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Chapter 1 - Introducing the ScriptX Language

This volume provides a definitive description of the ScriptX authoring language, part of the ScriptX Language and Class Library. It contains the syntax for ScriptX and provides information on using the language effectively. The book is designed to offer several different paths that readers can follow, depending on their familiarity and experience with other programming languages, with object-oriented programming, and with formal grammars.

Appendix A, "ScriptX Reference," is intended as an alternative entry-point and reference for advanced users. Appendix A presents an annotated EBNF grammar of the ScriptX language.

This chapter, "Introducing the ScriptX Language," provides an overview of the ScriptX language. It includes a section that introduces concepts in object-oriented programming, beginning on page 12. Readers who are familiar with other object-oriented programming languages may want to skip this section, proceeding directly to the following chapter.

Whatever path you take through this book and the other documentation you receive with your ScriptX Language and Class Library, you will want to reinforce your reading with hands-on experience. The ScriptX Language and Class Library includes an interactive listener window that can be used for trying out the examples in this book. The Listener provides you with instant feedback, evaluating expressions as you enter them. If you prefer not to type, you will find complete listings of all scripts, organized by chapter, on your CD-ROM. For directions on using the ScriptX Listener, see the ScriptX Tools Guide.

The description of the ScriptX language and the code examples used in this book are independent of any existing authoring tool or environment. Although you should be able to enter code examples in this book in any ScriptX environment that allows it, the examples in this book are intended to be more illustrative than tutorial.

ScriptX-A Technical Overview

The ScriptX language is part of an overall framework for multimedia title development. ScriptX is a cross-platform, dynamic, object-oriented programming language with influences that include CLOS (Common Lisp Object System), Smalltalk, and Dylan, as well as scripting languages such as Lingo and HyperTalk. The language was designed to be easy to use in an interactive session.

is expected that most ScriptX titles will eventually be generated by authoring tools or development environments specialized for creating multimedia titles. Those tools will effectively hide much of the actual code of the ScriptX title.

However, many of those authoring environments may require some additional scripting with ScriptX. For example, an environment may require the author to fill in parts of a title with specific scripts (for example, to describe the action of a button), or to provide other capabilities that the tool itself does not provide. In addition, some environments may provide an interactive environment, such as the ScriptX Listener, which can be used to enter ScriptX expressions and see an immediate result.

This document is part of the ScriptX Language Guide, one of the volumes of the ScriptX Technical Reference Series. ScriptX is developed by the ScriptX Engineering Team at Apple Computer, successor to the Kaleida Engineering Team at Kaleida Labs, Inc.