Report Help File Issues Here

[guinness]

Func Example() ; This doesn't fail with the default parameters of Au3Check, but it will with strict Au3Check parameters.
    $sString = ''
EndFunc   ;==>Example

Your code doesn't fail Au3Check with default parameters.

Au3Check >> http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/intro/au3check.htm

Edited November 23, 2012 by guinness

[czardas]

Is it still failing? It passed okay here.

Edited November 23, 2012 by czardas

[trancexx]

Okay, but I still think it is worth a mention that the above method of allowing variables to be declared automatically is either not recommended or that it will fail the syntax check. Maybe it states that elsewhere in the help file, but without that information, it is lacking IMO: stating only that it is a matter of personal preference.

Edit

Last statement added.

It will not fail synax check. That syntax is valid and allowed.

[guinness]

Is it still failing? It passed okay here.

No, it doesn't fail with Au3Check, but look at the link above to see the 'advanced parameters.'

[trancexx]

guinness please don't confuse cszardas and others further. I can give explanation but you need to listen.

Edited November 23, 2012 by trancexx

[guinness]

I wasn't contradicting your comment(s).

Edited November 23, 2012 by guinness

[czardas]

I will try to figure this out. The example given in the help file for not declaring variables is as follows:

$var1 = "create and assign"

Running Au3Check with the parameters guinness posted returns errors with the above example. I appreciate you trying to explain things to me, and I admit that I have not used Au3Check with anything other than default parameters previously, so it might make more sense to me after I have read about it. Thanks again.

Edited November 23, 2012 by czardas

[czardas]

Okay I have read the important parts now. I know I don't need to declare variables, unless posting in the snippets thread. I normally do declare them (lol), I just felt like experimenting a bit.

Edit

I've now also altered the multidimensional version to comply with the advanced params.

Edited November 23, 2012 by czardas

[trancexx]

I wasn't contradicting your comment(s).

Of course not, but see cszardas' next post.

$var1 = "create and assign"

...is perfectly valid syntax. When AutoIt encounters that line of code it will automatically scope the variable depending on where it found it, either inside or outside a function, it will also check if variable exists and what scope it has. Upon that it will proceed with declaration and data and scope assignment.

On the other hand Au3Check does not have ability to execute the code and it uses different algorithm in order to determine the scope of the variable. Even though the algorithm is different, the result in ideal (no bug) scenario should be the same. Au3Check have ability to warn coder about non-explicitly declared variables. The warning message is "possibly not declared yet". That's not error, it's merely a warning. It warns about implicit declaration to promote good AutoIt coding practice of explicitly scoping a variable.

Edited November 23, 2012 by trancexx

[BrewManNH]

If you want it to pass Au3Checks validation with advanced parameters, you can always code with the Opt("MustDeclareVariables", 1) option on your scripts to get into the practice of always declaring variables. Where they're declared and how you declared them is something that Au3Check will also validate with the advanced parameters.

BTW, for those not familiar with what is being discussed in regards to the advanced parameters of Au3Check the code would have to pass with this line in it

AutoIt3Wrapper_au3check_parameters=-d -w 1 -w 2 -w 3 -w 4 -w 5 -w 6

Although I've also seen it done like this.

AutoIt3Wrapper_au3check_parameters=-d -w 1 -w 2 -w 3  -w 5 -w 6

where -w 4 isn't included, "local var used in global scope."

[czardas]

I had to test this theory.

$iTimer = TimerInit()
For $i = 0 To 1000000
    Func1()
Next
ConsoleWrite(TimerDiff($iTimer) & @LF)

$iTimer = TimerInit()
For $i = 0 To 1000000
    Func2()
Next
ConsoleWrite(TimerDiff($iTimer) & @LF)

Func Func1()
    $var1 = "create and assign"
EndFunc

Func Func2()
    Local $var1 = "create and assign"
EndFunc

Results:

1525.99422552308
2193.3189832786

That's a very significant ~ 25% increase in speed. I consider this fact alone to be enough justification for the syntax I used earlier. This was the only speed test I didn't run on the code in question, because I remembered having tested it previously. The logic in my mind was that since an array may contain up to 16000000 elements, every possible time saving method ought to be employed. Although in this case variables are only declared once: so although correct, the concept is merely of accademic interest.

Edited November 24, 2012 by czardas

[BrewManNH]

You're thinking in terms of speed, while you should be thinking in terms of proper coding practice. What if you inadvertently use $var1 in the global scope in one of your scripts and included one of your functions that doesn't declare it explicitly? Now you're assigning a value to a global variable instead of the local variable you thought you were assigning it to, and you have introduced a possible bug into your script.

[czardas]

Fair play to you BrewmanNH. That's clearly the reason to declare variables explicitly. Of course I know all this, I just needed reminding thanks. I tend to avoid globals so much nowadays, that I overlooked that detail (but then again this was more of an optimization experiment, and not declaring variables is not how I would normally do things - although I can also see it as being potentially useful in some circumstances ).

I still think, to avoid confusion in the future, some additional information could be included in the Help file on the pages which demonstrate how variables can be used without being declared explicitly.

Edited November 24, 2012 by czardas

[BrewManNH]

I can only point you back to another thread in relation to speed of code and evil.

As to the help file, what you quoted is fine as far as variable declaration is concerned. You can create variables without declaring them first, you just can't use them before you declare them.

[czardas]

BrewmanNH I'm not in agreement with you. Anything of a contradictory nature within the help file is going to cause confusion. This depreciates the value of the help file. It is generally the case that the help file covers guidelines for good coding practice. Here it is a bit of a let down.

To be honest, I find being told to reread old threads such as the one you linked to a bit insulting. I'm trying to help you improve the help file. You can choose to listen to me or ignore me. You were the only person who came up with a valid reason as to why my code was bad (not syntax), but it took two days and a load of confused posts to get to the crux of the matter (why?) - an additional note in the help file would have prevented that.

We are talking about something very fundemental here. I was informed at least twice that my code would not pass the syntax check after I had fixed it within five minutes of initially being informed. That's just overkill. I accept when I'm wrong about something, but I don't appreciate being made to look an idiot.

Please read the post to which this is a responce. Better still: read from the beginning of the thread.

Edited November 25, 2012 by czardas

[AZJIO]

_GUICtrlDTP_SetFormat

"H" - The one or twodigit

two digit

_GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTime, _GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTimeEx

@Error

_ExcelBookAttach, etc.

@ERROR

_IEFormElementGetCollection, etc.

@EXTENDED, @Extended

_GUICtrlListBox_GetSelCount

; Show the item selection state

_GUICtrlListBox_GetSelItemsText

; Get indexes of selected items

Text

_GUICtrlDTP_GetMonthCal

Gets the handle only when the drop-down MonthCal

_GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTime, _GUICtrlDTP_SetSystemTime, _GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTimeEx, _GUICtrlDTP_SetSystemTimeEx

Current date

Current time

Selected date

Selected time

Edited November 25, 2012 by AZJIO

[czardas]

I think you have already made up your minds about this, but I'm going to offer my suggestion anyway.

Current Version:

You can also assign a variable without declaring it first, but many prefer explicit declarations.

Suggestion:

You can also assign a variable without declaring it first, but explicit declaration is good practice and generally recommended.

Although they sound quite similar, these two sentences have two different meanings. The first gives the false impression that it is not particularly important. The second states that it is important (without contradicting the original statement). If it were merely a matter of personal preference, then much of what has been said here would be of no significance - this is clearly misleading.

Edit

I apologize for getting wound up eartlier and I hope you at least consider my suggestion for the sake of those who find this confusing.

Edited November 26, 2012 by czardas

[guinness]

_GUICtrlDTP_SetFormat

"H" - The one or twodigit

two digit

_GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTime, _GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTimeEx

@Error

_ExcelBookAttach, etc.

@ERROR

_IEFormElementGetCollection, etc.

@EXTENDED, @Extended

_GUICtrlListBox_GetSelCount

; Show the item selection state

_GUICtrlListBox_GetSelItemsText

; Get indexes of selected items

Text

_GUICtrlDTP_GetMonthCal

Gets the handle only when the drop-down MonthCal

_GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTime, _GUICtrlDTP_SetSystemTime, _GUICtrlDTP_GetSystemTimeEx, _GUICtrlDTP_SetSystemTimeEx

Current date

Current time

Selected date

Selected time

Done. As previously mentioned the macros @error & @extended were renamed correctly already. But thanks for reporting.

[guinness]

AZJIO,

I personally think it would save you time if you were to edit the source files and send to me via PM. Because now it is double the work.

For example I still haven't done these (been busy:)

Edited November 25, 2012 by guinness

[guinness]

DllCallAddress: (No results found for 'dllcalladdress'.)

Warning: ... Before using this function make sure DllCall() doesn't do what you need.

???

Re-worded.