November 25, 2000

OKScript Status Report #12

Dear OKScript User,

The OKScript Status Report is sent to OKScript licensees,
developers and friends when significant updates have been 
made to the program. To be removed from the distribution 
list please write to me at yweare@gte.net or go to the
OKScript mail list at http://www.egroups.com.

This issue discribes the additions and changes made in the 
November 20, 2000 release of OKScript, including:

1. Indirect macro addressing.
2. NUMBER iftype.
3. Fixed STATE RESTORE bug.
4. Fixed QUOTECHAR anomaly.
5. Improved popup behavior.

Most users will not be affected by these enhancements. If
they do affect your scripts you can download the latest 
revision from http://home1.gte.net/yweare. Your existing 
license will automatically be active on the new software 
if you install it to the same directory, otherwise you 
will have to re-enter the registration data (or copy the 
okscript.ini file from the folder where your licensed 
program was installed.) The current build is dated 
November 20, 2000. Click Help | About to determine the date of 
your copy of OKScript. Please note that following update 
announcements the OKScript web site may become sluggish.
If you experience this please try again later or write me 
and I'll send you the installation package as an email 
attachment. (Please specify the particular package that 
you want sent.)

1. OKScript's very limited indirect macro addressing 
capabilities have been expanded. The current version
allows a macro to reference another macro which is then
expanded. This is done by prefixing the macro name with
an asterisk (*), e.g. %*mymacro%. Here is a code
fragment that illustrates how this might work:

  MACRO ccc Seattle
  MACRO bbb ccc
  ...
  LET aaa %*bbb%

Aaa will recieve "Seattle" when the LET instruction 
executes. Note that if bbb were defined with:

  MACRO bbb *ccc

then the LET instruction would indirect again and
ultimately try to expand "Seattle" as if it were a macro.
Indirect addressing is frequently useful in complex
scripts.

2. IF instructions can now check to ensure that some
text translates into a legal number whose value can
be used without error. One might write, for example:

  IF NUMBER %n% EQ
    IF VALUE %n% LT 7
        ...
      ELSE
        ...
      FI
    FI

3. STATE RESTORE now correctly restores zero-length 
macros. This instruction previously did not generate
a macro entry for empty valued macros, which caused
errors when referenced by a script.

4. Previously when a QUOTECHAR instruction was removed
or commented out the previous QUOTECHAR would continue to be 
active until OKScript was restarted or a QUOTECHAR % 
instruction was added. This has been fixed so that removal 
of a QUOTECHAR line always reverts back to %.

5. In the past the dialog boxes that appear with the
GET, IF QUERY and MESSAGE instructions would often not
be focused, particularly if the script had previously
activated another window; users would have to click on
the dialog before entering data. This has to a large extent
been fixed, although there still may be circumstances
where a small DELAY or WAITFOR prior to the dialog
producing instruction would further enhance focus
reliability.

For more information, or suggestions for enhancements
to this program, write me at yweare@gte.net, or
visit the website. 

Thank you for your support in developing OKScript.

Michael Mardesich
okb://mikezzz