PD# Language Support, Compiler & Academy (v0.2.3)

Official Visual Studio Code extension for PD# (PD Sharp), the modern, lightweight native programming language featuring first-class Win32 desktop GUI, real-time 2D/3D graphics, process/file automation, and standalone native binary compilation.

🌟 Highlights & Features

• ⚡ 100% Self-Contained — Zero Setup:

  • The interpreter (pdsharp.exe) and compiler (pdcomp.exe) are built directly into the extension.
  • No manual binary configuration, SDK installations, or workspace setup required. Simply write .pd scripts and press F5!

• 🎓 Interactive PD# Academy:

  • Press Ctrl+F1 or click 🎓 PD# Academy in the status bar at any time to open the built-in learning hub.
  • Interactive modules with one-click "Open in Editor", "Run Script", and "Compile to EXE" actions.
  • Complete project showcases including Notepad PD# Dark Edition, Native Win32 Calculator, 3D Pong, and Meteor Defense 3D.
  • Searchable syntax and API Cheat Sheets.

• 🎨 Full Syntax Highlighting & Grammar (v0.2.3):

  • Directives & Menu Bars: #link, #Win, #Menu, menu, item, separator, #include, #define
  • Theming & Window Types: Gen, Graphics, Text, Notice, Confirm, Filedialog, winops = dark, borderless, rounded, cr
  • Subroutines & Jumps: gosub, return, goto, call
  • Handles & Labels: :handle: and ::label::
  • UI Controls & Resizing: button, textbox, label, checkbox, onclick, dimen, winops, trapclose, trapresize
  • Control Styling & Mutators: set_bg(), set_color(), set_bounds(), win_width(), win_height(), get_text(), set_text(), append_text(), get_check(), set_check()
  • Editor & Clipboard Helpers: get_caret_pos(), set_caret_pos(), get_line_count(), clipboard_get(), clipboard_set()
  • Canvas Input Stream & Cursors: get_char_input(), mouse_wheel(), set_cursor(), capture_mouse, hide_cursor
  • 2D Canvas & 3D Graphics: draw_rect, draw_round_rect, draw_circle, draw_line, draw_text, camera3d, draw_solid_box3d, draw_solid_cube3d, draw_sphere3d, flush3d
  • System & File I/O: file_read(), file_write(), file_append(), file_exists(), file_open_dialog(), file_save_dialog(), spawn(), exec_output()
  • Control Flow: if...then...elseif...else...endif, while...endwhile, for...to...step...endfor, repeat...until

• 🚀 Instant Execution & Native Compilation:

  • F5 or ▶ Run PD#: Runs the active script directly in the interpreter.
  • Ctrl+Shift+B or ⚙ Compile .EXE: Compiles the script into a standalone native Windows .exe binary via PDCOMP with pre-compilation AST validation.

🚀 Quick Examples

1. Modern Dark Desktop App with Native Menu Bar & Dynamic Resizing

#Win "Notepad PD# - Dark Edition" for Gen as :mainWin: = {
    dimen = 800, 600
    winops = dark
};

#Menu :mainWin: {
    menu "File" {
        item "New" onclick ::on_new::
        item "Open..." onclick ::on_open::
        item "Save..." onclick ::on_save::
        separator
        item "Exit" onclick ::on_exit::
    }
    menu "Edit" {
        item "Clear" onclick ::on_clear::
        item "Word Count" onclick ::on_stats::
    }
}

textbox :mainWin: "Welcome to Notepad PD#!" as :txtEditor: at 10, 10, 765, 520

# Style editor with dark colors
set_bg(:txtEditor:, "#1e1e2e")
set_color(:txtEditor:, "#f8f8f2")

# Set up dynamic layout resizing
print :mainWin: { trapresize ::on_resize:: }
print :mainWin: { trapclose ::on_exit:: }

hold

::on_resize::
w = win_width(:mainWin:)
h = win_height(:mainWin:)
set_bounds(:txtEditor:, 10, 10, w - 20, h - 20)
return

::on_new::
set_text(:txtEditor:, "")
return

::on_open::
path = file_open_dialog("Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|PD# Files (*.pd)|*.pd|All Files (*.*)|*.*")
if path != "" then
    set_text(:txtEditor:, file_read(path))
endif
return

::on_save::
path = file_save_dialog("Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|PD# Files (*.pd)|*.pd|All Files (*.*)|*.*")
if path != "" then
    file_write(path, get_text(:txtEditor:))
endif
return

::on_clear::
set_text(:txtEditor:, "")
return

::on_stats::
content = get_text(:txtEditor:)
print "Length: " + str_len(content) + " chars | Lines: " + get_line_count(:txtEditor:)
return

::on_exit::
kill :mainWin:
end

2. Real-Time 3D Rotating Scene

#Win "3D World" for Graphics as :gWin: = { dimen = 800, 600 winops = cr }

rot = 0.0
running = 1

while running then
    print :gWin: { clear "black" }
    print :gWin: { camera3d 0, -20, 600, 450 }
    print :gWin: { draw_solid_cube3d 0, 0, 0, 100, rot, rot * 0.7, 0, "cyan", 1.0 }
    print :gWin: { draw_text 20, 20, "PD# 3D Depth-Sorted Engine", "white" }

    pump
    sleep 16
    rot = rot + 0.03

    if key("ESC") then
        running = 0
    endif
endwhile

kill :gWin:
end

⌨️ Shortcuts & Commands

🛠️ System Requirements

• Windows 10 / 11 (x64 / x86).
• MinGW-w64 G++ (only required if compiling native .exe binaries with PDCOMP).
• The pdsharp.exe interpreter runs standalone out-of-the-box without any compilers or prerequisites.

📄 License & Publisher

MIT License © 2026 PDDEVELOPMENT.