CanDo
24 messages in this thread
I just purchased CanDo and have found it should be named Can'tDo.
It can't seem to be put on my hard drive like the manual says, even after
following the errata instructions that came in the box.
Every time I create a program using it, it doesn't do what it says I should
be able to do–even the tutorial examples. For instance, in the second
tutorial, you're making a "PowerPanel", but when you try to pull up the
calculator, or any other device, it seems to hang up.
I even had the demo that's supposed to show off the capabilities of CanDo
crash on me!
Has anyone else had this problem, or am I alone? Can anyone shed some
light on this so it CAN be CanDo?
Thanks=== ===Ken
Ken,
In my experience, you are alone. I've got version 1.02, it installed
fine on my HD, the examples worked fine when I entered them, and everything
I've tried has worked as expected ('cept for 1 thing and that was from a
misunderstanding on my part). In my opinion, CanDo is the best thing to
come along for the Amiga since ARexx.
-sja
Steve: Thanks for the reply. Everything I've heard has been glowing about
CanDo. I just bought it last week at AmiExpo (Creative Computers) and I've
been nothing but frustrated with it. The install utility crashed (GURU'd)
twice. I can't seem to get the tutorials to work correctly, and even the
demo, which was devised by Inovatronics, froze up on me.
I just checked the version, and I have version 1.01, if that makes a
difference. Since you mentioned v. 1.02, perhaps I bought a slightly buggy
earlier version.
I don't mean to disparage a good product. Perhaps if I can get the 1.02
version, I won't have these problems. I guess I'll have to call the
company to see what they say (unless someone has another suggestion).
===Ken
Ken,
I don't know if your problems are because of 1.01 — they might be. You
might give INOVAtronics a call at (214) 340-4991 – voice
(214) 357-8511 – bbs
(214) 340-8514 – fax
They will also shortly have a slot in AmigaVendor.
Thanks, Steve. I'll give them a try and see what they say.
By the way, I really appreciate the support on CompuServe. I've been on
some of the other ones and I haven't felt at home like I do here. Thanks
for your efforts to make CompuServe, and the Amiga Forums in particular, a
pleasure to be on.
===Ken
Ken,
Thanks for the kudos — we try.
Ken,
Do call them. You will find them most supportive and helpful, and they
will get the update out to you promptly, as well – at least, that has been
my experience with them. When you call, you are very likely to be talking
with the programmers themselves. They give excellent support.
……Betty
Ken:
If you install utility crashed, that might mean you are using some or all
of the ARP commands in your C dir.
These days, whenever a program comes with an elaborate "install", I boot up
from a stock 1.3 floppy, and run the intallation to my hard disk from that.
Then I make sure that all the proper "assigns" are in my hd's
startup-sequence. I did this with CanDo, and had no problems.
Ray Lewis
Ray,
That's funny, I have all the arp commands on my 2000HD and had absolutely
no problem with the 1.02 Install program. I think the install on the 1.02
update was enhanced alot from past versions of the program, and this may be
part of Ken's problem.
One thing that was supposed to be easier with 1.02 was working on 1M
machines, which I didn't find to be true. Since I had plans to populate my
machine's empty memory sockets, I upgraded to a total of 3 Meg (for dirt
cheep) and find CanDo (and everything else for that matter) to run like a
dream! Nevertheless, trying to run within 1Meg had me crashing a bit.
As for Ken, Betty was right. Inovatronics has great support (just note
that the product carton had the wrong phone number as listed in the
errata!).
*** John
John:
For all I know the latest CanDo install can halde the ARP stuff just fine.
I just use a stock CBM 1.3 boot disk because I've had to switch to one
several times for other install programs, and it's more time consuming to
have to go back and do it over from the stock disk. So, right now I just
automatically start that way :).
Now, when 1.4 comes out, I'll probably just keep the arp.library, since I
hear that 1.4 will be more like arp (don't have any special info on that,
of course, but some of the very early messages indicated that the commands
were being rewritten to be smaller, faster, etc. — I certainly hope they
at least made the wildcards consistent, even if they didn't [like arp]
include a * addition to the set.)
Ray Lewis
Steve: One other thing: when I went back and tried (the third time) to
use the CanDo Installer to put it on my hard drive, it managed to copy the
icons, but not the program. Is this supposed to be the way it works? When
you try to run it from the icon, it gives Error 205 – Object Not Found.
I may be a klutz on the Amiga, but this is _suppposed_ to be
foolproof–just click on the HardDrive button, choose the drive directory,
and let it work.
===Ken
Ken,
That's all I did ('cept beforehand I'd created a directory on my HD
called CanDo).
Ken,
The install program is one thing that was fixed. I installed fine with the
1.02 version, although the older version I had didn't. If you know how, you
can use the CLI to copy the program only, not the icon file, into the
directory on your hard disk. I don't remember, though, what else you need
to copy after that to make things complete.
If you're experiencing a guru on the CanDo demo, I'd suspect that some
other program that you might be running in background might be the culprit.
I had no trouble at all with both versions of the demo that were posted
here.
David
Thanks, David. I wasn't running anything in the background when the demo
crashed. What happened was I clicked on one of the buttons (a text button
I believe) it was showing as part of the demo, but instead of doing what
the button said, the button became a text editor, the cursor appeared in
the text, and when I tried to get out, it GURUd.
I guess I'm just going to have to get an upgrade, if that is possible. I'll
give Inovatronics a call next week.
Thanks for your input===
===Ken
How big is your default stack size? 4k? Make it 20k or more, if it's not
already. That's a common gotcha. Do you have the minimum memory required
for CanDo and installation? Is there a minimum set? That's all I can think
of. You'r ethe first bad news I've seen re CanDo – and I have the utmost
respect for InnovaTronics, I've been using their products successfully for
years.
Ben
Amateur Radio Callsign is A A 7 A S
Hi, Ben. I found the answer to my problem with CanDo was with my system
configuration. I have an A2000 with a new GVP Impact 2000 8/2 hard card.
Evidentally version 1.01 of CanDo had some problems that, according to the
person at Inovatronics, showed up when used with the GVP boards. I've sent
back the original disks to them and they're sending 1.02, which should
solve the problem.
The people there seemed knowledgeable and very willingto help. I'm also
interested in seeing the results of their contest for the best applications
using CanDo. Since I'm not a programmer per se, I'm interested in what can
be done with CanDo. I've got some things in mind to develop, and can
always use others' examples to inspire me. I understand that there are
several decks available in AmigaTech/Other Languages library. One of these
days (when I have some extra time) I'll browse through there to see what
they've got.
===Ken
Steve,
Such glowing praise, "best thing since ARexx"? While I'm impressed with
the program for starters, I'm a little frustrated by some of CanDo's
limitations: no requester or multiple window support, keyboard support,
etc. I'm hopeful for the future, but it's not a do-all or end-all just
yet, at least not for building very sophisticated applications.
I suppose it all depends on your expectations and what you use it for.
IMHO, CanDo is poised somewhere between an builder of graphic front-ends
and a language for bulding applications. What direction they're going, I'm
not sure, or if maybe they'll go in all directions!
With all the initial enthusiasm for the product, it sounded almost like a
Hypercard for the Amiga, but CanDo has NOTHING to do with hypertext or
hypermedia, at least not at this time. I'm optimistic about CanDo, however
(although I may not sound like it in this posting!), even if they plan on
charging for some of the features (like keyboard support) that *I* think
are necessary.
*** John
If your expectations for the product were higher than what the product
delivered I can see your disappointment. If you look at the product for
what it does and what it claims to do, it is outstanding.
Ken,
I installed it on my hard disk with no problems, and the tutorials worked
fine for me.
Wonder why your experience was so different? Do you have version 1.2?
……Betty
As I mentioned to Steve, I have version 1.01. That may be the
difference… I don't know.
I tried the demo again(I think it's a deck called What CanDo Can Do) and
this time it didn't crash like last time, but I couldn't get out of it-on
Browse or SuperBrowse, can you not Quit the deck? I couldn't get the Quit
button to work. Maybe I've missed something.
But the hard disk install… I might as well use CLI. It did put the files
in the respective c, libs and l directories, but no program, no thing but
the icons.
Thanks for your interest.
===Ken
Ken,
Man! Are you having problems or what! Please call Jim Nelson or Tim
Martin at INOVAtronics and we'll figure out what has happened. I know that
they can help you out. Tech support number is 214-340-4992, or EMail me.
-Martin
Thanks, Martin, for all your help. I've put those disks in the mail as you
suggested, and sent it to your attention. Hopefully 1.02 will solve the
problems.
Thanks again===
===Ken
By the way, CanDo is usually discussed in Section 12 of AmigaTech (that's
right, "other languages.")
Thomas: Thanks. I'll keep my eye out there.
===Ken