Re: [OpenBIOS] [PATCH] Adds the get-time word to the dictionary. It returns the current time and date on the stack.

[Programmingkid]

On Oct 4, 2012, at 3:30 PM, [e-mail] wrote:
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:40:27 +0100
> From: Mark Cave-Ayland 
> To: The OpenBIOS Mailinglist 
> Subject: Re: [OpenBIOS] [PATCH] Adds the get-time word to the
>    dictionary. It returns the current time and date on the stack.
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> On 23/09/12 22:57, Programmingkid wrote:
> > Made a few changes to the patch. Thank you Tarl for your suggestions.
> >
> > Signed-Off-By: John Arbuckle
> >
> > forth/system/main.fs |   22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
> >  1 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/forth/system/main.fs b/forth/system/main.fs
> > index 122ab1f..16d4829 100644
> > --- a/forth/system/main.fs
> > +++ b/forth/system/main.fs
> > @@ -58,3 +58,25 @@ variable DIAG-list
> >
> > outer-interpreter
> >  ;
> >
> > +\ Returns the time ( -- second minute hour day month year )
> > +: get-time
> > " rtc" open-dev   ( device )
> > dup	            ( device device )
> > 0=  if   \ if the real-time clock isn't available
> >  drop           ( )
> >  true           ( flag )
> >  cr
> >  abort" Sorry but get-time isn't available for your system. "
> > then
> > " get-time"       ( device addr len )
> > rot               ( addr len device )
> > dup               ( addr len device device )
> >
> > +>r                ( addr len device )   ( R: device )
> > $call-method      ( addr len device -- second minute hour day month year )   ( R: device )
> > r>                 ( device )   ( R: )
> > close-dev         ( device -- )
> >
> > +;
>
> While I'm not objecting to this patch in principle, I find it quite 
> unusual that Apple would place a word with the same arguments in the 
> global namespace. In particular, I see references like this which 
> suggest it is not required: 
> http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20060814075952448.
>
> Can you give some more context as to why the get-time word in the rtc 
> node cannot be used?

I was trying out some source code I found in the book "Mac OS X Internals"  on page 320. When I typed get-time, the word was not found in the dictionary. So I thought I could make a contribution by adding this word to the dictionary. A little later I found out the word was a part of the rtc node. I figure adding this word to the dictionary might help the next person who might be reading this book and trying out some of the source code in it.

[PATCH] Adds the get-time word to the dictionary. It returns the current time and date on the stack.

[Mark Cave-Ayland]

On 05/10/12 01:49, Programmingkid wrote:
> > Can you give some more context as to why the get-time word in the rtc
> > node cannot be used?
>
> I was trying out some source code I found in the book "Mac OS X
> Internals" on page 320. When I typed get-time, the word was not found in
> the dictionary. So I thought I could make a contribution by adding this
> word to the dictionary. A little later I found out the word was a part
> of the rtc node. I figure adding this word to the dictionary might help
> the next person who might be reading this book and trying out some of
> the source code in it.

I'm with Tarl on this one; we really want to avoid putting things in the 
global namespace unless there is a very good reason to do so. If it were 
because OS X called the get-time word in a global context then I would 
say we should add it. But if it's just a case of avoiding navigating to 
the rtc node then the patch must be rejected - otherwise we would 
rapidly find ourselves heading down the slippery slope of adding wrapper 
words for many others, and then where would we stop?

ATB,

Mark.