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Aslan · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:08 am Post subject: Include DSC -vs- Include DSU

Hello all,

It seems that I have reached the dreaded 220 user defined variable limit in a large progect that I'm working on. I have trimmed it the best that I canand it now works, I still have more features to add that will break the limit once again.

I have several DSCs included in the main script kinda like modules which makes it easier for me to focus different aspects of the program.

What I want to know is if I make the individual scripts into DSUs are they treated as completely different entities that communicate with the app? There by the main app doesn't see the variables used in the DSU and only what's passed between the two.

Thanks in advance

Aslan

Estas · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 5:14 pm Post subject:

Hi,
I believe not. Using precompiled dsu-files won`t solve your problem.
Alternative: Split-up your program into 2 or more parts, compile them both into seperate exe-files. One main-exe, the other one as an embededed exe that is extracted when starting your main exe or whenever its needed.
Pass on all your variables using %1...%9 by calling/running the embedded exe: run myprog.exe %1 %2
In my case: %1 contains the index which sectikon to jump to:
eg. if %1=1 goto xxx, if %1=2 goto yyy etc...
%2 contains the variables needed in the embedded file...
%2 = "name|street|..." etc.
That way You can pass on more than 1 Variable in %2 using the field seperator.

Thats how I solved my little variable problem, now using more than 340 different variable names, not all at the same time though...
Greetings Mike

Hooligan · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:21 pm Post subject:

I use the registry to store certain information on a temporary basis in order to get around this problem...

Hooligan

trapper · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:33 am Post subject:

I use dialog elements to 'break' both the 220 user-defined variable limit and the 32 string lists limit. I place the elements at a position that will never be seen...

Aslan · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 5:41 pm Post subject:

Theoretically, can you make a dll with VDS assuming it doesn't contain any graghical elements?

It would be nice if you could a make dll for custom functions without using DDE. Maybe create a VDS EXE and change the extention to DLL.

This may sound like a silly question but I don't know how VDS comunicates with DLLs.

SnarlingSheep · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject:

DLL's are compiled differently than EXE's, so that's not really a posibility.
I have used VDSMEM in the past to get around this, although you really shouldn't need more than 200-some variables(It was lazy programming on my part). Unless you are holding 200 names or something for a database type program.
You can get VDSMEM here:
http://www.vdsworld.com/search.php?keywords=vdsmem&match_type=0

Aslan · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject:

Hi SS,

It is a heavily DB driven app. My variable names reflect column names and access multiple tables. I agree that this may be a lazy way of using variables but it would be a complete nightmare to troubleshoot without using them this way.

I'm trying to convert my query results to more of some type of an array.
I can concantonate my results as a single string and assign the string to a variable name that reflects the query and then parse out the fields using reusable vars (e.g. %%Col1, %%Col2, etc...)

This will cut down on the number of variables at the moment but this app is still growing. The trick I'm trying to pull off is modularizing it. (kinda like plugins or extentions) Having the main interface with basic capabilities, with the option to add more using addons later on.

Serge · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:06 am Post subject:

i don't know if this will help but i will share it anyway

sometimes i need a temporary variable to process a list or to do something, i then use %%dummy or %%temp as the name of that variable

and given that the variable is temporarily used, i use it again and again ... i have found this to be a great way to reduce my number of variables

serge

bjdavis · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:07 pm Post subject:

Maybe instead of storing your info in a variable you can store them in a list.
When you need the info just get it from the list.

Aslan · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:22 am Post subject:

What I ended up doing is storing multiple values as an array in single variables.

Thanks to all for your responces.

Aslan

webdaddy · Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 6:57 pm Post subject: Another Thought

Another thing that I have done when I get close or hit the variable limit is to use a inifile. Works well for holding information and strings of information temporarily. There really isnt that big of a performance hit on faster machines with fast hard drives so its all good. Othertimes I will use list and add them to various positions in the list and then seek them as needed.

WD