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Garrett
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Joined: 04 Oct 2001
Posts: 2149
Location: A House
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 Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:02 pm Post subject: A Little About VDS 5 - Part II |
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Ok, I could tell by some of the posts and emails that what I had
given for a little info on VDS 5, just wasn't quite enough. So
by popular demand, here's a little bit more.
If you didn't figure out what
| Code: | #DEFINE COMMAND, name1, name2, ...
#DEFINE FUNCTION, name1, name2, ... |
are for, I'll elaborate a little more on these. These allow you to define
your own commands and functions. More over, you are allowed to
make these commands and functions in seperate source files which
are called from your main source file.
NB: Jules mentions more about defining commands and functions and
creating units in Part I of this [ http://www.vdsworld.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1306 ] topic.
| Code: | IDE:
The IDE can now be automated using DDE commands.
DIALOG ELEMENTS:
BITBTN, BITMAP and BUTTON now support a MOUSEOVER event which
will generate a ENTER and LEAVE event.
:BITBTN1ENTER
:BITBTN1LEAVE
LINE
LINE, <name>,<top>,<left>,<width>,<height> {,<styles> }
NEW! This new dialog element allows you to draw a line around
the area described by its top, left, width and height values.
It can be used as a horizontal or vertical divider by setting
the height or width value to 2. The element is not drawn using
the Windows XP themed style, so the box does not have rounded
corners when drawn under Windows XP (if you want this, use a
GROUP dialog element with a null caption instead.)
LIST
ENHANCED. The LIST dialog element now supports a new style:
MULTI. When this is used, the list box supports multiple
selections using the usual Windows method: holding the Shift
key while you click to select a block of items; using the Ctrl
key while you click to select individual items.
COMMANDS:
BINFILE
BINFILE OPEN,<file id>,<filename>,READ|WRITE|CREATE|APPEND
BINFILE CLOSE,<file id>
BINFILE SEEK,<file id>,<position>
BINFILE WRITE,<file id>,TEXT|BINARY|HEX,<data string>
BINFILE SAVERES, <resource type>, <resource id>, <filename>
ENHANCED. All BINFILE commands now set OK to false if there
was a problem with the file operation. Note that BINFILE OPEN,
... APPEND sets OK to false if the named file does not exist.
BINFILE WRITE, ..., BINARY now uses the separator character
specified in OPTION FIELDSEP to separate the binary values in
the list, which by default is the character '|', the same as
before.
The BINFILE SAVERES command is NEW! It allows a user defined
resource that has been linked in to the executable file to be
saved to disk using the specified filename and path.
ERROR <error number>
NEW! This command allows you to set an error code so that the
script aborts with an error message. It will mainly be useful
in VDS-defined commands and functions. The value of the OK
indicator can be set to False by using a negative value for
<error number>.
FUNCTIONS:
@BINARY( <valtype>, <value>)
NEW! The purpose of this function is to allow a binary value
to be assigned to a variable. DialogScript stores all numeric
values as strings. This function is intended to be used to
store a value in a variable in binary form so it can be
passed to a library function which is being called using the
@LIB function.
The <valtype> argument may be BYTE, WORD, DWORD or LARGEINT.
BYTE creates an 8-bit value, and is effectively the same as
@CHR(<value>). WORD creates a 16-bit (2 byte) value, DWORD
creates a 32-bit (4 byte) value and LARGEINT creates a 64-bit
(8 byte) value.
@FILE(...)
ENHANCED! This function now returns a result all non-directory
files (including hidden and system files) by default. This
overcomes a bug whereby it was not possible to specify all
files in a search, because the attributes RAHS would exclude
any files that didn't have any of these attributes set at all.
@KEY()
ENHANCED! This function can accept all valid key mnemonics
including ESC, INS, DEL, SCROLL, NUM, CAPS and PRINT.
@LF
NEW! Generates a line-feed character in a string (the same
as @CHR(10)). |
And that's it for now!!! No more info or you'll all get me in
trouble with the Boss Man!
Best regards,
-Garrett
_________________
'What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.' - Confucius (550 b.c. to 479 b.c.)
Last edited by Garrett on Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ShinobiSoft
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Joined: 06 Nov 2002
Posts: 790
Location: Knoxville, Tn
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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I want my VDS 5
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Bill Weckel
ShinobiSoft Software
"The way is known to all, but not all know it." |
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Skit3000
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Joined: 11 May 2002
Posts: 2166
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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We all do...  |
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LOBO
Valued Contributor
Joined: 14 Mar 2002
Posts: 241
Location: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Skit3000 wrote: | | We all do... |
Very much so  
-Mark |
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MarkTrubo
Contributor
Joined: 27 May 2001
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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Mmmmmm, VDS 5.
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Rubes_sw
Valued Contributor
Joined: 11 Jun 2001
Posts: 625
Location: Northern Ireland
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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I really want VDS 5 ! Any release date ? One month, two etc etc, any hints Summer, Winter ??
I like the idea of building DLL type files !
Nathan
Hurry up VDS5 |
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FreezingFire
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Posts: 3508
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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What about something like a simple screenshot of something about VDS 5,
such as a simple dialog created with it or a hint of the IDE?
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FreezingFire
VDSWORLD.com
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Garrett
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Joined: 04 Oct 2001
Posts: 2149
Location: A House
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Release date is still unknown to me, and I haven't a clue at taking a guess
either.
You will all know when the release date will be when I find out. You know
I wouldn't keep that information in the dark on you. I might not tell you
about everything in version 5, but i'd at least give you the release date if
I had it.
-Garrett
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'What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.' - Confucius (550 b.c. to 479 b.c.) |
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Garrett
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Joined: 04 Oct 2001
Posts: 2149
Location: A House
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| FreezingFire wrote: | What about something like a simple screenshot of something about VDS 5,
such as a simple dialog created with it or a hint of the IDE? |
Eheheee heheeee.... Gees, still not satisfied are we? 
Hmmm, can I post a screen shot without giving away too much? Well,
there is one draw back though. My beta is rather outdated, so some things
may have since changed.
Let me see what I can do here for some screen shots.
-Garrett
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'What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.' - Confucius (550 b.c. to 479 b.c.) |
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FreezingFire
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks.
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FreezingFire
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PGWARE
Web Host
Joined: 29 Dec 2001
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| The last time I spoke with the 'Boss Man' he gave me the indication that vds 5 will be released very very soon. I speculate that 'very very soon' means around a few weeks to within 1 1/2 months from today. Don't quote me on that it's speculation based on his words. |
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Garrett
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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I'd like to give some impressions of VDS 5 since I've been using it for
rather a long time now. Keep in mind though, that the beta version I've
been using is seriously outdated here and they may have changed,
improved or removed some things regarding this since the release of
the beta I'm using.
On the compiler with resources being linked within the exe file, I was
worried that the speed of the compile might be compromised, but I don't
think that's an issue at all, the speed seems to blaze well enough for me.
Having the resources compiled/linked within the exe now is wonderful, it
saves an extra step and time.
The IDE.... At first it was a shock to the system for me to see and use
the new IDE. But now, I wonder how I ever did without it. The scroll
wheel support is a plus for me since I've become a Scroll Wheel
Addict. The tabbed editor is wonderful, but don't open two different
programs at once, as one will be added to the project of the other and
any time you open the one project, it will open the other program's
source file also. This behaviour may or may not still be present in
later releases.
Many new commands and functions that many of us have been begging
for now for years. Also, fixes to commands and functions that have
been in dire need.
Some of the new elements are a wonderful addition.
Using VDS dlls will be a little different. You will now have to DEFINE the
command and function for each dll you use. Accessing other dlls that are
not specifically made for VDS is possible, but you're going to have be an
advanced VDS program to deal with that, as it requires knowledge of
API's and such.
The VDS runtime dll is still relatively small to me. As of the beta version
I have here, the runtime dll is only 211 kb.
Dare I say the following with out being jumped later on down the road...
In my opinion, this is biggest leap from one version to the next that
I've ever seen for VDS.
With this version, many previous limitations we all felt we had are now
gone. What we have now is a tool that is almost only limited to our own
abilities as a VDS programmer.
These are my opinions, and as such, should not be taken as fact unless
otherwise stated. If you disagree with me, then disagree with me and
not the author of VDS.
-Garrett
_________________
'What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.' - Confucius (550 b.c. to 479 b.c.) |
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MarkTrubo
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Joined: 27 May 2001
Posts: 148
Location: Long Island, NY
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Mmmmmm, VDS 5....
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jules
Professional Member
Joined: 14 Sep 2001
Posts: 1043
Location: Cumbria, UK
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| Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 9:58 am Post subject: |
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Just a few points I wanted to add to Garrett's comments. The compile speed isn't compromised in the critical edit/test cycle because resources are only linked when building an EXE. When running within the IDE the resources are picked up from their original files. You specify a resource using e.g. #FILENEW.BMP: the compiler looks for it in the project folder or an optional resource folder you can specify in the project options and automatically links it to the EXE. The IDE reads it from the same path. By the way, the compiler can add custom resources to the EXE which could be used by an extension, or saved to disk using a new command BINFILE SAVERES.
The compiler does quite a lot of error checking now. For example, it will highlight a mis-spelt command or function name. It will also tell you if a variable has been assigned to and not used, or vice versa. Believe me, that catches a lot of errors that you might have a hard time finding. Also, it might not have been clear, the script is compiled (but not linked) even when testing in the IDE, so you get that error checking right from the word go, not just when you're building the executable.
I don't find the issue of opening another program in a different project to be a problem. I often find it useful to open a program I've already written so I can copy bits of it in the new project. In the new IDE I can drag the second editor window off the IDE to make it a floating window so I can see the two side by side. The IDE will open this other file whenever you open the project, until you close the file in the project. Those of you who have used Delphi will know it does the same.
There's no command line compiler, but the IDE can be automated using DDE. You can open files in the editor, edit them on a line-by-line basis, save files and compile projects by sending DDE macros to the IDE.
A lot of obscure bugs have been fixed, including ones that were bugs in Delphi. The VDS 5 run-time is rock solid. Cuurently I have 5 system tray apps written in VDS 5 running all day, plus several applications I use regularly, and I have never had a crash due to a run-time bug. If only Windows was this stable...
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Mac
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