Chapter 13 Miscellaneous Browser Enhancements

Chapter 13 Miscellaneous Browser Enhancements

Context Sensitive Titlebar Text

If you have ever had a handful of similar browsers open at one time (and who has never done that on numerous occasions!), then you are often plagued by not knowing which browser is looking at which class. VA Assist Pro helps alleviate that problem by appending the selected class name (and method name if appropriate) to the browser's window label.

Augmented Source Button

Indicate whether a class or method has a comment or note attached so that you don't have to go looking only to find nothing there. If a comment or note exists, the source buttons label will read “source+” rather than just “source”.

Abbreviated Names

An option is provided to use abbreviated browser names. This makes it easier to distinguish the browsers in the Win95 task bar. For example, a Classes Browser pointing at Object will read “CB: Object” rather than “Classes Browser: Object”.

Multi-Browser Synchronization

If you have ever had more than one browser open on the same method, you have likely run into problem caused by lack of synchronization between the two. Make a change in one browser and then nothing happens in the second browser until you manually force it to refresh. The mysterious “disappearing bug fix” problem occurs when you fix one problem in one browser and then fix a second problem in a second browser – inadvertently backing out the first fix. With VA Assist Pro loaded, this will no longer happen. If you make a change in one browser, VA Assist Pro will refresh all other browsers that are viewing the same method or class. If a second browser contains an edited, but unsaved version of the same method, a warning is issued and you are given the option of updating the second browser or not.

Zoom Item in Popup Text Menu

Zoom the text area of any code browser so that it fills the entire window.

Named Workspaces

Give a workspace a name (other than the default “Workspace” followed by the file name).

Save Methods with Class Definition Showing

Normally, to save a method, you must select the “New Method Template” command or select a method and overtype it. This feature allows you to overtype the class definition with a method definition without accessing the method template first.

Debugger Enhancements

Added a “Through” Button - Allows you to step through blocks when debugging code (as opposed to over them or getting lost within them). This feature was inspired by Joe Winchester and Mark Jones' October 1996 Smalltalk Report article.

Added a "To Cursor" Button - Allows you to jump forward to any selected text.

Added a “Define” Button - Anytime a "doesNotUnderstand" error is encountered, the Define button becomes active and may be used to create the missing method and continue execution. With thanks to Alan Knight & Kent Beck.