On Thu, Oct 02, 2008 at 12:28:05PM +1300, Ralph Versteegen wrote:
> 2008/10/2 Mike Caron <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> > James Paige wrote:
> >>
> >> Eeep!
> >>
> >> 1) I was about to cut the branch for Xocolatl, but now I am not so sure.
> >> Do I cut from revision 2302? Do I delay another week or two for further
> >> testing and more features?
> >
> > I've tested this thoroughly. Seriously. Let me add the other sprite loading
> > functions, then I'll call this feature complete.
> >
> > If you want, cut it at 2302, but I suspect a bunch of people would be
> > annoyed if they learned what they just missed. ;)
> >
> >> 2) Spiiiiiify. There is so cool! I am glad you went with a load/free
> >> model. Much better than a fixed id model. I'll be retrofitting strings for 
> >> a
> >> load/free model soon after Xocolatl.
> >
> > I've always advocated this format. I mean, just look at the rest of the code
> > I write.
> 
> NO!!!!!
> I want REAL strings as part of HamsterSpeak, without requiring manual
> memory management. I was going to mention on the talk page for script
> arrays that we should look at how we should improve strings first, and
> see that array semantics would be much the same. (And therefore that I
> don't like James' arrays suggestion either). Hint: it probably
> involves adding either static or dynamic typing to the language.

I do think real strings would be a tasty language feature. However, the 
current string implementation has to stick around to satiate the daemon 
beast backwardscompatelzebub. What I plan is to add a .used member to 
the PlotString type. It will default to ON for strings 0-31. Then I will 
add a "create string" command which will find an unused string (and 
make the plotstring array bigger if necessary) and I will add a "free 
string" command that would set .s="" and .used=NO

So the difference from the current string system would be very small, 
alll old scriipts would work the same as usual, and I don't think any 
extra work will have been created for potential future implementation of 
better strings.

> > Well, I wasn't going to add an option at this point. However, there's no
> > reason we can't add a "Z order", and then combine the two systems into one.
> > But, that's for another day.
> >
> 
> I'm surprised that both aren't being added at once: I always
> considered them the same thing.

Me too, actually, which is why I hadn't tackled it sooner.

---
James
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