PureBasic Forums - English

Another low-priority request

Over the years, many mandatory parameters have become optional, where it makes sense.

Here are some common functions with parameters that (I believe) could be made optional! (Usually default to 0 or "").

This would not be a functional change. Just a change for cleaner code. Feel free to suggest more!


EDIT: This is about just converting mandatory parameters to optional.
Not to be confused with this other active thread about leaving parameters in the middle of the list empty when calling, to use their defaults:
http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtop ... =3&t=60551


Currently the Date function either needs 0 parameters (returns the current timestamp) or 6 parameters (Year Month Day Hour Minute Second). It would be nice if you could use 3 parameters - often I specify a date by Year/Month/Day with the rest set to 0.
Pattern$ could default to ""
The DefaultValue parameters could default to 0 or ""
The *Value parameter could default to #Null
The Flags parameter could default to #Null. Maybe all the parameters (FontName and FontSize) could have defaults too, like ColorRequester?
DefaultString could default to ""
PatternPosition could default to 0

This one is a lot more useful than the other idea, and cleaner too. I second this.

+1

+50

To the listing above I would also add the other functions of the Date library: Similar to Date(), not specifying the parameter would simply use the current date and time. (Already requested here.)

I would like to add:
Callback could default to #Null
Content$ could default to ""


I don't know how optional parameters are implemented by the PB libraries... but if it is a pain to convert all these, then it's not really necessary.

my suggestion :Default could be "".
So, "Debug" by itself would output a blank line,
not ring a bell, nor display an Alert telling you that you screwed up again !

At present I use to achieve this purpose

One more to add...

I think the Options parameter of SortList() and SortArray() could reasonably default to #PB_Sort_Ascending.

+ 1

MessageRequester()
There is no need for any parameters.

sancho2 wrote:MessageRequester()
There is no need for any parameters.

That would be, like, the most useful message ever.

What I like about it is it's very comprehensiveness, and so simplistic. Like trusting the words of car dealerships and wanting you to just sign on the dotted line. I don't need to know what it's about, just click OK.

bbanelli wrote:

sancho2 wrote:MessageRequester()
There is no need for any parameters.

That would be, like, the most useful message ever.

A blank MessageRequester is actually a good way to pause your app during debugging (outside of the IDE).

Thunder93 wrote:What I like about it is it's very comprehensiveness, and so simplistic. Like trusting the words of car dealerships and wanting you to just sign on the dotted line. I don't need to know what it's about, just click OK.

bbanelli wrote:That would be, like, the most useful message ever.

LOL,

I use a blank msgbox often during debugging as was mentioned.
I would also link this request with the "skip-optional parameters request". For example:
As well as the "shorten the name of the MessageRequester function request" (to maybe MsgBox?). But I'm drifting off topic now.