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Path: utzoo!sq!hobie
From: hobie@sq.uucp (Hobie Orris)
Date: Mon, 30-May-88 22:48:13 EDT
Message-ID: <1988May30.224813.27935@sq.uucp>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Make fabulous wealth, become hero to millions
Reply-To: hobie@sq.com (Hobie Orris)
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto

	I was thinking that one of the main reasons I don't use WorkBench
is that the programs I deal with require objects and options (like diff,
arc, make, etc.)  Objects can be handled by dragging icons around (but
I never did figure that out!) but options are still sticky in this situation.
What would be nice is if someone wrote a general-purpose intuition-driven
getopt()!  You know, give it, instead of just an option string, a set of
gadget labels as well, so a window could be put up with options as boolean
gadgets, and string parameters as string gadgets.  Maybe prop gadgets could
fit in as well.  Then EVERYBODY could re-write all their programs so that
all would be intuitionized. Sound like fun?  Who would like to be rich and
famous?  Unfortunately, I can't since I hurt my thumb.

	Here's a small example:

char *options =
{
	"a: x: m: d: l:"	/* the : means it takes an argument, right? */
};

char *legends[] =
{
	"add file to archive",
	"extract file from archive",
	"move file to archive",
	"delete file from archive",
	"list files in archive"
};

extern char *optarg;	/* where the optional argument will be, if any */

main(ac,av)
int ac;
char **av;
{
	char c;

	while ((c = getopt(options, legends, argv)) != 0)
	{
		switch(c)
		{
			case 'a':
				add_file(optarg);
				break;
	.
	.
	.
(you get the idea)

I think that this sort of thing would make PD software more accessible to
a great many people, particularly those who dislike typing, or who are
uncomfortable with the CLI.  This proposal reminds me of Peter da Silva's
ultimate file requester, which everyone was urged to adopt.  Anybody pick up
on that one, Peter?  I know that I'm keeping it in my back pocket for later
use.

 Hobie Orris			| "I'm checking out of this bourgeois motel -
 guest of SoftQuad Inc. Toronto	| Push myself away from the dinner table and say
 utzoo!sq!hobie			| NO MORE JELLO FOR ME, MOM!"
