suffix instead of a prefix

[zak]

Hi Petr
in a future TBGL module, what about replacing the prefix TBGL_ by a suffix like _GL , something like: GetWindowKeyState_GL instead of TBGL_GetWindowKeyState
i do not know how the other people feel, but for me the prefix are making chaos in my memory, it keeps poping up in my brain and hiding the original and most important word.

i think remembering and manipulating:
MouseGetPosX_GL
MouseGetPosY_GL
MouseGetLButton_GL
CenterCursor_GL
..... etc
in the brain dictionary of an average man/woman
are easier than
TBGL_MouseGetPosX
TBGL_MouseGetPosY
TBGL_MouseGetLButton
TBGL_CenterCursor
.... etc
this is may be my own neuro health problem, but i feel i must express my idea, for a future contemplation.

[Petr Schreiber]

Hi Zak,

I must say I still like the prefix way - and I think it will work in future better for stuff like code completion this way... (you first specify module, which quickly differentiates TBGL_IsWindow from UI module IsWindow) but that does not mean there is no solution to this problem

As thinBASIC supports ALIAS keyword, you can redefine all the function names to suit your preference. Even better, such a keyword mod can be done in automated way using thinBasic itself

Just run this script once, it will generate new, complete alias include file for you:

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Uses "File" uses "TBGL"   Dim sListOfKeywords As String Dim Keyword()       As String Dim nKeywords       As Long Dim i               As Long Dim sFileContent    As String   sListOfKeywords = APP_ListKeywords   '---Parse string into an array nKeywords = Parse(sListOfKeywords, Keyword, $TAB)   '---Creates output buffer sFileContent = "' This is include file of Zak's custom names for TBGL" + $CRLF(2) For i = 1 To nKeywords   If StartsWith(Keyword(i), "TBGL_") Then      sFileContent += "ALIAS " + Keyword(i) + " AS " + PetrsTBGLNameToZaksTBGLName(Keyword(i))+ $CRLF   End If NEXT   '---Save buffer into .INC file FILE_Save(APP_Path + "\Inc\" + "CustomTBGLFunctionNames.inc", sFileContent)   Function PetrsTBGLNameToZaksTBGLName( sNameIn As String ) As String   sNameIn  = Remove$(sNameIn, "TBGL_")   sNameIn += "_GL"   Return sNameIn   End Function

... and then, in your programs, just use:

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1	#INCLUDE "CustomTBGLFunctionNames.inc"

... like in this example:

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Uses "TBGL"      #INCLUDE "CustomTBGLFunctionNames.inc"   Function TBMain()   Local hWnd      As DWord   Local FrameRate As Double       ' -- Create and show window   hWnd = CreateWindowEx_GL("TBGL script - press ESC to quit", 640, 480, 32, %TBGL_WS_WINDOWED Or %TBGL_WS_CLOSEBOX)   ShowWindow_GL     ' -- Initialize lighting   UseLighting_GL(%TRUE)   UseLightSource_GL(%GL_LIGHT0, %TRUE)     SetLightParameter_GL(%GL_LIGHT0, %TBGL_LIGHT_POSITION, 15, 10, 15, 1)     ' -- Resets status of all keys   ResetKeyState_GL()     ' -- Main loop   While IsWindow_GL(hWnd)     FrameRate = GetFrameRate_GL       ClearFrame_GL       Camera_GL(15, 15, 15, 0, 0, 0)               Color_GL(255, 128, 0)       Box_GL(1, 1, 1)       DrawFrame_GL       ' -- ESCAPE key to exit application     If GetWindowKeyState_GL(hWnd, %VK_ESCAPE) Then Exit While     Wend     DestroyWindow_GL End Function

I know the TBGL_ prefix can be annoying, maybe in future when some dark magic like namespaces will be supported, you will be able to do something like:

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USING TBGL   CreateWindowEx(...)   ShowWindow       ResetKeyState() END USING

and so on. But that would need major change in the parser and also the IDE (to still provide context sensitive help), so I guess this is not comming that soon. But I hope the include file way is acceptable for you at the moment.


Petr

[peter]

>>>> lol <<<<

[marcuslee]

I am not familiar with many other basic languages, but the Alias keyword seems to put thinBasic above the rest. Although there are limitations, you can use thinBasic in almost any way you want, making it easier for you.

Go thinBasic!



Mark

[zak]

this is a complete magic.
like a magician who show a rabbit out of nothing, or like a topology in wich the impossible elastic shapes are possible, yes it works, i have read your message yesterday but because i have a mild influenza i was not able to try the example, so i have tried it today.
your method can be used also by any one who may suffer from what i call :
" Prefix Illness Syndrom ", and that more people will enjoy and attracted to the TBGL module.
what can i say !!, you have saved me.
thank you

[ErosOlmi]

Petr,

once again you have the ability to quicly find so cool and clever solutions.

Eros

[Michael Hartlef]

Hi Petr,

great job. Doesn't thinAir support userkeywords and so your script could create these too. Then you get the full support by syntax highlighted ALIASES.

Cheers
Michael

[Petr Schreiber]

Good idea,

in case of custom defined keywords it can get complicated, as there can be some already present, so we cannot just overwrite the definition file. But what we can do is to get existing items, new items, combine them, make sure there are no duplicates and then save again. It sounds complicated, but thanks to ARRAY UNIQUE it is not

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Uses "File", "Console" Uses "TBGL"   Dim sListOfKeywords   As String Dim Keyword()         As String Dim nKeywords         As Long Dim nNewKeywords      As Long     Dim sCustomKeywords         As String  Dim Lines()                 As String Dim nLines                  As Long  Dim CombinedLines()         As String    Dim i                 As Long  Dim newKeyword        As String Dim userKeywordsFile  As String Dim sFileContentINC   As String Dim sFileContentINI   As String   PrintL "Generating include file..." sListOfKeywords = APP_ListKeywords   '---Parse string into an array nKeywords = Parse(sListOfKeywords, Keyword, $TAB)   '--- Create include file '---Creates output buffer sFileContentINC = "' This is include file of Zak's custom names for TBGL" + $CRLF(2) For i = 1 To nKeywords   If StartsWith(Keyword(i), "TBGL_") Then        nNewKeywords    += 1             newKeyword       = PetrsTBGLNameToZaksTBGLName(Keyword(i))      sFileContentINC += "ALIAS " + Keyword(i) + " AS " + newKeyword + $CRLF      sFileContentINI += newKeyword + $CRLF   End If Next   '---Save buffer into .INC file FILE_Save(APP_Path + "\Inc\" + "CustomTBGLFunctionNames.inc", sFileContentINC)   PrintL "Generating custom keywords for thinAir..." PrintL '---Add new items to custom syntax file userKeywordsFile = APP_Path + "\thinAIR\Syntax\thinBasic\" + "thinBasic_Keywords_Usr.ini" If FILE_Size(userKeywordsFile) = 0 Then   ' -- It is empty, we can safely overwrite it   FILE_Save(userKeywordsFile, sFileContentINI) Else                                            ' -- We need to add only new items   sCustomKeywords = FILE_Load(userKeywordsFile)       ' -- We get existing items   nLines          = Parse(sCustomKeywords, Lines, $CRLF)           ReDim Preserve Lines(nLines+nNewKeywords)       ' -- Add new items to it   For i = 1 To nNewKeywords     newKeyword      = Parse$(sFileContentINI, $CRLF, i)     Lines(nLines+i) = newKeyword   Next       ' -- Remove duplicates                                Array Unique Lines, CombinedLines        ' -- And save it back   sFileContentINI = Join$(CombinedLines, $CRLF)                                      FILE_Save(userKeywordsFile, sFileContentINI) End If   PrintL PrintL "Done, press any key..."        WaitKey                                                                                                         Function PetrsTBGLNameToZaksTBGLName( sNameIn As String ) As String   sNameIn  = Remove$(sNameIn, "TBGL_")   sNameIn += "_GL"   Return sNameIn   End Function

Petr

[zak]

the greatness itself,
after applying Petr code above now the SetLightParameter_GL ... are highlighted , like in the picture:

[Michael Hartlef]

That is why I love thinBasic and all the people in this community. Problem, discussion and thanks because of our swiss army knife called thinBasic, solution found.