Ta2 Introduction

Note: Ta2 is currently being redesigned with a jQuery and CSS styled front-end, and the name may change. The basic functionality will remain the same.

             Testing and Tracking Utility (Ta2)
         =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 You can bring up any object in GDL, which mixes at least base-object
 into its root-level part, by visiting the URL:

   http://<host>:<port>/ta2

  e.g.    http://localhost:9000/ta2

 Then enter your object's package::name (or package:name if exported).

 Ta2 follows the "select-and-match" paradigm -- you first "select" a
 mode of operation with one of the buttons, then "match" that mode to
 any object in the tree or inspector by clicking.

 Here is a rundown of the common buttons. They have tooltips which
 will pop up when you hover the mouse over them. The ones with "..."
 mean you first select the button to go into that "mode," then select
 one or more objects either in the tree or in the inspector to apply
 the selected action. The ones with "!"  do an immediate action.

       I...  Inspect (make the inspector show the selected object).
       DL... Draw Leaves in graphics viewport (replacing any existing).
       DN... Draw Node in graphics viewport (replacing any existing).
       AL... Add Leaves in graphics viewport.
       AL*... Add Leaves individually (so they can be deleted individually).
       DL... (duplicate label, needs renaming) Delete Leaves.
       AN... Add Node in graphics viewport.
       UN... Update selected node to reflect any compiled code changes.
       B...  Break on selected object. 
       UI... visit UI (if there is a main-sheet or write-html-sheet).
       UH... visit UI in place of graphics viewport frame.
       SR... Set Root of tree to selected object.
       UR!   Up Root one level in the tree.
       RR!   Reset Root to true root in the tree.
       CL!   clear the graphics and color/line thickness settings.
       F!    toggle Frames on and off (default is on).
       U!    Update from current node down to reflect any compiled code changes.
       UF!   Update from the root node down to reflect any compiled code changes.
 
Notes:

 o The toplevel of any object tree instantiated in Ta2 has to mix in
   at least base-object.

 o You can directly start a Ta2 session by visiting the "/ta2" uri
   in your web browser, then specifying either an object name
   prepended with package name and single or double colon, e.g:

     gwl-user::robot-assembly

   or by specifying a Lisp expression which will evaluate to an object
   instance.

 o The Break command (either from Ta2 or from the developer links in a
   normal UI) automatically sets toplevel self to the broken-upon
   object in the Lisp console window. It no longer actually "breaks"
   the webserver thread!