Frontier 5.0d3 Release Notes

File Objects.

Window-based objects can now live in the file system instead of the ODB.

The File menu now includes a New Database command, and a New submenu. The New submenu has an item for each window-based type.

By default, the Main Window is hidden, and a new, untitled script window opens on launch.

When the front window contains a file object: The Save a Copy item changes to Save As. The Save command applies to that object, not the ODB. Note: filemenu.save may not save the root; it may put up get file dialog instead!

Table windows are outlines.

You can expand and collapse tables in their own windows.

Dragging move works within tables, but not between table windows.

Copy / Paste works, bug has some bugs.

The same table can appear in its own window while expanded in another window.

New verbs.

packWindow (w, adr): W can specify a window by it's name, or by its odb address (if an odb object) or its filespec (if a file object).

Packs the value contained by the specified window into the local or global database cell at adr.

unpackWindow (adr, path): Path is a filespec, alias, or full path to a file. It can be nil or the empty string to indicate no file. Unpacks the data in the object at adr into a new window associated with the file at path.

base64.encode, base64.decode: These are identical to the UCMD verbs, but are built into the kernel for best performance.

system.misc.saveWindow (w): W is full path to window's file, or window name if unsaved. Frontier calls this script to save file objects. The return value should be the (packed) data to be written to disk (by Frontier).

All window.xxx verbs: Window parameters can can be the filespec of a window, as well as an odb address or title.

editmenu.getfont, editmenu.getfontsize verbs: These long-requested verbs take no parameters and return the expected values.

Miscellaneous Features.

File/Open shows all files handled by the Frontier.clickers table, not just LAND and 2CLK.

The Compile button in script windows is dimmed when the script has clean, compiled code.

Frontier's osa component events to be handled by Frontier if the given context doesn't. OSADoEvent and OSAExecuteEvent can by invoked with null contexts or, the context's handler can do scriptError (-1708) to have Frontier try using traps

Bug Fixes.

Try/else works within callback scripts like misc.cmd2click and misc.closeWindow and menubar formulas.

Improved fix for NetScape having Frontier's app icon. Works for newer machines, faster systems.

The use of a new, higher-powered word processing engine should fix problems with huge text.