Apple Events are a System 7 feature that allows programs to share data with other programs. Pocket Forth supports the required suite of Apple Events and has the ability to define new Apple Events. This gives Pocket Forth the ability to be 'scripted' by programs such as Userland's Frontierâ„¢, and Apple's HyperCard and Apple Script.
Scripting gives you the ability to automate your interaction with Pocket Forth. The Apple Events folder contains a text file, "AppleEvents", to define three new events, a HyperCard stack, "AETest", to demonstrate the events and a Frontier install script named "pf.Frontier" that facilitates writing Frontier scripts to control Pocket Forth.
Release 6.3 of Pocket Forth, HyperCard 2.1 and/or Userland's Frontier are required.
For Frontier:
See the Install Script section of the Frontier User Guide for instructions on how to install pf.frontier.
Once you have installed the new verbs, type the following line into the Quick Script window:
pf.examples.extend()
When Pocket Forth asks if you are running a copy tell it to continue if you are.
Quit immediately if you are running the original!
To see the good stuff, open the system.verbs.apps.pf table within Frontier. Read the ReadMe entry, then run the Example scripts.
For HyperCard:
Make a copy of Pocket Forth named "Pocket Forth copy", then drag the file AppleEvents to the icon of "Pocket Forth copy".
When Pocket Forth asks if you are running a copy tell it to continue if you are.
Quit immediately if you are running the original!
Finally double click on the "AETest" stack, and play with the event buttons. HyperCard may ask you to locate "Pocket Forth copy" the first time you run the stack.
For AppleScript:
AppleScript is not yet available to consumers so information on this new macro language is not available, nor is a Pocket Forth interface provided.
