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--- jwlua:frameworkdocs [2013/08/01 22:30]
jariw [Inheritance]
+++ jwlua:frameworkdocs [2013/09/03 14:22] (current)
jariw
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This page discusses how you should read the [[http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/|PDK Framework documentation]], so it makes sense in //JW Lua// scripts.
+For discussions on specific programming topics related to //JW Lua//, please refer to the general [[jwlua:development|development page]].
 ===== A Reference for C++ =====
-The PDK Framework is a C++ reference. It's using the C++ syntax, and all types in the documentation are C++ types. That's why I refer to functions within the framework classes as "methods", which is the C++ terminology.
+The PDK Framework documentation is a C++ reference. It's using the C++ syntax, and all types in the documentation are C++ types. That's why I refer to functions within the framework classes as "methods", which is the C++ terminology.
 The detailed C++ syntax is often of no importance to you as a Lua programmer. The only things that are really important are:
@@ Line 13: / Line 15: @@
 ===== Objects =====
-If a method requires an object as a parameter, you need to create it. This might be specially important to note for the ''FCString'' class, which is the main class which the PDK Framework uses for string access (the ''FCString'' class objects is only compatible with Lua strings through some of its methods and properties).
+All top level classes that are available to //JW Lua// scripts are listed at http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/group__lua__classes.html
+If a method requires an object as a parameter, you need to create it. This might be specially important to note for the ''[[http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/class_f_c_string.html|FCString]]'' class, which is the main class which the PDK Framework uses for string access (the ''FCString'' class objects is only compatible with Lua strings through some of its methods and properties).
 ===== Inheritance ======
-Please note that the PDK Framework is object-oriented, so if you don't find a task in the class you're searching, try and look in the parent classes.
+{{ :wiki:jwlua:fcmeasures-parents.png|}}Please note that the PDK Framework is object-oriented, so if you don't find a task in the class you're searching, try to look in the parent classes.
-{{ :wiki:jwlua:fcmeasures-parents.png|}}For example: if you want to load all the measures of a document, it's easy to think that the ''LoadAll()'' method would be available in the ''FCMeasures'' class. However, it's not. Instead, it's implemented in the ''_FCCollectionData'' parent class and that method will affect many other child classes, such as ''FCPages'', ''FCStaffSystems'', etc.
+For example: if you want to load all the measures of a document, it's easy to think that the ''LoadAll()'' method would be available in the ''[[http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/class_f_c_measure.html|FCMeasures]]'' class. However, it's not. Instead, it's implemented in the ''[[http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/class_____f_c_collection_data.html|__FCCollectionData]]'' parent class and that method will affect many other child classes, such as ''[[http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/class_f_c_pages.html|FCPages]]'', ''[[http://www.finaletips.nu/frameworkref/class_f_c_staff_systems.html|FCStaffSystems]]'', etc.
+By using the JW Lua's Class Browser feature, it's easy to see which properties and methods a class actually has access to.
 ===== Constructors =====
-A **constructor** call is what creates an instance of a class, to make it accessible to a Lua script. Only instances of classes starting with the ''FC'' prefix should be created (not the internal classes starting with ''_FC'').
+A **constructor** call is what creates an object of a class, to make it accessible to a Lua script. Only classes starting with the ''FC'' prefix should be created as objects (not the internal classes starting with ''_FC'').
 Constructors always use the **dot separator**, such as:
 <code lua>measure = finale.FCMeasure()</code>
-The created object is normally "clean" after the costructor call - you need to load it with data.
+The created object is normally "clean" after the constructor call - you need to load it with data.
 ===== Methods ======
@@ Line 65: / Line 70: @@
 In the PDK Framework (which is using the C++ syntax), constants are "enums" in the namespace of a class. For example, a constant for a barline style in a measure is called ''BARLINE_THICK'' in the ''FCMeasure'' class. In C++, it's in the ''FCMeasure::BARLINE_THICK'' namespace.
-In //JW Lua// however, all such constants are at the ''finale'' namespace level. So, the correct way to access the same constant in Lua would be through ''finale.BARLINE_THICK''.
+In //JW Lua// however, all such constants are at the ''finale'' namespace level (and without the enum type check that C++ provides). So, the correct way to access the same constant in Lua would be through ''finale.BARLINE_THICK''.
+===== Limitations =====
+Although the Lua language contains numerous advantages compared to programming directly in C++, there are some drawbacks as well:
+  * The currently used conversion layer between Lua and C++ doesn't support optional arguments in method calls (this might change in the future, though). So in Lua, you need to provide all the arguments to a PDK Framework method.
+  * Overloaded methods aren't supported, due to Lua's loose type checking. Only one version of a PDK Framework method will be available to JW Lua.

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