Finally created the next video in my tutorial series!

[Morthawt]

This is the HD link to the new video. It covers arrays, explaining them in comparison to Variables. I also cover their use with a For loop also a new For loop that arrays can use. I show a demonstration of pulling source code apart from a youtube playlist web page to get an array containing all the video titles by breaking the page source into chunks and getting closer until you can get the exact data you want.

Hopefully it should demonstrate that arrays are very useful and help people to get a grasp on what they are all about.

The Youtube playlist has been updated to include the new video. Link here: 

[mLipok]

very good lecture

thanks

[mLipok]

I have a Question 

For $a = 0 To (UBound($Array) -1)

Why you using additional bracket ?

I mean    (UBound....)

Is it some kind of "Best Coding Practises" ?

Edited September 6, 2013 by mlipok

[guinness]

It's not really needed in this instance. Would you put brackets around 1 + 2? In this example 2 * 3 + 1 maybe, depends on where though as the answer can be 7 or 8.

Edited September 6, 2013 by guinness

[mLipok]

So I wondered, however, whether the experience @ Morthawt that is better to use this method of writing.

It is possible that he had cases where such use is of benefit results.

[TheSaint]

You would only use enclosing brackets, if there was a chance for the statement/line to be misinterpreted.

Like guinness, I cannot see that in this instance, so unless a flaw/bug exists in AutoIt, then it isn't necessary.

Unless it was used for clarity to others, because For ... Next can have a Step element?

[mLipok]

Unless it was used for clarity to others, 

 

He's probably like you said and basically what I thought.

[Morthawt]

Hi. I thought the forum would email me with responses

I have run into issues with multi-tiered calculations breaking down unless things are ( ( encapsulated ) / ( encapsulated ) ) * nonencapsulated etc. So while sometimes  it may not be needed to add (  ) around some of the things I do, I find it since it breaks nothing to do it and adds a logical  aid to see how the calculations are processed I always do it these days. I don't usually ever run into issues with calculations being misinterpreted due to missing something. I think the main issues have been a calculation being only performed on the last bit of an equation rather than the result of something. Eg 

100 + 100 / 2

My intention may be that it will result in 100 but in fact it may end up being 150 as in this example. It is more of an issue with many components in a calculation but to avoid all issues I logically break it up any way. It helps me also understand what is going on. So even in calculations tat don't "require" grouping with brackets I do it any way. The following example would be required to be grouped to get to the correct intended result of 100:

((100 + 100) / 2)

or in this example that doesn't "require" grouping:

(UBound($Array) -1)

Adding the grouping makes it easy to logically see what is a self-contained result figure and you can then easily add to the equation without having to re-read it all to then group it up so a more elaborate calculation won't break. My method lets me just add to what I already have. So, basically it is a time saver and helps me read and understand.

Edit:

So in this example no grouping is needed: 

; Milligrams of caffeine per ml of energy drink...

$CaffeineGrams = 0.16
$LiquidML = 500

$Answer = $CaffeineGrams * 1000 / $LiquidML

However I would write it like this:

; Milligrams of caffeine per ml of energy drink...

$CaffeineGrams = 0.16
$LiquidML = 500

$Answer = (($CaffeineGrams * 1000) / $LiquidML)

Because now I can see that $CaffeineGrams * 1000 is a self contained unit of information that has been calculated and if I want to process it further perhaps by taking the resulting mg of caffeine per 500ml can of energy drink and multiply it by a custom amount of liquid to find out how much caffeine would be in a drink xyz size I don't have to make sure everything is grouped up at that time, I can simply add to it and then encapsulate the entire thing in another set of brackets like this:

; Milligrams of caffeine in 2 cans of energy drink...

$CaffeineGrams = 0.16
$LiquidML = 500

$Answer = ((($CaffeineGrams * 1000) / $LiquidML) * ($LiquidML * 2))

Now I can see if I drink 2 drinks I will get 320 mg of caffeine. I can easily see what a self contained result is and now if I wanted to add even more to it I could do so easily because this is now a whole contained result with self contained components.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Morthawt

[mLipok]

so this is

"good coding practices"

unless someone thinks otherwise

for example,

"best coding practices"

 

best regards

mlipok

[Morthawt]

I edited my last reply to include a little example I just made about energy drinks. In my experience doing this makes my life easier, since scripting or programming is inherently modular, one thing added on top of another thing, I would rather have it good to go to the next level while making it easier to read.

[guinness]

so this is

"good coding practices"

 

unless someone thinks otherwise

for example,

"best coding practices"

 

best regards

mlipok

Each to their own. But I would say "use when you only have to."

[TheSaint]

Probably just "Personal coding practice" or preference in the cited instance.

For any benefit is debatable.

[Morthawt]

Probably just "Personal coding practice" or preference in the cited instance.

For any benefit is debatable.

 

Well it has benefited me greatly. Without the grouping if I want to add to the equation I firstly need to re-read in great depth the current equation, understand the reasoning behind every part, understand where actual calculated figures are such as mg caffeine per ml and then go and group everything up piece by piece and then continue to add to the equation. However the way I have come to do things I do not need to do that. Since I can see what are self-contained result figures I can quickly understand what the equation is doing and why, then if I want to add to it I simply start typing my additional code and then encapsulate the whole result in brackets.

This may be different to what perhaps most people would do, but having experienced the frustration of going back and trying to enhance or make additions to an equation this has made the whole thing almost effortless. Since it doesn't break anything and takes no time to group up while initially coding it, I choose to make my life easier for the future.

[TheSaint]

I don't disagree with using it in circumstances where it gives clarity, when you know it will be processed in the right order, but someone else might not, but in the cited instance, it is just really cosmetic, and you said the operative of "I choose" yourself.

That makes it a personal choice/preference to me, where it is of benefit to yourself, but debatable to others.

[mLipok]

so finally I can say

 

"personal, good coding practices"

 

ps.

in principle, I support, but point out that I do not have such a habit.

[BrewManNH]

Don't forget operator precedence. The reason 100 + 100/2 gives you 150 is because "/" has a higher precedence than "+", so division is done first, then addition. In the case of 100 * 100/2 multiplication and division have the same precedence, so it's computed left to right.

[Morthawt]

Well each to their own. Both work, I'm pretty sure I got the idea from function grouping such as correctly tabbed For...Next or Func...EndFunc. When things are grouped into visible areas you can deal with things easier. If everything was all starting from the first character of every line it would make it more difficult to deal with and determine at a glance where multiple For loops begin and end for example. I view grouping actual calculated units of information and the whole equation as a whole the same way, it makes it easier visibly to understand and functionally to enhance or add to. However there are times I get caught up in the ideas and planning and sometimes forget to do it while coding and then feel compelled to fix it before I move on to avoid running into the issues I try and prevent.

[guinness]

What I do in my own code doesn't make it into the help file examples, as these should exhibit good coding standards and unbiased practices.

[TheSaint]

What I do in my own code doesn't make it into the help file examples, as these should exhibit good coding standards and unbiased practices.

One very good reason why I don't really help out with the Help file, much at all, because I have way too many personal habits and preferences ... and I'd get brain fatigue trying to work out where they started and finished.

[guinness]

One very good reason why I don't really help out with the Help file, much at all, because I have way too many personal habits and preferences ... and I'd get brain fatigue trying to work out where they started and finished.

Okay.