Girder - what could rebol be capable of?
[1/2] from: petr:krenzelok:trz:cz at: 23-Apr-2003 13:18
Hi,
we can see "interfacing" rebol to external environments sometimes on our
list. We have several options currently - tcp/ip, udp, files,
system-port, shell and libraries, from which the last two are available
to those wishing to pay for the features.
Although we could see Carl posting system-port examples, so far we have
not seen any reboller becoming master of its usage, so we know little
about its possibilities. Today, looking for the player being capable of
complete handling by command-line or API, I got to product Girder -
seems to me kind of modern Arexx, although Windows only ....
http://www.girder.nl/help/gettingstarted/index.php
I wonder if rebol kernel could be extended later to be more system-wide
friendly, e.g. being able to handle USB, etc.
Anyone?
-pekr-
[2/2] from: greggirwin::mindspring::com at: 23-Apr-2003 12:10
Hi Petr,
PK> Today, looking for the player being capable of
PK> complete handling by command-line or API, I got to product Girder -
PK> seems to me kind of modern Arexx, although Windows only ....
PK> http://www.girder.nl/help/gettingstarted/index.php
PK> I wonder if rebol kernel could be extended later to be more system-wide
PK> friendly, e.g. being able to handle USB, etc.
I don't think it's like ARexx. ARexx was built on OS support that
doesn't exist in Windows. Girder looks like a macro/automation tool,
like WinBatch and such.
I've done a bit of stuff on the Windows side, but when you do that
it's not portable. It's easy enough to shell apps (need View/Pro for
all DLL access of course), find windows, and pump messages to them. I
also wrote a send-keys dialect that lets you send keystrokes to other
windows. Using the system port is only good for console apps right now
it seems; you don't see the WM_ messages in View windows (yet).
Macro programming can be handy, but also fragile. I'm using my tools
for automation in a REBOL product right now (in testing as we speak)
but I haven't made any plans to release them as "supported toolkits".
:)
I don't know about USB handling.
-- Gregg