How to import a txt file and then insert the string directly into a function?

garystil

// the draw.txt document contains the following: "rect(30, 20, 55, 55);"

void draw() { draw.txt; }

Chrisir

not so easy

best store the numbers separated by commas without rect, commas or ( ) ;

just

30, 20, 55, 55

look at loadstrings and split in the reference

garystil

Thanks for your response Chrisir! I'm still hoping there's a way to load a string from which to write commands in addition to insert variables.

kfrajer

Do your files contain Processing commands?

Kf

garystil

Yes, my .txt file contains a Processing command.

jeremydouglass

Sounds like you are interested in code evaluation during program execution. See past discussions, e.g.

• https://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/21709/code-evaluation-during-program-execution

@GoToLoop sometimes recommends nashhorn.

You can also just parse your data and execute. So if the name in column 1 is circle, line, rect, pass the variables to circle, line, rect with e.g. a switch statement.

garystil

Thanks for your advice Jeremey. I'll follow-up on the links and the process you suggested. Overall, I'm grateful for the support of the community within this forum. G

jeremydouglass

Good luck, @garystil.

To expand on the non-code solution, it looks something like this:

• for each line in data
  • switch on the keyword
    • if the keyword is "rect", pass args 2,3,4,5... to rect
    • if the keyword is "ellipse" pass the args to ellipse... etc.

If you are doing something simple, this is pretty easy -- much easier than code evaluation. If you are trying to push and pop styles, specify loops in your data, etc. then this can get really complicated really quickly -- and then it is much easier to implement a code evaluation solution and focus on programming in your data rather than inventing your own language / parser.