AS 1.6 vs 1.8.3
AS 1.6 vs 1.8.3
- Subject: AS 1.6 vs 1.8.3
- From: Gary Lists <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 07:26:45 -0500
Hi all.
Someone wrote yesterday that I was being a bit wimpy sticking with AS 1.6.
I couldn't remember the exact details, but I had 1.8.3 installed at one
point (I also used to have OS 9.2 installed, but backed down to 9.1.2), so I
got out the installer and started looking at the Read Me and the Standard
Additions dictionary.
The Read Me says (paraphrasing): This version restores the historical
meaning of 'file' and 'alias'...earlier versions changed those to be
compatible with OSX but many older scripts would not function so they were
restored. (Okay. Except I never fully understood those terms to begin
with.) It also says 'improvements to the info for command'.
But what strikes me is the changes readily apparent in the standard
additions.
My question is, simply, with OS 9.1.2 (firm ;), would you recommend that I
change to AS 1.8.3? Or some other version between .6 and .83? (I read past
posts, and saw strong suggestions to avoid some versions. Which I will.)
Some examples of why I'm concerned (which probably stems from my 'newbish'
status, admittedly):
The dictionary for 1.8.3 reduces options on some key commands that I know
are used in scripts I use or have written. Choose application is one such
command:
1.6 Choose application ...
[multiple selections allowed boolean] -- Allow multiple items to be
selected?
[as type class] -- the desired type of result. May be application (the
default), alias, or file.
Where 1.8.3 offers no such command options, for multiple selection and as
type.
1.8.3 Choose file ... [of type a list of string]
Result : file -- the file the user specified
1.6 Choose file ... [of type list]
Result : alias -- to the chosen file
Also, in 1.8.3, does the phrase:
[of type a list of string] in effect mean the same thing as [of type list]
when multiple file/folder items are returned?
And, finally --
What is the difference between:
list folder file -- the alias or file reference to the folder
and
list folder file specification -- the alias, file specificion, or path to
the folder
I guess I don't fully understand the differences between:
file
file specification
alias
I know that an 'alias' list looks like {alias "X:y:z", ...} of course, but I
don't "get" the difference with {file "X:y:z"}
And even more confusing, I can never properly script the handling of a
"finder alias", meaning an alias file...uh...a symbolic link... (language is
damned confusing, no matter how you slice it.)
So, any guidance on the update to 1.8.3 will be much appreciated, as will
clarifications on some of these basic concepts and other dictionary 'major
changes' that you think I should be on the look out for.
Of particular concern are a set of scripts that change file types, set
comments to version string info and then compress whole file sets and
folders. I've worked hard on these and if the suggestion is to upgrade to
1.8.3, then that's fine, but I'll want to repair/tweak these scripts first.
(Funny that I've written plenty of scripts for the Finder, without recording
-- because I can't, in any application, without freezing the whole Mac --,
and I still could not explain the difference between some of these. Mimicry
will get you everywhere...and often leave you knowing less than you
thought.)
Mucho gusto,
--
Gary
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