What's up with the Apply button?

[BarrySumpter]

Hi all,

Just wondering why there is an apply button.

When I make a change I expect the Run (browse) tool to execute the script as it is.
Its weird that if I spend 30 minutes changing script then Run,
LC will execute the script from the last apply and NOT the script I'm editing.

Why would I spend 30 minutes editing my script and then expect the Run to execute the previous Apply script?
What use is that?
Its distacting and degrades my confidence where I don't trust LiveCode.

Why do I need to press the Apply everytime I change the script?

Is there a way to turn this off?
i.e. to force the run to execute the scipt in the editor.
Or perhaps to force an apply befor the Run?

[dunbarx]

I disagree.

First, the apply button catches compile time errors. Better to find these in the script editor than in the stack. Much better.

Second, I compose, change, fiddle about, and finally squint at what I have written. By having to manually "go" before I hit a button in my stack, I frequently have just a little more time to see my own ubiquitous mistakes.

Craig Newman

[wsamples]

It also occurs sometimes that one needs to edit multiple scripts but neither wants nor needs to spend time running each of them as part of that process. Being forced to do so might be, in that circumstance, no less frustrating than the current procedure

It may help if you remember that you can apply changes from the keyboard by pressing the "Enter" key. (Not the "Return" key!) That's what I do. I much prefer that directness of action to "point and click".

[BarrySumpter]

Hi dunbarx,

Thanks heaps for taking the time and effort to reply.

...the apply button catches compile time errors. ...

Cool!
I placed jibberish in the script area but no error show at the bottom of the script editor under the Error tab - under LC on WinXP.
Is there a tick somewhere to turn this on? Or maybe it traps different errors.

Second, I compose, change, fiddle about, and finally squint at what I have written. By having to manually "go" before I hit a button in my stack, I frequently have just a little more time to see my own ubiquitous mistakes.

Not following this at the moment but I'm sure I will understand sooner or later.

I'm used to having a Run button that will run the code in the script editor.
I'm used to having a Save button that will save the code in the script editor since last save.
I'm used to having a Compile button that compiles and identifies errors.

I'm used to - If I decide to roll back or just drop the latest changes in the script editor I exit the app or close the window and don't save.

I'll still trying to get used to the edit script mode and run script mode.
I think the run script mode is to start here at this event handler instead of the ususal open stack event.

So I'm still not sure yet what the apply is for. i.e. where I would use it.

[BarrySumpter]

Hi wsample,

Thanks for the reply. And the tip.

It also occurs sometimes that one needs to edit multiple scripts but neither wants nor needs to spend time running each of them as part of that process. ".

If you're writing about running starting from a specific script then
Yes, now that is cool!
Could I get a confirmation that this is where the term 'compile-free coding' comes from?

Being forced to do so might be, in that circumstance, no less frustrating than the current procedure

I think thats the currnet standard from where I'm comming from.
You have to run thru the beginnning of the app to get to where you want to test.

It may help if you remember that you can apply changes from the keyboard by pressing the "Enter" key. (Not the "Return" key!) That's what I do. I much prefer that directness of action to "point and click".

If you mean the Apply button as a keyboard shortcut being the Enter key on MAC and ctrl-Return on Win,
Then again, Yes, very cool!
I'm used to having the F5 to Run.
I wonder if I can assign the F5 to Run on Win?
Can I have the Run automatically Apply then Run?

[bn]

Hi Barry,

if you hover over active elements in the script editor the tooltip will show you the description and the keyboard shortcuts for many of them. Not for the obvious ones though.

Kind regards

Bernd