Simplified array/linked list filling

[Killswitch]

When I'm involved in a big project I often find it nessacary to fill an array with a large amount of data that I can't generate on-the-fly so I have to spend a lot of time filling the arrays. I've not really encountered this problem with linked lists, but the functionality is fairly applicable to them as well.

Ok, here's an example of what I'm tired of doing:

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  Error.s(0)="You have pressed esc."
  Error.s(1)="something"
  ...
  Error.s(n)="oh my god, I hate doing this"

And here's what I suggest would be a good replacement:

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  Error.s(0){"You have pressed esc","something",...,"oh my god, I hate doing this"}

Generalised:

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  Array( StartIndex.l){1,2...}

A precompiler could handle this pretty well, I'm sure (in fact, I may just hammer one out) but I - and I'm sure everyone else does - really hate using non-standard language features because it's a pain in sharing source/setting up precompilers on every computer you code on/keeping precompilers up-to-date.

Thanks,

Killswitch

[Fred]

You could use the 'Data' which could help a lot in your case.

[Killswitch]

That's always a possibility, I just think that my proposed syntax is a little more elegant (although it's not really basic).

Still, you're the PB God, Fred

[Kaeru Gaman]

what about filling the array from a textfile within a loop?

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Dim Bla$(8)

If ReadFile(0,"textfile.txt")
  For n=0 To 8
    Bla$(n) = ReadString(0,#PB_Ascii)
  Next
  CloseFile(0)
EndIf

For t=0 To 8
  Debug Bla$(t)
Next

textfile.txt is:

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this is a test
does it work as expected?
-------------------------
what's the difference in an apple?
It's a telephone pole
because motorcycles don't have doors,
elephants don't eat icecream,
and an egg when broken
must stay the same crushed egg forever.

also for different structured datasets, a predefined extern file is a good possibility.
and of course there are ways to protect the data to have the user not changed it easily.

of course, you can do it the same way via DataSection, it a good solution, too.

...but direct elementwise assignment within the code is not a good solution....


your idea reminds me of C, but it's only practicable if you could use multiple lines.
to write a complete Array in one line would be a PITA.....
better use DataSection then, you could give it a table-form there, too.

[GedB]

Killswhich,

You might find this old discussion interesting: http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtop ... torder=asc

NetMaestro and I throw about ideas for quickly loading dictionarys using IncludeBinary() and an Index.

[Killswitch]

Loading from a text file was always a possibility, I just dislike the idea of the overhead involved (however small) and the fact that the file can easily be modified.

[Kaeru Gaman]

... I just dislike ... the fact that the file can easily be modified.

implementing an encryption is really easy....
I posted some little procs a while ago in the german forum...
http://www.purebasic.fr/german/viewtopic.php?t=8807

....maybe I should work it over again a bit, but it's an example how easy textdata can be encrypted.
after that, they are saver than raw-data included in the exe, that can be modified by any HEX-editor.

[GedB]

Killswhich,

IncludeBinary binds the text file to your binary at compile time, so no runtime overhead is incurred.

Compress the text and it reduces load time and stops people from seeing the data when the open the binary in a text editor.

Read the thread. Netmaestro includes the entire scrabble dictionary within a small dll that can be searched in seconds.

This is the type of stuff thats considered guru level meditation in other languages. In PB its easy.

[traumatic]

I second this request.

Often Datasections aren't really convenient to use, just think of simple things
like filling vector- or color-arrays...

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myColorRGB() = {$f0, $84, $42}

[Kaeru Gaman]

@traumatic

hm... why not

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myColor = $4284f0

don't get me wrong... I think it might be a nice feature...
but to take full advantage of it we also need multilines, or it's just not really practicable...

[traumatic]

Code: Select all

myColor = $4284f0

What exactly does this help if I need an array?

[Killswitch]

@GedB

Are you sure it doesn't add overhead? I mean, you have to actually load the file, then open it, then loop through it and then write all of the data to the array you're filling - surely simply filling the array by hand is quicker, even if its marginally quicker?