SIMPOL Language Reference Manual

The Nitty Gritty

Neil Robinson

Anthony K. Dyer

All rights reserved. The programs and documentation in this book are not guaranteed to be without defect, nor are they declared to be fit for any specific purpose other than instruction in the use of the programming language SIMPOL. It is entirely possible (though not probable) that use of any sample program code in this book could reformat your hard disk disable your computer forever, fry your dog in a microwave oven, and even cause a computer virus to infect you by touching the keyboard, though none these things is terribly likely (after all, almost anything is possible. It is just that most things are extremely improbable.

Revision History
Revision 0.272007-11-19nr
Added the initial documentation for the smodbc component.
Revision 0.262007-09-27nr
Corrected the documentation of the new() method for point and fixedpoint types. Added documentation for the wxprintout.startprintpreview() method, wxprintdialog() function, wxformedittext.onchange and wxformcombo.onchange events. Updated the documentation of the wxformgrid.setcellvalue() method to add the valuearray parameter. Added the information property to the function type definition.
Revision 0.252007-06-11nr
Completed the proper documentation of the point and fixedpoint types.
Revision 0.242007-05-03nr
Updated the documentation for the receivestring() and receiveblob() functions for the tcpsocket type. Also added the documentation for the enhancements to the sbme1 objects that now allow for modifying the file definition, exposing the internal record ID as an indexed field, and retrieving the record count of a table.
Revision 0.232007-04-23nr
Removed the section covering the UTUI component, since this component has been deprecated now for some time by more complete functionality in the WXWN component. Also added all of the current documentation regarding the wxprintout objects: wxprintout, wxprintpage, wxprintpagetemplate, wxprintstring, wxprintbitmap, wxprinttextitem, and wxprintbitmapitem.
Revision 0.222007-01-08nr
Fixed the entry for wxrgbdialog (was missing the defaultrgb parameter) and added the entries and updates to wxwindow for child windows.
Revision 0.212006-12-28nr
Added the reference information for the wxgraphicline, wxgraphictriangle, wxgraphicrectangle, wxgraphicellipse and wxgraphicarc types. Updated the information for the wxform type where required by the new types.
Revision 0.202006-12-07nr
Added the reference information for the point, fixedpoint, event, function, module, property, and type types. Updated the information for the blob type. Added the information for the oncellselect event of the wxformgrid type and the additional enhancements for hosting wxform objects in a wxtoolbar.
Revision 0.192006-11-17nr
Added the hidden property for ppcstype1servertable types, as well as the comparable parameter to the setshareability() method. Also added the setpassword() and getpassword() methods to the same type.
Revision 0.182006-11-03nr
Added the wxscreengettextextent(), wxgetclipboard() and wxsetclipboard() functions.
Revision 0.172006-10-27nr
Added txfactor property, parameters and associated methods for the ppcstype1 and ppcstype1serverudp types.
Revision 0.162006-10-10nr
Added wxstatusbar, wxform.cursor (mouse pointer control), wxformedittext enhancements: setselection(), getselection(), setinsertionpoint(), getinsertionpoint(), and setmaxlength().
Revision 0.152006-09-08nr
Added everything about wxformscrollbar, wxformsizebox, wxform.onmouse, wxform.capture(), wxform.release(), wxform.popupmenu(), and numerous enhancements to various controls. Removed the deprecated window1 and form1 sections.
Revision 0.142006-05-08nr
Added more information about wxgrid methods.
Revision 0.132006-04-22nr
Added more information about wxgrid. Implemented the documentation for the member operator (!) in appropriate places. Updated all of the source files to ensure consistent source formatting. Added the new information about wxgetfilename(), wxgetdirectory(), and wxmessage() which now deprecates the UTUI component.
Revision 0.122006-03-31nr
Added information about wxgrid, wxtoolbar, and wxtool. Converted to using <oXygen/> for editing and processing the documentation. First PDF version produced.
Revision 0.112006-03-06nr
The latest documentation for the current state of the WXWN component has been added. This includes the wxbitmap, wxbitmapbutton, wxmenubar, wxmenubarentry, wxmenu, and wxmenuitem types. Also, all of the types that were updated with the new underscore and double underscore properties have been updated.
Revision 0.102005-12-23nr
All of the documentation for the current state of the WXWN component has been added. This includes the wxwindow, wxform, wxformbutton, wxformtext, wxformedittext, wxformcheckbox, wxformoption, wxformlist, and wxformcombo, wxfont, wxdialog, and wxdialogstdbutton objects, as well as the wxprocess() and wxbreak() functions.
Revision 0.092004-04-01nr
Split the book into a Programmer's Guide and a Reference Guide. Added the reference documentation for the frm1, win1, ppsr, utos, and utui components. Changed to a component architecture type of book. All of the reference documentation on types and free functions that are not a built-in part of SIMPOL are now generated using a program written in SIMPOL that converts an XML document format created by us for documenting the API. Also added the documentation for !wait() and !like1().
Revision 0.082003-09-04nr
Added the lock1 type, AND, OR, and XOR operators, the anyvalue type, additional narrative.
Revision 0.072003-01-13nr
Added the array type, .compress1, .decompress1, various type tags, additional narrative.
Revision 0.062002-10-02nr
Added the Superbase Micro Engine new types and wrote the content of the Variables chapter.
Revision 0.052002-09-30nr
Added the section covering the Superbase Micro Engine types.
Revision 0.042002-07-27nr
Added some more detail in the basic document and redesigned into parts.
Revision 0.032002-05-20nr
Added the section on esf1 types and reworked the smpol-types to be based on includes.
Revision 0.022002-02-27nr
Added the section on grammar and modified the book to include the initial main documentation.
Revision 0.012001-12-05nr
Initial conversion of existing SIMPOL documentation into DocBook XML format.

Abstract

This book contains the programmer's reference documentation for the new Superbase programming language called SIMPOL. It is intended primarily as a reference work for those individuals with a programming background and will also provide online help for development with the IDE.