I would like to remove a Russian comments, before put the script on the forum.

There are other reasons to remove comments.

Hello I want to start off by saying I have the greatest respect for AutoIt and its developer I've used it for many years and it's saved my ass countless times I've used it since the beginning infact and I have huge complex scripts to prove it such as Bots and all kinds of automation stuff (I can post if you want lol).

I love AutoIt but I always felt it was lacking certain features that I missed a lot from Perl/PHP/C#/C++ I tried using the AutoIt DLL to embed AutoIt into projects I was doing but I found the DLL deeply lacking and with a deep inability to customize the functions that DLL gives really upset me.

I decided to try make my own little script language to try bridge the gap between my favourite general programming language and AutoIt scripting a kind of glue if you will.

Evenutally it grew from being a simple glue to its own individual scripting language that handles every function internally and does not use anything from AutoIt.

It was not easy making such a complex language that would incorporate all the best stuff from AutoIt and all the best stuff from other languages I love such as classes/arrays from PHP, Regexes from Perl and so on.

The result of my work (the past 2 years of work infact) is Sputnik.

I have tried to make Sputnik as friendly for AutoIt users as possible (similar function names etc) so people can test stuff and see if they like/hate it.

Sputnik Scripting Language a simple easy to use beginner friendly language created to be have as much stuff from all my favourite languages as possible in one place.

This was made as a fun project to try produce a scripting language that did everything I need to do.

Sputnik is already proving to be a lot of fun and very easy to use and very powerful!
It is fully useable.

A list of some of the things Sputnik supports:
* Ability to make GUI programs that support infinite amounts of Windows running at once
* PHP Style syntax using curly braces {}
* Enums like C++
* Approx 700 functions, 50 or so operators and many casts
* Dynamically unload functions/classes from your running program and reload them back again from source code allowing full complete updates to the source of your program while it is still running
* Try/Catch/Finally with ability to create exceptions even extended ones using the internal class
* Can assign hotkeys to run scripts/functions anything they can be simple hotkeys or very complex hotkeys
* The $variable can be any of the following: char, bool, byte, sbyte, int16, int32, int64, uint16, uint32, uint64, float, double, string, array, ref
* Ability to make Macros to control Windows/Buttons/Objects/Mouse/Keyboard (Bascially like as AutoIt) can send text to applications etc etc
* Classes with ability to extend them and multiple inheritance every operator and cast can be overloaded in the Classes
* Multi-threading with ability to spawn/speed/kill threads and even define areas of code as Locked so stop two threads running it at once
* Can make GUI programs with buttons and all kinds of stuff even MDI interfaces
* Very easy to use Array system that works exactly like PHPs no need to redim etc etc
* Support for calling DLL functions and even pass arrays as individual arguments and even inline C code directly into your script
* Perl style regexes using same syntax as Perl $var =~ //; etc
* Support for complex Parsers using Rules and Terminals (Sputnik's parser function can even be used to parse Sputniks own code)
* Type checking like $var ~~ Int32
* Binary features to handle Binary data with Pack() Unpack() (similar to PHP/Perl) and over 40 binary functions
* Stream functions similar to binary but faster if you want to do loads of appending/inserting
* Many math functions
* Around 60 string functions
* DLLCall can call single functions but DLLImport can load thousands at a time and even save them as newly compiled DLL for faster loading speed
* Can capture console output of executed third party programs
* Many file creation/read/write frunction
* Many directory/path functions
* Ability to create UDP/TCP raw sockets for creating client/server programs
* Includes an additional easy to use beginner friendly powerful internal Client/Server series of functions making producing client/servers a breeze
* Many memory read/write functions for Trainer creation and game hacking
* Many memory function to alloc, free, modify in many ways
* Get/Set clipboard data
* MsgBox/InputBox
* Can hook messages to improve your macros like mousehooking/keyhooking
* All the familure Win___() functions from AutoIt you would expect WinActive, WinList its all there
* All the Control___() functions from AutoIt you would expect
* Pixel functions such as searching for pixels on screen for creating AimBots
* Call functions by name with params or arrays of params
* Dynamically create source code/functions while your program is running and execute that code
* Dynamically create a function on a $variable and execute it like: $Func =  Function( $a, $b ){ println("Value is: " . ($a + $ [] ); }; CallFunc($Func, array(10, 20));
* Ability to throw exceptions/die
* Ability to include/require and optionally once
* Opt() like AutoIt to set any options you desire like WinTitleMatchMode
* Comes with a small but growing library of functions/classes made in Sputnik that includes vector3 class, parses etc creating C dlls/exes etc

* Sputnik fully parses the scripts before it starts executing code so you dont *bump* into an error later you get it right in your face straight away.

* Supports global variables like: Global $value = "hello";

* Supports local variables like: my $value = "hello";

* Supports scoped variables inside braces if() { my $value = "hello"; }

* Supports Lists like:  List ($name, $id) = Split($str, '|');

and many many more.... see the wiki

I have created a wiki for Sputnik where I place all its functions and operators etc etc the link is:
http://uberfox.no-ip.org/Sputnik/wiki

The "Function Reference" page on the wiki contains every function found in Sputnik with example code you can copy and paste.

I would be happy if you could try it out and tell me if you like it or dont like it whatever I made it for myself and in the whole time it's existed only me and my friend have actually used it nobody else but I would like to see if anybody else is interested... Or not...

If you decide to take a look I would greatly appreciate bug reports and any advise/function requests you wish.

You can e-mail me at
uberfox@hotmail.com

How I see in

http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/scite/docs/Tidy.html

There is an option that is enabled by default.

 * * *  Add comment to EndFunc statement e.g. "EndFunc   ;==>UDF_Name"
#~ endfunc_comment=1

 

I have to honestly say that I like it.

Then I began to wonder:

Is a similar functionality can be added to other functions available in AutoIT.

#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>
Func _Test_comment_1() ; comment example for Func and EndFunc
    Local $sString = ""
    If $sString > 0 Then ; comment using IF Then
        MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Value is positive.")
    ElseIf $sString < 0 Then
        MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Value is negative.")
    Else ; comment using IF Then
        If StringIsXDigit($sString) Then
            MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Value might be hexadecimal!")
        Else
            MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Value is a string.")
        EndIf
    EndIf ; comment using IF Then
 
 
    Local $sMsg = ""
    Switch @HOUR ; comment using switch
        Case 6 To 11
            $sMsg = "Good Morning"
        Case 12 To 17
            $sMsg = "Good Afternoon"
        Case 18 To 21
            $sMsg = "Good Evening"
        Case Else
            $sMsg = "What are you still doing up?"
    EndSwitch ; comment using switch
 
    Local $iValue = 0
    Local $sBlank = "Test"
    Select ; comment using Select
        Case $iValue = 1
            MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "The first expression was True.")
        Case $sBlank = "Test"
            MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "The second expression was True")
        Case Else ; If nothing matches then execute the following.
            MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "No preceding case was True.")
    EndSelect ; comment using Select
 
 
 
    Local $oExcel = ObjCreate("Excel.Application")
    $oExcel.visible = 1
    $oExcel.workbooks.add
 
    With $oExcel.activesheet ; comment using With
        .cells(2, 2).value = 1
        .range("A1:B2").clear
    EndWith ; comment using With
 
    Local $i = 0
    While $i <= 10 ; comment using While
        MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Value of $i is: " & $i)
        $i = $i + 1
    WEnd ; comment using While
 
 
    Do ; comment using Do Until
        ExitLop
 
    Until 1 ; comment using Do Until
 
EndFunc   ;==>_Test_comment_1

If False Then ; Comment assigned to External "IF THEN"
    ;.....
    If True Then ; Comment assigned to Central "IF THEN"
        ;.....
    Else ; Comment assigned to Central "IF THEN"
        ;.....
        If True Then ; Comment assigned to Internal "IF THEN"
            ;.....
        Else ; Comment assigned to Internal "IF THEN"
            ;.....
        EndIf ; Comment assigned to Internal "IF THEN"
        ;.....
    EndIf ; Comment assigned to Central "IF THEN"
    ;.....
Else ; Comment assigned to External "IF THEN"
    ;.....
EndIf ; Comment assigned to External "IF THEN"

Jos: What You thik about that ?

EDIT: add tag to the thread

This post outlines correct usage of reporting a documentation error in AutoIt.

To report a help file issue, first navigate to Trac and create a new ticket. Ensure that the issue isn't present in the latest available version e.g. beta version and follow the following requirements for submitting:

• Change the "Component" option to Documentation.
• Change the "Version" option to whichever version you saw the issue in. It's preferred that you check the latest version .e.g. current beta, before submitting the ticket.
• Be as descriptive as you can when posting an issue, the more information you can provide e.g. where you found the issue and what it should be, will aid in the problem being fixed quickly.

Up until now those that have posted have done so in a clear and concise manner, so lets keep it that way please. If this starts to deviate in any way then I will be forced to adopt a more strict approach.

Previous 'Report Help File Issues' thread.

Issues with AutoIt:
For reporting an issue with AutoIt ensure you've isolated the problem in a small script that reproduces the error, assessed in the General Help and Support Forum that it's not a problem with poorly written code and then if none of those fix the problem, post to Trac for an AutoIt Developer to assess the issue.

Note: Any issues that are reported in this thread are not guaranteed to be seen by a Developer and therefore fixed.

If you would like to report an issue then please navigate to Help File/Documentation Issues and follow the instructions.

This thread is used to discuss about help file issues only and ideas that people might have to improve future releases of the help file. This has been created so as not to bloat the Tracker with discussion based comments.

Thank you.

I am working to create the design of a ribbon menu and I don't know how could I set the size of my buttons something like 64x64 instead of 32x32.

Right now my button is defined in xml like so:

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Application xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2009/Ribbon">
  <Application.Commands>
      <Command Name="Tab2" Id="2" LabelTitle="Collection" LabelDescription="" TooltipTitle="Collection" TooltipDescription="" Keytip="C" />
        <Command Name="Group2" Id="7" LabelTitle="Collection" LabelDescription="" TooltipTitle="Collection" TooltipDescription="" Keytip="CC" />
        <Command Name="Button2" Id="22" LabelTitle="New" LabelDescription="" TooltipTitle="New" TooltipDescription="" Keytip="CCN">
            <Command.LargeImages>
                <Image Source="C:\Misc\Ico\collection_new.bmp" />
            </Command.LargeImages>
        </Command>
    </Application.Commands>
    <Application.Views>
        <Ribbon>
            <Ribbon.Tabs>
                <Tab CommandName="Tab2">
                    <Group CommandName="Group2" SizeDefinition="OneButton">
                        <Button CommandName="Button2" />
                    </Group>
                </Tab>
            </Ribbon.Tabs>
        </Ribbon>
    </Application.Views>
</Application>

How could I set the size of a button when I design it in xml?

After updateing SciTE components (SciTE.exe, SciLexer.dll, Tidy.exe, Obfuscator.exe, AutoIt3Wrapper.exe)

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/153779-tidy-proposal-add-comment-to-else-endif-endselect-endif-wend/page-2#entry1109169

I have again a problem with the compilation of programs, I think that a similar issue was previously discussed here:

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/152874-tidy-stopping-file-cannot-be-updated/

When I try to compile some of my programs, I have this message:

 

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\SciTE\AutoIt3Wrapper\AutoIt3Wrapper.exe" /prod /in "L:\TOOLs\Macro\WORK $$ _MyScript\MyScript.au3"

+>10:56:23 Starting AutoIt3Wrapper v.2.1.2.26 SciTE v.3.3.2.0 ;  Keyboard:00000415  OS:WIN_7/Service Pack 1  CPU:X64 OS:X64    Environment(Language:0415  Keyboard:00000415  OS:WIN_7/Service Pack 1  CPU:X64 OS:X64)

> Running:vDataKompilacji.exe

FileExists(L:\TOOLs\Macro\WORK $$ _MyScript\MyScript_Licencja.au3)

1

>Running Tidy (2.3.0.18)  from:C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\SciTE\tidy

+>10:56:23 Tidy ended.rc:0

>Running AU3Check (3.3.9.5)  from:C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3

+>10:56:25 AU3Check ended.rc:0

>Running Obfuscator (1.0.30.11)  from:C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\SciTE\Obfuscator cmdline:

+> Obfuscator v1.0.30.11 finished processsing 123318 lines, stripped 69486 comment lines. created:L:\TOOLs\Macro\WORK $$ _MyScript\MyScript_Obfuscated.au3 with 53832 lines.

>Running AU3Check for obfuscated file(3.3.9.5)  from:C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3

+>10:56:40 AU3Check Obfuscated code ended.rc:0

>Running:(3.3.8.1):C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\aut2exe\aut2exe.exe  /in "L:\TOOLs\Macro\WORK $$ _MyScript\MyScript_Obfuscated.au3" /out "C:\Users\user\~AU3ygacltc.exe" /nopack /icon "..\WORK--ICONS\Work_black.ico" /comp 0

+>10:56:42 Aut2exe.exe ended.L:\TOOLs\Macro\WORK $$ _MyScript\C:\Users\user\~AU3ygacltc.exe. rc:0

>10:56:42 Performing the Program Resource Update steps:

...>Updating Program Version information.

!>10:56:42 Error: EndUpdateResource: Returncode = 0 - LastError:110:System nie może otworzyć określonego urządzenia lub pliku.rc:2

!>10:56:42 Error: Program Resource updating Failed. The output program will not contain the Resource updates!rc:2

File Name: AutoIt v3.3.9.18 Beta

File Submitter: Jon

File Submitted: 20 Aug 2013

File Category: Beta

3.3.9.18 (20th August, 2013) (Beta)
AutoIt:
- Fixed #2384: UDPRecv() and TCPRecv() not setting @error correctly in some instances.
- Fixed #2367: Sometimes two COM objects wouldn't be classed as equal during comparisons.

UDFs:
- Added: GDIPlus functions and their respective documentation and example.

- Changed: _FileWriteToLine() can read a file with various line endings (not recommended).
- Changed: Re-wrote _FileReadToArray() to use the native function FileReadToArray() when $iFlag is set to 0.

- Removed: Documentation and example for _StringReverse(). Scripts should be updated to use the native function StringReverse() instead.

Click here to download this file

I'd like to submit two points to your consideration, especially Jon since they point to PCRE compile options or canned option(s) set or prepended to every pattern submitted.

First, it seems to me that the current default newline convention is LF only.

#include <Array.au3>

Local $sData =  "12 abc." & @CRLF & "13 def;" & @CRLF & "14 ghi."
Local $aRes

; Say we want an array of lines that start with a number and end with a dot.

; Using the default built-in convention, we miss "12 abc."
$aRes = StringRegExp($sData, "(?m)(^\d+.*\.$)", 3)
_ArrayDisplay($aRes, "Valid lines (*LF)")

; Forcing newline convention to be @CRLF works like expected
$aRes = StringRegExp($sData, "(*CRLF)(?m)(^\d+.*\.$)", 3)
_ArrayDisplay($aRes, "Valid lines (*CRLF)")

While this default works well under Unix-like OSes using @LF only, it brings issues with $ under Windows.

EDIT: much simplified example follows in subsequent post.

In multiline mode (?m), $ is a true assertion at end of subject or before a newline (c.f. current newline convention). In the first example above, the literal dot (\.) is not the character just before $, since there is a @CR between the dot and the @LF which is where $ is true.

Using the sequence (*CRLF) at start of a pattern, we force the newline convention to be @CRLF as a whole, which is the most common situation in the Windows world. You can see the difference with the second example above.

That's why I'd recommend to use the  --enable-newline-is-crlf PCRE library build-time option. This is equivalent to prepending (*CRLF) to every pattern submitted. Yet people can override this default setting when they need to process text using another convention. For the record, available conventions (to be used once at the very start of a pattern) are:

  (*CR)        carriage return
  (*LF)        linefeed
  (*CRLF)      carriage return, followed by linefeed
  (*ANYCRLF)   any of the three above
  (*ANY)       all Unicode newline sequences

Note to Jon: equivalently, the PCRE_NEWLINE_CRLF option bit can be passed at pattern compile-time to pcre_compile[2]().

_________________________________________________________

The second point offers more room for debate. The question is: should we force the UCP option internally or should we leave it to the users to specify it when they actually need it?

You all know I've been a strong lobbyist for compilation of PCRE with full Unicode support (UCP option). It allows users of non-english scripts (= written language) to see casing apply to their fancy letters, use category properties and this is very important.

The issue is that the UCP option is currently forced ON internally. Not only it slows down most pattern matching to a great extent but it also precludes users to reset the option. The consequence is that many common features like \w or \b change their meaning to extend it to the full Unicode plane 0 (AutoIt charset). It may not be what user want, but they have no way to revert to the non-UCP behavior.

If we leave UCP support in (that is the --enable-unicode-properties library compile-time option) but do not force it at pattern compile-time (by not setting the PCRE_UCP option bit passed to pcre_compile[2]()), I feel we have the best of all worlds. By default, pattern matching will run at the best speed and if/when people know or suspect they will have to match non-english letters, non-ASCII punctuation and the like, they can always prepend (*UCP) right at the start of their patterns, which is the pattern option to enable that feature.

I'm sorry if this sounds complicated but in fact it isn't really. Anyway the outcome impacts the regexp summary in StringRegExp help file.

Hi I am trying to do a test with Internet explorer using the following but I am stuck on the click and feeling that the drag and drop is going to be impossible.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could point me to some examples.

Thanks.

1. Triggering a click on the 'Try it yourself" href of this.

http://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_draganddrop.asp

It appears that it's not in a form so the examples from the forums I'm using don't work.

2. Drag and drop from this page http://www.w3schools.com/html/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml5_draganddrop

Are there any examples of drag and drop inside Internet explorer?

Kind regards.

File Name: AutoIt v3.3.9.19 Beta

File Submitter: Jon

File Submitted: 24 Aug 2013

File Category: Beta

3.3.9.19 (24th August, 2013) (Beta)
AutoIt:
- Changed: Default newline character for PCRE regexes changed from LF to CRLF.
- Changed: PCRE_UCP option is no longer used by default in regexes.

UDFs:
- Changed: _EventLog__ @error values in the respective documentation.

AutoItX:
- Added: AutoItX3_PS.dll - A PowerShell Cmdlet wrapper for AutoItX.
- Added: Visual Studio 2010 C++ Project files (easy to use in 2010 or later).
- Changed: Renamed AutoIt3.h to AutoItX3_DLL.h.
- Removed: Removed DevC files and Visual Studio 6 files.
- Removed: ANSI versions of Send/WinWait functions from the native DLL.
- Fixed: AutoItX3.lib files weren't correctly being copied to the install file.

Others:
- Added: Direct links to functions, keywords and macros in the help file.

- Changed: Merged both the AutoIt and UDF help files into a single chm file.



I'll create some topics in the AutoItX forum for the DLL stuff. It's only got a few functions enabled as a preview.

Click here to download this file

I've added these experimental PowerShell Cmdlets to the beta download. 

To use open PowerShell ISE:

Import-Module "C:\Program Files\AutoIt\Beta\AutoItX\AutoItX3_PS.dll"

Wait-AU3WinActive -Title "Untitled - Notepad"

You will need to specify "C:\Program Files (x86)" if you have a 64bit system.

It should work with PowerShell v2.0 or v3.0 - although it's in a very early stage yet.

Current CmdLets Implemented

I've added AutoItX3_DLL.cs to the beta. It contains the DLLImports and some easier to use wrappers.  The DLLImports are set as private with only the wrappers being visible as I intend for all use/intellisense to be done through the wrappers - I just have to code them all up...

The wrappers currently implemented match the speed of development as the PowerShell Cmdlets because I'm doing them at the same time.

Hello,

I am trying to whip up an AutoIt3 script that will test a network card that has been installed, but is not connected to a network.  I made an Ethernet Loopback, but I'm not sure if there is really any way to test if the card is any good or not without actually connecting it to an active network.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

What could I check for that would show me that the individual ports are any good?

Also, I should mention that I am new to autoIt.

Thank you in advance.

I believe the source code for AutoIt is available. I searched the forums but only found a topic written in 2005 that provides a link that's there, but the full source code for the latest version is not.

Can someone indicate where to get it?

Hello all, sorry if this post is miscategorized but I could not find another section that is a better fit.

I am looking for an AutoIt developer to help us with a couple sessions automation tasks. If you are interested please send me an email at eakkas /// globalme.net

This is to be used for a study session

- Display instructions to the user (for the next X minutes, please do etc. etc. etc.)

- Once user confirms read (click of a button) start a timer and also a local screen recording session (via a hotkey)

- Upon expiration of time, direct user to a web based survey

- Once survey is submitted move on to the next task which will follow the same flow (a total of 5-6 of these, randomized)

- For some of the items, there will be minor additional requirements (ie keep a dialog box on the screen with permanent instructions)

That's about it. I have one more which is a bit more complicated. If the first deliverable is good, we will immediately move to the next.

Thanks in advance

File Name: AutoItX Beta (COM / PowerShell / C#)

File Submitter: Jon

File Submitted: 30 Aug 2013

File Category: Beta

A separate download for the AutoItX components for those interested to keep tabs on development.

Click here to download this file

After the experience gained from the first version of Stella SDK and successfully publishing dozens of apps in the biggest and still expanding Chinese Android market. Stella SDK 2 is now released with significant changes that will improve the way it works including a vast range of possibilities for the porting of iOS apps to other systems.

Stella SDK 2 allows developers to cross-compile Objective-C apps to Android, without maintaining a separate code base in Java. It is used by many top rated games, including iDaggers, Sunnyseeds, Mad Dragon, etc. 

We are pleased to announce that Stella SDK 2 is being offered as a free solution for both game and app developers (beta), with main features including:

-       massively improved UIKit for app compatibility (StellaKit)

-       newly introduced sibtool to convert xib files to sib files (StellaKit)

-       using UI- prefix for Stella Kit classes (StellaKit)

-       support for Cocos2Dv2 (OpenGLESv2)

-       implicit/explicit animation support (Core Animation)

-       support for gesture recognizors (StellaKit)

-       improved xcgen so that iOS build settings are retained (xcgen)

-       introduced general purpose stella-config script (scripts)

The download link is: https://github.com/morningtec/StellaSDK

Our official website link is: http://www.morningtec.cn/en/stella

The tutorial link is: http://www.morningtec.cn/en/docs/getting-started.php

Please let us know what you think in the comments. Thanks!

To be clear.  I'm not having any issues getting things to work.   I just want to clarify my understanding of how I think things are supposed to work.

I've been using abbreviations for years.  I just updated to the newest ver of SciTE4AutoIt3 and discovered all my custom stuff has disappeared.  Not a big deal as I do have them in a text file.  A quick peak shows there is something now called the Scite abbreviation manager.  I have no idea how long that has been part of the package but I've never seen it before.

So I'm guessing this is the new way we are supposed to use to do abbreviations.  My guess this is so it can be standardised and if changed are made the tool will know and an end user will not have to worry about it.  Sounds good.  

In the past I used to edit various files to insert my abbreviations.  At some point the needed files changed and I added an include in one file to point to the others and it worked.  Looks like things have changed again.  So before I go messing with things can someone point me to where it talks about the new standard way of doing this.

nevermind I've already messed around as I started composing.


au3.keywords.abbreviations.properties
In the past I had to add custom abbreviations to this file (unless I was reusing an existing one).  This seems to have been reset back to the default content. If I did not put the custom ones here then they did not auto expand.


abbrev.properties
This used to contain my abbreviations and the code they expanded into.  It  had to be at the end so as to overwrite any existing ones with my versions.  I see it now it only contains a couple of calls to import other files.
It has been wiped out and now only contains the two lines.

import au3abbrev
import au3UserAbbrev

With that in mind a quick search shows...

"C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\SciTE\Properties\au3abbrev.properties"
"C:\Users\Calvin\au3abbrev.properties"
- these seem to be the Global abbreviations.  Both files are the same.   Should I have two?


"C:\Users\Calvin\au3UserAbbrev.properties"                                        
- this is blank.

"C:\Users\Calvin\Dropbox\000 - my dir\pics\au3UserAbbrev.properties"            
- contains my old custom stuff.  Obviously it won't work there.  I must have accidentally moved it when I was moving my "user includes" to dropbox.


OK.  So lets Not modify any files and fire up this manager thing first....
I added mbb=MsgBox(0, @ScriptName,  'Line ' & @ScriptLineNumber & @CRLF & '--- | ---')

seems to work, it does auto expand when I type it.  I used mbb because its not a replacement for a standard existing abbreviation but a custom one I use.


"C:\Users\Calvin\au3abbrev.properties"  - got backed up.  But I don't see any changes.  Does NOT contain "mbb" anywhere in the file.

"C:\Users\Calvin\au3UserAbbrev.properties" - got backed up and I see the entry I added.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\SciTE\Properties\au3.keywords.abbreviations.properties" - did not change but my "mbb" does auto expand.  Thats new.  This used to need to have any custom abbreviations added to it to make them work.

"C:\Users\Calvin\au3.keywords.user.abbreviations.properties"
- ahh so that where the "mbb" was added to.  I've never seen this file before.

- gennietimline shows this was an empty file just before I used the abrev manager.
- using timeline I see this file was first created on my system between Aug 28 2013, 855pm - 926pm as a zero byte file.
- the file has a create and a mod date of Feb 17 2012. 702am.
- I updated a coulple days ago so Aug 28 looks right.  
- this is likely when my custom abbreviations stopped working.  But I never noticed till last night.

Tried to create
mb=MsgBox(0, @ScriptName, StringReplace('Line ' & @ScriptLineNumber,'Line -1','compiled') & @CRLF & '---' & $| & '---')


mb.  gives an error that this already exists.  Edit the default one to the new one I want and it works.  But that's very bad.  Good thing I saved the orig.  I set it back to normal.  I should be able to override a default abrev with my own version without killing the original.  What If I change my mind and want to remove my custom one.  Under the old way I'd just comment out my custom line and the original default would kick back in.  I don't see a reset to default button on the editor.

so what if I just put it in manually into the file.
- ok that works.
- side note.  mb got added to the "au3.keywords.user.abbreviations.properties" even though its not needed.  I can take it out and the new custom mb still works.
- looks like the editor loops though the au3UserAbbrev.properties file and modifies the other as needed.



I figured things had changed.  So the new standard is the following files then...
au3.keywords.user.abbreviations.properties   - contains the new abbreviations and what they expand into.
au3UserAbbrev.properties  - contains any added custom keywords.

So since the editor will not let you replace existing stuff without overwriting it.  Best to just put your stuff in the files directly.


Thoughts?  Is there something I'm missing, for all I know its been this way for awhile.  Everything seems to work fine.


One thing I would like to know.  user Includes can be put anywhere I want them.  I can then point scite at them and all is good.  Mine point to a dropbox folder so all my computers automatically see all my includes and pick up any changes I make.  Can I do the same with these user abbreviation files?  I don't see anyway of pointing autoit to a different location for those.    Worst case.   I can move them to dropbox and create hardlinks in the original spots.
 

Suggestions for those who have a hand in creating this wonderfull scripting language. 

abbev editor - let the user config file override the globals without having to modify the originals.

au3UserAbbrev.properties - do we need this file.  the custom keywords are already in "au3.keywords.user.abbreviations.properties"   Its better if we only need to modify one file.  Granted, I'm sure there is a reason they are seperated out and exist in both places.  Just my thoughts.

Next up.  Scite config.  Something feels different.  code folding I think is working differently then what I'm used to.
 

That was a wall of text.   I had intended this to be a lot smaller.