New feature - inline casting

[Erel]

Will it work for all types? For example can I use it for casting any object to its known type?

Yes. The code you posted will work.

 

[Daestrum]

I like the new way - far easier to comprehend.

If we write a library - do we supply the 'As' method and return valid conversions?

 

[Erel]

If we write a library - do we supply the 'As' method and return valid conversions?

No. It is not a "real" method. It is a compiler feature.

 

[AnandGupta]

Please anyone who knows of another forum where users often gets input of new upcoming features and can actually effect changes in that new feature before its final release, then please point me to that forum. I've never seen that happen on any other forums as usually the developers just release what they think is correct and their users just have to live with it.

Yes.

POLL: What do you use B4X for

I may participate if you added "for learning programming" option. Done

www.b4x.com

It is still true. For example, in HMG, users also contribute towards the development.

 

[Peter Simpson]

Yes.

POLL: What do you use B4X for

I may participate if you added "for learning programming" option. Done

www.b4x.com

It is still true. For example, in HMG, users also contribute towards the development.

It's not the same thing, nowhere near.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Erel

 

[aeric]

This reminds me of what I read a few days ago in another forum. There was a small war inside
P.s I am wondering who is the OP

Why prefer XoJo instead of B4x?

I want to know why you prefer XoJo instead using B4x for Desktop, Android, IOS and Web? All of this can be done with B4x, Desktop as Java App but with native packing for Mac, Linux and Windows, IOS and Android are native Apps. WebApps can be done as Server based Webapp or PWA with B4J Banano and...

ifnotnil.com

@alwaysbusy you made me almost drop my tears. The post is so touching when I read it.

Using feedback as it should be

It is no secret that I’m a huge fan of B4X and the accessibility to its creator. Here is a small illustration why: While announcing a new feature yesterday (inline casting) to the B4X language, not everyone was happy with its implementation. We were all excited with this new functionality...

ifnotnil.com

 

[Sandman]

Thank you so much, Erel.

 

[klaus]

Just three words:
Simple, clear, coherent !!!
I am convinced !

 

[aeric]

buttons.Get(2).CastTo(B4XView).Text = "less boring"

So instead of using the CastTo keyword, replacing it with As is much much shorter keystrokes and comfortable to my eyes and brain.

 

[alwaysbusy]

So instead of using the CastTo keyword, replacing it with As is much much shorter keystrokes and comfortable to my eyes and brain.

Yes, 'CastTo' sounds more complicated and may require some explanation of the inner workings. 'As' is more linguistic and natural. Good choice!

 

[JordiCP]

So instead of using the CastTo keyword, replacing it with As is much much shorter keystrokes and comfortable to my eyes and brain.

Well, I had to leave something for Erel, otherwise it was too obvious

 

[Sandman]

Yes, 'CastTo' sounds more complicated and may require some explanation of the inner workings. 'As' is more linguistic and natural. Good choice!

Agreed!

 

[LucaMs]

Ow, I like it! Very simple to read (and write)

I agree (this time ).

 

[aeric]

A bit off topic but

this forum and it's members are easily and simply the best on the internet

I wish my national leaders would listen to the citizens voice before implementing a new law like what happened here.

 

[LucaMs]

This reminds me

The first example reminds me of something I missed: typed lists.

With VB Net I could have:

Dim lstButtons As New List(Of Button)

and then I could have written:

lstButtons(3).Text = "Something"

with this inline casting I will be able to do it:

Buttons.Get(2).As(B4XView).Text = "abc"

[Yes, I could use an array of Buttons but a List is not an array, it is much more powerful.]

 

[sorex]

Yes, 'CastTo' sounds more complicated and may require some explanation of the inner workings.

for those who write queries/views in MSSQL this is something you do very often but you also don't need to know the inner workings of it as long as it works as intended.

got here by your tweet by the way, so thanks for mentioning this post as I didn't see it

I like the second version of this feature. it means less declarations of variables if I see it right?

 

[aeric]

MSSQL

I never use CastTo in SQL but CAST AS or CONVERT.

 

[Heuristx]

The first example reminds me of something I missed: typed lists.

With VB Net I could have:

Dim lstButtons As New List(Of Button)

and then I could have written:

lstButtons(3).Text = "Something"

with this inline casting I will be able to do it:


[Yes, I could use an array of Buttons but a List is not an array, it is much more powerful.]

When I first looked at B4X, I was curious if I would miss generic lists and stuff like that.
But generic lists will not work when there are different object types in the same list. You can then set it to some superclass, and start DirectCasting, and it gets clumsy.
B4X is a great example of a language that is aggressively efficient and easy. Instead of figuring out what to use:
x = CStr(y)
or
x = Y.ToString
or
x = CType(x, String)
and so on, in B4X we just say
x = y
and that is powerful. Is it less typesafe? Not really, because when I write a = DirectCast(b, AClass) then I may have typed the wrong class mistakenly.

 

[sorex]

I never use CastTo in SQL but CAST AS or CONVERT.

that's what I meant, casting/converting to other types

 

[aeric]

With VB Net I could have:

Dim lstButtons As New List(Of Button)

Just don’t use triangle symbols like Java or C# or my brain will fail again

List<Button> lstButtons = New ArrayList<Button>