Personalized Syntax: [was Dependence on Programming Experts]

[Rob Cozens]

Brian, et al:

>Thanks for the attribution here. It's probably worth noting that if 
>this isn't something that makes headway with RunRev, there are 
>definitely possibilities for a community authored plugin. Then, if 
>that caught on, RunRev might be inclined to just bundle the plugin 
>with the IDE (or at worst anyone could grab it from RevOnline). I'd 
>be happy to contribute a few more hours to the cause if others want 
>to help refine the idea.

I hope others (especially those who requested "x=5" syntax), will 
give the concept some consideration.  Here's some additional thoughts from moi:

local mySynonyms

/*loaded from a field or property  (put return&(field "Synonyms") 
into mySynonyms)
format: abbreviation&tab&fullText.  Example:

         wBR     windowBoundingRect
         wSR     working screenRect

If integrated into the compiler, one could declare synonyms in each script:

         synonym wBR=windowBoundingRect

and they could be referenced via an include file (see below).
*/

on returnInField --UNTESTED
   get offset(("field "&quote&"script"&quote&" of card 
"&quote&"revscript"&quote), the long name of the target)
   if (it = 1) then
     put word 2 of the selectedLine into lineNum
     put line (lineNum) of fld "script" of card "revscript" into prevLine
     -- expand abbreviations
     repeat with x = the number of tokens of prevLine down to one
        get lineOffset(return&(token x of prevLine)&tab,mySynonyms)
        if it = 0 then next repeat
        put word 2 to -1 of line it of mySynonyms into token x of prevLine
        exit repeat
     end repeat
     switch
       -- check for custom syntax
      case (token 2 of prevLine is among the items of "=,:=,is")  -- 
x = y,x := y,x is y
       put ("put"&&(token 3 to -1 of prevLine)&&"into"&&(token 1 of 
prevLine)) into line (lineNum) of fld "script" of card "revscript"
        break
      case (token 1 of prevLine is "let")  -- let x = y
       put ("put"&&(token 4 to -1 of prevLine)&&"into"&&(token 2 of 
prevLine)) into line (lineNum) of fld "script" of card "revscript"
        break
       -- "include" file processing...1st time entered,simply type 
"/* Import from file:"
      case (offset("/* Import from file:",prevLine) = 1)
        put word 5 of prevLine into includeFilePath
        if includeFilePath is empty then
         put true into firstInsertion
         answer file 'Select the file to be inserted here..."
         if the result is "cancel" then break
         -- delete line prevLine?
         put it into includeFilePath
        else put false into firstInsertion
        put URL "file:"&includeFilePath into includeText
        if the result is not empty then
           beep
         answer error includeFilePath&&"not found."
         break
        end if
        if firstInsertion then
  put 
prevLine&space&includeFilePath&&"*/"&return&includeText&return&"/* 
End import from file:"&&includeFilePath&&"*/"& return into line 
(lineNum) of fld "script" of card "revscript"
        else
           get Lineoffset("/* End import from 
file:"&&includeFilePath",fld "script" of card "revscript")
         if it = 0 then
                 beep
                 answer error "End of insertion not found!"
                 break
         end if
           put includeText into line (lineNum+2) to (it - 2)  of fld 
"script" of card "revscript"
        end if
        break
     end switch
       select empty
       send "revFormatField lineNum,lineNum" to card "revscript"
       select after line (lineNum) of fld "script" of card 
"revscript" -- modify for include file insertion
     end if
   end if
   pass returnInField
end returnInField

Note: include file processing leaves something to be desired: To 
update the included text one must select the include comment line 
("/*  Import from file: [filePath] */") and press <return>.
If implemented by RRLtd, the Script Editor could scan for included 
files when opening a script and update the text automatically.

So who else has examples of how personalized syntax and keyboard 
shorthand might be used?

Rob Cozens
CCW, Serendipity Software Company

"And I, which was two fooles, do so grow three;
Who are a little wise, the best fooles bee."

from "The Triple Foole" by John Donne (1572-1631)