REBOL

 Internet Communications LanguageTM

REBOL/View 1.0 (Beta)
Release Notes

Version 0.9

(1-February-2000)


Thank you for participating in the REBOL/View Beta program. In this Release Notes file are instructions regarding REBOL/View. By downloading or installing this software, you are consenting to be bound by and are becoming a party to the REBOL Technologies Software End User License Agreement. If you do not agree to all of the terms of this agreement, do not install the software. A complete version of the REBOL Technologies Software End User License Agreement appears in the license.txt file and during the installation process.

Contents

1.0 New REBOL Language Extensions
1.1 Parse Block
1.2 New Datatypes
1.2.1 Image
1.2.2 Event
1.2.3 Pair
2.0 Compatibility with REBOL/Core 2.2
3.0 Getting Started with REBOL/View
3.1 REBOL/View Demos and Tutorials
3.2 Launching REBOL/View Scripts
3.3 Known Problems and Issues
4.0 Support
4.1 Supported Configurations
5.0 Installation Files

1.0 New REBOL Language Extensions

REBOL/View introduces both a new product as well as extensions to the core REBOL Language as implemented with REBOL/Core 2.2. The REBOL/View language extensions are documented in the REBOL/View Users Guide (viewdoc.html). Further documentation on the Consumer Interface Dialect (CID) and the REBOL/View GUI can be found in the CID Tutorial.

In order to support REBOL/View, language extensions were made to REBOL/Core. These changes, in part, simplify the development of GUI applications using REBOL/View but are of general use to REBOL/Core users as well. While the REBOL/View interpreter will execute REBOL/Core scripts unmodified, developers should be aware of the following language extensions which appear in REBOL/Core.

1.1 Parse Block

REBOL/View introduces the concept of parsing blocks of data. A block can be parsed (examined) according to a set of rules specified by the user. The ability to parse blocks of data is a very powerful tool. Depending on the parsing rules applied to the block, the user can determine if the structure of the block is correct or specific values from the block can be extracted, if they are present. The ability to quickly and easily create dialects in REBOL, is substantially enabled by this new feature.  For more information on parsing blocks, see the View documentation (viewdoc.html).

1.2 New Datatypes

1.2.1 Image

The image datatype represents any loaded image. To be supported and correctly loaded, an image must be one of the following types: JPEG (.jpg), Bitmap (.bmp), or GIF (.gif). Other image types may be supported in the future.

1.2.2 Event

Event datatypes are related to mouse and keyboard actions that take place inside a graphical object called a face. These events consist of mouse movements and clicks as well as keyboard input. The purpose of the event datatype is to identify these objects and simplify the programming issues around them. While the event datatype has been implemented within REBOL/Core, it is expected that its primary use will be within View-based (i.e., graphical) applications. Refer to the REBOL/View User's Guide (viewdoc.html) for more detail and examples.

1.2.3 Pair

Pairs are datatypes used to describe the (x,y) coordinates of a point. This datatype is most commonly used to describe graphical objects and their screen positions, sizes offsets, etc. A pair datatype consists of two values separated by an upper or lowercase 'x' as in 10x20. Example: A: 10x20, defines A as a pair datatype consisting of the coordinates x=10, y=20. These values can be individually accessed using the refinement switch, as in: print A/x, which would print the value 10.

The REBOL Language Extensions described above will appear in an upcoming version of REBOL/Core.

2.0 Compatibility with REBOL/Core 2.2

REBOL/View is fully compatible with REBOL/Core 2.2 applications and scripts. REBOL applications written for the REBOL/Core engine and earlier are fully compatible with REBOL/View 1.0. Although these applications will not take advantage of REBOL/View's graphical capabilities, they should run without modification or error. If you encounter issues with your Core 2.2 applications, please contact REBOL Technologies using the support information below.

3.0 Getting Started with REBOL/View

3.1 REBOL/View Demos and Tutorials

When running View for the first time, the REBOL/View Beta Demo will be started. This demo is provided as a starting point for the other demos and documentation that is included in the View software package. From the main window, various sample applications that demonstrate the power and efficiency of REBOL/View can be executed and examined.

If the View Beta Demo does not automatically start up, then you may type demo at the command prompt..

Once the application is running, several choices are offered as follows:

REBOL.com Demo

This is a link to the latest demos on the REBOL.com website. Clicking on this button will connect the system to the main REBOL.com server and invoke the latest demos stored there. It's a good idea to visit often as we plan to improve and build upon the applications and demos provided with the REBOL/View package.

Local Demos

This is a package of small scripts that demonstrate how easy it is to build applications with View. These scripts illustrate various features such as customizing an object color, text, and fonts. Adding motion to objects, providing mechanisms to pass values from screen objects to REBOL applications, and others are shown.

Download Docs

This button will connect your system with the REBOL.com website and download the latest View documentation.

View CID Doc

This is a tutorial for the Consumer Interface Dialect or CID. This tutorial will explain the functions of CID and provide a solid foundation of example code from which View applications can be built.

Network Setup

This button will invoke a routine that will start a step-by-step process of initializing REBOL's network setting so that View can identify the use's email server, proxy server, and other resources.

Disable Demo

This button will tell View not to start the introductory demo on the next and subsequent startups.

3.2 Launching REBOL/View Scripts

REBOL/View scripts can be launched in a variety of ways. The most common way is to open the rebol binary file and then type do %script.r where script.r represents the filename of the script to be run.

Depending on the host OS, do one of the following: On Microsoft Windows, drag the icon of the script to be run over to the REBOL/View binary. By releasing the mouse button while the script icon is over REBOL, the OS should launch View and invoke the script automatically.

Double-clicking on a .r file may have new results for REBOL/Core users.  By default, all .r files will be run within REBOL/View, instead of REBOL/Core.  This is accomplished by adding an association for .r files which causes them to be executed in this manner.  If you right-click on a .r file, you should see the default choice as 'View'.  If you have created an association for executing .r files with REBOL/Core, that association will remain.  To execute a .r file with REBOL/Core, simply right-click on the file and choose the association that indicates the user's preference.

Finally, REBOL/View applications can be started from within the operating system's command shell and by specifying the name of the script file to run at the same time. For example:

rebol.exe %script.r

View also operates somewhat differently from Core.  By default, launching a View application will not start up the console.  For View apps this is the expected behavior.  For Core apps, a console will not pop up unless the script has an error or attempts to print to the console.  Users expecting to see the normal start up information are warned that this will not occur.  Furthermore, Core apps which have defined an entry in the NEEDS field are warned that this will generate an error in View.  The simplest solution is to run these applications within Core.

For further information, refer to the documentation on REBOL/View, called viewdoc.html. For information on the Consumer Interface Dialect, which is a higher level dialect for describing graphical user interfaces and objects, refer to ciddoc.html.

3.3 Known Problems and Issues

After the initial installation, .r files will be associated with the View binary.  However, the Windows Explorer may not have refreshed from the registry and visually indicate the association.  Logging out of your Windows session and logging back in will force a Windows refresh.  This issue will be resolved in a future release of View for Windows.

Netscape Messenger will alter long file names of user preference accounts, making it difficult to determine user settings such as email accounts etc.  In this case, you will need to modify user.r manually and set the correct email, server and user name settings.

When using the REBOL/View demo, you will find the using the quit buttons causes the View application to exit. If you prefer to exit the demo example you are running and return to the main demo window, select the close window box in the upper right hand corner of the application, rather than using the quit function.

4.0 Support

Contact REBOL Support directly regarding issues with REBOL/View Beta. For technical support, type do %feedback.r at the REBOL prompt, and press ENTER and follow the instructions. Alternately, email feedback@REBOL.com. Refer to the www.REBOL.com website for additional information about REBOL/View and other REBOL products.

4.1 Supported Configurations

REBOL/View has been tested on the following matrix of configurations:

Operating Systems:

Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 98, and Windows 95.

Internet Browsers:

Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator

Email Clients

Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger

5.0 Installation Files

The installation of REBOL/View includes the following files:

File Name Purpose

rebol.exe		View executable binary (rebol on UNIX)
dist.r			Distribution file
/pack			Directory containing distribution files
  feedback.r		Script for providing feedback to REBOL Technologies
  license.txt		Text version of license agreement
  setup.html		This file
  notes.html		Release notes on using REBOL/View
  viewdoc.html		View User's Guide
  cid.r			CID Dialect
  ciddoc.html		CID Tutorial (HTML format)
/faces  		Directory containing View demos and faces
/cid  			Directory containing CID demos and scripts
/advanced  		Directory containing advanced scripts

Copyright © 2000 REBOL Technologies. All Rights Reserved. REBOLTM Internet Communications Language and the REBOL logo are trademarks of REBOL Technologies. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Type license at the REBOL prompt for terms of the REBOL Technologies Software End User License Agreement.