Inputbox Hamlet(to do or not todo)

[jolran]

Hi! Im doing a simple inputbox for this plugin.
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=38481

It's all TIG's (made in 30 min!)script. I will just have to add prompts for 3 values. Angle, spacing and units.
This is what I've got so far(It doesent refer to any values in the script yet).

promts=["Angle (deg)", "Spacing", "Units"] 
   defaults=["45", "20", ".cm"]
   list = ["", "", ".cm|.inches"]
   input =UI.inputbox promts, defaults, list, "Hatchfaces"

I though it would be a simple task, but scanning through this forum there seams to be different opinions for what is correct and non correct constructions for UI.

Since this plugin will hatch faces, I thought putting a context-menu would be a good choice, followed by an inputbox prompt. However reading up a bit in here rmb click menus can be hazardous!??
And The Use of globals versus instance-varibles is confusing as well.
It's all a bit confusing to me, any tips would be very welcome.

[TIG]

@angle=45.0 if not @angle # remembered if set this session
@spacing=20.to_l if not @spacing # remembered if set this session
prompts=["Angle(deg); ", "Spacing; "]
values=[@angle, @spacing]
title = "Hatchfaces Parameters"
results = UI.inputbox(prompts, values, title)
return nil if not results # i.e. the user canceled
@angle=results[0]
@spacing=results[1]

This initially sets the 'angle' as a float, so it's expecting a float input so 45 or 22.5 will work, use angle.degrees when using it later. It initially sets the 'spacing' as a 'length', so now like in the VCB the user can type in 20 [i.e. in current units] or 20cm or 200mm or 8" etc and it'll work OK with that - so no need for a dropdown list for setting these units... The spacing should be usable directly in your code without recasting its 'type' etc...
By using @ variables they will be remembered between uses in that session, when set inside a method, if it's inside a class use @@ variables as these persist across instances... [tip: declare the @@s within the class itself and use them in the methods as needed] Avoid global $ variables that can clash with other's coding as they are accessible to everything! ... BY using @ or [@@] then if the spacing is changed the next time you use the tool in that SUp session its dialog will show the last used angle/spacing rather than the defaults.

[jolran]

Great! That makes things a lot clearer.

@unknownuser said:

Avoid global $ variables that can clash with other's coding as they are accessible to everything!

Thats especially the thing I was not sure about about. The last thing I wanna do is barge in here ruin everyones scripts..

Thanks a lot!