StringTheory-Tools

This repository contains 4 tools to make it easier to write and verify code using the StringTheory class from http://www.CapeSoft.com

Write Theory - Write ST calls the easy way in a Form with an Entry for each parameter. It generates the code and links to Help. The best tool here.

Split Theory - Try all 7 parameters of .Split() against your data without writing any code, then get the call code generated.

Scratch Theory - A scratch program to write and test ST code. Get it working quick, then paste into your production code

Big Bang Theory - Debug / Trace ST code by viewing ST Value or Split Lines in a Window.

Write Theory

StringTheory can have up to 8 parameters (e.g. Split), and several with 6 to 7 (e.g. Replace), which can make it difficult to get the commas exactly right when you want to omit several parameters. The Help button will open CapeSoft.com help for ST and OddJob. More can easily be added. This can be used with any INC file.

WriteTheory will read an INC file and help you write the call by opening a Form with each Parameter as an Entry. You can check the "&|" box to have the code generated with one parameter per line including a ! comment with the parameter name.

Split Theory

Try out several StringTheory Split calls and view the results without writing code. Split() has 8 parameters that on this window you can work out by just filling in the blanks. Calling SplitByMatch() requires getting your regular expression exactly right. This tool lets you quickly test your expressions.

The test data can be loaded from a file, the clipboard, or typed into the Text control at the bottom of the windows. View buttons use BigBangTheory to show the String Value, Lines split, or those lines split again into Columns.

Scratch Theory

The best way to learn how to use StringTheory is to actually write code to call the library, build, run and see the results. Many times this involves pasting example code and modifying it for your needs.

Included in this Repo is the ScratchTheory Project. A "Scratch Program" is a small source template ready to add code snippets, build, run and test. This saves reproducing all the boring parts (includes, defines, window, accept) of the program just to try a little piece of code and see the results. One thing that makes Scratch programming faster is the very small size letting it build fast.

If you need to use the debugger it's much faster with a tiny scratch program to step and set break-points. If you are trying figure out how StringTheory works, what methods are being called, it can be tedious to trace through the code in the editor. Sometimes it's easier to step through it in the debugger and see each line execute plus be able to see the values of the variables.

An example included in the Scratch program is the below routine that Serializes a Queue loaded by Directory() then splits that by 13,10 into lines. The BigBangTheory class is used to view the resulting String or Lines inside the StringTheory object:

Test4Rtn ROUTINE
    DATA
Bang    BigBangTheory
ST      StringTheory
FilesQ  FILE:Queue
    CODE
    DIRECTORY(FilesQ,'*.*',ff_:NORMAL)
    st.SerializeQueue(FilesQ,'<13,10>',',','"')
    st.Prepend('Name,Short,Date,Time,Size,Attrib<13,10>')
       bang.ValueView(ST,'Directory SerializeQueue Value')
    st.Split('<13,10>')
       bang.LinesViewInList(ST,'Directory SerializeQueue Lines')
       bang.LinesViewSplitCSV(ST)
       EXIT

BigBangTheory Value and Split Lines Viewer

What's in the StringTheory .GetValue() string or Lines queue? With 1 line of code BigBangTheory will show you in a popup Window.

To help you see what your StringTheory code is actually doing the Big Bang class allows you to view the current GetValue() string or Split() Lines queue in a Window. This allows scrolling the data and digging deeper which can be easier than looking at Debug View or Message boxes. A Lines "Split Viewer" allows you to specify your Split( parameters ) and see the resulting columns in a List.

New 2/4/21 added SliceView() and SubView() that were used in Find Clean CW IDE

BigBangTheory  CLASS,TYPE,MODULE('BigBangTheory.CLW'),LINK('BigBangTheory.CLW')
DoNotShow         BOOL  !=True doesn't show any BBT Windows, Class is for Developers

ValueView         PROCEDURE(StringTheory STtoViewGetValue, <STRING WindowCaption>)
SliceView         PROCEDURE(StringTheory STtoViewSlice, Long SliceStart=1, Long SliceEnd=0, <STRING CapTxt>) 
SubView           PROCEDURE(StringTheory STtoViewSub  , Long SubStart=1,  Long SubLength=1, <STRING CapTxt>) 

StringView        PROCEDURE(STRING  StrValue, <STRING WindowCaption>) 

WrapView          PROCEDURE(StringTheory STforWrap, <STRING WindowCaption>, Bool pOpenWrapped=false)

LinesViewInList   PROCEDURE(StringTheory STwithLinesSplitDone, <STRING WindowCaption>)

LinesViewSplitCSV PROCEDURE(StringTheory STwithLinesSplitDone, BYTE RemoveQuotes=False)  
LinesViewSplitTAB PROCEDURE(StringTheory STwithLinesSplitDone)  
LinesViewSplit    PROCEDURE(StringTheory STwithLinesSplitDone, STRING SplitDelim, <STRING QuoteStart>,<STRING QuoteEnd>, BYTE RemoveQuotes=TRUE)  

StringTheory makes it easy to load a CSV file and split it into columns with code like below (from https://www.capesoft.com/docs/StringTheory3/StringTheory.htm#ParsingCSVFile).

str   StringTheory
lne   StringTheory
x     Long
  code
  str.LoadFile('Somefile.CSV')
  str.Split('<13,10>','"')
  loop x = 1 to str.Records()
    Lne.SetValue(Str.GetLine(x))
    Lne.Split(',','"','"',true)
    field1 = Lne.GetLine(1)
    field2 = Lne.GetLine(2)
  End

Insert BigBang calls to view the LoadFile String Value or the results of Splits in a LIST.

str   StringTheory
lne   StringTheory
x     Long
Bang BigBangTheory    !<-- Viewer
  code
  str.LoadFile('Somefile.CSV')
  str.Split('<13,10>','"')
     Bang.DoNotShow=CHOOSE(~DebugLoad) !<-- Limit to just developers
     Bang.ValueView(str)          !<-- See GetValue() String in TEXT
     Bang.LinesViewInList(str)    !<-- See Lines Queue from Split(13,10)
     Bang.LinesViewSplitCSV(Str)  !<-- See Lines Split as CSV columns
     Bang.LinesViewSplit(Str,',','"')  !Alternate specify Split( parms )

  Loop x = 1 to str.Records()
    Lne.SetValue(Str.GetLine(x))
    Lne.Split(',','"','"',true)
    IF X=5 AND DebugLoad THEN     !<-- Limit to developers and line 5
       Bang.LinesViewInList(Lne)  !<-- See Lines: Lne.Split(',','"','"',true)
    END

Call Bang.LinesViewInList(str) to view a LIST with the result of the ST.Split('<13,10>','"') to lines:

Typical code loops the 13,10 split lines to split each line using CSV or Tabs. You can see the entire file split this way in a LIST with a calling Bang.LinesViewSplit(Str,',','"') or for CSV call Bang.LinesViewSplitCSV(Str).

In that list you can right click on a row and view the columns as rows in a LIST. You can also see then entire line or copy it to the clipboard.

  loop x = 1 to str.Records()
    Lne.SetValue(Str.GetLine(x))
    Lne.Split(',','"',,true)
    IF X=5 AND DebugLoad THEN     !<-- Limit to developers and line 5
       Bang.LinesViewInList(Lne)  !<-- See Lines from your: Lne.Split(',','"','"',true)
    END
    field1 = Lne.GetLine(1)
    field2 = Lne.GetLine(2)
  End

If there is a loop splittng lines (like above) you can call Bang.LinesViewInList(Lne) to view one line to be certain your Split() call is working as you expect.

To view the current value in the StringTheory object call Bang.ValueView(ST) or you can view any string with Bang.StringView(Cus:Record). The viewer can be changed to show Hex so you can see the low ASCII values like Tab Chr(9).

All right click popups have been changed to use this string viewer instead of a message.

Screen capture shows several views available and how right-click allows showing different view of same data. This is based on included Bang Test example CwProj and files.

I would expect you might use this class in your APP to allow a quick way to show the user a view file contents before import. You probably will want to copy the class and remove some of the developer features that would confuse end users. You can configure the LIST columns and pictures as desired then grab the Format string using the Menu button Copy Format string item. The code is lightweight using a VLB (Virtual List Box) fed directly by the ST object. The Lines view is 60 code lines and just 45 without the developer popup menu.

There is also a SystemStringClass version. That class has no ability to deal with CSV type quoted values.

Check out the BasicFileBrowse subfolder with an example of using a BASIC file defined in the DCT and discussion of some advantages. https://github.com/CarlTBarnes/StringTheory-Tools/tree/master/BasicFileBrowse