BETA: SciTE v5x & lua Dynamic_include and "Smart" AutoComplete for Vars/UDFs/Abbrevs

[Jos]

This Beta version contains SciTE v 5.4.0 and a major change to the AutoComplete functionality and automatically addition of required #include lines at the top. Many LUA functions are updated. 

======  2025-02-06  =================================================== 

 I am getting ready to publish a production update for SciTE4AutoI3, so have a SciTE4AutoIt3 v25.205.1420.0 release candidate ready and uploaded to Beta for those willing to test this installer before releasing it. Would appreciate hearing whether there are still issues with it as it has been a major overhaul since the last production version back in 2021.  
My main drives at this moment are to get the setup ready for better supporting Visual Studio Code as the default editor for AutoIt3, as I am convinced that there is an added benefit using VSC over SciTE. I have no intent to drop the SciTE upgrades, but do prefer to stop development & support of all the written LUA script functionalities.

This is a list of the current changes at a high level:

• SciTE updated from v4.4.6 to v5.5.4 and includes both the x86 and x64 version selectable at install time
• Include the major LUA changes for Dynamic add Variables & Functions & #Include functionality. See here for details.
  • This can be Simply disabled when old behavior is preferred by settings dynamic.include=n
• Utilities (Tidy.exe/au3Stripper/Au3check) can now process mixed encoded files and special characters in the filenames, so they do not require AutoIt3Wrappper anymore.
• The Included au3check v3.3.17.1 is an update of the standard latest au3check v3.3.16.1 included in the AutoIt3 installer.
  The new au3check now also supports mixed encoded files and special characters in the filenames and can be used without AutoIt3Wrapper for those cases.
  The installer will check the current version and replace it with this version when it is < v3.3.17.1.
  A copy of the old version will be made to AutoIt3\SciTE\Au3Check
• The installer will prompt for 
  • SciTE.exe x86 or x64 version
  • Whether you want to change to VSCode as your default Editor for the "Edit" & "Open" options for AU3 files.
  • What to do with Double Click, either Open or Run with AutoIt3. (also an option to change in SciTE Config)

For those few that are currently using the Dynamic Beta version:

There are a few minor changes since the last version published:

• AutoComplete #include lines wasn't working when dynamic.include=n was set.
• I have added the option to limited the number of entries shown in the AutoComplete dropdown to make it much more responsive when e.g. typing $a :

  # Define the max entries is a Variable/Func dropdown autocomplete list for speed reasons.
  autocomplete_dropdown_max=200

Link to the part in this thread where this is published:

 

==========================================================================================================

• 2023-12-27 13:30
  • Merged SciTE Release 5.4.0 with the SciTE4AutoIt3 sources
  • Many changes to the new LUA functions
• 2023-03-10 13:00
  • Merged SciTE Release 5.3.4 with the SciTE4AutoIt3 sources
  • Added option to jump to the definition of a Variable when Ctrl+J is used with the caret placed with a variable name.
  • Many other small changes... see this thread for details
  • Move the zip into the Beta directory making it for more people available.
  • Move this thread to AutoIt Technical discussions,  so others can participate in testing when they want.
• 2023-03-14 20:00
  • Merged SciTE Release 5.3.5 with the SciTE4AutoIt3 sources
  • Also show constant includes in #include<... dropdown.
  • Fixed issue with portable directory duplicates due to improper case checking
  • Fixed REGEX getting all possible *.au3 files when Dir returns a Timestamp in format hh:mm AM/PM

 

How to test/install:

• Backup your current SciTE directory!
• Download the Beta SciTE4AutoIt3.exe installer or portable zip.
• Run installer or do your thing with the portable zip.
• Check below documentation on all possible configuration option via #Directive or in the SciTEUser.properties.

Jos

============  Quick feature overview...  check this  Documentation for all details ========================================

This is how it looks with a basic example: Here I am using @Melba23's ExMsgBox include file which is located in my Private Include directory:

This shown you in more details the basics of the changes: 

The announced change here has grown into a project on it own, which I feel is now at a stage where I could use some help from beta testers trying out these updated. I have created the initial documentation on all updates made and how the added functionality works, which is now part of the Helpfile available:

AutoComplete & Dynamic Includes

Previous Top Next

---

Overview

This LUA script functionality build in the SciTE4AutoIt3 version of SciTE will dynamically add #include  statements required for the used UDFs or Global Const Variables.
When dynamic.includes=1 you will be able to use Ctrl+Shift+z to process the whole file and scan it for missing Global Const Variables or UDFs.
When dynamic.includes.whiletyping=1 is also set, the LUA functionality will add the required #include lines while typing. This only works when dynamic.includes=1.
The AutoComplete functionality has also been changed and will now also search for partial matches in the names in stead of "Starting with", so you don't need to know the exact start of the funtion to be able to search for it.

Changes to existing features

Syntax Coloring

All found Func's as defined here, not just the standard ones, will now immediately have their correct Font & formatting as defined for properties Styles 15-17.
After you specified a none-standard known UDF, you will see it has Style 17 Color&Formatting when it is an UDF that exists in an Include file specifically for this Script.

 

Selection for #include lines

• You can now use either < ' " as starting character to trigger the DropdownList with available include files.
• This list will now include all Standard, User defined and Dynamically found Include files.
• You can now type any part of the include name, not just the starting letters, to find the Include file you want.

For example when you type: #include<apic  this will be shown and we just press 2 times the Down key:


..  then when you hit the Tab key, this will be the result:

 

Smart AutoComplete function for Variables, Functions and Abbreviations

• The Dropdown will show al list of possible Variables or Functions and Abbreviation when you start typing. 
• The match is done on the whole functionname now, not just the starting characters.
• The Starting $ or _ characters are ignored in this search and the results are shown in the order of the starting position in the found "words" of the typed characters:
  Example 1: When we type Find the below is returned: As you can see they are sorted in the order of starting position of "Find" and then Alphabetically
  
  Example 2: When you type $Yes, the result will be:
  

 

New: How Dynamic #Include line insertion works

Example1

When you type the following in your source: _ArrayAdd  


.. and then when you hit the Opening bracket or space key, the required #include<array.au3> line will be added within the existing or newly created #region:


The same will happen when you use one of the Global Const variables from one of the *constants*.au3 includes in the defined include directories.
This #region can be moved to any place in the script you prefer and will be used from here on as long as you do not change anything in those 2 #region lines.
Any Subsequent added include file will be added to the end of the list with the Date&Time of the addition so you can easily see when/what was added.

Example2

This is an Example for an new script in the SciTE_Jump Directory showing the use of the #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_Path=; directive:
The includes for this Utility are located in the Includes subdirectory, so aren't considered unless we specify it as follows:
 #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_Path=;Includes;
... and then we start typing the name of one of the UDFs in a include in this directory and hit Tab on the first one shown:


When we then hit the Opening bracket or Space key, the required #include"includes\_SciTE.au3" line will be added within the existing or newly created #region:

 

Example3

This is an Example for a Global Const include file addition: We have just typed the last line of this script:


.. and hit the Space key, the required #include<MsgBoxConstants.au3> line will be added within the existing #Region above the #EndRegion line:

 

These are all the Func's (UDFs) that will be recognized by the dynamic include process:

1. All Funcs in the default autoit/includes directory with format _ABC(), undocumented Funcs will be added to AutoComplete
2. All Funcs except __*.au3 from all extra *.au3 Files in the openfile= paths that have a #include-once in it, are added to Style 16 (UserUDFs).
3. All Funcs from the current script file are added to style 17 (InFIleUDFs)
4. All Gobal Const Variables defined in any of the previous defined paths that are defined in a *constants*.au3 scriptfile which also includes #include-once.
5. All Funcs except __*.au3 from all *.au3 Files in the current script directory are added to Style 16 (UserUDFs).
6. All Funcs except __*.au3 from all *.au3 Files in the directories defined with Directive:#SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_Path=;Includes\relative\path;d;\includes\absolute\path
   
   Items 1-4 are read from those directories one time during the life of SciTE, but only when the first *.au3 files is opened. (slows it down ~0.5 sec one time to build all required tables)
   Items 5-6 are read each time an *au3 file is Opened or Switched to its Tab.  (slows it down ~0.1 - 0.2 secs per change of tab and at Save time,  to build all required current file tables)

 

Configuration options for AutoComplete & Dynamic Includes

This is the section in au3.properties where the autocomplete & dynamic includes config is defined.
You can copy any of these lines into your SciTEUser.properties:
 

## ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## dynamic.include Directives and properties reference ## ----------------------------------------------------- #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include=y                               ;dynamic.include=y/n #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_whiletyping=y                   ;dynamic.include.whiletyping=y/n #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_recursive_check=n               ;dynamic.include.recursive.check=n/y #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_use_local_cache=n               ;dynamic.include.use.local.cache=n/y #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_version=prod                    ;dynamic.include.version=prod/beta #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_verboselevel=0                  ;dynamic.include.verbose.level=0/1/2 #SciTE4AutoIt3_Dynamic_Include_Path= #SciTE4AutoIt3_AutoItDynamicIncludes_debug=n                   ;debug.autoitdynamicincludes=n/y #SciTE4AutoIt3_AutoItAutocomplete_debug=n                      ;debug.autoitautocomplet=n/y #SciTE4AutoIt3_AutoItGotoDefinition_debug=n                    ;debug.autoitgotodefinition=n/y #SciTE4AutoIt3_AutoItTools_debug=n                             ;debug.autoIttools=n/y ## ================================================ ## dynamic.include config ## ================================================ #> dynamic.include=y/n  n=disabled  y=will automatically build the func tables for coloring and autocomplete (requires restart SciTE!) dynamic.include=y #> whiletyping=y/n      n=disabled  y=will automatically add any required standard or USERincludefile for the current line, on the fly, when ) or enter ispressed !) dynamic.include.whiletyping=y #> use.local.cache=n/y  n=disable   y=Use cache file for local Include UDFs and VARs which could increase the speed when you have a lot of local includefiles which normally shouldn't be the case dynamic.include.use.local.cache=n #> version  prod=Use AutoIt3 Production version    beta=Use AutoIt3 Beta version dynamic.include.version=prod #> recursive.check=n/y  n=disable   y=When you like to only add an Include when it isn't included through another #included file yet. dynamic.include.recursive.check=n # level of debug messages 0/1/2     0=disabled; 1= Warnings & Timing per Function; 2=1+Total timing dynamic.include.verbose.level=0 #> Max number of includes files to read from the user directories in the list. This doesn't including the standard AutoIt3 includes. dynamic.max.includes=150 #> Max number total UDFs in the Userlist to handle by dynamic includes. This doesn't including the standard AutoIt3 includes-UDFs. dynamic.max.funcs=3000 #> Scriptlines longer that this value won't be looked at for Checking for required #Include statements. dynamic.max.line.length=300 ## ================================================ ## Autocomplete and call tip settings ## ================================================ autocomplete.au3.disable=0 autocomplete.au3.ignorecase=1 # Define minimum length before AutoComplete dropdown is shown- default=2 autocomplete.au3.min.length=2 # Include Abbrevs in AutoComplete dropdown (default=1/y) autocomplete.au3.include_abbrevs=1 # Don't show AutoItComplete with these styles (Internal only in SciTE4AutoIt3) autocomplete.ignore.styles.$(au3)=1;2;3;6;7;10;13 # Define which character will be added after Tab or Enter was entered and not on a Function/UDF: Can be \s \t \n for space;tab;newline autocomplete.au3.on.enter=\n autocomplete.au3.on.tab= # List of all AutoComplete API files used api.$(au3)=$(SciteDefaultHome)\api\au3.api;$(SciteDefaultHome)\api\au3.autoit3wrapper.api;$(SciteUserHome)\au3.std.dynamic.calltips.api;$(SciteUserHome)\au3.file.dynamic.calltips.api;$(SciteUserHome)\au3.usr.dynamic.calltips.api;$(SciteUserHome)\au3.user.calltips.api ## ================================================ ## Separate settings for debugging these Lua files ## ================================================ #> Enable debugging for these lua scripts: debug.autoitdynamicincludes=n debug.autoitautocomplete=n debug.autoitgotodefinition=n debug.autoitindentfix=n debug.autoittools=n #> when debug.tofile is defined, log records will be send to the log in stead of OutputPane: debug.tofile=$(SciteUserHome)\SciTE_LUA_Scripts_Debug.err # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Edited February 7 by Jos

[Jos]

Hit F5 and things should work .  

[mLipok]

 

The same will happen when you use one of the Global Const variables from one of the *constants*.au3 includes in the defined include directories.

+1 for this long-awaited feature.

[Jos]

I don't understand that remark as this was already available via an Autoit3Wrapeer directive, but now it is including them on the fly as for UDFs.  

[mLipok]

  On 7/1/2022 at 2:30 PM, Jos said:

I have created the initial documentation on all updates made and

Expand  

would you also like comments on the redaction of this document (colors, typos, whitespaces, etc... ) ?

[Jos]

  On 7/1/2022 at 6:38 PM, mLipok said:

would you also like comments on the redaction of this document (colors, typos, whitespaces, etc... ) ?

Expand  

Nope..  Please focus on the Functionality and don't worry about the Doc for this moment. This is just a base doc to explain what it does en the rest will come when we have a proper functioning system!  

[mLipok]

  On 7/1/2022 at 6:38 PM, Jos said:

I don't understand that remark ..... now it is including them on the fly as for UDFs.  

Expand  

And exactly this was awaited to do the things on the fly.

[mLipok]

The same will happen when you use one of the Global Const variables from one of the *constants*.au3 includes in the defined include directories.

just tried with:

#Region ; *** Dynamically added Include files ***
#include <Array.au3>                                         ; (07/01/22 21:10:00
#include <File.au3>                                          ; (07/01/22 21:11:20
#EndRegion ; *** Dynamically added Include files ***

_ArrayAdd(

_FileListToArrayRec(

$FLTAR_

$MB_YES

Trying $FLTAR_ and $MB_YES but it is not "extending".

Edited July 1, 2022 by mLipok

[Jos]

  On 7/1/2022 at 7:17 PM, mLipok said:

Trying $FLTAR_ and $MB_YES but it is not "extending".

Expand  

There is no $MB_YES as far as I know...   and $FLTAR_ is only a partial variable, and it will only expand exact typed existing variables.
so please provide (as usual) what you think is expected (no cystalball remember) , like in this case ....which Include file did you expect to be included.
One other thing: You can also do some debugging in this last version by setting property: autoittools.debug=1  , restart SciTE and do the same thing. An Debug log will be created in: $(SciteUserHome)\dynamic_udfs.err    which contains a shitload of information about what is found where and what is happening. If you want me to have a look at that then Email me that file (Don't attach here please!, but email!) to avoid polluting the threat with way to many details.  

Edited July 1, 2022 by Jos
Typos

[mLipok]

Ok

[Jos]

Your question triggered another very nice option for this....  an AutoComplete option for Gobal Const after you typed "$\w{2}_". So for a Variable with at least a length of 4 and the last character is am _ it will present a list with possible variables from the Global Variable Table.      THANKS!!  
I got some basics working for that, just need more time to test and see which can-of-worms I just opened....   

 

[Jos]

Just uploaded a new LUA.ZIP that contains the changes for getting an AutoComplete ListBox for known Global Const variables and when one is selected the #include is also added when needed. This is really f...ing awesome and should have made these changes 10 years ago to save all the typing.  

Still need to add this to the Docs, but lets first see whether this a stable and properly working for all obscure causes you all have out there.

Edited July 1, 2022 by Jos

[Jos]

Made another update for lua.zip so the Var AutoComplete will now show local variables together with the Global Const Variables.
Local Variables are immediately  shown when you type a $.
Global Variables will only be added when in total 3 characters ($ab) or more are typed, as else things will slow down too much due to a possible very long variable dropdown list.

Jos

Edited July 2, 2022 by Jos

[Melba23]

Jos,

So far this is working perfectly - but then I have a nice vanilla install!

Thanks so much for all the work that you have put into this.

Steve G

[mLipok]

  On 7/1/2022 at 8:38 PM, Jos said:

Your question triggered another very nice option for this....  THANKS!!  

Expand  

You're welcome

  On 7/1/2022 at 9:59 PM, Jos said:

This is really f...ing awesome and should have made these changes 10 years ago to save all the typing.  

Expand  

as I said: this was long-awaited feature.

I'm glad that my not well-worded conclusions put you on the right track

 

[mLipok]

Awesome:

 

[Jos]

There are still some quircks in the current version that I am working on. Mainly to do with a mix of Global Const and File Variables, so please stay tuned for an update for that.
One other thing will be that when you use an Variable name that is exactly the same as an Global Const, the Include file will now be added anyway and you end up with a duplicate definition. ....   that one feels like a Catch 22 at this moment.  
I have "solved" that for now by adding a test for ($Varname\s*=) and when that exists in the current file I assume the file is defined in the script itself and won't look for a global var. 

Edited July 2, 2022 by Jos

[Jos]

Just uploaded a new lua.zip with the following fixes/changes:

• Local file Variables are properly read and added to the DropDown box together with the Global vars.
• Decided that the GlobalVars will be displayed right away after the second character is typed. This means that for example $s will trigger a dorpdownlist of some 2700+ lines out of the 13175 Global Variable and you need to add the local file Variables starting with $s to that.  
• Detect when a File Variable has the same name as an Global Const Variable by simply testing for "$Varname\s*="

Jos

[Jos]

Added "video" to startpage to show how it works when implemented.

[mLipok]

  On 7/2/2022 at 1:46 PM, Jos said:

Added "video" to startpage to show how it works when implemented.

Expand  

Nice video, awesome feature: