Programming ?

One of questions asked multiple times in MMB community: is MMB scripting - programming ?

And once for all times, let's give the answer: YES !

You become a programmer the same moment you write one line of code in MMB.

It's nothing unusual, indeed. When you set VCR to auto-record your favorite show on TV - programming is done. Writing scenario for a movie is programming (of actors & objects).
Even telling your children how to write their very first letters or instructing someone how to swim or skate - no matter how unrelated to computers it is - you're programming, all the time ! As a matter of fact, after all these centuries of natural programming, we just recently started to instruct machines what to do instead of us.

Take for example some everyday products:

They include instructions on the back, telling what you must do with the product:

So if these manufacturers can do some programming, nothing stops you from doing it:

And what's the main difference ?

You have much more powerful tool in your hands !

Scripting Basics

Yeah, just like with any language - there are some rules we must obey to use it.

Compared to human languages, MMB script is one simple & fast-learning language.

Basic Facts

1. Scripting is done using lines (rows): as you would type some story (for e.g. detective story about who killed the butler) on a type-writer, you'll in MMB case use keyboard to write MMB script story - and guess what: by default, one sentence per line :)

2. Sentence in MMB script story is called "code line": one line usually represents one command (there are just a few exceptions)

3. You don't have to remember command names ! MMB will help you using commands without knowing their attributes, and it'll provide help in more ways:

•  syntax completion: MMB keeps watching what you write and if it finds identical command in it's list - completes code line with required syntax - now all you have to do is enter parameters specific to your project
•  right-click command list menu: quick list of available commands is on your right-click mouse button - select command and move on !
•  script wizard: using built-in command list in script editor, you really don't have to remember any command name - selection of command will show you it's explanation and enable entering of parameters
•  MMB help file: every time you want extended explanation of some MMB script command, come here, to MMB Script Manual, and read all about it !
  

4. Syntax highlighting & formatting: MMB will automatically colorize command parts, making entire code easily readable. In addition to this, it will automatically arrange indent of code lines once you're finished with scripting, further enhancing code readability.

Preview of script lines

Here you see what these code lines look like - they're rows of commands that tell the story and depending on situation - perform assigned action.

In example above, story goes like this:

After gathering all suspects in one room, detective is ready for his final act.

- Detective reads key evidence, exposing the killer - "Old grandpa"
- Although he's already prepared with line accusing Joe for violent act..
- After reading key evidence, he screams:

Oh, now ! Grandpa, how could you !

And that's it ! 9-line story & Grandpa's going behind the bars !

Details you can notice on preview displayed above:

•  names (Old grandpa, Joe) are colored red
•  Detective's thoughts (if it's Joe / if it's Grandpa) are colored blue
•  Detective's screaming (So it IS / Grandpa, how could you) are left in black color
•  indent of every line is arranged to make story/code reading easier

Scripting Syntax

Commands are most important part of code lines. Using commands, you tell MMB what to do in line you're writing. A kind of electronic army : you're an officer and MMB is just a soldier, executing your ideas ! ;)

Of course - pay attention to expressing ideas ! As a difference from the real-life army where command like...

Down soldier ! Gimme 50 !

...is taken for granted, resulting in 50 push-ups performed by soldier...MMB would ask...

...50 of what !?...

Yeah, yeah, you already know how it goes when working with these machines - you gotta explain, specify, draw everything to 'em and they still dare to ask questions !

So let's see what we must do to keep MMB quiet & kickin'...

There are more kinds of commands.

Hey, don't run away just yet - they're basically the same ;)
Every command comes with unique name:

JoeIsMyName

...followed by both parenthesis:

()

...put together, every command at least looks like this:

JoeIsMyName ()

Are there commands like this above in MMB ? Yes.
Are there different commands than this above ? Yes.

Just like you can have vase with or without flowers - you can have commands with parameters or without parameters.

Here's a summary of command styles in MMB:

These are just general command styles - read explanation of every command in particular to learn what it requires.

Parameters provide extra info required by some commands; is it natural to put flowers in vase ? Yes. Is it natural for some commands to require flowers... oops, parameters ? Yes ;)
Long live the diversity - there are many kinds of parameters:

You'll learn all about 'em later. Notice how parameters are divided from the rest of the command - using quotes. If there are more parameters, they're divided with commas:

CommandName("param1","param2")

Here comes another important fact about commands and code lines:

You enter MMB script commands in rows, one after another, and you can enter as many lines as you like. As long as code lines follow script syntax, MMB won't mind having large number of lines.

And one about code line writing:

Writing of commands in MMB is not case-sensitive. Meaning, you can either write:

CommandName("param1","param2")

or:

COMMANDName("param1","param2")

MMB will eat it and automatically adjust letter cases. This works for command names only (parameters/variables are case-sensitive).

Script comments

Some people write (and draw) comments in books, some use post-it notes... and you'll save paper and write comments in MMB ! Either to separate parts of code lines, describe code sections or even make reminders - in Script Editor you're able to write whatever you want under only one condition; you must put single or double (recommended) asterisk at beginning of the line where you'll write comments. It looks like this:

** Hey ! Now I can write whatever I want !

There's a case when comments will be added automatically: if MMB notices mistakes in code lines you wrote, it won't keep bugging you about errors, but simply "isolate" those lines using asterisks, making them - comment lines. Once you correct errors, simply remove comment asterisks and MMB will use these lines again.

In already mentioned code line preview, you'll notice comment in the very first line:

Script editor

Before learning about actual command names & their usage, here's an introduction to MMB objects that contain script editors:

And now, mr. Editor himself:

Here are explanations of Script Editor options:

Don't forget to try: right-click menu in the script editor !

As you can see - it's an advanced menu, not containing just cut/copy/paste commands. Here you can quickly reach script commands, save & load scripts.

Another handy feature of Script Editor is ability to edit written commands through Script Wizard dialog box by double-clicking on commands in Editor:

Right ! Now you know where scripts must be written and where you'll spend numerous nights making project of your life - let's take care of the script content now !