BASIC Script IDE Overview

The Basic Script action encompasses a BASIC Script IDE, which is an Interactive Design Environment used for developing, examining, testing and executing BASIC scripts.

To access the BASIC Script IDE

• In the BASIC Script action's General tab properties, click Edit Script.

The Basic Script IDE consists of:

• Main IDE (Interactive Design Environment): The main IDE (shown below) is the primary interface where a macro or module can be created, loaded from disk or edited. Other interfaces can be accessed from the main IDE.

• References Dialog: The References dialog shows the current macro/module's references. For more details, see References Dialog.

• Object Browser: The Object Browser displays information about any special data types that are available. For more details, see Object Browser.

• UserDialog: The UserDialog can be used to create custom dialog boxes for use in the task. For more details, see UserDialog Editor.

• 

The BASIC Script IDE consists of four window views separated by tabs. These views can be displayed or hidden by clicking View menu and then toggling the desired view. Certain views only appear in particular situations.

• Immediate:

• 

  The Immediate tab view can be used to evaluate an expression, assign a variable or call a subroutine.

  • Type "?expr" <Enter> to show the value of "expr".

  • Type "var = expr" <Enter> to change the value of "var".

  • Type "Set var = expr" <Enter> to change the reference of "var".

  • Type "subname args" <Enter> to call a subroutine or built-in instruction.

  • Type "Trace" <Enter> to toggle trace mode. Trace mode prints each statement in the immediate window when a macro/module is running.

• Watch:

• 

  The Watch tab view lists the variables, functions and expressions that are calculated and displayed.

  • Each time execution pauses the value of each line in the window is updated.

  • The expression to the left of "->" may be edited.

  • Pressing Enter updates all the values immediately.

  • Pressing Ctrl-Y deletes the line.

• Stack:

• 

  The Stack tab view lists the lines which called the current statement.

  • The first line is the current statement. The second line is the one that called the first. And so on.

  • Clicking on a line brings that macro/module into a sheet and highlights the line in the edit window.

• Loaded:

• 

  The Loaded tab view lists all of the currently active macros and loaded modules.

  • These macros/modules are locked and can only be viewed (not edited).

  • Clicking on a line brings that macro/module into a sheet and activates the sheet.

The BASIC IDE contains other sections that assist in developing, examining and testing BASIC scripts:

• Object and Proc Lists:

• 

  The Object list-box shows all the objects for the current module and the Proc list-box displays the procedures for the current object.

  • The (General) object groups all of the procedures which are not part of any specific object.

  • Selecting a procedure that is not bold inserts the proper procedure definition for that procedure.

• Sheet Tabs:

• 

  Each sheet has its own Sheet tab.

  • Clicking once on a tab focuses the corresponding sheet.

  • Double-clicking closes that sheet.

• Break Bar

• 

  The Break Bar shows which lines have break points. It also shows which line is next to execute. A dot at the front of the line indicates a break point.

  • Clicking on the break bar toggles the break point for that line.

  • Clicking an existing breakpoint removes it from that line.

  The BASIC Script IDE contains a list of general menu items. Each menu item and its list of options is below. Menu items can also be accessed by right-clicking.

• File Menu

• The File menu includes options to update added or modified data, and to close the BASIC IDE.

  Item	Description
  Update	Saves new information and updates modified information.
  Close	Closed the BASIC IDE Window. If data has been entered or modified and the Update option was not selected, a dialog will appear promoting whether to save changes to the script.

• Edit Menu

• The Edit provides the normal editing options, such as Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Select All, etc.

  Item	Description	Hot Key
  Undo	Undo the last edit. Hot Key: Ctrl+Z	Ctrl+Z
  Redo	Redo the last undo.	Ctrl+Y
  Cut	Move the selected text to the Clipboard.	Ctrl+X
  Copy	Copy the selected text to the Clipboard.	Ctrl+C
  Paste	Paste the Clipboard text over the selected text.	Ctrl+V
  Delete	Delete the selected text.	Del
  Select All	Select all of the text.
  Indent	Move selected lines right.	Tab
  Outdent	Move selected lines left.	Shift+Tab
  Tab As Spaces	Toggle the insert tab as spaces mode on/off.
  Find	Show the parameter information.	Ctrl+F
  Replace	Replace a string with another.	Ctrl+R
  Again	Repeat last find or replace.	F3
  Complete Word	Complete the word.	Ctrl+Space
  Parameter Info	Displays the parameter information.	Ctrl+I
  UserDialog	Edit a UserDialog with the use of the UserDialog Editor.
  References	Edit the macro/module's references.
  Properties	Edit the module's properties.

• View Menu

• The View menu provides options that alter the look of the BASIC IDE interface.

  Item	Description	Hot Key
  Macro	Activate the macro editing window.	Ctrl+A
  Immediate	Show the Immediate Output tab.	Ctrl+E
  Watch	Show the Watch expressions window.	Ctrl+X
  Stack	Show the Call Stack window.	Ctrl+T
  Loaded	Show the Loaded macros/modules window.	Ctrl+L
  Toolbar	Toggle the toolbar on/off.
  Status Bar	Toggle the status bar on/off.
  Edit Buttons	Toggle Edits on/off.
  Always Split	Toggle the split on/off. Split separates the tabbed windows from the edit area.
  Font	Sets the display font.
  Tab Width	Set the tab width.
  Object/Proc	Select the Object/Procedures list display mode.

• Macro Menu

• The Macro menu provides options for starting macros, stopping macros and extending the Basic language.

  Item	Description	Hot Key
  Run	Run the macro to completion	F5
  Pause	Stop the macro/module. If this option is selected, execution can be continued.	Esc
  End	Terminate the macro/module. If this option is selected, execution cannot be continued.

• Debug Menu

• The Debug menu provides the options for debugging macros/modules.

  Item	Description	Hot Key
  Step Into	Execute the current line. If the current line is a subroutine or function call, stop on the first line of that subroutine or function. (If the macro is not active, start it.)	F8
  Step Over	Execute to the next line. If the current line is a subroutine or function call, execute that subroutine of function completely.	Shift+F8
  Step Out	Step out of the current subroutine or function call.	Ctrl+F8
  Step to Cursor	Execute until the line the cursor is on is the current line. (If the macro is not active, start it.)	F7
  Toggle Break	Toggle the break point on the current line.	Ctrl+L
  Clear All Breaks	Clear all break points.	Shift+Ctrl+F9
  Quick Watch	Show the value of the expression under of the cursor in the immediate window.	Shift+F9
  Add Watch	Add the expression under of the cursor in the watch window.
  Browse	Show the methods of the expression under of the cursor. (For more details, see Object Browser)
  Set Next Statement	Set the next statement to be executed. Only statements in the current subroutine/function can be selected.
  Show Next Statement	Show the next statement to be executed.

• Help Menu

• The Help menu provides BASIC IDE help as well as current version.

  Item	Description	Hot Key
  Editor Help	Show the Basic Editor Help.	F5
  Language Help	Show Basic language Help.	Shift+F1
  Topic Search	Show Basic language help for the keyword under the cursor.	F1
  About	Show the current version

See Also

BASIC Scripts

BASIC Script Action

About Expressions

Introduction to AML