Porting tips

There are several things that should be kept in mind if the DevTools are to be ported to an unsupported Smalltalk development environment.

If the Smalltalk in question is a version of VisualWorks with Envy installed, it may be possible to install the enhancements of the DevTools one method at a time.

If one of the downloaded variations of the DevTools was successfully imported into an Envy library, all the methods that were modified by the DevTools will exist in that library.

To start the porting, attempt to load the DevelopmentTools Application. All the other changes which are made will be dependent on the code in that Application and its SubApplications.

If the load was successful, the other methods can be dealt with one at a time.

Best results will come from working on the EtTools Application and its SubApplications next.

Experience has shown that it is best to work with EtTools80 and then work backwards up the list of SubApplications until EtTools is reached.

First, look at the list of modified methods that matches whichever version of the DevTools was imported into the library.

Look for any methods that are owned by EtTools80.

Open up a Class or ClassHierarchy browser and select the method in question.

Select the browse editions menu item from the Methods list pop-up menu.

When the Method list browser opens, select the currently loaded edition of the method along with the edition detailed in the modified method list. Then choose the browse differences menu item from the method list pane pop-up menu.

If after comparing the changes, you find that the only differences are the ones made by the DevTools, then you can go back to the previous method editions browser and load the modified method.

However, if the changes are more extensive than just what was done by the DevTools, the modifications made by the DevTools will need to be copied into the appropriate places in the currently loaded method, and these new changes will need to be saved. If this is done, please make sure to copy not only the code, but also the comments about the changes as well as the destructive change notification. This will insure that the changes can be easily found later and that whoever is looking at the method will know what was changed.

Continue this process until all the listed methods in that SubApplication have been modified.

Without versioning the modified Classes or the SubApplication, repeat this process backwards up the list of SubSpplications owned by EtTools until EtTools is reached.

After this, the process can be continued until all the modified methods are loaded into all the other modified Applications.

If the versioning of the SubApplications and Applications waits until all the changes have been incorporated into the image, the new DevTools features version | name each with comments ... can be used on both the Classes and the Applications.

If you have successfully incorporated the DevTools into an unsupported Smalltalk development environment, and would like to share the changes with others, then please contact me.

As I state in my copyright preferences, I want to approve any derivative works based my work.

If you are having some problems porting the DevTools, I may be able to help as my schedule permits. Contact me and I’ll see what I can do.

Good luck!

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