Subject:
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Re: Backwards Compatibility (Was Calling all Meta-commands)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad.dev
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Date:
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Sat, 22 Mar 2003 00:26:38 GMT
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Viewed:
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2139 times
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In lugnet.cad.dev, Dan Boger wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 16, 2003 at 03:53:02PM +0000, Tim Courtney wrote:
> > I'll make a side note on the { } issue. One of my goals (as Kevin knows) is
> > to see this software more useable and accessible to general computer users
> > and even kids in the intermediate level on up. I'd like people to have
> > access to good quality free CAD software they can understand. Having watched
> > your average computer user try to familiarize themselves with this, I can
> > attest that even the concept of hand-editing a file makes them uneasy.
> > Requiring { } on meta-commands would just add another layer, albeit
> > perceived, on their part of this system's complexity. Allthough we see them
> > as characters, they see them as jibberish they don't understand.
>
> Making LDraw accessible to the average computer user is a great thing!
> But, as you mentioned yourself - these users won't be editing the files
> by hand, they'll be using "good, free CAD software". So whatever meta
> commands they need to add, the software will be adding for them, right?
> So Mary Smith could select "Set light value" from a menu in her GUI,
> enter some data in a dialog box, and the program would add
>
> 0 {LIGHTVALS} 0 1 2 3
>
> I think the fileformat spec should be completely transparent to the
> (average) user. Advance users that edit the files manually already have
> to understand the file format, with everything that goes with it.
True, but that's no reason to have (unnecessary) complications.
The computer will understand whatever we set it up to understand.
LIGHTVALS, {LIGHTVALS}, 32.6, it's all the same to the silicon. Syntax is
for users, beginning or advanced.
If we feel that punctuation is a good way to flag meta-commands, there are
simpler options than {}. A leading character is probably enough:
.LIGHTVALS, #LIGHTVALS, etc, etc.
Steve
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