ANN: StepTalk Scripting Framework (rewritten)

[Stefan Urbanek]

Hello,

I would like to announce StepTalk - language independent scripting framework
for gnustep. It has been redesigned and rewritten. Now it is possible to
create language bundles. Smalltalk language bundle is included.

This is prerelease before version 0.3.0

StepTalk 0.3.0
--------------

Scripting framework for GNUstep

Ahthor: Stefan Urbanek  <stefanurbanek@yahoo.fr>


What is StepTalk ?
------------------

Steptalk is library that provides framework for scripting GNUstep
applications.
It is language independent. You can use any available scripting language. 
Scripting lanuguages are provided as bseparate bundles.

StepTalk can be used for
    - usin scripts inside an program/application
    - controlling server/application with script from outer world


Where to get it?
----------------

You can download StepTalk from http://decef.elf.stuba.sk/~urbane/StepTalk


Sripting environment description
-------------------------------------------
Scripting environment description is used to translate method names and/or
allow 
or deny methods for concrete classes. Denying methods can be used to create
safe scripting 
environment as prevention against script viruses.

It contains:
    - list of methods, that are available for scripting for particular class
    - symbolic selector (operator) to selector mapping


Standard vs. full scripting
---------------------------
Before each message send, selector is translated using scipting description.
When standard scripting is used and there is no such selector avilable for
scripting for target object, then an exception is raised. With full scripting,
any message should be sent to any target object.

Installation
------------
To install StepTalk library type:
    > make
    > make install

(currently installation directory is users home directory by default)


Tools
-----
    stexec - execute StepTalk script in GNUstep Foundation environment
    stalk  - talk to named server

    Predefined objects for executing scripts by 'stexec'
    
        Args          - command line arguments
        Engine        - scripting engine
        Environment   - scripting environment

        Transcript    - simple transcript

Examples
--------
        *.stalk files in Tools/ directory.

Files
-----
    StepTalk is looking for its files in GNUSTEP_*_ROOT/Library/StepTalk
    
    There should be these directories:
    
    Environments
        - directory containig environment descriptions
    Languages
        - StepTalk language bundles
    Modules
        - StepTalk modules
        
    Scripts
        - directory containig StepTalk scripts


Defaults
--------
<none>


Feedback
--------
Any bug reports and comments are welcome at
<stefanurbanek@yahoo.fr>