Re: Tell Blocks Considered Harmful (was Re: open for access)
Re: Tell Blocks Considered Harmful (was Re: open for access)
- Subject: Re: Tell Blocks Considered Harmful (was Re: open for access)
- From: Chris Page <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:53:23 -0800
On Dec 17, 2008, at 02:22 AM, Shane Stanley wrote:
On 17/12/08 10:44 AM, "Chris Page" <email@hidden> wrote:
I think it's best to avoid using unnecessary tell blocks.
But here is part of the problem. You have a language that tries to
appeal to
neophytes. It was designed so that things like nested tells and
calling
scripting additions within tell blocks Just Worked -- and then you
say oh
yes, but please don't do it. You're putting the onus for avoiding any
problems it might cause on the wrong person, IMO.
Correction: they *apparently* work. They work for certain cases, as
long as scripting additions and applications don't change.
As a result, attempts to improve things involves a certain amount of
risk, because some scripts incidentally rely on some details of
behavior that they did not intend to rely upon and which were never
guaranteed to behave the way they do. I'm trying to assess what
scripts rely upon and how many scripts do so.
And, yes, I'm asking some AppleScript users to learn a new detail or
two about the language and giving them some ideas for how to write
better scripts. Scripts that are more specific about their intent,
which makes them more likely to continue working in the long term, in
a wider variety of circumstances, and makes it easier for script,
addition and application developers to change things in the future
without breaking as many scripts.
--
Chris Page - AppleScripter
The other, other AppleScript Chris
_______________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
AppleScript-Users mailing list (email@hidden)
Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
Archives: http://lists.apple.com/archives/applescript-users
This email sent to email@hidden