Re: Sumbling around in Stack

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from Steve Webber  on Mon, 2 Jan
2006 12:06:34 -0800 (PST)

Steve:

Your heart-rending msg gives no real information. An "inadvertent dumping of
each session's build-up of new cmds" -- exactly HOW? What do you mean? What
does "inadvertent dumping" mean? They disappear in the middle of a session,
and suddenly you can't browse the Stack anymore? Or they aren't there when you
quit and relaunch XyWrite? Or you're issuing some command that triggers their
disappearance (which command)? You're looking for "new Stack avenues to study"
-- what does that mean? MY.STK's "default zero balance"? It doesn't have a
default zero balance -- not unless you've saved an empty Stack for some reason
(neither the default nor the intent). There's no way to "toss" the stack away
unless you're deliberately issuing a command to Clear the stack (there *is*
such a command, but why use it?). I need MUCH more detail -- real detail.
What exactly is happening?

Try this experiment. Issue 4 or 5 commands -- build up a small Stack -- make
sure you can browse it (CursorUp, CuursorDown -- do you see them all?). Then
command:
 STACK
This command Saves the Stack to a file called MY.STK in Editor's directory.
Now issue 2 or 3 more commands, so that you've got maybe 8 total. Browse them
-- can you see them all? Yes? Good. Now command:
 RUN MY.STK
Browse your Stack again. You should be back to 4 or 5 only, sans the ones
issued after you saved the Stack. You have just restored a "saved Stack".
This is the manual way to do it: save the Stack before you Quit XyWrite, then
restore the Stack after you relaunch XyWrite.

Now, if that experiment *doesn't* work, then at least we have some idea where
to start looking for your problem. I'd want to see the Stack initialization
commands that you issue in STARTUP.INT, the commands you load on your BC, XC,
Enter, CursorUp, CursorDown, and Helpkey keys; I'd want to know whether you
have a new-ish DLG file installed (did you get the one from XyWWWeb? get it!
swap it in place of an old one -- that's a MUST).

But if that experiment *does* work, then -- what does "toss" mean?

I see that I called you "Alan" the other day -- I wonder why. Mysterious.
Apologies. Look, this thing has been working flawlessly for 16 years, ever
since David Auerbach and I released the initial version; and it will work for
you, too, now.

R.

> Dear Carl, Robert - Thank you for the helpful messages
> of 12-27 re Stack. I've read and re-read your helpful
> instruction - & learned much. However, I still can't
> figure out a good next move to avoid what I am
> repeatedly doing: an inadvertent dumping of each
> session's build-up of new cmds.
>
> I'm using "Stack " & 2 or 3 minor variants
> (In looking for new Stack avenues to study on cmd
> saving, loading, etc. I inadvertently toss away my
> accumulating new cmds, restore My.stk's default zero
> balance and toss myself back to the "You stupid,
> ignorant, s.o.b." place. (Only mentally, not
> literally.)
>
> Might either of you have a clue to offer re what to
> try now - to get around what I've done wrong, or have
> not done, and should try?

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
-----------------------------