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Texx 0.3
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Texx Q & A
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Here are some commonly asked questions about Texx.
Q: What is Texx based on?
A: Texx is based on the REXX language. REXX has been around in the IBM
mainframe arena for some time. REXX is currently available in the
Unix, MS-DOS, OS/2 and Amiga platforms. There are more versions
appearing.
Q: What do I need to run Texx?
A: You need a minimum of System 7. Any CPU and memory configuration
that comfortably runs System 7 and applications should be sufficient.
Q: I have non-Apple Event aware applications, can I still use Texx?
A: Yes. With the exception of the four required and the the DO SCRIPT
Apple Events, all the supported Apple Events apply to the Finder. The
majority of the scripting will be directed to the Finder. As an example, you
could send the Finder an Apple Event to open a document and the Finder
will send a non-Apple Event application the command to open the
document.
Q: I need to do more useful things that the basic Apple Events don't do, can I?
A: Yes and no. If you have an application that has its own scripting facilities,
use them, have Texx send it a DO SCRIPT Apple Event. If not, wait until
Texx supports the Object Model.
Q: I don't always want the Profile.exec or Shutdown.exec to execute, how can
I prevent them from executing?
A: New with Texx version 0.3, you can hold down the shift key and Texx will
bypass executing Profile.exec or Shutdown.exec. Please be aware that if
you press the shift key too soon on startup, Texx will not launch. The rule
that I use is wait for the Texx application name to appear in the menu bar
before I press the shift key.
Q: I'd like to use Texx, however, it locks up my system and forces me to reboot,
is there a fix for this problem?
A: Yes. First, it doesn't really lock up your system. You probably sent the Finder
an Apple Event specifying a file that doesn't exist. What happens is that the
Finder does not send back a reply to Texx. So Texx just sits there and waits
until the operation finishes or a time-out occurs. The system is not locked up,
it just appears to be. If you wait for the time-out, everything will resume.
New with Texx version 0.3, the COMMAND-. ( COMMAND-PERIOD ), will cancel the
wait and return things back to normal. Now, instead of forcing a reboot, try
the COMMAND-., you might need to bring Texx to the foreground.
Q: Is Texx a better product than AppleScript or Frontier?
A: Well, certainly, AppleScript and Frontier are more capable than Texx 0.3.
However, I hope that Texx will catch up to them in the near future. I've gotten
both positive and negative comments, mostly positive. I've also heard positive
and negative comments about the other two. Clearly it is a matter of taste.
I haven't worked with AppleScript or Frontier, so I can't comment. I can say
that REXX users are highly biased toward REXX, and in environments where REXX
is used, REXX is indispensible. Another benefit is that REXX exists on several
different platforms, the other two don't.
Q: How would you describe the REXX language?
A: The REXX language is one of the simplest languages to learn. It is structured
like C and Pascal without the "typing" of either language. Some people use
REXX as a macro processor-like tool to automate repetitive tasks. Others use
REXX as their application development language. In either case, the language
extremely flexible and powerful. A programmer will find REXX very easy to
learn and at the same time very powerful. A non-programmer will find REXX
very flexible and forgiving with a short learning curve. Regardless of the
technical expertise of the user, REXX will satisfy anyone. Even though Texx
is not yet a full implementation of REXX, Texx will give a taste of REXX and
allow you to sample what REXX is about.