wishlist for NXC

[HaWe]

if everything was like your statement connotes I wouldn't have started this wishlist thread (and no one else would need one).^^

BTW: Wishlist.
Not discussion thread.
;)

and my wish was:

NumOut and TextOut both use an optional "clear" parameter which makes the display clear or not before writing (clear screen).
It would be nice (and much more useful) to have it also for clearing the current line before drawing or to clear the end of the line after writing (clear end of line).

For down-compatibility we could make it
0 = no clear
1 = clrscr
-1 = clrln (before writing)
-2 = clreol (after writing)

this would be a very convenient enhancement IMO.

[mattallen37]

The functionality already exists, you just don't seem to want to use it unless it is packaged into an official function. A wishlist should be for things that don't exist, not for suggesting official solutions for every desired function.

That's fine if you wish for it. John is very good about choosing what he thinks is a legitimately worthwhile enhancement.

[HaWe]

matt,
exactly, it is a wish to John as He is the developer.

It was not a wish to you, so there is no need to start arguing about it.

So please let Him the choice if He wants to implement my wish (meant as a proposal) into NXC for more convenience to all other users who like to use this extra functionality.

[muntoo]

Although I stand with Matt, let's just wait for John to answer and not pollute this thread when neither sides are willing to give ground.

[HaWe]

1 extension to be integrated into NXTdefs.h (or any new header like stdlib.h):

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#define clock() ( CurrentTick()-FirstTick() )

function
clock

clock_t clock ( void );
Returns the number of clock ticks elapsed since the program was launched.

[HaWe]

BUG-REPORT:
assigning float values in scientific notation is bugged:

but it seems like it is the compiler which easily messes up with scientific notification.

yes, indeed, it seems to be a compiler bug, cause I also tried it by

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// #define FLT_MAX 1E37 
float FLT_MAX=1E37;

float max(float f1, float f2, float f3 = -FLT_MAX, float f4 = -FLT_MAX, float f5 = -FLT_MAX) {
  float flarr[5], f;
  flarr[0]=f1; flarr[1]=f2; flarr[2]=f3; flarr[3]=f4; flarr[4]=f5;
  f=ArrayMax( flarr, 0, 5 );
  return f;
}

task main() {
  NumOut(0,8, max(7.1, 12.4, 5.9, 18.6));   // NumOut does not display floats!
  //NumOut(0,0, max(7.1, 12.4, 5.9, 1E+9));   // compiler error
  for(;;);
}

with a similar error msg.

# Error: Invalid floating point operation
File "c:\Temp\temp.nxc" ; line 5
# FLT_MAX float 9.99999999999999954E36
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Error: Error parsing expression: FLT_MAX |
File "c:\Temp\temp.nxc" ; line 14
#
#----------------------------------------------------------
2 errors during compilation

ps
- edit -

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#define FLT_MAX 10000000000000000000000000000000000000

also doesn't work at all.

[HaWe]

supplement:
also direct assignment of large floats in decimal notation does not work:

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float max(float f1, float f2, float f3 = -10000000000000000000000000000000000000,
                              float f4 = -10000000000000000000000000000000000000,
                              float f5 = -10000000000000000000000000000000000000) {
  float flarr[5];
  flarr[0]=f1; flarr[1]=f2; flarr[2]=f3; flarr[3]=f4; flarr[4]=f5;
 
  return ArrayMax( flarr, 0, 5 );
}

# Error: Invalid floating point operation
# mov __max_7qG2_f5_7qG2_000, -10000000000000000000000000000000000000

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float max(float f1, float f2, float f3 = -10000000000000000000000000000000000000.0,
                              float f4 = -10000000000000000000000000000000000000.0,
                              float f5 = -10000000000000000000000000000000000000.0) {
  float flarr[5];
  flarr[0]=f1; flarr[1]=f2; flarr[2]=f3; flarr[3]=f4; flarr[4]=f5;
 
  return ArrayMax( flarr, 0, 5 );
}

# Error: Invalid floating point operation
# mov __max_7qG2_f5_7qG2_000, -10000000000000000000000000000000000000.0

[afanofosc]

I think I have fixed the worst part of the problems with the float max code Doc posted above. One issue not "fixed" since it isn't really supported is using -FLT_MAX as the default value in the function definition when FLT_MAX is a variable name rather than a #define constant.

Generally exponential notation should now work but there probably are still bugs here and there.

I have also made firmware changes that might (!) work for clear line and clear eol options when drawing text (but not with the RIC-based font text drawing). I need to test it a bit before I make it available.

John Hansen

[afanofosc]

I have uploaded a new test release zip and firmware image to the test_releases folder on the BricxCC website.

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#define DRAW_OPT_CLEAR_LINE                 (0x0800) /*!< When drawing text, clear the entire line before drawing the text */
#define DRAW_OPT_CLEAR_EOL                  (0x1000) /*!< When drawing text, clear to the end of the line after drawing the text */

Use these two constants with the new firmware image to clear the entire line or clear to the end of the line after drawing text. These work with NumOut and TextOut.

Exponential numbers and floating point constants outside the range if Int64:

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//#define FLT_MAX 1E37
const float NEG_FLT_MAX=-1E+37;
const float FLT_MAX=1E+37;

//float max(float f1, float f2, float f3 = -FLT_MAX, float f4 = -FLT_MAX, float f5 = -FLT_MAX) {
float max(float f1, float f2, float f3 = NEG_FLT_MAX, float f4 = NEG_FLT_MAX, float f5 = NEG_FLT_MAX) {
  float flarr[5], f;
  flarr[0]=f1; flarr[1]=f2; flarr[2]=f3; flarr[3]=f4; flarr[4]=f5;
  f=ArrayMax( flarr, 0, 5 );
  return f;
}

task main() {
  NumOut(0,8, max(7.1, 12.4, 5.9, 18.6));   // These both seem to work fine now
  NumOut(0,0, max(7.1, 12.4, 5.9, 1e+19));  
  for(;;);
}

Line clearing:

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task main()
{
  string msg = "testing";
  TextOut(0, 52, msg);
  Wait(SEC_2);
  NumOut(24, 52, 10, DRAW_OPT_CLEAR_LINE);
  Wait(SEC_2);
  TextOut(0, 26, msg);
  Wait(SEC_2);
  NumOut(24, 26, 10, DRAW_OPT_CLEAR_EOL);
  Wait(SEC_5);
}

John Hansen

[HaWe]

just back from my summer holidays, there are really lots of interesting good news. I'll start and keep testing and will report ASAP.
Thank you, John, for anticipating and for your efforts!