. A3X's

[SparkSoft]

What are .A3X's for and what do they do?

Im a bit puzzled because Ive seen the option of compiling to .A3X but what are they used for ???

[SparkSoft]

So how could they be of any benefit?

Could they be used as a sort of dll

[MvGulik]

Example:

If you have a project that needs to be using different parts in separate exe's. With a3x you only need to make the main code a exe, and the rest can be a3x's, that are started from within the main exe. (using the interpreter from/in the main exe to start them.)

[Tvern]

They are nice for scripts that need regular updates. You can me an exe that runs an A3X that checks for updates and at the same time runs an A3X containing the actual script.

The updates download faster due to the smaller filesize and the A3X files can be replaced while they are running, after which you can restart them, meaning the update script can easily update itsself.

[SparkSoft]

So they act as a 'link' between two or more scripts (but one needs to be compiled)'?

Is this right?

how do you run the .a3x file from the compiled script

Edited November 26, 2010 by SparkSoft

[Tvern]

So they act as a 'link' between two or more scripts (but one needs to be compiled)'?

Is this right?

That's not how I would describe it.

Basically each AutoIt exe contains out of these pieces:

* the AutoIt interpeter.

* the script made by the author.

* added resources like icons, if any.

* Others I don't know about?

An a3x file contains just the part that has the script. So to run it will have to find an interpeter somewhere. Luckily each AutoIt exe has one of these, so you can use one AutoIt exe to run many a3x files.

how do you run the .a3x file from the compiled script

You can run an a3x file through another AutoIt exe, by passing the command line switch: /AutoIt3ExecuteScript file.a3x to the exe.

So if you would Build an exe form the following script:

Run(@ScriptFullPath & " /AutoIt3ExecuteScript file.a3x")

and run it, it would load, run itsself again, but with the command line parameter, then exit.

The second instance of the exe. (the one that got passed the parameter) would attempt to run file.a3x and continue running untill file.a3x exists.

As you can see the exe is extremely simple. Usually not more then one, or two lines of code, so the chances it will need regular updates are small. (how many errors can be in one line right?)

So even if the script "file.a3x" needs to be updated constantly, the user will only have to update the exe when the interpeter needs updating. (read, when the author updates his AutoIt installation to a newer version)

[SparkSoft]

Thank you for clearing things up for me.

I understand why people (or me ) would use them now