I was cooking an idea how to extend the current powerscript to accomplish some long wanted features like:
-Optional arguments
-Operator overload
-Inline functions
-Interfaces
-User defined enumerations
-Class templates
-Partial classes
-Implicit casting of ATD (abstract data types, ie: objects)
-Parametrized constructors
-Linq
-Virtual classes
-Name spaces
and many more ...
Can be done without modify powerbuilder, can be used in any version of PB, doesn't require migration of existing code, and is 100% powerscript technology.
This can be accomplished using metaprograming techniques ! How?
We write our code in ps2.0 using the new extended syntax, and then use a translator to regular powerscript, the generated code is then imported on powerbuilder.
I already use some of the features mentioned, manually creating the powerscript and importing it.
It can work bidirectionally, coexisting both ps2.0 in regular ps1 projects. So visual components still be created and edited in PBIDE.
If you think about it, these features are no more than syntax sugar that can be translated to regular powerscript.
Of course the strong typing and other compiler checks are let to powerbuilder. We mark(comment adds) the generated code lines so can trace back to our powerscript2.0 IDE the original error object/line. Orca will be used to export/import code.
Has anybody already think this? Can you see any strong reason why this can't work?
Regards,
Dinis from Portugal