Jack Jansen | 8150760 | 1995-10-03 14:40:35 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 1 | Changes since 1.3beta3 |
| 2 | ---------------------- |
Jack Jansen | 9bd2d97 | 1995-10-09 23:26:05 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 3 | - MkPluginAliases.py now works in a virgin distribution environment. It is |
| 4 | also distributed as an applet. |
Jack Jansen | 8150760 | 1995-10-03 14:40:35 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 5 | - hexbin from binhex.py has been fixed |
| 6 | - various bits and pieces in readme files clarified |
| 7 | - mkapplet bug wrt owner resource (and, hence, trouble starting applets) fixed. |
Jack Jansen | 9bd2d97 | 1995-10-09 23:26:05 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 8 | - Compiled with CodeWarrior 7. |
| 9 | - AE client modules generated with gensuitemodule.py now use keyword args. |
Jack Jansen | d0f2678 | 1995-10-12 10:22:29 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 10 | - img modules updated to latest version (including pbm and sgi support). |
| 11 | - Everything compiled with all optimization options available. Let me know |
| 12 | if you suspect errors that are due to this. |
Jack Jansen | 8150760 | 1995-10-03 14:40:35 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 13 | |
Jack Jansen | 61c32fe | 1995-08-31 13:56:36 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 14 | Changes since Python 1.2 for the mac |
| 15 | ------------------------------------ |
Jack Jansen | 61c32fe | 1995-08-31 13:56:36 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 16 | - PPC python now uses a shared library organization. This allows the |
Jack Jansen | 05249f96f | 1995-09-01 11:49:11 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 17 | creation of dynamically loadable extension modules (contact me) and |
| 18 | creation of python applets (see mkapplet.py). A number of previously |
Jack Jansen | 61c32fe | 1995-08-31 13:56:36 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 19 | builtin modules are now dynamically loaded. Dynamically loaded |
| 20 | modules are distributed in the PlugIns folder. |
Jack Jansen | 05249f96f | 1995-09-01 11:49:11 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 21 | - Python modules can live in 'PYC ' resources (with a name equal to the |
| 22 | module name, so many modules can live in a single file). If you put a |
| 23 | file (in stead of a folder) in sys.path its resources will be searched. |
| 24 | See the PackLibDir script for creating such a file. |
| 25 | - new binhex module (partially working, hexbin has problems) |
Jack Jansen | 61c32fe | 1995-08-31 13:56:36 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 26 | - Python now has a Preferences file, editable with |
| 27 | EditPythonPrefs. Remembered are the python 'home folder' and the |
| 28 | initial value for sys.path. If no preferences file is found a simple |
| 29 | one is created. |
| 30 | NOTE: this only works correctly if you start python the first time |
| 31 | from the correct folder. |
| 32 | - new img modules, to read/write/convert images in various formats |
| 33 | - new MacOS toolbox modules: AE, Ctl, Dlg, Event, List, Qd, Res, Snd |
| 34 | and Win. These provide access to various of the MacOS toolbox |
| 35 | interfaces. No documentation yet, but the __doc__ strings provide at |
| 36 | least the calling sequence (and Inside Mac will give you the |
| 37 | semantics). Minimal demos are provided for most toolbox interfaces, |
| 38 | and the 'scripts' directory has some more examples. |
| 39 | - AppleEvent client interfaces can be generated from aete/aeut |
| 40 | resources. No support for objects yet, nor for server interfaces. |
| 41 | - Lib:mac:FrameWork.py has an application framework (under |
| 42 | construction). |
| 43 | - (PPC Only) support for building Python applets: tiny standalone |
| 44 | python applications. |
| 45 | - fp = open(filename, '*r') opens resource-fork of a file for reading |
| 46 | (and similar for writing). |
| 47 | - option-dragging a file to the interpreter (or immedeately pressing |
| 48 | <option> after launching python) will bring up an Options dialog |
| 49 | allowing you to set options like import-tracing, etc. |
| 50 | - MacOS module method added: GetErrorString(OSErr) -> error string |
| 51 | - There is now a numbering convention for resource-ID's: |
| 52 | 128-255 Resources used by the interpreter itself |
| 53 | 256-511 Resources used by standard modules |
| 54 | 512- Resources for applications |
| 55 | - macfs module changes: |
| 56 | - StandardGetFile without type arguments now shows all files |
| 57 | - PromptGetFile(prompt, ...) is like StandardGetFile but with a |
| 58 | prompt |
| 59 | - GetDirectory (let user select a folder) added |
| 60 | - GetFInfo and SetFInfo methods of FSSpec objects get/set finder |
| 61 | info. FInfo objects have attributes Creator, Type, etc. |
| 62 | - FindFolder (locate trash/preferences/etc) added |
| 63 | - mactcp/macdnr changes: bug fix wrt idle-loop. |
| 64 | - EditPythonPrefs script: change initial sys.path and python home |
| 65 | folder |
| 66 | - (PPC only) MkPluginAliases: Setup aliases for dynamically loadable |
| 67 | modules that live in a single shared library |
| 68 | - PackLibDir: Convert Lib directory to a single resource file |
| 69 | containing all .pyc code |
| 70 | - fixfiletypes: Set file types based on file extension over a whole |
| 71 | tree. |
| 72 | - RunLibScript: Run any script as main program, optionally redirecting |
| 73 | stdin/stdout, supplying arguments, etc. |
| 74 | - binhextree: Binhex all files in a tree, depending on the extension. |
| 75 | - (PPC only) mkapplet: Create a python applet from a sourcefile and |
| 76 | (optional) resourcefile. |
Jack Jansen | 9bd2d97 | 1995-10-09 23:26:05 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 77 | |
| 78 | Known problems |
| 79 | -------------- |
| 80 | |
| 81 | - 68K python reacts rather violently to out-of-memory situations. In |
| 82 | stead of raising MemoryError it will crash, possibly bringing down the |
| 83 | whole system. This is being investigated. |
| 84 | - The installation procedure is baroque. Ideas for improvement are welcome. |
| 85 | - The full documentation should be ported to AppleGuide. This should be |
| 86 | a fairly simple automatic translation but I am not well-versed enough in |
| 87 | AppleGuide to do it. Any takers? |
Jack Jansen | d0f2678 | 1995-10-12 10:22:29 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 88 | - stdwin still has trouble with getting the clipboard (for cut/copy). Any |
| 89 | hints for fixing this will be looked into (but I am not going to spend |
| 90 | ages on this, especially without anyone asking me to). |
| 91 | - Be careful when copy/pasting in the stdin/stdout window. If you type |
| 92 | something when you have the insertion point is not at end-of-window you |
| 93 | may experience a system hang. (thanks, Just!) |
Jack Jansen | 61c32fe | 1995-08-31 13:56:36 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 94 | |
Jack Jansen | 9bd2d97 | 1995-10-09 23:26:05 +0000 | [diff] [blame] | 95 | |
| 96 | What will change shortly |
| 97 | ------------------------ |
| 98 | |
| 99 | I am planning to do an intermediate release shortly (1.3.1??), mainly |
| 100 | because Guido was so fast with 1.3 that I didn't have time to do some |
| 101 | things I wanted. Expect the following changes shortly (note that some are |
| 102 | incompatible): |
| 103 | - CFM68K support,bringing applets and dynamic loading to the 68K macs. |
| 104 | - Bgen-generated toolbox interfaces will go to a different place, |
| 105 | probably :Lib:mac:toolbox |
| 106 | - Resource objects now often perform the role of a Handle object. This |
| 107 | will change with the introduction of a Handle object and some sort of |
| 108 | simulated inheritance. |
| 109 | - AE suites generated with gensuitemodule will be restructured, whereby it |
| 110 | will be easier to override/extend standard suites. Also, server suites |
| 111 | will also be generated, and hopefully objects will be supported. |
| 112 | - Event handling is currently rather messy, with python, SIOUX, stdwin and |
| 113 | the python application all fighting over the events. This will somehow |
| 114 | be changed. |
| 115 | |
| 116 | |
| 117 | Jack Jansen, jack@cwi.nl |
| 118 | 10-Oct-95 |