#>> already does something. Try printing "String >> #asDate". It fetches a compiled method. On 26 January 2012 08:15, Ben Coman <btc@openinworld.com> wrote:
Just a passing thought.... It is common convention for example methods to be presented in text using '>>' preceded by the class. This is obviously needed to define the class/method relationship outside the image, but the whole example cannot be pasted directly into System Browser as the '>>' is not part of the Smalltalk syntax for defining methods. For those new to Pharo going through tutorials, copy/pasting the whole of the presented code eg [1] returns only the error "Nothing more expected" which is a bit cryptic to noobs who expect to follow the example verbatim. Once past understanding this, it continues (for me) to be a minor annoyance to have to select only the text following the '>>'.
I wonder whether it would be beneficial for the compiler to handle '>>' at the start of a method definition. The System Browser would then jump to the created method. As well as beneficial to those experiencing Pharo for the first time, this might be useful as a general shortcut such that when browsing one class you can define a method for another class without first having to browse to that class.
cheers, Ben
[1] BExp>>testBlock: aBlock | t | t := nil. aBlock value
-- Milan Mimica http://sparklet.sf.net