Immediate/Compile Time Execution for

[Rob Cozens]

>if Runtime
>exposed a lower level API the xTalk,Transcript ... community could 
>build language
>extensions.

Frank,

As a business applications programmer, I rarely have occasion to 
program at the level you describe; so pardon me if I'm missing the 
big picture.

* One can extend the language to recognize new commands by writing 
handlers to perform the functionality and placing them in a library 
stack or other script.

* One can extend the language to recognize new commands by writing 
externals in C or another language and including the externals in a 
library stack or other stack.

* One cannot write one's own version of a Transcript command with the 
same name and place it in the message path ahead of the engine [just 
tested this]

So it seems to me one can EXTEND Transcript functionality without too 
much difficulty.  The problem arises when one tries to MODIFY 
existing Transcript command functionality or add/change compiler 
syntax..

Before I wrote a handler to resolve SDB field name references to the 
correct record field at runtime, I gave some thought to writing a 
script preprocessor  that would let the developer reference fields by 
dataname in the Script Editor and convert the script text to change 
references like "TYPE:dataName" to "item [fieldNumber] of TYPEBuffer 
-- >TYPE:dataName<" before compiling and to convert the references 
back when the developer reedits the script.

With such a preprocessor, you should be able to script "x=1" and have 
the preprocessor convert that to "put 1 into x" and vice versa.

I run out of ideas that don't require cooperation from the Run Rev 
team at this point.
-- 

Rob Cozens
CCW, Serendipity Software Company
http://www.oenolog.net/who.htm

"And I, which was two fooles, do so grow three;
Who are a little wise, the best fooles bee."

from "The Triple Foole" by John Donne (1572-1631)