From: Martin DeMello <martindemello@...>
Date: 2006-09-09T18:36:34+09:00
Subject: Re: DRAW 1280, 1024

On 9/9/06, Benjohn Barnes <benjohn@fysh.org> wrote:
>
> I'm not suggesting that irb needs changing. I'm suggesting that the
> design of the graphics API I'm hoping for should be "irb friendly",
> which I believe it will be if well designed. Thus, using irb, I
> should be able to issue a commands and see the result. I shouldn't
> have to create contexts and windows, program up call backs, cache my
> drawing commands somewhere ready for a re-paint and string the lot
> together.

There's no getting around the "have to create contexts and windows"
part - base ruby has absolutely no built-in idea of a graphics
context. However, you can do this automatically as follows: to the
bottom of sketchpad.rb add

@sketchpad = Sketchpad.new(640, 480)

def line(*args)
  @sketchpad.line(*args)
end

(that is, outside the class definition)

now 'require sketchpad.rb' will execute the lines, create a @sketchpad
object accessible from within irb, and let you call line as a function
straight from the prompt. As a final touch, you can automatically
require sketchpad.rb from your irbrc.

Look also at the Delegator and Forwardable modules for some ways of
automating the method wrapping.

martin