JSFX function support discussion thread

[Justin]

Hello everybody,




Function support has the following features/restrictions:

• Functions can only be declared at the top level of JS code (i.e. not within a () block etc).
• Functions defined in @init can be used in any other section, but functions defined elsewhere can only be used in that section.
• Functions can have 0 or more parameters, and any number of local variables.
• Functions can not call recursively (a function can only call functions defined prior to that function)
• Functions have very low overhead, and are automatically inlined if they are below a certain size.
• The last statement to be executed in a function is effectively the return value (matching the logic used elsewhere in JS).

The most basic declarations and use of functions might be:

@sample

function getSomeValue()  (
  2;
);

spl1 = spl1 * getSomeValue();

or:

@sample

function applyGain(spl)  (
  spl * 2;
);

spl1 = applyGain(spl1); // same as spl1 = spl1 * 2;

or

@sample

function applyGain(spl,scale)  (
  spl * scale;
);

spl1 = applyGain(spl1,2); // same as spl1 = spl1 * 2;

If you wish to define local variables for the function, you can do it by adding one or more local() definitions to the declaration:

@sample

function applyWave(spl)  
  local(somecounter, scale)
(
  scale < 1.0 ? scale += 1.0/srate;
  somecounter += 1.0/srate;
  spl * sin(somecounter) * scale;
);

spl1 = applyWave(spl1);

Local variable can be used for temporary storage within the function, but they also persist across calls. If you define a function in @init and use it within two other sections (say, @gfx and @sample), your local variables will (now as of April 14) be in separate spaces -- so if you need them shared, you would want to use instance variables.

OK, post any questions or feedback you have here (especially if you see any regressions on existing FX or other code).

[Banned]

Wow... That is awesome.

[dub3000]

OK, this is pretty awesome. Thanks!

[Tale]

Cool!!1!

[IXix]

w00t!

[captain_caveman]

Great stuff!

It doesn't appear to be possible to use gfx_ draw stuff within functions....

@gfx  400 400

function drawSquare(tlx, tly, size)
(
    x = tlx; y = tly;
    gfx_x = tlx;
    gfx_y = tly;
    gfx_lineto(tlx+size, tly, 1);
    gfx_lineto(tlx+size, tly+size, 1);
    gfx_lineto(tlx, tly+size, 1);
    gfx_lineto(tlx, tly, 1);
    //gfx_rectto(200,200);
    1;
);

function setColours(r,g b) 
(
    gfx_r = r;
    gfx_g = g;
    gfx_g = b;
    a = 5;
    1;
);

setColours(100,255,255);

gfx_a = 255; 
//gfx_r = 255; gfx_g = 255; gfx_b = 255;

setColours(100,255,255);
drawSquare(10,50,100);
gfx_lineto(100,100,1);

SetColours works and x and y are set in drawSquare, but nothing is drawn, although gfx_x and gfx_y change. gfx_lineto draws a line.

It's probably me, although it seems it should work.