Improvements on the IDE and language

[u9]

Shortcuts to Different Features
All of the features that can be accessed through right-click in the editor should be in the menus also. It actually took me a long time to find properties so I could change the behavior and settings of the editor. In general, there should be several ways to do things. E.g. you can cut text using the menus, the mouse right-click or even pressing ctrl+c.

EDIT: It would also be great to select all the text using ctrl+a. This is used in vertually all programs I have tried.

Register Menu
The register menu should be placed under help. This is usually where it is found in software, but more importantly pressing the menu users usually expect some options to drop down (that's way it is called a drop-down menu). I believe it is bad precise to actually execute a function call in the top menu level.

Tabs and Close File Button
I think it would work great if the file-tabs would have a close button inside the tab instead of the close button being to the far-right. This way I can also close exactly the file I want without first selecting it (usually to the left of the screen) and then going all the way to the right to close it. This follows the Gestalt theory in interface design, a philosophy of grouping things together according to their nearness. If you are not sure what I mean, have a look at eclipse’s tabs in the editor.

Also, ctrl+w or ctrl+f4 should close the current file. Personally I prefer ctrl+w because it's safer (ctrl+f4 is too close to alt+f4 which closes the entire application). This also follows the theory that there should be several ways to achieve things, e.g. use the mouse or use the keyboard.

New File
Ctrl+n should open a new file. When I press ctrl+n I get a open-file requester. This is maybe an error?

Help System
Pressing F1 should bring up the help system and show the specific command the cursor is placed on at the time.

Also, there is absolutely no structure in the Contents tab of the help system. The entries aren't even alphabetically sorted. I would propose sorting the different content in an hierarchical manner so it becomes easier to browse. Contact me if you would like a more detailed description of how I think the help should be structured.

Math
Is there a missing Pi definition? Pi should be a defined constant. It is a very important number mathematically and is often used. It should be defined within the language. Also the inverse sine and cosine should also be implemented. (I feel).

Networking
I think this is mentioned elsewhere also, and yes, networking is an advanced topic. However, I think it is a very important feature as the future of gaming seems to be going heavily into multiplayer networking. As a games programmer one wants to be able to do this, even if it might be a simple 2D game. Multiplayer games (human-human interaction/competition) is always more fun. So I'm looking forward to seeing network support. Please both include TCP and UDP. UDP is much faster, but leaves people with the reliability-task. However, it gives more freedom to the programmer.

Linked list
Some form of linked list and maybe an iterator would be nice. I don't want to do this myself. If it is included in the language I can concentrate more on game logic rather then implementing basic features that one might need for the game. E.g. having a long list of baddies and one of them gets killed, I can delete that particular baddie and when drawing / doing AI / updating the baddies I can just iterate the list knowing that any killed baddie are deleted from the list.

That was all for now. I haven't really gotten acquainted with the language yet, so I might get more ideas as I progress. Anyway, these are just my thoughts; some more important then others. Hope they will help the next release.

[u9]

Pressing alt+tab swaps between the open files. But the editor window seems to loose focus, so I have to reach for my mouse and click on the window to be able to write again (bug).

I have also noticed that while tabbing (with alt+tab) through the open files, I don't get the files in the order the tabs are positioned along the top of the editor. I would expect to tab through the files in that order, but instead it seems that files that have been modified seem to come last in the tabbing order, no matter where their tab is positioned. It is more intuitive to get the files in the order they are presented in the tab-bar.

[Guilect]

Shortcuts to Different Features
All of the features that can be accessed through right-click in the editor should be in the menus also. It actually took me a long time to find properties so I could change the behavior and settings of the editor. In general, there should be several ways to do things. E.g. you can cut text using the menus, the mouse right-click or even pressing ctrl+c.

EDIT: It would also be great to select all the text using ctrl+a. This is used in vertually all programs I have tried.

I have added all the options from the right-click to the menu.
I will look in to ctrl+a

Register Menu
The register menu should be placed under help. This is usually where it is found in software, but more importantly pressing the menu users usually expect some options to drop down (that's way it is called a drop-down menu). I believe it is bad precise to actually execute a function call in the top menu level.

I have moved the register selection to under the help menu.
I believe that the top level menu is called a menu. Most, but not all, of these menues have sub menues. Those menues that drop down might be refered to as drop down menues. The reason the register selection was top level was so that it had some visibility. After all I am trying to get some support for the project. I can do what is expected and traditionally done. That is put up a splash screen telling the user that they are using the un-registered version and have that stay up for 10 seconds before they can proceed. Additionally a number of code line limit (ala purebasic) and or a time limit could be added to try to force support. But I thought my way was more user friendly.

Tabs and Close File Button
I think it would work great if the file-tabs would have a close button inside the tab instead of the close button being to the far-right. This way I can also close exactly the file I want without first selecting it (usually to the left of the screen) and then going all the way to the right to close it. This follows the Gestalt theory in interface design, a philosophy of grouping things together according to their nearness. If you are not sure what I mean, have a look at eclipse’s tabs in the editor.

Also, ctrl+w or ctrl+f4 should close the current file. Personally I prefer ctrl+w because it's safer (ctrl+f4 is too close to alt+f4 which closes the entire application). This also follows the theory that there should be several ways to achieve things, e.g. use the mouse or use the keyboard.

The tabs are handled exclusively by a third party OCX control. So they are what they are. I can look into ctrl+w

New File
Ctrl+n should open a new file. When I press ctrl+n I get a open-file requester. This is maybe an error?

This has been corrected.

Help System
Pressing F1 should bring up the help system and show the specific command the cursor is placed on at the time.

I could do this if someone could show me some code as how to do this. What api or command line parameters do you send to the compiled help file?

Also, there is absolutely no structure in the Contents tab of the help system. The entries aren't even alphabetically sorted. I would propose sorting the different content in an hierarchical manner so it becomes easier to browse. Contact me if you would like a more detailed description of how I think the help should be structured.

I had a nice orderly HTML help system (IMHO). But someone wanted a CHM. So I made one. The program that makes it, does not have any way to order the contents. So if someone can find a freeware CHM compiler that 1.) takes as an input a directory full of html files, 2.) takes as an input a directory full of images, and 3.) allows or automatically alphabetises the contents, let me know.

Math
Is there a missing Pi definition? Pi should be a defined constant. It is a very important number mathematically and is often used. It should be defined within the language. Also the inverse sine and cosine should also be implemented. (I feel).

I have used many different programming languages and I can not think of one that had Pi built-in. Is it too much bother to go:
Const Pi = 3.1415926535897932

Networking
I think this is mentioned elsewhere also, and yes, networking is an advanced topic. However, I think it is a very important feature as the future of gaming seems to be going heavily into multiplayer networking. As a games programmer one wants to be able to do this, even if it might be a simple 2D game. Multiplayer games (human-human interaction/competition) is always more fun. So I'm looking forward to seeing network support. Please both include TCP and UDP. UDP is much faster, but leaves people with the reliability-task. However, it gives more freedom to the programmer.

It is on the To Do list.

Linked list
Some form of linked list and maybe an iterator would be nice. I don't want to do this myself. If it is included in the language I can concentrate more on game logic rather then implementing basic features that one might need for the game. E.g. having a long list of baddies and one of them gets killed, I can delete that particular baddie and when drawing / doing AI / updating the baddies I can just iterate the list knowing that any killed baddie are deleted from the list.

Will place the idea under consideration.

[u9]

The reason the register selection was top level was so that it had some visibility. After all I am trying to get some support for the project. I can do what is expected and traditionally done. That is put up a splash screen telling the user that they are using the un-registered version and have that stay up for 10 seconds before they can proceed. Additionally a number of code line limit (ala purebasic) and or a time limit could be added to try to force support. But I thought my way was more user friendly.

I didn't think about the exposure factor In that sense it is quite smart to have the register at the top level. Anyways, limiting code size is also a way to go. I'm not sure what the best thing to do is. Brutus2D is so cheap anyways that forcing someone to register when the program gets too big isn't going to be that big a deal. But I'm not even sure it is necesary.

I could do this if someone could show me some code as how to do this. What api or command line parameters do you send to the compiled help file?

I haven't tried any myself. I just wanted to mention it as I find it very useful. About the HTML code, again, I am just stating my first impression of the help system and figured I'd share my thoughts on the matter. It is always good to get some feedback right?

I have used many different programming languages and I can not think of one that had Pi built-in. Is it too much bother to go:
Const Pi = 3.1415926535897932

Java (java.lang.Math.PI), PureBasic (#PI), Jamagic (Pi), many have defined the constant. C++ STL does not I think, but every add-on library I've used has defined it. I was just thinking that it makes it just a bit easier. Now one has to look up the value of Pi whenever starting a new project that needs it. You could ask the question the other way around: Is it too much bother to define it? Anyway, it is just an idea of improvement. I figured it might help people just a bit

[u9]

Actually ctrl+w is a shortcut for the menu file->close - which would be nice also

[Guilect]

for linked lists haow about this class.
You can 'include' it in any program that you might need it.

    '**************************************
   ' Name: DynamicArray Class
   ' Description:Building a dynamic array o
   '     f data, that is, an array that "knows" h
   '     ow to Add, Insert or Delete its element.
   '     This is a slightly modified (to accept o
   '     bjects as array elements) code from http
   '     ://www.4guysfromrolla.com. Just use meth
   '     ods: .Add(data), .Insert(data) or .Delet
   '     e(dataIndex)
   ' By: Miroslav Hibler
   '
   '
   ' Inputs:See code.
   '
   ' Returns:An Array Object.
   '
   'Assumes:How to use classes in ASP.
   '
   'Side Effects:None
   'This code is copyrighted and has limite
   '     d warranties.
   'Please see http://www.Planet-Source-Cod
   '     e.com/xq/ASP/txtCodeId.7341/lngWId.4/qx/
   '     vb/scripts/ShowCode.htm
   'for details.
   '**************************************
 
   '**************************************
   ' DynamicArray Class
   '
   ' Author: M. Hibler, July 5, 2001.
   ' Last change: M. Hibler, March 15, 2002
   '     .
   ' Purpose: Dynamically manipulate arrays
   '     of data
   ' Inputs: See below
   ' Source:http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/w
   '     ebtech/code/array.class.asp.html
   '**************************************
   Class DynamicArray
   '************* Properties *************
   Private aData
   '**************************************
   '*********** Event Handlers ***********
   Private Sub Class_Initialize()
    aData = Array(0)
   End Sub
   Private Sub Class_Terminate()
    ReDim aData(0)
   End Sub
   '**************************************
   '************ Property Get ************
   Public Property Get Data(iPos)
    If iPos < LBound(aData) or iPos > UBound(aData) then
    Exit Property 'Invalid range
    End If
    If IsObject(aData(iPost)) Then
    Set Data = aData(iPos)
    Else
    Data = aData(iPos)
    End If
   End Property
   Public Property Get DataArray()
    DataArray = aData
   End Property
   Public Property Get StartIndex()
    StartIndex = LBound(aData)
   End Property
   Public Property Get StopIndex()
    StopIndex = UBound(aData)
   End Property
   Public Property Get Count()
    Count = UBound(aData) - LBound(aData)
   End Property
   '**************************************
   '************ Property Let ************
   Public Property Let Data(iPos, varValue)
    'Make sure iPos >;= LBound(aData)
    If iPos < LBound(aData) Then Exit Property
    If iPos > UBound(aData) then
    'We need to resize the array
    Redim Preserve aData(iPos)
    End If
    If IsObject(varValue) Then
    Set aData(iPos) = varValue
    Else
    aData(iPos) = varValue
    End If
   End Property
   '**************************************
   '************** Methods ***************
   Public Function Add(varValue)
    If IsObject(varValue) Then
    Set aData(UBound(aData)) = varValue
    Else
    aData(UBound(aData)) = varValue
    End If
    Add = UBound(aData)
    Redim Preserve aData(UBound(aData) + 1)
   End Function
   Public Function Insert(iPos, varValue)
    'Make sure iPos is within acceptable ranges
    If iPos > UBound(aData) then
    Call Add(varValue)
    Exit Function
    ElseIf iPos >= LBound(aData) then
    Dim iLoop
    For iLoop = UBound(aData) to iPos + 1 Step -1
    If IsObject(aData(iLoop - 1)) Then
    Set aData(iLoop) = aData(iLoop - 1)
    Else
    aData(iLoop) = aData(iLoop - 1)
    End If
    Next
    If IsObject(varValue) Then
    Set aData(iPos) = varValue
    Else
    aData(iPos) = varValue
    End If
    Insert = UBound(aData)
    Redim Preserve aData(UBound(aData) + 1)
    End If
   End Function
   Public Sub Delete(iPos)
    'Make sure iPos is within acceptable ranges
    If iPos < LBound(aData) or iPos > UBound(aData) then
    Exit Sub 'Invalid range
    End If
    Dim iLoop
    For iLoop = iPos to UBound(aData) - 1
    If IsObject(aData(iLoop + 1)) Then
    Set aData(iLoop) = aData(iLoop + 1)
    Else
    aData(iLoop) = aData(iLoop + 1)
    End If
    Next
    Redim Preserve aData(UBound(aData) - 1)
   End Sub
   Public Sub Flush()
    ReDim aData(0)
   End Sub
   '**************************************
   
   End Class

[u9]

admin said:

for linked lists how about this class.
You can 'include' it in any program that you might need it.

Nice. It's probably an excellent idea to have classes like this on the wiki page

[u9]

It's a very small thing, but every bit helps. When I press ctrl+c with nothing marked, the clipboard buffer gets cleared. It's not that big a deal, but the only time I press ctrl+c when nothing is marked is when I'm trying to paste something already in the buffer, and accidentally hit c instead of v (they're side by side). The result is that what was in the buffer is gone, so I can't paste it. I think you should not assign anything into the clipboard when nothing is marked. It helps when programming.