Ring Documentation, Release 1.

4. Object
The first type (Number) is used to represent int, double and Boolean values.
The second type (String) is used to represent char, array of characters, date and time.
The third type (List) is used to represent Arrays of one type, Arrays of more than one type, Hash (Dictionary), Tree,
etc.
The object can be an object created from a Ring class (Any Class) or just a C Pointer that we get from calling a C/C++
function/method.
Why ?
The Ring is designed to give the programmer/developer the most simple constructs that can be used to do everything.
The programmer/developer can customize the language by creating new classes (and use operator overloading) to get
more types that he care about according to the problem domain.
Why ?
Because simple is better, and easy to learn and remember! And this provide flexibility to convert between high level
types that can be represented using the same basic type

68.17 What is the goal of including the Main function in Ring?

The main function is very important, you need it when you want to write statements that uses local variables instead
of the Global scope.
Example:
x = 10
myfunc()
See "X value = " + X # here I expect that x will be (10)
# but I will get another value (6) because myfunc() uses x !
Func myfunc
for x = 1 to 5
See x + nl
next

Output:
1
2
3
4
5
X value = 6

Now using the Main function

Func Main
x = 10
myfunc()
See "X value = " + X

Func myfunc
for x = 1 to 5
See x + nl
next

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Output
1
2
3
4
5
X value = 10

68.18 Why the list index start from 1 in Ring?

Its about how we count in the real world, when we have three apples in our hand
we say 1 2 3
We dont start from 0
The question must be why the other languages start from 0 ?
The answer is, because this is related to the machine and how we deal with values and memory address.
Example
we have array called myarray[5]
In memory : myarray will have an address
The first item will be stored in that address
The second item will come after that address and so on
Now when we need to point to the first item we need the address of myarray
So we type myarray[0] because myarray + 0 result will still point to the first item
for the second item myarray[1] because myarray + 1 result will point to the second item and so on
In Low Level languages or languages near to the machine its good to be like this
But for high level language designed for applications its better to be natural
Example
mylist = [1,2,3,4,5]
for x = 1 to len(mylist)
see x + nl
next

In the previous example we start from 1 to the length of the array if the index starts from 0 we will write
for x = 0 to len(mylist)-1

or remember the for loop in other languages

for(x=0 ; x<nMax ; x++ )

You will use the < operator !

68.19 Is there constructor methods in Ring?

When you create new object for example

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new point

1 - Ring will allocate dynamic memory space to be used for the new object attributes that Ring doesnt know anything
about them.
2 - Ring will change the current local scope and the current object scope to use the object state created in step (1)
3 - Ring will move the execution to the class Region (After the class name and before any methods)
4 - Any Instructions/Code in the class region will be executed as any Ring code
5 - Control is moved from the class region to the location of (new point) once we reach the end of the class region or
we uses a Return command.
So All attributes that added to the object are dynamic attributes, this mean that you can control what attributes will be
added through the runtime.
Example:
$3D = False
see new point
$3D = True
see new point

class point
x y
if not $3D return ok
z

Output:
x: NULL
y: NULL
x: NULL
y: NULL
z: NULL

You have an option to call init() method directly when you create a new object
This method can do anything with the object attributes as it will be called after creating the object and executing the
class region code.
p1 = new point3d(100,200,300)
see p1

class point3d
x y z
func init p1,p2,p3
x=p1 y=p2 z=p3

68.20 What happens when we create a new object?

1- When you create an object, the class region code will be executed and you will have the object attributes based on
the code in that region
2- Ring dont care about the object methods until you start calling a method
3- When you call a method, Ring will check the object class and the class parent (if you are using inheritance) and
will collect the methods for you to be used now or later from any object that belong to the same class.

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4- Since methods are dynamic and each object get the method from the class, you can after creating objects, add new
methods and use it with the object or any object created or will be created from the same class.
Example:
o1 = new point {x=10 y=20 z=30}
o2 = new point {x=100 y=200 z =300}

addmethod(o1,"print", func { see x + nl + y + nl + z + nl } )

o1.print()
o2.print()

class point x y z

Output:
10
20
30
100
200
300

68.21 Can we use the attributes by accessing the Getter and Setter
methods?

Yes we can, The setter/getter methods are called automatically when you start using the attributes from outside the
class Also you can call the methods instead of using the attributes. Its your choice.
Example:
o1 = new Developer
o1.name = "Mahmoud" see o1.name + nl
o1 { name = "Gal" see name }
o1 { name = "Bert" see name }

o1.setname("Marino")
see o1.getname()

Class Developer

name language = "Ring Programming Language"

func setname value

see "Message from SetName() Function!" + nl
name = value + " - " + language

func getname
see "Message from GetName() Function!" + nl + nl
return "Mr. " + name + nl

Output
Message from SetName() Function!
Message from GetName() Function!

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Mr. Mahmoud - Ring Programming Language

Message from SetName() Function!

Message from GetName() Function!

Mr. Gal - Ring Programming Language

Message from SetName() Function!
Message from GetName() Function!

Mr. Bert - Ring Programming Language

Message from SetName() Function!
Message from GetName() Function!

Mr. Marino - Ring Programming Language

68.22 Why should a search of global names be made while defining

the class attributes?

The question is why we dont avoid conflicts with global variable names when we define the class attributes ?
At first remember that using the optional $ mark in the global variables names solve the problem. Also using the Main
function and avoiding global variables may help.
The Answer:
Ring is a dynamic language
We can in the run-time determine the class attributes (Add/Remove)
We can execute (any code) while defining the class attributes
Example (1)
oPerson = new Person
Class Person
See "Welcome to the Ring language"

Example (2)
Customize attributes based on global variable value
$debug = true
oPerson = new Person
see oPerson
Class Person
if $debug date=date() time=time() ok

In the previous example when we have the $debug flag set to true, we will add the Date and Time attributes to the
object state.
Example (3)
Store the object index based on global variable
$ObjectsCount = 0
oPerson = new Person
see oPerson
oPerson2 = new Person
see oPerson2

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Class Person
$ObjectsCount++
nIndex = $ObjectsCount

Output:
nindex: 1.000000
nindex: 2.000000

Common Example:
Connect to the database then get table columns (Using global Variable/Object).
Create class attributes based on the column names.
Later when you modify the database - you may dont need to modify your code.
Its flexibility but remember that power comes with great responsibility.

68.23 Why Ring doesnt avoid the conflict between Global Variables
and Class Attributes Names?

In this use case we have

1 - Global Variable defined without a special mark like $
2 - Class contains Attributes defined using a special syntax (where we type the attribute name directly after the class)
3 - The Attributes are defined in the class region that allows writing code and using global variables
If I will accepted your proposal about changing how Ring find variables in the class region I must break one of the
previous three features which will lead to more problems that are more important than this problem.
I dont like changing the feature number (1) because I would like to keep Ring code more clean and let the programmer
decide when to use $ or not.
I dont like changing the feature number (2) because I like this feature and I dont like forcing the programmer to type
self.attribute
I dont like changing the feature number (3) because its very important in many applications to access global variables
in the class region.
So what was my decision ?
I decided to leave this case for the programmer who will decide what to do to avoid this special case
1 - The programmer can avoid using global variables (Better) and can use the Main function (Optional)
2 - The programmer can use $ before the variable name or any mark like global_ or g_
3 - The programmer can use self.attribute after the class name to define the attributes
In general, for small programs you can use global variables and functions. For large programs, use classes and objects
and small number of global variables or avoid them at all.

68.24 Where can I write a program and execute it?

Run the Ring Notepad where you can write/execute programs.

If you want to run programs using the command line

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Add Ring/bin folder to the path then

68.25 How to get the file size using ftell() and fseek() functions?

The next function can be used to get the file size without reading the file!
func getFileSize fp
C_FILESTART = 0
C_FILEEND = 2
fseek(fp,0,C_FILEEND)
nFileSize = ftell(fp)
fseek(fp,0,C_FILESTART)
return nFileSize

Note: The previous function take the fp (file pointer) as parameter, We can get the fp from opening the file using
fopen() function.

fp = fopen("filename","r")

see "File Size : " + getFileSize(fp) + nl

Another solution (Read the file)

see len(read("filename"))

68.26 How to get the current source file path?

We can use the next function to get the current source file path then we can add the path variable to the file name
cPath = CurrentPath()
func currentpath
cFileName = filename()
for x = len(cFileName) to 1 step -1
if cFileName[x] = "/"
return left(cFileName,x-1)
ok
next
return cFileName

68.27 What about predefined parameters or optional parameters in

functions?

if you want to use predefined parameters or optional parameters Just accept a list that works like hash/dictionary
Example
sum([ :a = 1, :b = 2])
sum([ :a = 1 ])
sum([ :b = 2 ])
func sum pList
if plist[:a] = NULL pList[:a] = 4 ok

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if plist[:b] = NULL pList[:b] = 5 ok

see pList[:a] + pList[:b] + nl

Output
3
6
6

68.28 How to print keys or values only in List/Dictionary?

If you want to print keys only or values only just select the index of the item (one or two).
Example
C_COUNTRY = 1
C_CITY = 2
mylist = [
:KSA = "Riyadh" ,
:Egypt = "Cairo"
]

for x in mylist
see x[C_COUNTRY] + nl
next

for x in mylist
see x[C_CITY] + nl
next

Output
ksa
egypt
Riyadh
Cairo

68.29 Why I get a strange result when printing nl with lists?

In the next code

list = 1:5 # list = [1,2,3,4,5]
see list + nl

New Line will be added to the list then the list will be printed, the default print of the lists will print a newline at the
end, You added new newline and You have now 2 newlines to be printed.
See <Expr>

The see command just print the final result of the expression, the expression will be evaluated as it
nl = char(13) + char(10) # just a variable that you can change to anything !

The + is an operator

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string + string ---> new string

string + number ---> new string
number + number ---> new number
number + string ---> new number

list + item > nothing new will be created but the item will be added to the same list
Exception
number + nl ?> New String
This exception is added to easily print numbers then new line.
No need for this with printing lists because after printing the last item we already get a new line.

68.30 Could you explain the output of the StrCmp() function?

At first remember that you can check strings using = operator directly.
see strcmp("hello","hello") + nl +
strcmp("abc","bcd") + nl +
strcmp("bcd","abc") + nl

if the two strings are the same then it returns 0

abc and bcd arent the same. in the second line it returns -1 and in the third line it returns 1
In the second line we compare between abc and bcd
Not equal because the first letter in abc = a and the first letter in bcd = b
So we have a != b and a < b
So we get output = -1
In the third line we have bcd and abc
the first letter in bcd is b and the first letter in abc is a
So we have b != a and b > a
So we get output = 1

Note: ASCII(a) = 97 and ASCII(b) = 98 So a < b because 97 < 98

68.31 How to use many source code files in the project?

Example:
I have the next folder
C:\LRing

Contains the next files

C:\LRing\t1.ring
C:\LRing\mylib.ring
C:\LRing\libs\mylib2.ring

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The file t1.ring contains the next code

load "mylib.ring"
load "libs\mylib2.ring"
myfunc()
test()

The file mylib.ring contains the next code

func myfunc
see "message from myfunc"+nl

The file libsmylib2.ring contains the next code

func test
see "message from test" + nl

from the folder C:LRing

If Ring is not added to the path you can add it or use the next command
set path=%path%;c:\ring\bin;

Where c:ring is the Ring folder

Now run
Ring t1.ring

Output
message from myfunc
message from test

68.32 Why this example use the GetChar() twice?

The GetChar() function accept one character from the keyboard buffer
In this example
While True
See "
Main Menu
(1) Say Hello
(2) Exit
"
Option = GetChar()
GetChar() GetChar() # End of line
# the previous two lines can be replaced with the next line
# Give Option

if Option = 1
see "Enter your name : " give cName
see "Hello " + cName
else
bye
ok
End

68.32. Why this example use the GetChar() twice? 797