AutoHotkey Community

Another note: AutoHotkey can make separate scripts, even whole programs that require no outside influence to work properly. Should a default script or global settings be made, it may confuse newcomers and experienced users alike, especially with compiling. A compiled script should be runnable on a system without AHK. If it's default is to look for some external settings, how will this affect compiling? Aside from that, newbies may come after this is implemented and start to depend on it. That would really mess up some of the core ideas, I think.

In light of what you've said, I'm not to keen on that either because scripts would become less portable that way. Still, if there are particular settings someone would want saved that are relatively harmless -- such as the position of the script's main window when opened -- I'd be more receptive to that.

Yes, I didn't consider this a high priority before, and I'm even less enthusiastic based on what you've said.

That's a good point. The correct thing to do would be to include all dependent files inside the compiled script so that it is truly stand-alone.

What kind of core ideas?

Thanks for your insight.

Thanks for describing all of that. It may yet prove useful.

Edit: Fixed typo.

Thank you for valuing my opinion. Yes, I do believe that AutoHotkey should remain versatile, something you can use to create not only dependent hotkey systems that are very specialized to your system, (Those should be easy to create for beginners, a la global settings and premade example scritps) but also fully independent scripts and programs that others can and will use, with or without AHK. (Those should not depend on ANYTHING else, except the files and resources the author specifically made for it)

Thanks for all the cogitations you all make for "my" idea about "default.ahk".

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- AKH scripts should be portable, of course, right.

But If i copy some script to a another PC,
i have to copy the "default.ahk" or a part of it too.
Or i copy the the relevant information into my script.
No matter.
I have to do this right now: i copy INIs, TSA_Names.ora, export registry settings ,... and so on with the apps i copy, too.

User who want to be portable didn´t must use this "default.ahk" (They work as the do bevor.)

For others may it be helpful <?> (They wrote there script moduls only ones)

And / or this "default.ahk" s could be shared from AHK web side <?>
Or come with the installation packed <?>
So Chris can put all this "tricks scripts" into it, not only into the help.


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- That statment about compilling issue is important too, thanks for bring it up.

Of course i can use "#Include default.ahk,
but then i have to think about to inlude this in my compilation on my own too, isn´t it?
(but i to recognize it better, because i see the #include line, OK OK )


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- "Autoexec" is not the right name for what this *.ahk file should do, IMHO.

It shoult not "auto execute" smtg,
but contain "default" things.

I am think about "default.ahk"
for all that little scripts like that for %A_YWeek.

So Chris didn´t have to include always new vars into AHK,
but we (they who want this) can put this "default scripts"
in one central file, no matter what name this file will have.
And from now on we can use this new var in all our scripts.


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So atleast the possibility to use a "what_ever_name.ahk"
for such default things / scripts would be handy ?

Maybe AHK.exe should first search in script_dir,
is there non than in AHK_install_dir for such a file.





Is this to many senseless work
or to less intresting for others
i will use #include xxx,
thanks
Stefan

@ Stefan
Hast du einen dreizeiler für mich, ich schnalle nicht wirklich worum es (dir) hier geht ??? Mit verwirrtem Gruß. BoBo

Ja, ich muss mich im englischen noch etwas üben,
manchmal weiß ich nicht wie ich mich ausdrücken soll,
und schreibe dann wahrscheinlich alles dreifach <?>


Es geht zB um neue Variablen, die vielleicht nur ein
paar Usern nützen.

zB wurde die variable %A_YWeek (oder so ähnlich) gewünscht, (oder auch %A_YCentury or %A_YDecade)
welche man mittels ein paar Zeilen Script auch leicht selbst herstellen kann.

Damit der User diese "paar Zeilen" nicht immer wieder in jedes Script
einfügen, bzw. damit Chris nicht jede Variable in AHK integrieren muss,
habe ich eine "default.ahk" vorgeschlagen.

In dieser "default.ahk" könnte man dann solche code snipplets ablegen
und von jedem Script aus darauf verweisen.


So kann man sich auch Module zusammen stellen,
die in dieser "default.ahk" schlummern, und diese
bei Bedarf abrufen.
(Vorteil: nur einmal schreiben und dann darauf verweisen)


So oder so ähnlich hab´ich mir das vorgestellt.
Vielleicht bin ich damit auch auf dem Holzweg????

Alles klar ????
kind regards
stefan

_________________
Stefan

This post was created with the kindly help of http://dict.leo.org/ and remember: “Allways look on the bright side of Life”

Um... You don't have to actually have those. Scripts can create INIs and reg keys by themselves, so technically you don't have to include anything else with the program except the resources it uses (icons, graphics). But having a whole new script just to store the settings of others, I personally think that's far more confusing than having INIs (I rarely use reg keys), as for them their meaning is clearly defined, but even so I don't use them that often. It's sometimes just as easy to edit variables in a script as values in an ini.



I for one wouldn't like having my scripts being messed with before I even started writing them. Yes, the fixes included in various places on this forum are helpful, but they aren't always relevant. (Much like Windows security updates)



OK, this I'll agree with, but only as an option of course.

I definitely will repeat what has been already said. Sorry.

What I've understand so far:

1) A function/command isn't currently unavailable in AHK e.g. A_YWeek
2) a workaround/function for A_YWeek is available e.g. provided by Chris&friends
3) it looks like it make sense to collect those workarounds/functions within an external file/script and to be able to "call" them if necessary from within an AHK script. (CSS style)

A.ahk


B.ahk


Hope that make sense

@ Stefan
Danke nochmal für die Erklärung.

That's a good point. But there are disadvantages:
1) Performance: Every script launch would have to check for the default.ahk file. If the file system isn't currently cached, this might delay the launch of each script by 10 or 20 ms. This hasn't been tested so might be a false alarm.

2) Putting the default script in the AutoHotkey folder doesn't seem like a very good place because it might not get backed up there. And it might often be forgotten when migrating to a new hard disk since many users figure they can simply reinstall their software to get back the contents of their Program Files folder.

That's interesting but it doesn't seem overall to be that useful, since most scripts would not need or want the other scripts included unconditionally. Someday when there is support for parameter-passing and return-values there can be some standard include-files inside the installer. These can be #include'd at the script author's discretion.

You could do something very similar by using RunWait and checking ErrorLevel afterward (scripts can set ErrorLevel via "ExitApp, nnnn").
I don't think the default include file is a bad idea. It's just one that has quite a few disadvantages to offset the advantages, which reduces enthusiasm for it.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I'll read this topic again when the time comes to work on this feature, though it might be a while for the reason stated above.

if you decide to implement something, please can you make it an installation-wide default that the include file is off? further, can you also add some option so that a script can say 'do not use any system include file'?

i can forsee problems when i give a script to somebody else who uses an automatically-included file that breaks something in my script.


jack
i don't believe in the no-win scenario

Thx for sharing that. Unfortunately the Errorlevel delivers only a single value ... ... (which - confirmed - can be 0=success 1=sunday 2=2004 3=MyDirectoryName 4=something else etc.)

That's why I've used two variables in my above sample. But you're correct. In 98% of all cases a (single value) Errorlevel will make it. Thx.

Just another sample to clarify my statement



This way I'll be able to trigger a bunch of "modules".
Btw. I don't think that this topic should get a high priority @ the moment. Workarounds based on a "limited" set of commands, are (in most cases) good to train the brain

Period.

To understand my suggestions better, again a part of my earlier post:
(not to push Chris, pls understand me right)

iam play with AHK and just wanna use this command


#z:: create new download folder with current date (in Salamander, if its from interest)
Send, {F7}
Send, Download_%A_mon%%A_century%


but i don´t want to always insert

StringLeft, Century, A_YYYY, 2

in this script, because iam don´t remember it when i needed it.
So i ask for an "default.ahk" to put this "StringLeft, Century, A_YYYY, 2" thing in, forget it, and just rever to it (and Chris don´t have to intecreate it in AHK).

Thats only a short script, but i can imaging that there are larger things.
The one of you, they are more familiar with AHK
or programming perhaps don´t need such "default.ahk",
but is AHK for programmers only?


Because see, i wanna use AHK, i don´t wanna become a programmer.
Like i don´t wanna build a car, when i just wanna drive with it.


But i see a many other suggestions to help myself in this issue,
thanks you all for your kindly support !

_________________
Stefan

This post was created with the kindly help of http://dict.leo.org/ and remember: “Allways look on the bright side of Life”

Untested
Uncommeted
Motivated

Once you've coded "Hello World" you're trapped.
Yep, you're sued to become fat/supersized and bleached like a [Proteus_anguinus]

Sorry pal