Should ConsoleWriteError() be merged with ConsoleWrite()?

[rcmaehl]

I was thinking earlier that perhaps ConsoleWriteError() should be merged with ConsoleWrite() as a parameter. The parameter values could be as such:

• 0 - <default> Write to STDOUT
• 1 - Write to STDERR

While this would be a script breaking change it is a logical idea as they both write to console, just different pipes. However, would there be anything that could go horrible wrong with this change that I'm missing?

[Valik]

You're missing a good reason.

[trancexx]

It's more logical not to do it.

[rcmaehl]

It's more logical not to do it.

You're missing a good reason.

Okay. Pro/Con List time.

Reasons TO merge them:

• Easier to define where you want to write to console if in a script. (EG. You could set a ConsoleWrite() to write to STDERR by setting the flag to be @error so that if there was a success it would write to STDOUT and if NOT write to STDERR)
• Less to type
• Probably have the almost same source coding (then again I don't know as AutoIt isn't OSS)

Reasons NOT TO merge them:

• Breaks scripts.
• Makes devs do work, they already have enough

[Richard Robertson]

Easier to define where you want to write to console if in a script. (EG. You could set a ConsoleWrite() to write to STDERR by setting the flag to be @error so that if there was a success it would write to STDOUT and if NOT write to STDERR)

Set the flag to be @error huh? So when it works, it prints an error message on the standard pipe instead of the error pipe? Genius.

Makes devs do work, they already have enough

Not saying I want the AutoIt developers to do more work, but isn't that the whole point of being a developer?

[Valik]

ImNotVeryCleverOrICouldHaveThoughtUpThisOnMyOwn("This goes to stdout." & @CRLF)

SetError(1)    ; Force an error value.
ImNotVeryCleverOrICouldHaveThoughtUpThisOnMyOwn("This goes to stderr." & @CRLF)


Func ImNotVeryCleverOrICouldHaveThoughtUpThisOnMyOwn($sMsg, $iError = @error)
    If $iError Then
        ConsoleWriteError("STDERR: " & $sMsg)
    Else
        ConsoleWrite("STDOUT: " & $sMsg)
    EndIf
EndFunc

30 seconds.

[rcmaehl]

Set the flag to be @error huh? So when it works, it prints an error message on the standard pipe instead of the error pipe? Genius.

You know what I mean.

PS: What the heck with the forums. I code enough HTML, I don't want to do it on here :|

[Richard Robertson]

Set the flag to be @error huh? So when it works, it prints an error message on the standard pipe instead of the error pipe? Genius.

You know what I mean.

PS: What the heck with the forums. I code enough HTML, I don't want to do it on here :|

If what I said isn't what you meant, then what did you mean? If you are setting the flag to error, what I described is exactly what will happen.

[rcmaehl]

If what I said isn't what you meant, then what did you mean? If you are setting the flag to error, what I described is exactly what will happen.

Somerandomfunc("blah")
ConsoleWrite("blah", @error)

I mean that if it is successful write to STDOUT, if not write to STDERR.

Ignoring the fact that I said

The parameter values could be as such:

because I said they COULD be as such not WOULD be OR just have the @error code negated in the ConsoleWrite code. I hate explaining the obvious but then again I should have been more clear.

[Richard Robertson]

Somerandomfunc("blah")
ConsoleWrite("blah", @error)

I mean that if it is successful write to STDOUT, if not write to STDERR.

I know exactly what you mean. I also can't understand why you can't understand what I mean. Look at these two situations and tell me if I'm still off base.

f($g)
ConsoleWrite("It worked", @error)

If it works, it prints "It worked" on STDOUT. If it didn't work, it still prints "It worked" but on STDERROR, which makes no sense.

f($g)
ConsoleWrite("It didn't work", @error)

If it works, it prints "It didn't work" on STDOUT, which makes no sense. If it didn't work, it prints "It didn't work" on STDERROR.

[rcmaehl]

Okay, I forgot that I'm using my own _UDF along with this :|

Here's how I have it:

expandcollapse popup

; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name ..........: _ConsoleWrite
; Description ...: A merge of ConsoleWrite and ConsoleWriteError
; Syntax ........: _ConsoleWrite($sText[, $fPipe = 0])
; Parameters ....: $sText              - A string value.
;                 $fPipe               - [optional] A boolean value. Default is 0.
; Return values .: None
; Author ........: Robert Maehl
; Modified ......: 02/28/2012
; Remarks .......:
; Related .......:
; Link ..........:
; Example .......: No
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _ConsoleWrite($sText, $fPipe = 0)
If $fPipe Then
  ConsoleWrite($sText)
Else
  ConsoleWriteError($sText)
EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>_ConsoleWrite
; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name ..........: _Not
; Description ...: Returns Not if needed
; Syntax ........: _Not([$fSuccess = @error[, $fCapital = 0]])
; Parameters ....: $fSuccess            - [optional] A boolean value. Default is @error.
;                 $fCapital         - [optional] A boolean value. Default is 0.
; Return values .: None?
; Author ........: Robert Maehl
; Modified ......: 02/28/2012
; Remarks .......:
; Related .......:
; Link ..........:
; Example .......: No
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _Not($fSuccess = @error, $fCapital = 0)
If $fSuccess Then
  If $fCapital Then
   Return(" Not ")
  Else
   Return(" not ")
  EndIf
Else
  Return(" ")
EndIf
EndFunc

And doing

_ConsoleWrite("It was" & _Not() & "successful")

[Richard Robertson]

That's a pretty significant detail there. Do you see why I was saying what I was saying now?

Edited February 28, 2012 by Richard Robertson

[rcmaehl]

That's a pretty significant detail there. Do you see why I was saying what I was saying now?

Yeah. I use the _Not() Function so often in my personal scripts I forgot I coded it. XD

[Valik]

It may be a significant detail but it doesn't change anything. Spend 3 seconds thinking about the problem and a solution presents itself.

[Raik]

one more reason against it:

if an error occurs, i want to write infos about the error-details to console, else possibly the resulting values from the succesful operation.

[shanet]

I cant believe no one has said its a bad idea because they are actually 2 different streams...

[Richard Robertson]

I cant believe no one has said its a bad idea because they are actually 2 different streams...

That isn't a reason for a merged function not to exist. Two streams with a single write point can actually be very handy. For example, a logger that writes to the console and a file at the same time.

[Valik]

Further, the fact that it is two streams is the entire point of having code branch to write to one stream or another based on a specific condition. If the two streams were the same then this thread would not exist. So yeah, you resurrected a warm corpse just to say something amazingly stupid. /slowclap

[MvGulik]

10 bugs on 'code readability'.