Map Initializer List

[anonymous]

; For Arrays, we can use
Global $a = [1, 2, 3]
; or
Global $a[] = [1, 2, 3]
; or
Global $a[3] = [1, 2, 3]

; But if we create a Map, it is always empty, and there is no good way to initialize Maps. So here is a suggestion:

Global $a["key1", "key2", "key3"] = [1, 2, 3]

; is the same as

Global $a[]
$a["key1"] = 1
$a["key2"] = 2
$a["key3"] = 3

; I'm sure we do not "need" this feature, but it would be nice to have. (the same argument could be made for Array-Initialization with initializer list... we do not "need" it, but it is nice that it exists)

[anonymous]

; Addition: If the right side is missing, the map is initialized with empty strings for every key.

Global $a["key1", ..., "keyN"]
If MapExists($a, "key1") -> True.

; This enables compact and easy to use string lookup-tables.

[Andreik]

I use maps very often and I would like to see a map initializer but I don't know if it's possible without introducing a new operator, a keyword or something. It will be a total confusion. Take this as example:

Global $Var[1] = [5]

Right now this is a valid syntax to initialize an array with one element but it could be as well a map with the key name 1 (according to proposed syntax).

[vanowm <fromautoitscript.comid240211@…>]

Another reasoning to have such feature is ability create constant maps. Currently we have to create a temporary map, populate it, then copy it to a constant.:

; create temporary map
Local $a[]
$a["key1"] = 1
$a["key2"] = 2
$a["key3"] = 3

; copy to a constant
Global Const $b = $a
; clean up
$a = null

[anonymous]

Please consider this proposition of a good non-ambiguous syntax:

Dim $map["prime": 101,  -1: "-one",  $hMyGUI: $aSomeAssociatedData]

-- or (which can be an allowed alternative, just like arrays have two ways to define 'em) --

Dim $map[] = ["prime": 101,  -1: "-one",  $hMyGUI: $aSomeAssociatedData]

[anonymous]

also

Dim $map = ["prime": 101,  -1: "-one",  $hMyGUI: $vSomeAssosiatedData]

[Andreik]

The syntax might work but the examples are bad since AutoIt maps are designed to work with integers and strings, not with handles or other data types as keys.

[anonymous]

Andreik, that only means that the maps are poorly designed -- and NOTHING else. It's not necessarily anyone's fault/guilt; after all, obtaining perfection(or even just good-enough-ness) is a progress (and i hasten to say that the maps in their current form are NOT good-enough: to be blunt, they're literally a worser version of Scripting.Dictionary -- that's it.) We're all now got involved(if only in spirit) in making maps progress further making them the best they can be(in bed AutoIt); now lets be optimistic and hope/believe it will be crowned with a resounding success!! :]