Hi Pems
Reading through your email, your frustrations sounded like a lot more than just not knowing how do this or that. So with that in mind I thought I would write as detailed an answer/reply that I could.
I do understand about trying to find a decent relevant manual or tutorial information on how to start to write actions using Freeway,s JavaScript… Especially as there is quite a good one from Tim about writing basic actions. There is Unfortunately no specific newbie documentation that I know about… Unless anybody else knows different, on Advanced action writing
The JavaScript reference manual that you can download is more an “engineers notes” rather than a “lets start from the beginning” and unfortunately most of the questions being asked and answered in this section are of an advanced nature. Updating the documentation available for developers is one area that I and a few other’s have been banging on about, as you have noted, there are quite a few documents that you can download but they are mainly for more advanced action developers. A lot of these a little old and a and quite a lots of the docs are from the freeway 3 period.
So to try and guide you into the write direction of how to start off, I would do a few things in your place
First buy a really good book like “JavaScript in easy steps”
It’s written in plain English is fully illustrated and is in colour which makes a massive difference. Don’t be tempted to get the more advanced books. It just wont make any sense. Other developers may have some better suggestions on books.
Next print out all the downloadable documentation from the knowledge database and print it out… If you are trying to learn, then reading the information is so much easier to understand than flicking form pdf to editor.
Next take tiny, tiny steps first. Try to recreate each example in the “JavaScript easy steps” manual and once you have succeeded then try to adapt the code so it becomes freeway JavaScript code (its basically putting fw in front of a load of words.
Another thing to think about is use of a good text editor. I use TextMate as its colour codes different parts of the script which makes things easier to find. But again other developers may suggest other editors.
Next is if you have managed to get your head around simple actions then try to recreate these in the more advanced scripting language.
Things to think about: As you have discovered basic actions are superb for dumping bits of script into your freeway document but basic actions don’t allow much in the way of document interrogations. This is why you do sometimes need to use the more advanced action system. This is a great thing but comes with a lot more headaches, one being that the scripting is going to be in general a lot longer, as there are different areas you will need to code for, like the fwinterface which you would have no comparison in basic actions to draw any experience from. Its also one area that the book “JavaScript in easy steps” has no relevant comparison to read, so again Other people may suggest other books that may have something better, for this area.
I hope in the near future there is going to be a big overhaul on the documentation for action writing as it’s one area that is inevitably left behind and is well overdue, but in the mean time please keep asking questions and I am sure people will help you.
I don’t know if any body else has any other suggestions or comments for people just starting out, but I would expect anything would be welcome.
Kindest regards and try to keep sane.
max
actionsdev mailing list
email@hidden
Update your subscriptions at:
http://freewaytalk.net/person/options
