Block Closure

[Beverly H. Sobelman]

In article <732 at imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> jefu at pawl14.pawl.rpi.edu (Jeffrey Putnam) writes:
>In a nice bitmap oriented editor, blocks might be indicated by
>drawing lines around the block, drawing a vertical line in front of it, 
>or even by changing color or font (:-).  I think we are forgetting 
>- or not yet realizing - that the kinds of things demanded by a language
>definition is not necessarily what is presented to the programmer.  

If memory serves correctly, the Builder language developed at Cortex
(Waltham, MA) has an associated editing capability that indicates a
block via vertical lines down the left side of the display; e.g., when
you start an "if" construct, you automatically get the "end" construct
(don't remember the exact syntax), with a thin line at the left
running between the two, and all code for the body is inserted into
that region at appropriate levels of indentation.  Makes for a
visually appealing and informative display.

>Time and space do not permit me to describe what i would like to see
>in my fantasy editor, but suffice it to say that i dont think delimiters
>would ever appear (unless requested).  
>

As I said above, I think Builder requires delimiters, but the editor
ensures proper closure of all blocks.


Bev Sobelman
MITRE Corp.
bhs at mitre-bedford.arpa
(617) 271-754