. However, Brian Jones' page (it's mentioned earlier in the letters) has an even better example called "Chatter Client". It supports multiple connections. Also, REALgurus should have a socket tutorial on their site soon.
Louis Chartrand in your April letters section said that he has a 603e to do most of his dev work on. Well, I use an LC 575 to do most of my dev work on, with a 68LC040, 20 megs of RAM, and a 640 by 480 screen. I also use a Performa 6400 with 28.8 modem, OS 8.5, 88 MB of RAM, and a 28.8 modem to test it on and download stuff. Just thought you might like to know. BTW, RBM rocks! - David Norton, Jr.
You show a circle with a radius of 1 and an angle of 47.3 deg. off the horizontal
diameter. You then go on to state that the value of sin(47.3) is equal to the x coordinate.
Are you sure that the value is not the y coordinate?
I believe that as shown that sin(47.3)=y/r, and since r=1 then sin(47.3)=y
I am a 77 yr. old newbie - do enjoy your contributions very much.
You're right. The cosine is the x coordinate, and sine is the y coordinate. I always get these confused...
[On the April Fools editorial...] I can only speak for myself, but I think
my opinion is probably
shared, when I say: Don't ever, ever, do that again. - Antaeus Feldspar
I didn't hear back from you after we'd talked about doing the ChartPart review, so only discovered today that you'd done and published it!
I was a little disappointed by the review, but grateful for the feedback. Please
allow me to address
a couple of issues:
* Your critique that ChartPart only handles one-dimensional data (can't do comparisons)
is on-target. I'll work toward addressing that in the next release.
* The price: it is too high if all you're doing is a single type of graph (unless
it's the pie chart, which is a big pain in the hinder). Of course, most people get
to use it for free, even that could be argued. But I think $20 is fair if you're
wanting to be able to use a variety of charts without having to do all the pesky
math yourself. I usually charge about $60/hour for consulting work, so if I saved
20 minutes of time, it would have been worth it for me. :)
* Can only draw onscreen: Absolutely false! It prints and copies to the clipboard
with the built in classes, and you can also pass it any graphic object (including
offscreen ones) to have it draw to. If you had the idea that it only draws onscreen,
then my docs are inadequate somewhere.
* Only one color for all parts of a pie chart: Addressed in v1.1, a free upgrade
for all registered users.
Thanks for the feedback! I'll certainly take it into consideration as I work on future
revisions.
Best wishes, Sean McCains
I just noticed that my PrefContainer class got reviewed. I wanted to get a few errors fixed. if possible. My name is spelled wrong in two places, it should be Steve LoBasso Also my web page is not listed, it should be: http://members.tripod.com/~slobasso/programming/rb.html I would appreciate these changes, but I understand if this can't be done. -Steve LoBasso
I really liked the Sockets story for the Sept.98 issue. However, when i tried doing it by instantiating the sockets entirely in code, I couldn't do it. As much as I read the DevGuide and Language Ref, I couldn't make it instantiate a socket in code only. I couldn't even get it to compile correctly.
So here is a simple request: If possible, could you do a Sockets revisited article? One where you rebuild the 1-1 chat program without dragging a socket control into a window? That would probably give myself and all those people on rb-pro-g that have been asking about sockets a better idea. If this is too difficult, let me know. I hope Alex [Duncan]'s forth coming book has some info on this subject.
Among the benefits of this I think, would be that it would give people an idea how coding works when you don't have the nice pretty interface builder. I mean, I normally wouldn't think that a socket would be something you would tie to a specific window, or should have to tie to a window, so, how do I do it?
Thanks for RBM and all the other answers to people I have seen you post to the lists. - Lindsay Adams
It's certainly a good idea. It didn't make it into this issue, but I'll consider updating the article outside of RBM.
I've just started learning REalBasic, and have found your site to be incredibly helpful . I see that you won't be adding anything now... I understand the work that must take, and do not question your decision, I was just writing to ask if plan on keeping your site up for a while. I haven't had a chance to suck all of the info out yet and don't want to see it go away! - John Murden
The RBM site will be up for a long time to come, so don't worry.
Just heard about RealBasic Monthly and wanted to thank you for all the tutorials and information you provided us (RealBasic Users). I also want to apologize, I was one who offered to submit articles to RBM but never produce. I hope you understand that my first priority is my job and that it takes me away from RealBasic for weeks at a time. ie: The last project took 3 weeks to complete! I just turned on my Mac and hear about RBM. Again Thank You! - John Nunez
I am really new to RB. As a matter of face I just started Last night. With the help of your site I actually wrote something that worked within minutes of finding your site. I want to thank you for that. Also I just want to tell you that it is too bad that you are not going to be continuing the RB monthly thing that I saw on your site. It looks to be very interesting and useful. That brings me to another point of this mail. I was trying to download the PDFs of the past issues, and it says that the page can not be found.
Where can I get a copy of these? Thank you again. - Devin Trotter
Not all the issues have PDFs online yet. Sorry.
I am sorry that you are going to discontinue your wonderful magazine. I am new to RB (6 weeks about) and have found that the only real true help with working in the environment have been from your Monthly. If I knew more I'm write for you, ( I know that doesn't count) I am a journalist student, but I feel you actually have to know how to use the environment to be useful. Would you consider doing your publication on a quarterly basis? There are a lot of people like me who need you. - Nancie
As I've said before, my descision is final, though I may add more articles later or even write for another publication.
I was very pleased to find your article about Writing a Screen Saver in RB. However when I tried to download the file MenuBarMagic from your article (.../rbm/4-99/screensaver.html) I got a message saying that this file does not exist... I tried as well to locate unsuccessfully the XCMD on the different servers... On the other hand, I could not find as well the "RB Cafe"...
Maybe you know were I could find the necessary files to try out your routine... Sincerely yours, J.C. Martinez
To go to the RB Café, download Hotline from www.hotlinesw.com, and go to cafe.realbasic.com. It should be in the XCMDs folder.
I am a brand new user of REALbasic, I have BASIC and C+ programming experiance but am unfamiliar with the Mac toolbox or REALbasic's command structure. Do you know if there is a book out (or soon to come out) along the lines of "Teach Yourself REALbasic in 24 hours, or 1 week, or something like that?" I thrive on books like that and find that they really help. I taught myself HTML 4.0 with one of those and learned quickly. Anyway, any info you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thank You. - Brian Alston
Sorry to hear that the next issue of the magazine will be the last. I've really enjoyed it. It was really helpful when I was a RB newbie, and now that I'm more proficient I really appreciated your insightful reviews, editorials, and tips & tricks.
I'm the technical editor of a magazine for FileMaker Pro (database software), and I KNOW that tons of people PROMISE to write, while very few actually do.
Continued success in all your ventures. Sincerely, Bob Cusick
There is a need for RB Monthly! Do *not* kill it! Sometimes, after I've been on a long vacation or something like that, I find myself lost in the REALbasic world < I have absolutely no idea of what has happend to RB during the last couple of weeks. So what do I do? I go to http://www.nd.edu/~jvanderk/rbm/ and read myself up to date! The RB Monthly news-page is awesome. Or was. Please do not kill RB Monthly!
RB Monthly is far better than REAL Wizards ever will be!
If you don't have time to write the whole magazine, then why don't you at least write the news and perhaps the reviews? Best regards, Jonatan Uppstrom
Well, there's always REALnews, which is much more thorough than my news section. There's a link at the end of this month's news.
It is with great disapointment that I read your notice on your web page in regards to the discontinuation of the RB Monthly Online Mag. I have used this resource inumberable times in my efforts to get my head around REALbasic, and I have found it to be one of the top sites for real information about common problems we hit in programming.
As a fully registered (profressional version) user of Real Basic, I have relied upon the information on the web to help me out of situations I have found myself in whilst taking steps into the REAL world of coding.
So it is with a heavy heart that I bid your site farewell. I fully understand that you have a life apart from maintaining this site, but it is a shame that you could not get the support required. I feel that RB Monthly is a valuable resouce for the Real basic community and it would be a great crime to let it disappear due to peoples apparent lack of interest.
In summary, if you do decide to stick with your decsion and stop publication of RB Monthly, apart from the fact that I would personally be upset, I am sure that there are hundreds, maybe thousands of other Real Users out their who would feel the same. Please remember to keep your head high, and thank you for helping me on my journey to learn REALbasic. All the best, Darren Miller
Sorry to hear that the next issue will be the last. I started following RB Monthly a few issues ago, when I first got into REALbasic, and it has taught me a lot of things and really got my interest in REALbasic going. The problem with publications on the web is that the writers rarely get feedback/thanks - people just go and grab what they can but I'd just like to say thanks for your effort, it has been appreciated. - Gavin Smith
Hi Dan,
The tutorial on making your application applescriptable was excellent. Also good
to see you showed people how to use Resourceror.
As for your editorial comments re REAL SW -- you may be interested in some background information:
REAL were contractually obliged to ship 2.0 by the a certain date in April (you no doubt laughed when REAL promised 2.0 for Q1 99, right? Well, apparently they were a little overconfident...) Now they have to maintain the fiction that 2.0 was 2.0 and not DR2r83.
Aside from that, nothing has really changed. New DR2s ship every couple of days.
2.0.2 was a pretty solid version, and most of the "nicely numbered" releases have been release quality (assuming OS8.x and Mac-side). 2.1 is supposed to offer final database functionality; 2.2 is supposed to offer complete multimedia stuff (QuickTime, sprites, canvases, sound, etc. working and cross-platform). I'd guess that 2.2 will probably ship around September/October (I won't bother quoting you the times REAL told me).
The basic underlying issue is that REAL expected to have a second full-time programmer working for them starting a few months ago, but the person they hired became a no-show for complicated legal reasons (not REAL's fault). Combine this with the fact that REAL's entire staff is incapable of (a) processing bug reports (so Andrew and his wife are doing that _as well_); (b) keeping documentation even vaguely in touch with reality; or (c) keeping their accounts straight, and there's your explanation. - Anonymous by request