[Gambas-user] gb3 RC1: using structures to replace the loss of Mk$ functions

[Bruce Bruen]

On Friday, April 01, 2011 01:17:50 PM Kevin Fishburne wrote:
> I'm finding that the task of replacing the Mk$ functions with structures
> for UDP packet client/server transactions is a massive undertaking. So
> far it's affecting every part of my project that constructs, parses,
> sends and receives data. As a consequence the network code is going from
> dozens of lines to hundreds, and I'm beginning to see that the actual
> logic of network operations will need to be changed as well.
> 
> I can deal with all of that, but right now I'm just trying to make it
> work without the program becoming ridiculously complex and/or inefficient.
> 
> I have up to 256 different transaction types shared by the client and
> server. Each one is represented by a different structure containing
> multiple datatypes. The structures range from a few bytes to many KB of
> data. Values are assigned to a structure when a transaction must be
> sent, then the structure is sent by the client or server. The recipient
> then parses the structure and assigns its values to different variables.
> 
> Each transaction has an "ID" which represents the order in which it was
> sent and where it should be assigned in the recipient's transaction
> queue array. This ensures that transactions received out of order are
> processed in order. Both the client and the server have their own
> transaction queues that store the transactions they receive.
> 
> The transaction IDs range from 0-255, so originally I had a transaction
> queue array that was something like this:
> 
> Public ts[256, 3] As String ' Server transactions (256: Queue Position,
> 3: Status, Type, Data). Status = "new" or "old".
> 
> Each element of the transaction queue array was generic, meaning it
> could store any transaction type regardless of what data it contained.
> Now that I'm using structures, the transaction data is uniquely
> represented. Instead of a generic "data" string element that I could
> create/parse with MkSingle()/Single@(), I have a unique structure. How
> can I store a unique structure in a generic array of structures? Is this
> possible? Right now I'm thinking I need to have transaction queue arrays
> of [256,256] structures (65536 structures) to accommodate this. Not so
> good when any particular structure could be up to 198 KB + header.
> 
> Any ideas are appreciated, as this is starting to make me postal! :)
Pure stab in the dark.  Could you write a "helper" class to replace the Mk$ 
functions, then you'd only have to develop a limited amount of code and leave 
the working code alone?
-- 
best regards
Bruce Bruen