added experimental “tell ... to ..." and “ask ... for ...” primitives

(hidden in dev mode)

history.txt

@@ -3514,6 +3514,12 @@ Fixes:
 170708
 ------
 * Threads: Assert data types to list operations -> meaningful error messages
+* GUI: enable inheritance per default, must be user-enabled for existing projects
+
+170709
+------
+* Objects, Threads: added experimental (hidden in dev mode) “tell ... to ..." and “ask ... for ...” primitives 
+
 
 
 Features:

objects.js

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ SpeechBubbleMorph, RingMorph, isNil, FileReader, TableDialogMorph,
 BlockEditorMorph, BlockDialogMorph, PrototypeHatBlockMorph, localize,
 TableMorph, TableFrameMorph, normalizeCanvas, BooleanSlotMorph, HandleMorph*/
 
-modules.objects = '2017-July-07';
+modules.objects = '2017-July-09';
 
 var SpriteMorph;
 var StageMorph;
@@ -726,7 +726,23 @@ SpriteMorph.prototype.initBlocks = function () {
             spec: 'warp %c'
         },
 
-        // Cloning - very experimental
+        // Message passing - very experimental
+
+        doTellTo: {
+            dev: true,
+            type: 'command',
+            category: 'control',
+            spec: 'tell %spr to %cl'
+        },
+        reportAskFor: {
+            dev: true,
+            type: 'reporter',
+            category: 'control',
+            spec: 'ask %spr for %repRing'
+        },
+
+        // Cloning
+
         receiveOnClone: {
             type: 'hat',
             category: 'control',
@@ -856,7 +872,7 @@ SpriteMorph.prototype.initBlocks = function () {
         reportAttributeOf: {
             type: 'reporter',
             category: 'sensing',
-            spec: '%att of %spr',
+            spec: '%att of ',
             defaults: [['costume #']]
         },
         reportURL: {
@@ -1968,6 +1984,20 @@ SpriteMorph.prototype.blockTemplates = function (category) {
         blocks.push('-');
         blocks.push(block('doPauseAll'));
 
+    // for debugging: ///////////////
+        if (this.world().isDevMode) {
+            blocks.push('-');
+            txt = new TextMorph(localize(
+                'development mode \ndebugging primitives:'
+            ));
+            txt.fontSize = 9;
+            txt.setColor(this.paletteTextColor);
+            blocks.push(txt);
+            blocks.push('-');
+            blocks.push(block('doTellTo'));
+            blocks.push(block('reportAskFor'));
+        }
+
     } else if (cat === 'sensing') {
 
         blocks.push(block('reportTouchingObject'));
@@ -6856,6 +6886,20 @@ StageMorph.prototype.blockTemplates = function (category) {
         blocks.push('-');
         blocks.push(block('doPauseAll'));
 
+    // for debugging: ///////////////
+        if (this.world().isDevMode) {
+            blocks.push('-');
+            txt = new TextMorph(localize(
+                'development mode \ndebugging primitives:'
+            ));
+            txt.fontSize = 9;
+            txt.setColor(this.paletteTextColor);
+            blocks.push(txt);
+            blocks.push('-');
+            blocks.push(block('doTellTo'));
+            blocks.push(block('reportAskFor'));
+        }
+
     } else if (cat === 'sensing') {
 
         blocks.push(block('doAsk'));

threads.js

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ StageMorph, SpriteMorph, StagePrompterMorph, Note, modules, isString, copy,
 isNil, WatcherMorph, List, ListWatcherMorph, alert, console, TableMorph,
 TableFrameMorph, ColorSlotMorph, isSnapObject*/
 
-modules.threads = '2017-July-08';
+modules.threads = '2017-July-09';
 
 var ThreadManager;
 var Process;
@@ -1620,6 +1620,22 @@ Process.prototype.doDeleteAttr = function (attrName) {
     }
 };
 
+// experimental message passing primitives
+
+Process.prototype.doTellTo = function (sprite, context) {
+    this.doRun(
+        this.reportAttributeOf(context, sprite),
+        new List()
+    );
+};
+
+Process.prototype.reportAskFor = function (sprite, context) {
+    this.evaluate(
+        this.reportAttributeOf(context, sprite),
+        new List()
+    );
+};
+
 // Process lists primitives
 
 Process.prototype.reportNewList = function (elements) {