Re: in or out IDE

[Bruce Steers <bsteers4@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well shut me up!!

I just did some tests and seems now (i'm sure it used to be different)
hidden files/dirs are not found by the executable even if the program IS
run from the project dir!

Just this seems to be working surprisingly well :)

bIsTheIDE = Exist("./.src")

I'm shocked, i thought i'd discovered long ago it found project directory
items if run from the project dir?  maybe i was using Application.Path &/
".hidden_item" and not "./.hidden_item" ?

But also pleased,  the easiest most robust way is the goal, i'm always
happy to adjust if it means improvement :)

So is it true that ./ will point ONLY to the files inside the executable
when run from the executable but to the project dir when run from the IDE?
If yes then I guess this is more robust than the pre-processor method.
Respects
BruceS

On Fri, 2 Oct 2026 at 08:49, Bruce Steers <bsteers4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Gotta love an easy way 😎 but to be clear, that only works if the
> executable is otherwise run from outside the project directory.
>
> If that is the case you probably don't need to create anything.
> There are already things that will not be added to the executable like the
> .src directory.
> So you can just do ..
>
> If Not Exist("./.src") Then
> ' Must be the executable outside the project directory.
> Endif
>
> It wouldn't work for me as most of my programs run from their project
> directory either directly or via symlinks as they are all in active
> development so the files/dirs will be found.
>
> There's other simple ways...
>
> If File.Ext(File.RealPath(Args[0])) = "gambas" Then
> bIsExecutable = True
> ' This works (is true) even if the command executed is a symlink without
> the .gambas extension to a .gambas executable in its project dir.
> ' It will not be true if run from the IDE
> Endif
>
> I prefer testing Exec and Debug pre-processor constants with #If though,
> it just seems more robust for the various different launch situations :)
>
> Respects
> BruceS
>
> On Thu, 1 Oct 2026, 23:38 Jussi Lahtinen, <jussi.lahtinen@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>> Perhaps clearer this way:
>>
>> 1. Create ".IDE" to the project folder.
>>
>> 2. Use this code:
>> If Exist("./.IDE") = True Then
>>   Message("This is IDE!")
>> Else
>>   Message("This is not IDE.")
>> Endif
>>
>> This is sure way to detect it.
>>
>> Jussi
>>
>> On Fri, Oct 2, 2026 at 1:31 AM Jussi Lahtinen <jussi.lahtinen@xxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> You can use Application.Path to see if it is run from the project folder
>>> or somewhere else. Also you can put ".IDE" named file there, which is not
>>> included into the executable and check if it is there.
>>>
>>>
>>> Jussi
>>>
>>> On Thu, Oct 1, 2026 at 9:47 PM Bruce Steers <bsteers4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, 1 Oct 2026 at 15:38, Bruce Steers <bsteers4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, 1 Oct 2026 at 15:19, Philippe Valarcher <
>>>>> philippe.valarcher@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Le jeudi 01 octobre 2026 à 14:52 +0100, Bruce Steers a écrit :
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Try this...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> #If Exec
>>>>>> Print "run from the executable"
>>>>>> #Else
>>>>>> Print "Run from IDE"
>>>>>> #Endif
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Read here...
>>>>>> https://gambasgb.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=22
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Respects
>>>>>> BruceS
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, 1 Oct 2026 at 11:12, valaquarus <valaquarus@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How can you tell if you're launching a program from within the IDE or
>>>>>> outside of it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you Bruce that's nearly what I did and it makes it real good.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Philippe Valarcher <philippe.valarcher@xxxxxxx>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> You're welcome.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's not completely 100% bullet-proof but works in most cases.
>>>>>
>>>>> For example if i was to start a program with gbx3 on the folder and
>>>>> not run the compiled executable...
>>>>> Eg.
>>>>> $ gbx3 /path/to/program/folder
>>>>>
>>>>> then the Exec pre-processor constant will not be set but we are also
>>>>> not using the IDE.
>>>>>
>>>>> It would be more useful i think if the IDE could also set a Flag/Env
>>>>> of some sort, a more definitive indicator of an IDE test run as opposed to
>>>>> launching the executable.
>>>>> Perhaps if Benoit could give us something more reliable like a
>>>>> pre-processor constant called IDE,
>>>>> #if IDE Then
>>>>>
>>>>> Respects
>>>>> BruceS
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Actually this is a bit more robust...
>>>>
>>>> Public Debugging As Boolean
>>>>
>>>> Public Sub Form_Open()
>>>> #If ( Not Exec )
>>>>  #If Debug
>>>>   Debugging = True
>>>>  #Endif
>>>> #Endif
>>>>
>>>> End
>>>>
>>>> that way we are also checking the Debug constant (set by running via
>>>> the IDE)
>>>> and the Exec constant set when running the executable.
>>>>
>>>>