Please make variables be more usable in FvwmScript

[Vigacmoe]

Do you think variables in FvwmScript should be enhanced?

• Yes
• No
• Doesn’t matter

FvwmScript is a very powerful tool, but it’s a little difficult to write flexible scripts. I think it will be much better if the variables in FvwmScript are more usable. For example, variables can’t be used to set properties of widgets and windows. The following codes won’t work.

WindowSize $width $height
...

Init
    Begin
        ...
        Set $width  = 100
        Set $height = 100
        ...
    End

...

Widget 1
    Property
        ...
        Size $width $height
        ...

...

Because of this, we can’t create a dynamically sized window, we can’t specify colorsets, fonts by passing arguments to the scripts, etc., and this prevent us from creating configurable, reusable scripts.

[thomasadam]

@Vigacmoe

FvwmScript is a very powerful tool, but it’s a little difficult to write flexible scripts. I think it will be much better if the variables in FvwmScript are more usable. For example, variables can’t be used to set properties of widgets and windows. The following codes won’t work.

WindowSize $width $height
...

Init
    Begin
        ...
        Set $width  = 100
        Set $height = 100
        ...
    End

...

Widget 1
    Property
        ...
        Size $width $height
        ...

...

Because of this, we can’t create a dynamically sized window, we can’t specify colorsets, fonts by passing arguments to the scripts, etc., and this prevent us from creating configurable, reusable scripts.

You can, you just need to interpolate the result before it’s assigned.

– Thomas Adam

[Vigacmoe]

@thomasadam

you just need to interpolate the result before it’s assigned.

Thanks for the great input!
But after a rough search, I can’t find any information about interpolate variables in FvwmScript manual, would you please direct me some documentations?

Edit: I got it, did you mean PipeRead? Never touched that part before, but I guess I’m going to take a look into it. Thanks.

[Vigacmoe]

Hi thomasadam, I’ve read the manual on PipeRead, it’s much easier than I expected, but still, I have no idea how to use PipeRead to set window/widgets properties. I tried every possible syntax I can think of, but none worked. I’m not an experienced fvwm user, would you please tell me more about this.
Thanks.