Using comments as template expressions

[skin27]

In some cases it's more readable and convenient (for example when generating an email or a html page) to write the code in multiple lines, instead of one large line or building it with variables and macros. Of course AutoIt doesn't support template expressions, so here's an example to work around it (using comments as template expressions).

The templates can be placed in the same script or in a separated file. Variables in the template are evaluated before passing it to the new variable. For beta users: Variables needs a $ sign in the template to get recognized.

These are just some examples of using templates. This is not recommended for general use, because there is no error-handling for templates from comments! Maybe some next version of Autoit will have builtin support for template expressions.

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; AutoIt: V3.3.8.1
#include <String.au3>
#include <Constants.au3>
#include <File.au3>
#include <IE.au3>

Local $name1 = "Joe", $name2 = "Sara", $userID = "452ce2", $file = @ScriptDir & "\" & @ScriptName

; *******************************************************
; Example A - Opens a messagebox with text from the Template A
; variables are automatically evaluated
; *******************************************************
$ExampleA = TemplateExpression("A", $file)
MsgBox(0, "Example A", $ExampleA)
#cs Template(A)

    Hello $name1,

    Your userId is $userID.

    Sincerly

    $name2

#ce EndTemplate
; *******************************************************
; Example B - Open a messagebox which is executed
; from template B
; *******************************************************
$ExampleB = TemplateExecute("B", $file)
#cs Template(B)
    MsgBox
    0
    "Example B"
    "My name is $name1"
#ce EndTemplate

; *******************************************************
; Example C - Opens a browser with hmlt code based on Template C
; *******************************************************

$ExampleC = TemplateExpression("C", $file)
Local $oIE = _IECreate()
_IEBodyWriteHTML($oIE, $ExampleC)

#cs Template(C)

    <p>
    <big>Example C by $name1</big>
    </p>
    <p><b>This text is bold</b></p>
    <p><strong>This text is strong</strong></p>
    <p><big>This text is big</big></p>
    <p><em>This text is emphasized</em></p>
    <p><i>This text is italic</i></p>
    <p><small>This text is small</small></p>
    <p>This is<sub> subscript</sub> and <sup>superscript</sup></p>

#ce EndTemplate


; Version: 1.00. AutoIt: V3.3.8.1
; Evaluates the variables and put template text in a String variable
Func TemplateExpression($templateName = 0, $script = 1)
    Local $variables, $template
    $rawTemplate = GetTemplate($templateName, $script)
    If IsArray($rawTemplate) Then
        $template = $rawTemplate[0]
        $variables = StringRegExp($rawTemplate[0], '\$\w+', 3)
        If IsArray($variables) Then
            For $variable In $variables
                $template = StringReplace($template, $variable, Eval(StringTrimLeft($variable, 1)), 0, 1)
            Next
        EndIf
    Else
        Return -1
    EndIf
    Return $template
EndFunc   ;==>TemplateExpression


; Version: 1.00. AutoIt: V3.3.8.1
; Builds the function from the template expression and executes it
Func TemplateExecute($templateName = 0, $script = 1)
    Local $rawFunction, $function = 1
    $template = TemplateExpression($templateName, $script)
    $rawFunction = StringSplit($template, @CR)
    For $i = 1 To $rawFunction[0] Step 1
        If StringStripCR(StringStripWS($rawFunction[$i], 8)) = Not "" And $function = 1 Then
            $function = $rawFunction[$i] & "("
        Else
            $function = $function & StringStripWS($rawFunction[$i], 3) & ","
        EndIf
    Next
    $function = StringStripCR(StringTrimRight(StringStripWS($function, 1), 2)) & ")"
    Execute($function)
EndFunc   ;==>TemplateExecute


; Version: 1.00. AutoIt: V3.3.8.1
; Extracts the template from a file
Func GetTemplate($templateName = 0, $script = 1)
    Local $scriptText, $rawTemplate
    $scriptText = FileRead($script)
    $rawTemplate = StringRegExp($scriptText, "Template\(" & $templateName & "\)((\n|.)*?)#ce EndTemplate", 3)
    Return $rawTemplate
EndFunc   ;==>GetTemplate

[MrCreatoR]

And what if i compile the script?

[skin27]

Then you must be sure that the templates are in a separate file

Edited August 1, 2012 by skin27