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 21:19:00 -0800
On Dec 18, 2008, at 9:27 AM, Shane Stanley wrote:
On 18/12/08 5:53 AM, "Chris Page" <email@hidden> wrote:
Correction: they *apparently* work. They work for certain cases, as
long as scripting additions and applications don't change.
That's pretty much my definition of "works". *Everything* is subject
to change, and cases where changes by Apple or developers break
scripts are an all-too-frequent fact of life. Scripters are pretty
low on the food chain, and most of us don't kid ourselves otherwise.
My definition of “work” is that it works in as many situations as
possible and is not likely to break when I run it on another computer
or after a software update, and that I never have to change it.
I've offered to you some simple suggestions for making scripts more
likely to work in more situations for a longer amount of time.
A noble aim, if somewhat problematic given how long people have been
accustomed to a much more laissez faire approach that, yes, has
worked.
Things Change. One of my favorite movies.
But you're also suggesting that functionality they've relied on
could be taken from scripters to make things easier for developers,
and that's where the tail is wagging the dog -- unless there's a
very good reason.
No, I'm suggesting that if you write cleaner scripts that have fewer
incidental, unintended dependencies, it makes it easier for script,
addition and application developers to figure out what they need to
remain compatible with and what they don't.
I am asking all these questions because I cannot, just by looking at
scripts with large tell blocks, be certain of what the author intended.
--
Chris Page
The other, other AppleScript Chris
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