Support for specifying the scope of a function and fields: observer(global) and agent

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Why is the new feature important:
Right now all functions are called in the agent scope. The current 
code-generation works as:

to go
  ask nodes [
    function 1 //if function 1 is intended to run at the beginning and already has an "ask nodes". Execution results in an error always.
    function 2 //agent-level function
    ...
    function n // agent-level function
  ]
]

Describe the new feature:
The scope of the fields and functions should be specified by the user:

global_fields: // global fields
        - transRange constant 10
        - roundLength constant 20
        - glowTime constant 5
agent_fields: // agent (local) fields
        - mycolor 0
        - clock random[1 20]
agent_action_primitives:
        - setClock(glowTime)
agent_returning_primitives:
        - countLocal(mycolor 10)
observer_primitives: // or global primitives: should not be enclosed in "ask 
nodes" 
    - begin moveRandomWalk(.1)
    - begin updateNetworkGraph(transRange)
    - end updateColor(glowTime)
    - end incrementAgentsClocks(roundLength)

This results into:

globals [
      transRange
      roundLength
      glowTime
]

breed [nodes node]

nodes-own [
      mycolor
      clock
]

to setup
     set transRange 10
     set roundLength 20
     set glowTime 5

     create-nodes [
        set mycolor 0
        set clock 1 + random 19
     ]

end

to go
    //handle max tick
    begin moveRandomWalk(.1)  // observer function call
    begin updateNetworkGraph(transRange) // observer function call

    ask nodes [ // agent-scope functions - here you play with all possible combinations
        setClock(glowTime)
        countLocal(mycolor 10)
        ....
    ]

    end updateColor(glowTime) // observer function call
    end incrementAgentsClocks(roundLength) // observer function call
end

Original issue reported on code.google.com by andrei.p...@gmail.com on 12 Dec 2011 at 11:31

[GoogleCodeExporter]

There might be some syntax errors above: like the begin/end keywords that 
should not be there. 

Original comment by andrei.p...@gmail.com on 12 Dec 2011 at 11:41

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I think this is solved by static global primitives, can you confirm this Andrei?

Original comment by sjorsvan...@gmail.com on 20 Jan 2012 at 4:30

• Changed state: Fixed

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Yes. Confirmed !

Original comment by andrei.p...@gmail.com on 20 Jan 2012 at 4:49