Just a final thought. After reading through this transcript I think the thing
that impresses me the most is the ability of ChatGPT to understand what I am
asking or suggesting. In a language, English, that is not known for its
precision, in almost 100% of the cases I would say ChatGPT understood what I
was asking or recommending. That, in itself, might be the most impressive
aspect of this conversation.
> On 18 Jan 2023, at 9:15 pm, Mark Smith <marksmith...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I decided to take the plunge and see what this was all about. I posed a
> moderately difficult LC question to ChatGPT, one I knew that beginning
> livecoders (or even myself) might find challenging. Result: some things
> surprised me, both good and bad, but overall I think the approach has
> potential… with lots of cautions and caveats. Since I may overrun any
> character limits imposed on these posts, I’ll add additional comments at the
> end.
>
> ME: write a function in livecode to return a files date of creation
>
> Here is a function in LiveCode that will return the date of creation of a
> file:
>
> on getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> put the creationdate of file pFilePath into tCreationDate
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the file path as a parameter, like
> this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/file.txt")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file in the format "dd/mm/yyyy
> hh:mm:ss".
> Please note that this function only works on Mac and Windows.
>
> ME: Livecode does not recognise the keyword "creationdate". Can you try using
> the "detailed" option of the "files" function to find the creation date?
>
> Yes, you're correct that the "creationdate" property is not available in
> LiveCode. However, you can use the "files" function with the "detailed"
> option to get information about a file, including the date of creation.
> Here's an example function that uses the "files" function to return the date
> of creation of a file:
>
> on getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> put the files(pFilePath, "detailed") into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the file path as a parameter, like
> this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/file.txt")
> This will return the creation date of the file in the format "yyyy-mm-dd
> hh:mm:ss".
> Please note that this will work on all platforms.
>
> ME: the files function in livecode returns a list of all of the files in a
> directory. Can you select the one you are looking for, which is file.txt?
>
> Yes, you're correct that the "files" function in LiveCode returns a list of
> all files in a directory, so you need to filter the list to get the file
> you're looking for. Here's an example function that uses the "filter"
> function to get the information of the file you are looking for:
>
> on getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> put the files(pFilePath, "detailed") into tFilesList
> put filter(tFilesList, "name", "file.txt") into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't
> exist in the directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: livecode uses the "function" keyword to define a function. Could you
> rewrite this using the function keyword?
>
> Sure, here's an example function that uses the "filter" function to get the
> information of the file you are looking for and defined with the "function"
> keyword:
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFilesList, tFileInfo, tCreationDate
> put the files(pFilePath, "detailed") into tFilesList
> put filter(tFilesList, "name", "file.txt") into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't
> exist in the directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: In livecode the filter command uses the form: filter lines of <source>
> matching wildcard <wildcard> into <container>. Could you rewrite your filter
> command appropriately?
>
> Yes, you're correct that in LiveCode the filter command uses the form "filter
> lines of <source> matching wildcard <wildcard> into <container>". Here's an
> example function that uses the filter command with this form to get the
> information of the file you are looking for:
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't
> exist in the directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: ok, but the date returned is in seconds since midnight Jan 1, 1970. Could
> you convert it to MM/DD/YYYY?
>
> Yes, you're correct that the date returned is in seconds since midnight Jan
> 1, 1970. You can use the "date" function to convert it to the desired format
> "MM/DD/YYYY". Here's an example function that converts the date returned by
> the "files" function to the format "MM/DD/YYYY":
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate, tFormattedDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> put date(tCreationDate, "MM/DD/YYYY") into tFormattedDate
> return tFormattedDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "MM/DD/YYYY" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't exist in the
> directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: Livecode uses the command "convert" to convert between date formats.
> Could you try using the "convert" command?
>
> Yes, you're correct that in LiveCode you can use the "convert" command to
> convert between date formats. Here's an example function that uses the
> "convert" command to convert the date returned by the "files" function to the
> format "MM/DD/YYYY":
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate, tFormattedDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> put convert(tCreationDate, "seconds", "MM/DD/YYYY") into tFormattedDate
> return tFormattedDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "MM/DD/YYYY" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't exist in the
> directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: Livecode uses a more English like syntax. The convert command takes the
> form: convert <date> from <format> to <format> and does not require an output
> variable. Could you try converting using that form?
>
> Yes, you're correct that in LiveCode the "convert" command takes the form
> "convert <date> from <format> to <format>", and that it does not require an
> output variable. Here's an example function that uses the "convert" command
> in this form, to convert the date returned by the "files" function to the
> format "MM/DD/YYYY":
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> return convert tCreationDate from "seconds" to "MM/DD/YYYY"
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "MM/DD/YYYY" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't exist in the
> directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: The return command in livecode only allows values, not expressions. Could
> you make the conversion in tCreationDate first, then return the value?
>
> Yes, you're correct that in LiveCode the "return" command only allows values,
> not expressions. Here's an example function that converts the date returned
> by the "files" function to the format "MM/DD/YYYY" before returning it:
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> put convert tCreationDate from "seconds" to "MM/DD/YYYY" into tCreationDate
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "MM/DD/YYYY" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't exist in the
> directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: Almost, you can just say "convert tCreationDate from seconds to short
> date". You do not need to put it into anything since it converts "in place".
> Otherwise correct. Do you want to make that change?
>
> Yes, you're correct that in LiveCode, you can use the convert command in the
> format "Convert tCreationDate from seconds to short date" which will convert
> the value in place. I apologize for the confusion, here's the corrected
> version of the function
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> convert tCreationDate from "seconds" to "short date"
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of the file "file.txt" in the format
> "MM/DD/YYYY" if it exists in the directory. If the file doesn't exist in the
> directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: Wonderful. One final point. In livecode wildcards must contain wildcard
> characters. Could you rewrite the filter command to include at least 1
> wildcard character in the matching string?
>
> Yes, you're correct that in LiveCode wildcards must contain wildcard
> characters such as "*" or "?" to match any number of characters or any single
> character respectively. Here's an example function that uses the filter
> command with a wildcard character in the matching string:
>
> function getFileCreationDate pFilePath
> local tFileInfo, tCreationDate
> filter lines of (the files(pFilePath, "detailed")) matching wildcard
> "file.txt*" into tFileInfo
> put item 5 of tFileInfo into tCreationDate
> convert tCreationDate from "seconds" to "short date"
> return tCreationDate
> end getFileCreationDate
>
> You can call the function by passing in the directory path as a parameter,
> like this:
>
> put getFileCreationDate("/path/to/directory")
>
> This will return the creation date of any file that starts with "file.txt" in
> the directory in the format "MM/DD/YYYY" if it exists in the directory. If
> the file doesn't exist in the directory it will return an empty string.
>
> ME: Wonderful. Thank you. I hope this was useful for you too.
>
> You're welcome! I'm glad that I could help. I am a language model, so I don't
> have personal preferences or emotions, but it's my purpose to provide helpful
> and accurate information. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
>
>
> ME: Cheers
> Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything else. Have a great day!
>
> Things that surprised and sometimes delighted me.
>
> First, I was unimpressed with its first attempt. I don't think beginners
> would learn anything from this. 1. It was not structured like a proper LC
> function (for example, no "function" keyword) 2. It just "made up" stuff when
> it did not know what to do (like creating the keyword "creationdate"). Mind
> you, it would be absolute heaven if retrieving a file date in LC were that
> simple :)
>
> But, when I suggested using the "detailed" option of the files command I was
> pleasantly surprised that it structured the code in the appropriate way and
> even selected item 5 as the file creation date. Pretty deep.
>
> But it was still passing a parameter to the function that was a path to the
> file, not a path to the directory. When I pointed out that files() returns a
> list of all files in the directory it finally "caught on", and changed the
> parameter to a directory path and embedded the filename parameter in the
> function. I actually did not tell it to do that so that seemed rather clever
> to me. But better would have been to pass 2 parameters: 1 for the directory
> and another for the specific filename. And there were still a lot of
> syntactic issues that it struggled with: such as the proper format of a
> "filter" command, how to "convert" dates from one format to another, how to
> return a value in a function, and even using the "function" keyword itself.
>
> By the end of it we had a working function (although I still had to remove
> the quotes around "seconds" and "short date" in the convert command). But it
> took a lot of work to get there.
>
> Like all of you I will be keeping an eye on this technology to see how it
> improves and where best it can fit into our own work. I plan to retry this
> example in a week or two to see of ChatGPT has learned anything in the
> process.
>
> Mark
>
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