#ToolMaker 2nd View
13 messages in this thread
Now that it's been out for a while, does anyone have any second impression
of Commodore's ToolMaker? I played with it again today, and was
disappointed to see how often I'd need to re-edit its generated C code.
Any change to the program-in-progress in ToolMaker requires re-editing the
app.new.c file. Also, I'm disappointed that extra code it required to
share menus between two windows in an app.
Is there a way to use something like 'diff' and a program to re-apply the
differences in one file to a second file? This might automate the
re-editing process.
John,
I don't know anything about ToolMaker – haven't even had time to look
at the demo version.
However, you may want to look into RCS for managing your source code.
One of the things it can do is what you are asking for – merge the changes
in two versions of a file into a third branch. It's pretty good in this
respect, although it's not perfect. However, it is smart enough to tell
you when (and where) it's confused.
I used this technique when I was working on The Perfect General — most
of our work was done on the PeeCee, but periodically I moved the sources
over to the Amiga. I just let RCS merge the changes from the previous
PeeCee version to the current PeeCee version into my working Amiga
sources. It handled about 90 – 95% of the work. Was a real timer saver!
Hope this helps….
– BobR
(Motorola Inside!)
That's a good idea, too. I've been branching some of our code to the PC
lately, too. Too bad there's no PVCS for the Amiga. Which package were you
using on the PC side? Or was it the work-in-progress, and you'd check it
into the Amiga RCS now and then?
If someone out there is familiar with RCS on the Amiga, and with ToolMaker,
I'm sure they'd be able to confirm whether this trick would work, or might
be cumbersome in some way.
John,
With The Perfect General, I was using a different revision control
system on the PC side (TLIB), and was just bringing the "work-in-progress"
source over to the Amiga and kept a "PC-branch" and an "Amiga-branch" of
the source code in RCS.
I've since switched to using the GNU RCS on the PC too. I could, if I
wanted to, bring the PC RCS files over to the Amiga (just doing the CR/LF
-> LF translations), but haven't had the need.
Hope this helps…
– BobR
(Motorola Inside!)
Humpf. It's about time I used better source control methods than what
I've been doing. Who sells RCS for the Amiga? Has someone ported SCCS?
Steve
I think one came out of Commodore, not as a developer tool, but as a PD
tool released by someone in CATS.
Steve,
Look in Lib 10 here – RCS56B.LHA — it's a freebie.
hope this helps…
– BobR
RCS is not for sale. One of the fellows over on bix ported the Unix RCS
to the amiga. I can't remember his name just now…. well since this IS a
multitasking computer: Raymond Brand of C= and Rich Schaeffer (Spokane,
Wa).
-bill
John,
We're reworked our Teleradiology product using Toolmaker. It has exactly
the shortcomings you describe. And, of course, the additional problem of
supporting only gadtools gadgets, which while style-compliant and easy to
use, are extremely limited in functionality.
We've decided it's appropriate for small jobs, but not for applications. A
much better solution is (still) the PowerWindows product from
Innovatronics.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Well, it's good to know that CBM is sinking money into things like this.
🙁
Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that, John. I was told by the
author of the program (when I got in touch with him about some of the very
deficiencies you mentioned) that CBM wouldn't provide him any more $$$ at
all, and that in fact they wanted changes for free. SO we don't have to
worry about ToolMaker becoming any kind of a serious application
development program.
He's in agreement that more work could be done on it, but…
The potential is there, but last I heard, that's all there will be.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben,
Have you tried the Gadtoolsbox program here in Amigatech. Its a 2.0
interface design program that is easy to use. I believe the current
version is 1.4 or 1.4a.
MikeM:) "Amiga means never having to say your sorry!"
No…
been very cautious about PD software, I'm afraid.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot