Still More on What RB CodeHelper Lite Can Do

Today we look at some other things that RB CodeHelper Lite can do.

In an earlier entry, I explained how "Comment OLut Source and Add MsgBox" could be helpful if you wanted to create a Project that was a subset of an existing Project. "Comment Out Entire Source" can be useful if you need to build a new Project "from scratch," but want the code from an earlier Project to be easily accessible in case some of it can be reused. (You can restore it with "Uncomment Entire Source.") Important: when "Comment Out Entire Source is used, the original indenting is preserved (or, more accurately, is re-created).

"Comment Out MsgBox Statements" can be useful if you make frequent use of MsgBoxes when debugging and then want the Program to run without being interrupted by the MsgBoxes. (You can bring them back with "Uncomment MsgBox Statements.") If you use different types of comment symbols for different purposes, you can "Remove Comment Symbols" of different types separately.

Both "Add Procedure Headers" and "Add Procedure Footers" know the Method in which they are being placed. Thus the procedure header can provide the name and location of the method, and youcan add other information (*e.g., programmer's name, purpose of Method, date of Method, etc.) later, and the procedure footer can include an exception handler that can indicate the Method in which the exception occurred. "Remove Procedure Headers" and "Remove Procedure Footers" remove these haders and footers.

Some people like to have no unnecessary spaces between characters ("Remove Unnecessary Spaces" does this); while others (I'm one of them) like to have spaces for readability, such as spaces around symbols for math operators such as "+," "-," "*." "/,." "^," "=," "<>," "<=," or ">=" ("Put Spaces Around Symbols for Math Operators"), spaces after commas ("Put Spaces After Commas"); spaces around, inside, or outside Parentheses ("Put Spaces Around Parentheses Symbolls," "Put Spaces Only Inside Parentheses Symbols"); "Spaces Only Outside Parentheses"); or all or the preceding ("Add Extra Spaces of All Types").

Those who want to save paper when printing out source code will appreciate "Remove Blank Lines"; those who want more "white space" for readability (or room to write and annotate) will appreciate "Double- (or Triple- or Quadruple-)Space the code or perhaps "Separate Logical Units," which puts a blank line before an "If" line and after an "End If" line, before a "For" line and after a "Next" line, etc.

Since I prefer order to disorder, I like to see standardization of use of upper/lower case. REALbasic doesn't care, but I care. Ir you care, RB CodeHelper Light can ensure that you have standardization in case, using "Reform Constants," "Remove Contorls," Reform "Line Labels," "Reform Methods," "Reform Modules," "Reform Properties,," "Conform REALbasic Keywords," and "Conform Variables." For example, the pattern that RB CodeHelper Lite uses is that which is used in the Dim staatements for that variable.

You can also have RB CodeHelper Lite list all the names used in a Project ("Display All Words Used in Source", "Display Constants Used in Project", "Display Controls Used in Project," "Display Event Handlers Used in Project," "Display Functions Used in Project," "Display Line Labels Used in Project", "Display Menu Items Used In Project," "Display Methods Used in Project," "Display Modules Used in Project," "Display Properties Used in Project," "Display REALbasic Keywords Used in Project," "Display Subs Used in Project," "Display Variable Names Used in Project," "Display Variables by Location," and "Display Variables by Name" provide such lists).

I'll see if I can finish up the list of RB CodeHelper Lite's features in a future blog entry., but at least now you have hopefully a better understanding of some of the things the program can do. (If you are willing to be a beta-tester and supply me with feedback, please let me know. Thanks!)

Barry Traver

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Blog Home Page: http://traverrb.blogspot.com/

Programs and Files Discussed in the Blog: http://traver.org/traverrb/