TWEeT #24: New Thor Tools
Thor TWEeT #24: New Thor Tools
There are nine new tools that have been added in the last month to the Thor Repository:
- Pack VCXs, SCXs, etc. from a project or folder
- Hack Intellisense
- Dropdown Intellisense Scripts
- Keyboard Macro Expansion
- Create SQL Data Dictionary
- Browse SQL Data Dictionary
- MRU Tables
- Toggle PEM Editor Event Handler
- Toggle Debugger
Pack VCXs, SCXs, etc. from a project or folder
The new tool Pack VCXs, SCXs, etc. from a project or folder prompts for a project/folder and then packs all the X-files found in that project/folder.
You can bypass the prompts by invoking the Thor procedure directly:
[1] To pack files in the current project:
lcOption = ExecScript(_Screen.cThorDispatcher, 'Thor_Proc_PackProject', .T.)
[2] To pack files in a specific project:
lcOption = ExecScript(_Screen.cThorDispatcher, 'Thor_Proc_PackProject', cProjectName)
[3] To pack files in a specific folder:
lcOption = ExecScript(_Screen.cThorDispatcher, 'Thor_Proc_PackProject', cFolderName)
The new tool Hack Intellisense provides an extremely usable alternative to the native Intellisense Manager (shown below) for working with your custom Intellisense scripts.
I always found the Intellisense Manager page to be remarkably opaque, to the point where I simply gave up trying to add any new scripts to it.
The tool Hack Intellisense provides a different UI to update your FoxCode table, making everything much clearer. It also provides a number of niceties, including:
- Filtering by text or type of script (I suggest trying "User" filter)
- Sorting
- Buttons to duplicate or remove a script.
- Buffering of your changes, so that you can commit or revert as desired
- Backing up of your FoxCode table.
- Customizable signature
- "Edit" and "Test" buttons for your more intricate code (in field "data")
In the short time that this tool has been available, I have already found that I am taking advantage of these custom scripts much more frequently.
There are also plans of enhancing Hack Intellisense to facilitate sharing of scripts that we have each created over time. I will keep you posted of any developments.
Note also a related tool, DropDown Intellisense Scripts, announced last week, which helps you find and use scripts you have created without using this form.
Hack Intellisense was written by Rick Schummer, with some tweaks by Todd Landrum and myself.
Announcing a new tool, Dropdown Intellisense Scripts, to help you find and use Intellisense scripts created using the Intellisense Manager or the new toolHack Intellisense .
This tool works like a number of other "Dropdown" tools as part of IntellisenseX. It provides a drop-down list of all of the native Intellisense scripts (including any you have added).
The filtering applies not only to the script abbreviation ("TGO" in the example below) but also its description (if any).
Selecting any item from the list will cause that item to be expanded, just as normal Intellisense would have expanded it.
There's also a new wrinkle here -- this works anywhere in a text line, unlike normal Intellisense, which only works at the beginning of a line.
The new tool Keyboard Macro Expansion is an extension to native Intellisense. Native Intellisense expands custom scripts, but only at the beginning of a line of code in the command window or code window.
Thus, when I type TGO (one of my custom Intellisense scripts) into the command window and follow it by a space, it is expanded by Intellisense to:
ExecScript(_Screen.cThorDispatcher, 'Get Option=', 'KEY', 'TOOL')
The new tool Keyboard Macro Expansion also expands Intellinsense scripts, but is not limited to doing so at the beginning of a line.
If I enter the following:
lcOption = TGO
and then call this new tool (which I have assigned to the hot key Ctrl+I), it expands to:
lcOption = ExecScript(_Screen.cThorDispatcher, 'Get Option=', 'KEY', 'TOOL')
(This works by reading the same definitions from the FoxCode table as used by native Intellisense.)
There is a second extension, provided in the plug-in for Keyboard Macro Expansion(see Plug-Ins). The plug-in provides an alternative to the FoxCode table so that you can programmatically evaluate the word that is to be substituted for and replace it as desired. The sample code in the plug-in demonstrates how
loAnything
becomes
Local loAnything as Anything of Anything.prg
IntellisenseX and Super Browse can both access field names from SQL Tables, as described in Thor TWEeT 10.
The natural way to access these field names is to use a connection string to access the SQL Server database.
Alternatively, you can create an SQL Dictionary that contains the names of all tables and their fields, and IntellisenseX will use those field names even if the SQL database is not available.
The name of the SQL Data Dictionary is entered in the Thor configuration form (and note the typo!)
The new tool MRU Tables provides a dropdown list of MRU tables; the selected table is opened withSuper Browse.
Note that all Thor tools that open tables (including Super Browse,Go To Definition, and others) add any table that they open to the system MRU list for tables
This MRU dropdown list is also available from the right-click context menu of the “File Search” command button in Finder.
Toggle PEM Editor Event Handler
PEM Editor, if open, provides design time event handing. The most familiar use is evaluating the Anchor properties when resizing controls so that a form or class resizes as it would at run time. See the PEM Editor help file for more on this.
Nothing magic about this one, other than it’s handy to have a single tool that is available on a hot key.
See also History of all Thor TWEeTs andthe Thor Forum.
Previous headlines
#35, 2014-11-17 TWEeT #23: Buffer Overrun Detected!
#34, 2014-06-11 TWEeT #22: Related IntellisenseX Tools
#33, 2014-06-04 TWEeT #21: Advanced Features: Plug-Ins for IntellisenseX
#32, 2014-05-29 TWEeT #20: Quick Start Guide to IntellisenseX
#30, 2014-05-10 TWEeT #18: IntellisenseX for Nested Objects
#29, 2014-04-29 TWEeT #17: Using Local Aliases in IntellisenseX
#28, 2014-03-03 TWEeT #16: Custom Keyword List for Field Names
#27, 2014-02-24 TWEeT #15: IntellisenseX and the Alias Dictionary
#26, 2014-02-17 TWEeT #14: IntellisenseX for Objects
#25, 2014-02-10 TWEeT #13: New (hidden) IntellisenseX Feature
#24, 2014-02-03 TWEeT #12: IntellisenseX by Dot or by Hot Key?
#23, 2014-01-27 TWEeT #11: IntellisenseX: Aliases for VFP Tables
#22, 2014-01-20 TWEeT #10: IntellisenseX: Field Names from SQL Server Tables
#21, 2014-01-13 TWEeT #9: Extract to Variable and Extract to Constant
#20, 2014-01-05 TWEeT #8: Creating Properties and Methods (#3)
#19, 2013-12-18 TWEeT #7: Creating Properties and Methods (#2)
#18, 2013-08-26 Thor Version 1.40 released: Thor ToolBar
#17, 2013-06-23 New VFPX Project: Finder
#16, 2013-03-31 New Video: 50 Ways to Run a Thor Tool
#15, 2012-03-05 New Thor Tool: AutoComplete
#14, 2012-01-16 Thor videos available from Thor menu
#13, 2012-01-05 Thor's Tool Launcher: The one tool youmust use
#12, 2012-11-16 Thor menus provide access to Discussion Forums and Change Logs
#11, 2012-11-10 Online FoxPro Users Group (OFUG) created
#10, 2012-10-14 New VFPX Project: FoxcodePlus
#9, 2012-10-06 Easy access to all VFPX home pages
#8, 2012-09-30 IntellisenseX released as a VFPX project
#7, 2012-09-19 All VFPX projects can be downloaded from Thor
#6, 2012-09-16 Use the Thor discussion group
#5, 2012-09-10 IntellisenseX released
#4, 2012-09-09 Data Explorer is now a Thor tool
#3, 2012-09-04 New VFPX Projects: Dynamic Forms & Data Explorer
#2, 2012-08-30 Join the Thor Beta discussion group
#1, 2012-08-25: Introducing Thor News
Thor Version 1.40 released: Thor ToolBar
Added the Thor ToolBar. Tools may be added to the Toolbar may using the checkbox shown in the Thor Configuration form, below (and also available in theTool Launcher.)
When you add a tool to the Thor Toolbar, you can select a caption for the tool or select an image to represent it. In the sample below, abbreviated captions are used.
The toolbar’s size, positioning, and docking, persist from one session to the next. (Truth be told, persisting the docking has been problematic.)
New VFPX Project: Finder
The new VFPX project Finder is a powerful search tool to find forms and classes. It searches either a project or folder (with sub-folders) for names of files or classes.
Files or classes can be opened by double-clicking and there are numerous other options available from the context menu for rows in the grid.
When Class Search is used, the classes found can be dragged/dropped onto forms or classes being edited.
See the Finder Home Page and watch theFinder introductory video (11:25).
Thor videos available from Thor menu
There are already a number of videos explaining features of Thor and there are more to come. Follow the link from the Thor menu to the list of all Thor videos.
Thor's Tool Launcher: The one tool you must use
Thor’s Tool Launcher uses a simple screen that allows you to browse through all the Thor tools by keyword, to read their descriptions or visit their home pages, to set their options, and, most importantly, to run them. It also helps you to organize the tools that you use most to make them easily accessible.
Thor suffers from an over-abundance of tools – there are so many that it may seem impossible to find which tools are of interest to you. The Tool Launcher simplifies that search.
Watch this short video (7:57) to learn all about it.
Thor menus provide access to Discussion Forums and Change Logs
The Thor menu has been changed to provide access to a number of related Discussion Forums.
These forums are the preferred form of communication about these tools, rather than private emails, or using the Universal Thread, Foxite, or any other on-line forums.
Change logs for the various tools and components of Thor are now available, as well as a link to the never ending list of Thor ERs.
Online FoxPro Users Group (OFUG) created
A new Online Foxpro User Group is starting up. For more information, join the Google group athttps://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/ofug.
Meetings will be held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 8:30 Eastern Standard Time via GotoMeeting.com or equivalent.
Details about how to join the meeting will be published on the group forum (see link above) immediately before the meeting is to start.
We intend to record the meeting and make it available on-line for those unable to attend.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 20th, 8:30 PM Eastern Time (0130 UTC Wednesday, November 21)
Presenters:
- Matt Slay - Dynamic Forms
- Jim Nelson - PEM Editor and related tools
New VFPX Project: FoxcodePlus
The new VFPX project FoxcodePlus (Beta 1) is available from Check For Updates.
This project is not related to IntellisenseX, another VFPX project, although both provide Intellisense enhancements. FoxCodePlus provides a wider range of features and includes some of the features provided by IntellisenseX. Although not yet tested, it appears that the two may be used concurrently.
After downloading (which includes both the code and documentation), you can use the Thor menu pad in the system menu to open the folder in which these components are installed:
Easy access to all VFPX home pages
Thor now provides ready access to the home pages for all VFPX projects, available from the Thor menu pad.
IntellisenseX released as a VFPX project
IntellisenseX has been released as a VFPX project.
IntellisenseX refers to a suite of Thor Tools that provide functionality similar to native Intellisense. These tools display lists of available variable names, field names, or members (properties, events, methods, and objects) while you type code, just like Intellisense. However, they cover those areas that Intellisense forgot (such as the list of field names in a table when editing in a code window) and provide new capabilities, available through customization, such as displaying the list of field names in an SQL table.
Visit the IntellisenseX home page and also watch the Intellisense training videos.
IntellisenseX is available from Check For Updates.
All VFPX projects can be downloaded from Thor
The current version of all VFPX projects can now be downloaded directly from Check For Updates.
The projects listed in Check For Updates are listed alphabetically within these five groups:
- Projects that you have already downloaded for which there is a more current version. (see #4)
- Projects that you have not downloaded which have had updates in the last three months
- All other projects that you have not downloaded
- Projects that you have already downloaded and which are current
- All projects marked as “never update”. This takes precedence over any of the categories above.
Use the Thor discussion group for comments,
suggestions, bug reports, etc.
Use the “Community / Discussions” menu item in the Thor menu pad to send comments, suggestions, bug reports, and so on to the Thor Discussion Group. You are invited to become a member of the group so that you can see what is going on in the land of Thor.
Two things of note:
- You can email discussion questions (with screenshots) directly to:
- When reporting bugs, please provide as much information as possible, including screenshots. Any information you can provide (such as an image of the debugger, etc.) will be greatly appreciated.
IntellisenseX released
IntellisenseX refers to a suite of Thor Tools that provide functionality similar to native Intellisense. These tools display lists of available variable names, field names, or members (properties, events, methods, and objects) while you type code, just like Intellisense. However, they cover those areas that Intellisense forgot (such as the list of field names in a table when editing in a code window) and provide new capabilities, available through customization, such as displaying the list of field names in an SQL table, as shown below. For a full description, see the IntellisenseX Home Page.
Data Explorer is now a Thor tool
Data Explorer 3 is now available as a Thor Tool. This means that you can choose to access it by hot key by assigning the hot key in the Thor configuration form.
New VFPX Projects: Dynamic Forms & Data Explorer
Two new VFPX projects have been created in the last few days and are available from Check For Updates:
After downloading, you can use the Thor menu pad in the system menu to open the folder in which these components are installed:
Join the Thor Beta discussion group.
The Thor Beta discussion group is intended for discussions of features currently under development for Beta versions of Thor, the Thor Repository, and PEM Editor.
All other Thor issues should be directed to the Thor discussion group.
To use the Beta version for Thor, download Thor Repository Beta Updater.Zip and unzip it into this sub-folder of the folder where you have installed Thor:Thor\Tools\Updates\My Updates
Thereafter, you will see a record for "Thor Repository Beta" when you run "Check For Updates".
Introducing Thor News.
This is the first installment of the Thor News, which will notify you of changes and updates to Thor. It will also, from time to time, explore some of the more interesting tools found in Thor.
The latest news will be brought to you:
- each time that you run Check For Updates
- once a week when you execute RunThor.
You can change these settings in the Thor Configuration form: