Good coding practices in AutoIt

[guinness]

I meant...

Local $iSomeVar = 1
Local Const $bVarFlag = $iSomeVar == 1 ; True

Edited September 4, 2015 by guinness

[FireFox]

aaah ok

[guinness]

But I don't know if this could be classed as "good coding practice" though you at least know the datatype.

[FireFox]

When a I see flag (in programming) I think of a number (not a general one but for a function parameter) and not of a boolean, so it's a bit weird.

Edited June 8, 2013 by FireFox

[AZJIO]

$ifStartUp = Number(IniRead($Ini, 'Setting', 'StartUp', '0'))
$ifTopmost = Number(IniRead($Ini, 'Setting', 'Topmost', '0'))

If $ifStartUp Then GUICtrlSetState($iMenuStartUp, $GUI_CHECKED)
If $ifTopmost Then GUICtrlSetState($iMenuTopmost, $GUI_CHECKED)

If $ifTopmost Then WinSetOnTop($hGUI, '', 1)

That's where I'm using. Triggers that define two states.

[czardas]

When I see flag I think of a number (not a general one but for a function parameter) and not of a boolean, so it's a bit weird.

 

When I see a flag I think of a red piece of cloth you wave in front of a bull.

[FireFox]

When I see a flag I think of a red piece of cloth you wave in front of a bull.

Of course

Edit: I edited the previous post to be more precise.

Edited June 8, 2013 by FireFox

[czardas]

Edit: I edited the previous post to be more precise.

 

I meant in programming: RedFlag = False ; ==> Do not charge.

I use mental imagery a lot - but perhaps that's just me.

Edited June 8, 2013 by czardas

[guinness]

Even old dogs can be taught new tricks.

Why 'magic numbers' are bad: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/alfredth/archive/2012/02/14/magic-numbers-are-bad.aspx?Redirected=true

[czardas]

I hardly ever hear anyone pointing out the advantages of using magic numbers and the disadvantages of not using them. I find it hard to take one-sided arguments seriously, even when they have some merit.

[guinness]

There are a lot of topics on the good and bad points.

[AZJIO]

czardas

For beginners who don't know English a name of a constant the same magic text as well as number.

[FireFox]

For beginners who don't know English a name of a constant the same magic text as well as number.

Everything is a magic then.

[guinness]

Now I'm lost?!

[czardas]

From the perspective of a beginner: ==> Magic Numbers ==> Go Here

Binary is so easy to understand when you are 7 years old.

Edited June 23, 2013 by czardas

[guinness]

This guide by Google explains their preferred choice of style techniques in C++.

[guinness]

The alternative to using Global variables is opting for an API-like system.

expandcollapse popup

Example()

Func Example()
    Local $hSomeFunc = SomeFunc_Start(@ScriptFullPath)
    SomeFunc_DoSomething($hSomeFunc)
    SomeFunc_Shutdown($hSomeFunc)

    Sleep(500)

    Local $hSomeFuncElse = SomeFunc_Start(@AutoItExe)
    SomeFunc_DoSomething($hSomeFuncElse)
    SomeFunc_Shutdown($hSomeFuncElse)
EndFunc   ;==>Example

Func SomeFunc_DoSomething(ByRef $aAPI)
    Local Enum $eAPI_FilePath, $eAPI_StartTime, $eAPI_Max
    #forceref $eAPI_Max
    ConsoleWrite('File: ' & $aAPI[$eAPI_FilePath] & ', was started at ' & $aAPI[$eAPI_StartTime] & @CRLF)
EndFunc   ;==>SomeFunc_DoSomething

Func SomeFunc_Start($sFilePath)
    Local Enum $eAPI_FilePath, $eAPI_StartTime, $eAPI_Max
    Local $aAPI[$eAPI_Max]
    $aAPI[$eAPI_FilePath] = $sFilePath
    $aAPI[$eAPI_StartTime] = @HOUR & @MIN & @MSEC

    Return $aAPI
EndFunc   ;==>SomeFunc_Start

Func SomeFunc_Shutdown(ByRef $aAPI)
    Local Enum $eAPI_FilePath, $eAPI_StartTime, $eAPI_Max
    #forceref $eAPI_FilePath, $eAPI_StartTime
    For $i = 0 To $eAPI_Max - 1
        $aAPI[$i] = 0
    Next
    Return True
EndFunc   ;==>SomeFunc_Shutdown

I have purposely not included any comments as this isn't for the novice user, I'm also trying to inspire you to read more into what I am doing.

Edited September 4, 2015 by guinness

[guinness]

Here are a few real working examples that have adopted the API-like approach.

>_AppMon - By guinness

>_AppMonEx - By guinness

>_BinaryBin - By guinness

>VirusTotal - By Danyfirex

Edited September 4, 2015 by guinness

[Ascend4nt]

guinness, what do you mean API-like?  That looks like an object-oriented approach to me. Some programs use unique identifiers (Windows uses handles or COM pointers) as an abstraction for an object, some use data structures that are passed around via reference, and others use arrays, etc.  I'd consider all to be object-oriented, since the functions work on/with a specific object.

I've actually used this concept in AutoIt a few times, although it can get troublesome the more data you need to keep track of - in fact the most troublesome had to be the ProcessCounters object for my Performance Counters UDF's.  The object, in this case, was a 2D array full of information about the counter - handle, instance, process name and ID, # of counters, etc.  It was a pain in the ass, but really a necessary evil though, since process counters have a way of 'drifting'.  So, on each call to update the counters, the functions would first verify that the information was still valid (and update if necessary), before returning information back.  The arrays were always corrected internally in this way.

[guinness]

It was >a term Valik used one time.

Honestly I've never had the confidence to delve outside of AutoIt/NSIS/VBScript, but what I've heard about OO, you're probably right.