kolorScript

A modern variant of Charles H. Moore's colorForth that uses ASCII for encoding and text files as storage to allow code sharing using modern repositories.

Just in case, here is a good reference for Forth programming: Starting Forth

Features

• 80 built-in Forth words
• Color blind mode
• Your script will run on all three major OS (Mac/Win/Linux) with 100% NO modifications needed! Even path separators and EOL will be kept as it is

Installation

1. Download and install Visual Studio Code on your preferred OS
2. Open Visual Studio Code and go to Extensions
3. Type kolorScript in the search box, then click Install

Quick start

1. Create new file and name it test.ks

2. Copy and paste the code below (including whitespaces)

     "Hello world!"  .
   

   Or type: <space><space>"Hello world!"<space><space>.

3. Save and press F2 to load your code

   Result:

4. Again, copy and paste the code below (including whitespaces)

   my-name   (--)    This function prints my name
    "My name is George!" . ;  my-name
   

   Or type: my-name<space><space><space>(--)<space><space><space><space>This function prints my name<enter><space>"My name is George!"<space>.<space>;<space><space>my-name

5. Save and press F2 to load your code

   Result:

IMPORTANT: Explicitly showing <space> when typing the code is due to prefix whitespaces are CRITICAL, for it defines the color of the word. Please make sure there are NO unused prefix whitespace anywhere in the file.

Usage

Running your code

Press F2 OR press F1 then type kolor and scroll to select kolorScript: Load file Please make sure the editor window with intended code has the focus.

Execute some words

Press F4 OR press F1 then type kolor and scroll to select kolorScript: Execute words Please make sure the words you plan to execute has already been loaded. This mechanism is like executing Forth words in a command line.

Showing all the words

Press F6 OR press F1 then type kolor and scroll to select kolorScript: Show words This is a replacement and improvement for WORDS from Forth. It shows the stack-effect and brief description for BOTH built-in and user defined (after loading) words in the Output panel.

Color blind theme

Press F8 OR press F1 then type kolor and scroll to select kolorScript: Toggle Color Blind theme Where:

GREEN words are kept as Normal text

YELLOW words are set to Bold text

GRAY words are set to Italic text

BLUE words are set to Underlined text

MAGENTA words are set to Underlined text

RED words are set to Underlined text

Light theme

Press F9 OR press F1 then type kolor and scroll to select kolorScript: Toggle Light theme

TIP: Use the function keys for faster and convenient access.

Settings

Enable verbose loading

1. Go to Extensions, find kolorScript on the Installed list
2. Click setting icon of kolorScript extension and select Extension Settings
3. Check the Show more details when loading checkbox
4. Close Settings tab, click the editor window and press F2

Coding guidelines

General Information

• There only three types: Number, String, or a Word
• Numbers are written as signed integer, hexadecimal, or float
• Strings must be enclosed with single or double quote
• Words are built-in functions or user-defined functions/variables/constants
• Executing a Number will push the that Number to Data stack
• Executing a String will push that String to Data stack
• Executing a Word (function) will call the function
• Executing a Word (variable) will push an index to Data stack to be used by @ and !
• Executing a Word (constant) will push the value to Data stack

GREEN means "COMPILE this word"

Syntax: <space> word

Description:

• Are executed at run-time
• Used for initializing constants or defining functions

YELLOW means "INTERPRET this word"

Syntax: <space><space> word

Description:

• Are executed at compile-time
• Used for initializing variables or as macros

GRAY means "COMMENT out this word(s)"

Syntax 1: <space><space><space> word

Syntax 2: <space><space><space> (word1 word2 word3)

Syntax 3: <space><space><space><space> word1 word2 ... wordN

Description:

• Syntax 1 is for commenting a single word
• Syntax 2 is for commenting a set of words
• Syntax 3 is for commenting all the words to the right

BLUE means "define a CONSTANT with this word as its name"

Syntax: word <space> value

Description:

• Are global in scope
• Only GREEN Number or String is acceptable to initialize constants

Note:

• Should be one liner and focusing only for initializing the value
• After value , comments (gray words) or macros (yellow words) can follow

MAGENTA means "define a VARIABLE with this word as its name"

Syntax: word <space><space> value and/or word(s)

Description:

• Are global in scope
• Only YELLOW Number, String or Word(s) that leaves a value in the Data stack is acceptable to initialize variables

Note:

• Should be one liner and focusing only for initializing the value
• The top of Data stack before leaving the line is popped and becomes the value of the variable

RED means "define a FUNCTION with this word as its name"

Syntax 1: word <space><space><space> stack-effect <space> value(s) and/or word(s) ;

Syntax 2: word <space><space><space> (stack - effects) <space> value(s) and/or word(s) ;

Syntax 3: word <space><space><space><space> brief description <enter>

<space> value(s) and/or word(s) ;

Syntax 4: word <space><space><space> (stack - effects) <space><space><space><space> brief description <enter>

<space> value(s) and/or word(s) ;

Description:

• GREEN Number, String or Word(s) is used to define the function
• YELLOW Word is fully recommended when utilizing constants and variables within function definition, this is for readability and performance
• GREEN semi-colon ( ; ) is used for closing function definition

Note:

• Transition of YELLOW to GREEN word within function definition will have the top of Data stack popped and compiled as literal, this mechanism is useful for handling constants and variables within function definition
• Comments inline with the function name is used when Showing all the words by pressing F6, so Syntax 4 is fully recommended

WHITE (for dark theme) or BLACK (for light theme) means "this word has INVALID format"

Syntax: Applicable to all patterns

Description:

• If a Number or a String is used as name for defining a new word
• If a Word has a combination of characters not recognized by internal regex (Please inform me for this case)

Reference

(Link to be followed)

Examples

(Link to be followed)

Release Notes

Please refer to CHANGELOG.md