nomsu/examples/how_do_i.nom

# How do I...
# Write a comment? Put a # and go till the end of the line

#.. How do I write a multi-line comment?
    Put a #.. on its own line and
        write whatever you want
      in an
    indented area.

# How do I import files?
use "lib/core.nom"

# Set a variable?
%x <- 1
%str <- "Hello world"
# Expressions that are more than just literal values require parentheses:
%x <- (2 + 3)

# Modify a variable?
%foobar <- 100
# As a shorthand, you can type:
<- %foobar + 1
# which does the same thing as:
%foobar <- (%foobar + 1)

# Print stuff?
say "Hello world!"

# Define a mutli-line string?
%mutli_str <- ".."
    Start with "..", then put lines below it
    that are indented one level.
    The string will continue until the indentation ends.

# Format a string?
%format_str <- ".."
    Strings can contain a backslash followed by a variable, list, dict, or parenthesized
    expression. This escaped value will be converted to a readable string, like so:
    The value of %x is \%x, isn't that nice?
    The sum of 2 and 4 is \(2 + 4).
    If you need to use a plain ol' backslash, you can do \\ <-- that
%format_str2 <- "Single-line strings can contain escape sequences like \", \\, \n, \065, and \x0A"

# Define a list?
%my_list <- [1,2,"hello"]
#.. Really long lists can use [..] followed by a bunch of indented values delimited
    by commas and/or newlines
%my_really_long_list <- [..]
    1,2,3,4
    5,6
    7
    8,9,10

# Use a list?
%my_list <- ["first item", "second item", "third item"]
# Lists are 1-indexed because they're implemented as Lua tables, so this prints "first item"
say (1st in %my_list)
# These do the same thing:
say (%my_list's 1)
say (1 in %my_list)
# List entries can be modified like this:
(1st in %my_list) <- "ONE!!!"
say (size of %my_list)

# Define a dictionary/hash map?
%my_dict <- {x: 99, y: 101}
%my_dict <- {..}
    x: 101, y: 2
    "99 bottles": 99
    653: 292

# Use a dict?
# Dicts are also implemented as Lua tables, so they're accessed and modified the same way as lists
say (%my_dict's "x")
(%my_dict's "x") <- 9999

# Do conditional branching?
if: 1 < 10
    say "1 is indeed < 10"

if: 1 > 10
    say "this won't print"
..else
    say "this will print"

# There's no "elseif", so for longer conditionals, a "when" branch is the best option
when
    * (3 > 6)
    * (3 > 5)
    * (3 > 4)
        say "this won't print"
    * (3 > 3)
        say "this won't print"
    * (3 > 2)
        say "this will print"
    * else
        say "this is the default case"

# Do a switch statement?
when 3 = ?
    * 0
    * 1
    * 2
        say "this won't print"
    * 3
        say "this will print"
    * else
        say "this won't print"

# Loop over a list (a foreach loop)?
%list <- [1,2,3]
for %x in %list
    say "For %x loop #\%x"
# There's also a slightly more concise version that automatically populates a loop variable "%"
for all %list
    say "For all loop #\%"

# Loop over a number range?
# This is inclusive, so it will loop over 1,2, and 3
for %i from 1 to 3
    say "For %i from 1 to 3 loop #\%i"
for all 1 to 3
    say "For all 1 to 3 loop #\%"
# This will print 0,2, and 4
for %even from 0 to 5 by 2
    say "Even #\%even"
for %backwards from 3 to 1 by -1
    say "Backwards #\%backwards"

# While loops:
%x <- 1
repeat while: %x <= 3
    say "repeat while loop #\%x"
    <- %x + 1

%x <- 1
repeat until: %x > 3
    say "repeat until loop #\%x"
    <- %x + 1

# Infinite loop:
%x <- 1
repeat
    say "repeat loop #\%x"
    <- %x + 1
    if: %x > 3
        stop repeating

# GOTOs:
do
    %x <- 1
    === %again ===
    say "GOTO loop #\%x"
    <- %x + 1
    if: %x <= 3
        go to %again
    say "finished going to"


# Function definition:
action [say both %first and also %second]
    say %first
    # Function arguments are accessed just like variables
    say %second

# Functions can use "return" to return a value early
action [first fibonacci above %n]
    %f1 <- 0
    %f2 <- 1
    repeat
        %tmp <- (%f1 + %f2)
        %f1 <- %f2
        %f2 <- %tmp
        if: %f2 > %n
            return %f2

say (first fibonacci above 10)

# Functions can have aliases, which may or may not have the arguments in different order
action [..]
    I hate %worse_things more than %better_things
    I think %worse_things are worse than %better_things
    I like %better_things more than %worse_things
..
    say "\(%better_things capitalized) rule and \%worse_things drool!"

I like "dogs" more than "cats"
I think "chihuahuas" are worse than "corgis"


#.. Function calls can have parts of the function's name spread throughout.
    Everything that's not a literal value is treated as part of the function's name
say both "Hello" and also "again!"

# Functions can even have their name at the end:
action [%what_she_said is what she said]
    say %what_she_said
    say "-- she said"

"Howdy pardner" is what she said

#.. The language only reserves []{}().,:;% as special characters, so functions
    can have really funky names!
action [>> %foo_bar $$$^ --> % @& _~-^-~_~-^ %1 !]
    say %foo_bar
    say %
    say %1

>> "wow" $$$^ --> "so flexible!" @& _~-^-~_~-^ "even numbers can be variables!" !

# Math and logic operations are just treated the same as function calls in the syntax
say (2 + 3)
# So it's easy to define your own operators
action [%a ++ %b]
    2 * (%a + %b)

#.. The following are characters won't "stick" to their neighbors, so the
    compiler treats them as solitary single-character tokens: '~`!@$^&*-+=|<>?/
    which means you can jam things together:
assume ((5++2) is (   5   ++   2   )) or barf "ugh"


# Do grouping?
# Expressions can be grouped by enclosing parentheses:
say (2 + 3)
# Or by an indented region
say
    2 + 3
# If you need to keep going after an indented region, you can start the next line with ".."
say both
    "Very long first argument that needs its own line"
..and also "short second arg"

action [my favorite number]: 21 + 2

# This can be nested:
say both
    my favorite
    ..number
..and also "foo"


# Macros: 
# The "lua> %" and "=lua %" macros can be used to write raw lua code: 
action [say the time]
    lua> ".."
        nomsu:writeln("The OS time is: "..os.time());
say the time
say "Math expression result is: \(=lua "(1 + 2*3 + 3*4)^2")"

# Variables can be accessed via \%varname
action [square root of %n]
    =lua "math.sqrt(\%n)"
say "The square root of 2 is \(square root of 2)"

immediately
    # Macros can be defined to transform one bit of nomsu code into another using "parse % as %":
    parse [if %condition is untrue %body] as
        if (not %condition) %body

    # Or to transform nomsu code into custom lua code using "compile % to %"
    compile [if %condition on opposite day %body] to
        %body_lua <- (%body as lua)
        return {..}
            locals: %body_lua's "locals"
            statements: ".."
                if not \(%condition as lua expr) then
                    \((%body_lua's "statements") or "\(%body_lua's "expr");")
                end

if (1 > 10) is untrue
    say "Nomsu parsing macros work!"
    say "It looks like a keyword, but there's no magic here!"

if (1 > 10) on opposite day
    say "Lua compiling macros work!"
    say "It looks like a keyword, but there's no magic here!"