Re: Writing To A File
Re: Writing To A File
- Subject: Re: Writing To A File
- From: "John W. Baxter" <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 18:05:52 -0700
- Envelope-to: email@hidden
On 9/30/2003 12:09, "Steve Mills" <email@hidden> wrote:
>
On Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003, at 13:31 US/Central, Walter Ian Kaye wrote:
>
>
> Not sure what you mean. The dictionary entry says it accepts a file or
>
> alias. It does not say anything about accepting a pathname string.
>
> None of the file commands do.
>
>
You'll notice some of the commands use typeWildCard ("anything") as
>
their file reference type. That means any type (within limits) should
>
work, including string.
>
>
> To expect consistency from undefined behavior is not logical.
>
>
If it works, it was written to do so, so expecting it to work every
>
time is entirely logical, whether it's documented or not. Expecting
>
consistency across all the commands in the same scripting addition is
>
expected.
>
Ah, but Standard Additions was originally a bunch of separate Scripting
Additions (not all from Apple). Since I know that, my expectations differ
from yours. I wish for consistency without expecting it.
Much of the problem is forced on dictionary (aete) writers by the data
format. If some verb takes type a or type b, one can
1. Show one of the types (more commonly used?), and in a comment remark
that the other type can also be used.
2. Show "anything" and in a comment indicate what types really can be used
3. Create one verb which takes type a and another which takes type b
Option 3 is bad for a variety of reasons (in part the desire to reduce the
verbishness of the language).
Options 1 and 2 both suffer if the comments aren't clear...but the space for
writing useful comments for early Script Editor versions was quite limited,
so usually the comments are not clear or are absent.
--John
_______________________________________________
applescript-users mailing list | email@hidden
Help/Unsubscribe/Archives:
http://www.lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/applescript-users
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.