Tim: Thanks for your input. I was hoping to know which autokey features were still "working" and which weren't. I have been trying to write autokey scripts in the same way that I've been writing *.bat files to instruct Fractint to generate thousands of fractal images which can then be compiled into an animated fractal image. The advantage to using autokey is that when running an "internal" autokey script you need only one instance of fractint running continuously, rather than constantly loading and unloading fractint from an "external" *.bat file. There doesn't seem to be that much actual documentation even in the Fractint manual about how to actually use the autokey script feature. I'd really like to have a definitive "primer" of the proper "language" and syntax" that can be used in an autokey script file. I have also attached a copy of one of my autokey script files as an example. I was hoping that one could "call" autokey script files by using the "G" command and thus have "nested" processing of multiple script files. I have tried to access other features via the "G" command and I'd really like to have a definiteve "primer" of what can be done via the "G" command. I have been unable to load autokey files via the "G" command either manually or from a autokey script file. I was wondering which features can actually be controled via the "G" command? If you are thinking of upgrading Fractint's autokey script language, you have my vote. I definitely think an internal script language for Fractint with just a little bit more muscle than it now has would be a most useful feature. All the best, Tony ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Wegner" <twegner@swbell.net> To: <fractint@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 11:21 PM Subject: Re: [Fractint] Fractint Autokey Script Question
Morgan wrote:
As I understand it, an Autokey script is just a fairly direct translation of keystrokes of the sort made during an autokey recording (with the autokey parser effectively taking over from the keyboard). As such, there are virtually no flow control or suchlike constructs, only keystroke commands.
This is exactly right. The autokey feature was written in a few days time when the book Fractal Creations was being put together, in order to do demos. Since all Fractint keystroke I/O goes through one function, it occurred to me that if I could intercept those keystrokes, I could duplicate the interactive control of the program, feeding the keystrokes back through the same function. The GOTO was added later. One intense session of programming added a very useful feature in a short time.
It would be a Good Thing (at least, in my opinion), if the Autokey feature were to be extended to become more of a proper scripting language however. Then I wouldn't need to write Perl scripts to write Autokey scripts :)
The beauty, and the weakness, of the autokey setup is that it is literally tied to keystrokes. This means that you can get autokey to make fractint do (almost) anything that a person can make fractint do. But it also means that the scripts are nearly un-intelligible, and are also liable to be broken anytime the the programmers change the user interface.
A "proper" scripting language would be more abstract, and would be procedural. This would be more independent of the interface. However, this would be a completely different animal from the existing scripting language, which basically reads the script file and feeds keystrokes into fractint's keystrock function as though a person had typed them. So I don't think this will happen unless someone wants to add a completely new feature (many years ago I did give it some thought.)
An autokey include mechanism is probably doable, though I am not sure I see the point. Maybe Tony can convince me :-) Or maybe he has already made a case, I'll go back and read the messages.
Tim
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