WML switch tag

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Baufo
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WML switch tag

Post by Baufo »

I think it would be useful to have a [switch] tag in WML, even it of couse could already be done with if tags.

I could work like that:

Code: Select all

[switch]
  [variable]
    name=variable_name
  [/variable]

  [case]
    value=1
    #do something if variable_name equals 1
  [/case]

  [case]
    value=2
    #do something else if variable_name equals 2
  [/case]

[/switch]
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toms
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Post by toms »

I don't think that's worth the effort, and it is already doable...
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Post by NeoPhile »

A switch is more legible than an if in WML, especially when you take indentation into account. I know I would appreciate it.
Dacyn
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Post by Dacyn »

don't use the [variable] tag; that has a different meaning and it would be better not to reuse tags... just put 'variable=(variable_name)' inside the [switch] tag.
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Post by MadMax »

I agree with this, because it would eliminate the need for long chains of nested [if] statements required currently.

But, since [if] statements can do this also, it's a low priority.
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turin
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Post by turin »

You shouldn't need to nest [if]s to do this currently...
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zookeeper
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Post by zookeeper »

turin wrote:You shouldn't need to nest [if]s to do this currently...
?
toms
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Post by toms »

zookeeper wrote:
turin wrote:You shouldn't need to nest [if]s to do this currently...
?
He means a structure like this is not necessary:

if
then
...
else
if
then
...
else
...
end else
end if
end else
end if
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zookeeper
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Post by zookeeper »

toms wrote:
zookeeper wrote: ?
He means a structure like this is not necessary:

if
then
...
else
if
then
...
else
...
end else
end if
end else
end if
........
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turin
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Post by turin »

Right- you should just do

if
then
endif
if
then
endif
...

Not a particularly profound point, but a notable one.
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Post by NeoPhile »

turin wrote:Right- you should just do

if
then
endif
if
then
endif
...

Not a particularly profound point, but a notable one.
That's incompatible with else statements. Not else if, just plain old else. A switch usually allows for a default option (notably absent from the example) that handles the situation elegantly.
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turin
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Post by turin »

NeoPhile wrote:That's incompatible with else statements. Not else if, just plain old else. A switch usually allows for a default option (notably absent from the example) that handles the situation elegantly.
True - but what you can do is at the end have an

Code: Select all

if
  not1
  not2
  not3
  then
endif
Anyway, I don't disagree that a switch would be useful, to a degree. Almost any programming feature would be useful for WML. The question is whether the benefit of having this programming feature outweighs 1. the time spent coding it (a one-time cost), 2. the maintainance of the code (a continuing cost), and 3. the burden on the engine by having this new feature (a cost to the users, not the devs). I don't think it is, because what you want can already be done; all this does is save a few dozen lines of WML, and that only in scenarios that would use switch, which would be few and far between.


BTW, this isn't specific to this item - every new feature should be thought about in terms of whether it is worth doing given the specific values of these three costs.
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Elvish_Pillager
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Post by Elvish_Pillager »

This is doable with macros. You'd do:

Code: Select all

{SWITCH (var-name)}
{CASE (value)}
(commands)
{/CASE}
{CASE (value)}
(commands)
{/CASE}
{DEFAULT}
(commands)
{/DEFAULT}
{/SWITCH}
Unfortuantely, I currently have no time to write the macros myself. Perhaps tomorrow.
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Post by Dacyn »

Code: Select all

#define SWITCH VARIABLE
[set_variable]
name=switch
to_variable={VARIABLE}
[/set_variable]
[set_variable]
name=switch_done
value=no
[/set_variable]
#enddef
#define CASE VALUE
[if]
 [variable]
 name=switch
 equals={VALUE}
 [/variable]
 [then]
  [set_variable]
  name=switch_done
  value=yes
  [/set_variable]
#enddef
#define /CASE
 [/then]
[/if]
#enddef
#define DEFAULT
[if]
 [variable]
 name=switch_done
 equals=no
 [/variable]
 [then]
#enddef
#define /DEFAULT
{/CASE}
#enddef
#define /SWITCH
#enddef
Can't be nested, though...
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turin
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Post by turin »

Just label them:

Code: Select all

#define SWITCH NUM VARIABLE
[set_variable]
name=switch{NUM}
to_variable={VARIABLE}
[/set_variable]
[set_variable]
name=switch_done{NUM}
value=no
[/set_variable]
#enddef
#define CASE NUM VALUE
[if]
 [variable]
 name=switch{NUM}
 equals={VALUE}
 [/variable]
 [then]
  [set_variable]
  name=switch_done{NUM}
  value=yes
  [/set_variable]
#enddef
#define /CASE
 [/then]
[/if]
#enddef
#define DEFAULT NUM
[if]
 [variable]
 name=switch_done{NUM}
 equals=no
 [/variable]
 [then]
#enddef
#define /DEFAULT
{/CASE}
#enddef
#define /SWITCH
#enddef
And they would be used like this:

Code: Select all

{SWITCH 1 (var-name)}
{CASE 1 (value)}
  {SWITCH 2 (var-name)}
  {CASE 2 (value)}
  {/CASE}
  {CASE 2 (value)}
  (commands)
  {/CASE}
  {DEFAULT 2}
  (commands)
  {/DEFAULT}
{/SWITCH}
{/CASE}
{CASE 1 (value)}
(commands)
{/CASE}
{DEFAULT 1}
(commands)
{/DEFAULT}
{/SWITCH}
Kind of bulky, but if it's really desired...
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And I hate stupid people.
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