Re: [StrongED] StrongED 4,69a6

[Fred Graute <fjgraute@xxxxxxxxx>]

In message <256a176552.pnyoung@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
          Peter Young <pnyoung@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Please excuse my ignorance! I'm being encouraged to upgrade from my
> current 4.69a4 to 4.69a6, and I'm far from sure whether I need new
> mode files. The website says, "Remember, modes for 4.69 must be
> downloaded from the Modes database. Do not try to use these modes with
> pre-4.69 versions of StrongED, they won't work!", but I'm sure that
> I've been told I would need new mode files with this new release, even
> though I'm upgrading from 4.69*.

The information on the website is based on what's been released through
the website. Versions of 4.69 prior to 4.69a6 haven't been on there so
aren't mentioned.

> Any guidance on this would be much appreciated, as I've made some
> personal tweaks to a couple of the mode files, and if I do need the
> new modes this will entail rather more work.

Some of system variables used by StrongED have had their names tweaked
so that they are in line with the official guide lines (all names must
be of the form AppName$xxx [*])

Modes that use the old name of a system variable may generate an error
if the old name isn't defined, and if it is defined it may point to the
wrong place.

As may be clear from the above, only modes that use system variables
that have been renamed may cause problems. However to keep things simple
Older modes are said to be incompatible with 4.69a6 (and the newer modes
are said to be incompatible with older versions of StrongED).

My advice is that anyone upgrading to 4.69a6 also upgrade their modes.
This to avoid any potential problems, create a reasonably level playing
field for 4.69(a6) and to get the updated modes in actual use.

This does mean that any customisation will need to be re-done, which is
a pain. (And I know, having done lots of it prior to releasing 4.69a6.
Using SideDiff, TextSeek and StrongED itself helped a lot though. :-)

The easiest way, I think, is to start with a completely fresh install of
4.69a6, including all modes you use, but leave UserPrefs untouched. This
way all your customisation will be left intact. Then identify the modes
that have been altered by you. The following commands may be useful:

  Set Alias$ListModes IfThere %%*0.ModeFile Then Echo %%*0
  Repeat ListModes "StrongED_Write:Modes" -directories

Place them in a TaskObey file and run the file. It will list all modes
that have a ModeFile in UserPrefs, hence their default is overridden.

It's then a matter of carrying over your changes to the new ModeFile.
SideDiff can be a great help here.


[*] Not all names are compliant though. This is due to how RISC OS uses
so called path variables, those ending with $Path. As the name must end
with $Path the only 'correct' variable that can be used is AppName$Path.
Which is somewhat limiting so many applications, including StrongED, use
non-compliant names. Like AppNameRes$Path or StrongED_Read$Path.


Cheers,

Fred.

-- 
StrongED developer
http://www.stronged.iconbar.com/

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