“new clone of ...” primitive

also made TELL, ASK primitives offiical

history.txt

@@ -3531,6 +3531,7 @@ Fixes:
 170712
 ------
 * Blocks: fixed #1800. Thanks, Ken, for the bug report!
+* Objects, Threads: “new clone of ...” primitive, made TELL, ASK primitives official 
 
 
 

objects.js

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ SpeechBubbleMorph, RingMorph, isNil, FileReader, TableDialogMorph,
 BlockEditorMorph, BlockDialogMorph, PrototypeHatBlockMorph, localize,
 TableMorph, TableFrameMorph, normalizeCanvas, BooleanSlotMorph, HandleMorph*/
 
-modules.objects = '2017-July-11';
+modules.objects = '2017-July-12';
 
 var SpriteMorph;
 var StageMorph;
@@ -753,6 +753,11 @@ SpriteMorph.prototype.initBlocks = function () {
             category: 'control',
             spec: 'create a clone of %cln'
         },
+        newClone: {
+            type: 'reporter',
+            category: 'control',
+            spec: 'a new clone of %cln'
+        },
         removeClone: {
             type: 'command',
             category: 'control',
@@ -1992,23 +1997,13 @@ SpriteMorph.prototype.blockTemplates = function (category) {
         blocks.push('-');
         blocks.push(block('receiveOnClone'));
         blocks.push(block('createClone'));
+        blocks.push(block('newClone'));
         blocks.push(block('removeClone'));
         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'));
-        }
+        blocks.push('-');
+        blocks.push(block('doTellTo'));
+        blocks.push(block('reportAskFor'));
 
     } else if (cat === 'sensing') {
 
@@ -3221,10 +3216,21 @@ SpriteMorph.prototype.remove = function () {
 */
 
 SpriteMorph.prototype.createClone = function (immediately) {
-    var stage = this.parentThatIsA(StageMorph);
+    var stage = this.parentThatIsA(StageMorph),
+        clone;
     if (stage && stage.cloneCount <= 5000) {
-        this.fullCopy(true).clonify(stage, immediately);
+        clone = this.fullCopy(true);
+        clone.clonify(stage, immediately);
     }
+    return clone;
+};
+
+SpriteMorph.prototype.newClone = function (immediately) {
+    var clone = this.createClone(immediately);
+    if (isNil(clone)) {
+        throw new Error('exceeding maximum number of clones');
+    }
+    return clone;
 };
 
 SpriteMorph.prototype.clonify = function (stage, immediately) {
@@ -6904,22 +6910,12 @@ StageMorph.prototype.blockTemplates = function (category) {
         blocks.push(block('reportCallCC'));
         blocks.push('-');
         blocks.push(block('createClone'));
+        blocks.push(block('newClone'));
         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'));
-        }
+        blocks.push('-');
+        blocks.push(block('doTellTo'));
+        blocks.push(block('reportAskFor'));
 
     } else if (cat === 'sensing') {
 

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-09';
+modules.threads = '2017-July-12';
 
 var ThreadManager;
 var Process;
@@ -2813,6 +2813,22 @@ Process.prototype.createClone = function (name) {
     }
 };
 
+Process.prototype.newClone = function (name) {
+    var thisObj = this.blockReceiver(),
+        thatObj;
+
+    if (!name) {return; }
+    if (thisObj) {
+        if (this.inputOption(name) === 'myself') {
+            return thisObj.newClone(!this.isFirstStep);
+        }
+        thatObj = this.getOtherObject(name, thisObj);
+        if (thatObj) {
+            return thatObj.newClone(!this.isFirstStep);
+        }
+    }
+};
+
 // Process sensing primitives
 
 Process.prototype.reportTouchingObject = function (name) {