Quick User Guide to Get Started
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1) Adjust Settings
Recommended:
Go to the launchers "Settings-Tools" dialog.
Enable the following advanced tools:
(+) New System Browser
(+) New File Browser
(+) New File Dialog
(+) New Settings Dialog
(+) New ProcessMonitor
The New ChangesBrowser and Hierarchical Inspectors are unfinished and
should not (yet) be enabled.
Expect a short delay, while these tools are autoloaded.
Save an image for faster startup the next time.
Useful:
Choose a view style in the "Settings-ViewStyle dialog" that suits your taste.
Useful:
Start an HTTPServer on port 8082 via the settings menu and talk to it via a browser.
Useful:
If you work a lot with non latin1 characters (i.e. cyrillic, japanee etc.),
select an appropriate unicode font (use the font-selection dialog from either the
Launcher or via a textViews popupMenu). Notice that many fonts do not include the full
set of characters (even if the ones that are present are correctly uni-coded).
Nice:
If you are able to provide translations for the UI (menu items, labels and strings),
I would be very happy, if you'd sit down for an hour or so, type in the translations,
for greek, russian, etc. and send me the result.
See the files under the 'lib*/resources' directories for how this is done, and what is missing.
Even fragments will help - I'll merge them into the next release.
Think about returning something this way - you get ST/X for free, so an hour or so
is not too much time to spend - is it ?
2) Learn some of the Tools
The most heavily used tools are:
Workspace
SystemBrowser
ChangesBrowser
Get used to them.
3) Learn Smalltalk / Write little demo programs
See the "Reading List" in the online documentation;
we recommend reading Ivan Tomek's "Joy of Smalltalk" and also work through
the "Introduction to ST" interactive document.
Both can be reached via the "Help - Online Documentation" menu;
then proceed to the "Reading List".
4) Save your work
Save a snapshot (launchers "File - Save Image" menu) and/or
fileOut your classes from time to time.
Have a look at the ChangesBrowser, which is your life saver in case of desaster.
5) Communicate
Talk to others - there is a very active Smalltalk community.
See comp.lang.smalltalk, various Smalltalk related webSites and various mailing lists.
6) Don't Panic
Always)
Have fun