Creating my own include

[Mellon]

I have a number of programs that query either the same or sub-sets of the same information. For an example, I have one program that lists a chart list for a specific vessel, I have another that will get me support and shipping history for a specific vessel and I have a third that will get a list of code numbers I need to send the vessel to unlock specific add-on programs.

So I have a couple of newbe questions about this. I will start with a very simple example: I have a list of vessel names I need to get into a Combo. Start this using _FileReadToArray. I them break off part of the line I don't need and use GUICtrlSetData to add the part I do need Combo.

Is it possible or reasonable to populate a Combobox from an include?

[BrewManNH]

You can use FileInstall to install it to your compiled program, but an "#include" file is copied to the main script at the point that you have the include directive, so having your file as a raw list of data isn't going to work as an include.

[Mellon]

Just to make sure we understand each other I am not thinking about putting the list of vessels as an include. What I am think about would be something like this:

MajorProgram (has #include Get_List_of_Vessel.au3)

---> Need to get list of vessels

---> call a function from (Get_List_of_Vessel.au3)

---> Function in Get_List_of_Vessel.au3 open the file at c:VesselAllVessels.txt

---> Allvessels.txt is processed.

---> Processed text file is added a combobox on the GUI created in MajorProgram

Processing returns back to MajorPrograming.

Even if this is possible I suspect it would be a bad way to do it.

I have standardize the way I do this but I have three useful programs that I wrote before I had much experience. I think I'm gonna have the bit the bullet and do a large rewrite. Must likely just as well ...

[DicatoroftheUSA]

So they are three .au3 scripts you wrote yourself? If so, there is no reason you could not include them. Just have your functions return arrays, or pass the variables to the function with byref.

Generally things are faster the more you can work in memory rather than spinning up the hard drive.

However from your description, learning sqlite or mysql may be the way to go in your case. It may negate the need for several programs and is quiet powerfull in itself.

Edited June 26, 2012 by DicatoroftheUSA

[Mellon]

While I haven't used autoit and mysql I do know mySql. This is an issue in how we maintain the data. Each chart list is unique to the vessel. The program that creates the chart data uses text files as its list. If I was to turn the flat file database to an sql database I would have to maintain both databases and any drift would cause problems. In this case it is easier to use the data I know is being maintained because it has to be maintained.

[zorphnog]

You can certainly write these functions in a separate file (and probably should since you are reusing code). In the case of the combo box example, you would just need to pass a handle of the combo to the function.