.box
.box (pronounced 'dotbox') is an esoteric programming language created by User:Fr34k and E. Grouse in 2009. It operates using only dots and linefeed.
Workflow
Programming in .box can be a bit tricky. Due to the fact that it only uses dots and linefeed to operate, it has taken on a special concept, which can also be found in Whitespace. It works like this, before each command, a series of operators indicates what kind of operation is coming next. For example, if one were to define a variable, it would be typed like this, in pseudo-code
using variables assign variable variable name variable value stop using variables
One thing that is special about programming like this in .box is, however, every time you indicate what kind of operations you are going to do, you must specify this on a line with an odd number. Everything else goes on lines with even numbers. Which means, if we refer to the above pseudo-code, that the commands 'using variables' and 'stop using variables' must both be written on odd lines and every code in between must be written on even lines. However, if one would start assigning something else, in a middle of an assignment, this must also be written on an odd line. For example
using functions * define function function name define function arguments using variables * define variable variable name stop using variables * stop defining function arguments * using variables* return variable stop using variables * stop using functions *
This might seems like gibberish right now. But in time it will make perfect sense. In the above code, every line that ends with an asterisk must be written on a line with an odd number. Every other line must be on an even line. Also, when referring to functions or variables, one does so with a number of dots. You could think of it as indexes in an array. With that said, lets move on to the actual commands!
Commands
When using different types of commands, you use different kind of indicators, written on lines with odd numbers (can it be said enough?). In the structure sections, every line ending with an asterisk should be placed on a line with an odd number.
Variables
Indicators
. Start using .. Stop using
Commands
. Define a variable .. Call a variable
Structure
indicator * command index value indicator *
Functions
Indicators
... Start using .... Stop using
Commands
. Define a function .. Call a function ... Start conditions .... End conditions ..... Start statements ...... End statements
Structure
indicator * command index conditions (leave blank if none is used) statements indicator *
Built-in functions
Indicators
..... Start using ...... Stop using
Commands
. If .. Else ... For .... While ..... Break
Structure
indicator * command condition statement indicator *
Relational and equality operators
Indicators
....... Start using ........ Stop using
Commands
. Is equal to .. Is not equal to ... Is greater than .... Is smaller than ..... Is greater than or equal to ...... Is smaller than or equal to
Structure
indicator * first argument command second argument indicator *
Arithmetic operators
Indicators
......... Start using .......... Stop using
Commands
. Addition .. Subtraction ... Multiplication .... Division
Structure
indicator * first argument command second argument indicator *
Numbers
Indicators
........... Start using ............ Stop using
Commands
There does not exist a specific command. The number of dots between the two indicators are equivalent to the number.
Examples
Below follows a series of detailed examples and explanations. I'll do my best to explain how every program works and what is happening. For clarity, I will also be writing the line numbers.
Using variables
Defining a variable
01 . // Using variables 02 . // Define a variable 03 04 . // Variable index 1 05 ........... // Start using numbers 06 .. // Value for variable index 1 is now 2 07 ............ // Stop using numbers 08 09 .. // Stop using variables
As you can see, a .box program can contain commands that look the same, but operates differently, depending on what line number they have been placed on. (Another important thing to keep in mind is, that as for now, .box does not support variables with string support.)
Calling a variable
In this example, I'm first going to create a variable, then create another variable containing the first variables value.
01 . // Using variables 02 . // Define a variable 03 04 . // Variable index 1 05 06 07 ........... // Start using numbers 08 . // Value for index 1 is 1 09 ............ // Stop using numbers 10 11 . // Define a new variable 12 .. // at index 2 13 14 .. // Call a variable 15 16 . // Call variable index 1 17 .. // Stop using variables
As you may have noticed, .box programs easily gets very complex very quickly and it extremely easy getting lost in the source code. As for now, you'll have to do with these examples until I can be arsed on writing down some more. You give it a try, it's very confusing.
Using arithmetic
Using arithmetic can in .box be both simple and complex in comparison to other .box programs. In this example we will define two variables, then adding them together in a third variable.
01 . 02 . 03 04 . 05 ........... 06 .. 07 ............ 08 .. 09 .. 10 11 . 12 . 13 14 .. 15 ........... 16 ... 17 ............ 18 .. 19 .. 20 21 . 22 . 23 24 ... 25 ......... 26 27 . 28 .. 29 30 . 31 .. 32 . 33 . 34 .. 35 36 .. 37 .. 38 39 ......... 40 41 ..
Using functions
Defining and calling a function
In this example, I will create a function that takes two arguments, adds them and puts them in a new variable. I also define two variables and use them in the function I created. A normal language example would look something like this
function add(a, b){
c = a + b;
}
a=2;
b=3;
add(a, b);
So without further ado, here's the source
01 ... // Start using functions 02 . // Define a function 03 04 . // Function index 1 05 06 ... // Start conditions 07 . // Start using variables 08 . // Define a variable 09 10 . // Variable index 1 11 12 // Is left blank 13 .. // Stop using variables 14 15 . // Start using variables 16 . // Define a new variable 17 18 .. // Index 2 19 20 // Is left blank 21 .. // Stop using variables 22 .... // End conditions 23 24 ..... // Start statements 25 . // Start using variables 26 . // Define a variable 27 28 ... // Index 3 29 ......... // Start using arithmetic 30 31 . // Start using variables 32 .. // Call a variable 33 34 . // Call index 1 35 .. // Stop using variables 36 . // Addition 37 . // Start using variables 38 .. // Call a variable 39 40 .. // Call index 2 41 .. // Stop using variables 42 43 .......... // Stop using arithmetic 44 45 .. // Stop using variables 46 ...... // End statements 47 .... // Stop using functions 48 49 . // Start using variables 50 . // Define a variable 51 52 . // Variable index 1 53 ........... // Start using numbers 54 .. // 2 55 ............ // Stop using numbers 56 57 .. // Stop using variables 58 59 . // Start using variables 60 . // Define a variable 61 62 .. // Variable index 2 63 ........... // Start using numbers 64 ... // 3 65 ............ // Stop using numbers 66 67 .. // Stop using variables 68 69 ... // Start using functions 70 .. // Call a function 71 72 . // Call function 1 73 74 ... // Start conditions 75 . // Start using variables 76 .. // Call a variable 77 78 . // Call index 1 79 .. // Stop using variables 80 81 . // Start using variables 82 .. // Call a variable 83 84 .. // Call index 2 85 .. // Stop using variables 86 .... // End conditions 87 .... // Stop using functions