Operator_Lookup Auto-Complete?

General
1

The IDE does not auto-complete once operator_lookup is used (within a line). Is it a bug or just very hard to implement in the IDE?
Example:

Class myClass1 has operator_lookup implemented as follows:

Function operator_lookup(name as string) As myClass2 return new myClass2 End Function

Class myClass2 has a method called Alert:

Sub Alert(msg as String) MsgBox msg End Sub

Now in a button, we could write:

[code] dim c as new myClass1

c.anyname.Alert(“test”) //.Alert does not auto-complete![/code]

Obviously, anyname wouldn’t be auto-completed, that’s entirely clear to me. However, the code following thereafter could be auto-completed as there’s no ambiguity (only one function and returning an instance of myClass2).

2

Auto-complete has never worked properly (just look at the count of issues in Feedback).

3

Indeed, I have experienced that too. Just wondering about that particular case, hence the question.

4

Sometimes, autocomplete becomes flaky and works in certains places, others not, or ceases to work and comes back after restarts.

Given the probable complexity of the feature, not quite surprising…

5

Michel, yep that’s what I often experienced last year. Fortunately, 2015r4 seems to fix many of those instances.

The case outlined in my original posting, however, can reliably be reproduced – even across different operating systems. Hence my guess that this simply isn’t implemented.

I have reported it meanwhile: <https://xojo.com/issue/42387>

Still curious, though, if this is by design.

6

Autocomplete nerver looks at operator_lookup as it would then also have to read & parse, and maybe actually RUN, the code that is implemented in operator lookup

Its unlikely to ever do so

7

Basically, once Operator_Lookup is implemented, nearly anything becomes valid at compile time. So autocomplete can’t suggest anything because it could suggest ANYTHING.

8

If you look at the OP, it is defined what will be returned. So auto-complete should show myClass2 members:

Function Operator_Lookup(name as string) As myClass2
9

But you can have multiple lookup operators. At least in theory according to the docs. I’ve never tried it though. Operator_Lookup is generally a bad idea.