!define and CRLF escape codes

ZinthoseJuly 31, 2009 at 2:07 PM#

I got a notion in my head and wanted to try it out.

Create a multiline !define.

## Declaration
Var /GLOBAL NULL
!define NULL `$NULL\\R\\NStrCpy $NULL 0`
## Example
    Pop ${NULL}
    DetailPrint $NULL
    
## Becomes
    Pop $NULL
StrCpy $NULL 0
    DetailPrint $NULL

At the moment this doesn't appear possible without building my own processor. The idea is an interesting whimsy and I thought I'd share in the hopes that the concept can be discussed. This might make for some interesting macros in the future if implemented.

Request Ticket

AndersJuly 31, 2009 at 3:18 PM#

first off, a macro can't help you?

the problem with this is, what if you want a newline in the define, !define sometext "foo$\nBar" ? This is far more common, so you would need to come up with another way to escape it. I don't think $\0 does anything, so maybe we could use that

ZinthoseJuly 31, 2009 at 4:59 PM#

A macro would work IF the macro could be included inline. It would also make the code easier to read than mentally parsing the meta characters in your head like the previous !define example.

At this time though, adding an inline !includemacro causes a compiler error.

## Definitions
    Var /GLOBAL NULL
    !define NULL `!insertmacro NULL`
    !macro NULL
        $NULL
        StrCpy $NULL 0
    !macroend
Section
    ## Example
        Pop ${NULL}
        DetailPrint $NULL
    
    ## Becomes
        Pop !insertmacro NULL # Compile Error here: Pop expects 1 parameters, got 2.
        DetailPrint $NULL
    
    ## Then
        Pop $NULL
        StrCpy $NULL 0
        DetailPrint $NULL  
    
        Quit
SectionEnd

AndersJuly 31, 2009 at 5:10 PM#



!macro NULL op

${op} $NULL

StrCpy $NULL 0 

!macroend





!insertmacro NULL pop

DetailPrint $NULL