Re: Keywords and Namesapces
- Posted by jimcbrown (admin) Oct 10, 2011
- 38903 views
This sort of IDE functionality - basically a fancy auto-complete - also exists for classes, namespaces, and even between method/functions with the same prefix (so if you type "some_long_prefix_" then you'll get a tooltip that shows you "some_long_prefix_draw_function", "some_long_prefix_write_function", "some_long_prefix_create_function", etc).
Auto completion in fact gives more headaches. We are already way ahead of this feature.
How so? (How far ahead are you?)
Similar looking (at first) long names are a headache too. 1 = ABC, 2=CDE, 3=FGH, etc is more readable in a tooltip, which has to be small.
Agreed, but this is easy to remedy - delete the shared prefix from the tooltip.
From my own personal use, I'm not convinced that these sort of IDE features are helpful in any case, but that's irrelevant here. These features can be equally helpful (or hinderful) to someone using the current 1600+ function names of wxEuphoria as they would be to someone using a library following the standards that you advocated.
It is not clear to me that using fewer functions with a special integer parameter - as you described - would make the sort of IDE you are describing any more useful or productive than it already is.
An IDE that allows for NO mispelt words and instant access to the System functions as well as newly created ones by the programmer and system variables and newly created variables - all without a single mistake or even a chance of mistake, an IDE that will not allow you to proceed when you have used a wrong type in a parameter, an IDE that will allow all these and more is an elusive often bragged about feature and we already have it.
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This sounds more like a bad commercial advertisement than something that would be taught in a postgrad classroom or seminar.
We have a problem with classifying a lot of functions.
I believe Matt admitted that this was a real problem with wxEuphoria, but namespaces would solve this.
You must realize by now that the wcEuphoria library would be adjuvant to other libraries in a fully function multi-faceted language and just as you and I abhor having to go through 6-6 level of menu to get at the item you are looking to click, so do we in our efforts to give the programmer the facility of access to EVERYTHING with as few a clicks as possible.
Clicks? As in mouse clicks? When programming, one typically has to type. (Only programming language that I can think of that was primarily mouse driven was LEGO Mindstorms. That was one strange language.)
In any case, I'm not seeing a benefit in using enums here over using namespaces - or even prefixes. A properly designed IDE can use tooltips with namespaces / prefixes requiring only a single mouse click.
And one has to remember, that the programmer is going to look to using about 100-200 functions and similar number of variables (and Constants) in a typical medium sized effort. The fewer the number of clicks, the better
This entire IDE-based argument is looking like one really long non sequitur.
Anyway that is the thrust of my teaching and our joint efforts and so far the students who are really colleagues, love it.
I'm curious. You hint at being a professor (or at least a researcher or postgrad student) at a university - yet you won't identify which university you are from.
Additionally, you log onto these forums using Sympatico HSE rather than from your university's internet connection. If your goal is to prevent anyone from being able to independently verify your university affiliation, you are doing a very good job of it. I must say, however, that this goal seems very unusual for an academic professor or researcher - if you don't give your name, you don't get the fame, which generally translates into less funding.
