How to quote the code?

[bartok]

One more problem to solve!
When my program will be finished, it will be spreaded as executable (.exe), without .bas file, on computers without QB64 intallated in. But I want that the executable file create also a .txt file in which there is the code. Practically, I want that the .exe file can create a .txt file that is the same as the original .bas file. Is it possible?

[RhoSigma]

Simply convert the entire .bas file into DATAs and include it at the end of your program.

Here is a FileToDATA converter:
https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=790.msg6907#msg6907

it will also create a ready to use writeback function, which you just need to call given with your desired filename.

BTW - In your described case make sure you convert your .bas file to DATAs before adding the $INCLUDE line at the end which embeds the .bas file DATAs.

[George McGinn]

I tried to find your LZW library, but the links do not show it.

Also, is this Windows specific?

[FellippeHeitor]

Recent versions of QB64 have zlib builtin if you guys ever need it. See _Inflate$ and _Deflate$.

[RhoSigma]

I tried to find your LZW library, but the links do not show it.

Also, is this Windows specific?

@George McGinn
Ah yes the library has been moved into my Libraries Collection, which you can download from the Bonus Stuff section here:
https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=809.msg100182#msg100182

No, all libs in the collection are platform independent (hopefully...)

[George McGinn]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

@George McGinn
Ah yes the library has been moved into my Libraries Collection, which you can download from the Bonus Stuff section here:
https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=809.msg100182#msg100182

No, all libs in the collection are platform independent (hopefully...)

[bartok]

Simply convert the entire .bas file into DATAs and include it at the end of your program.

Here is a FileToDATA converter:
https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=790.msg6907#msg6907

it will also create a ready to use writeback function, which you just need to call given with your desired filename.

BTW - In your described case make sure you convert your .bas file to DATAs before adding the $INCLUDE line at the end which embeds the .bas file DATAs.

But $include includes a file into the the program.  _deflate$ compresses a string. In both cases I am not sure that they are usefull for my need. Yes, maybe I can make a file copy of the code and than load the code of the copy into the original code as a string, _deflate it, and finally _inflate it and print it as output in file when the program is run.
Or maybe it is also possible to make a code that read it self, than load it into a string and finally print it as output in another file when the program is run. But in all these cases, a text file at least is need. But at the end, the final user of the program, will have only the EXE file, no code. So, if I make a code that read itself in order to load it into a string, I will finally have an EXE file that, when launched, will try to make the same, but no text file will be present to be read. So, the code need somehow to be nested in itself. As to say that into the program, there must be a string (maybe _deflated) that contains the code and that can be printed in a file as output when the program is run by the EXE file. Furthermore, I suppose that this string containing the code, has to not contain itself, if not the program becomes a Chinese box.
sorry if maybe I didn't understand correctly what you said.

[RhoSigma]

But $include includes a file into the the program.  _deflate$ compresses a string. In both cases I am not sure that they are usefull for my need.

Then it's often the best not thinking so much about it and instead give it a simple try:

Get the next two codeboxes and save it in your QB64 folder:

Save as: QMC.bas

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. _TITLE "Quote My Code"
2.  
3. PRINT "This will demonstrate, how you can embed the code"
4. PRINT "and write it back into a .txt/.bas or whatever."
5. PRINT
6. PRINT "Please type the file name to write the code to:"
7. LINE INPUT "File: ", f$
8. PRINT
9. PRINT "Thank you, the code for this demo was successfully"
10. PRINT "written into "; WriteQMCData$(f$)
11. PRINT
12.  
13. '$INCLUDE: 'QMC.bm'
14.  
15.  

Save as: QMC.bm

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. '============================================================
2. '=== This file was created with MakeDATA.bas by RhoSigma, ===
3. '=== you must $INCLUDE this at the end of your program.   ===
4. '============================================================
5.  
6. '=====================================================================
7. 'Function to write the embedded DATAs back to disk. Call this FUNCTION
8. 'once, before you will access the represented file for the first time.
9. 'After the call always use the returned realFile$ ONLY to access the
10. 'written file, as the filename was maybe altered in order to avoid the
11. 'overwriting of an existing file of the same name in the given location.
12. '---------------------------------------------------------------------
13. 'SYNTAX: realFile$ = WriteQMCData$ (wantFile$)
14. '
15. 'INPUTS: wantFile$ --> The filename you would like to write the DATAs
16. '                      to, can contain a full or relative path.
17. '
18. 'RESULT: realFile$ --> On success the path and filename finally used
19. '                      after applied checks, use ONLY this returned
20. '                      name to access the file.
21. '                   -> On failure this FUNCTION will panic with the
22. '                      appropriate ERROR code, you may handle this as
23. '                      needed with your own ON ERROR GOTO... handler.
24. '=====================================================================
25. FUNCTION WriteQMCData$ (file$)
26. '--- separate filename body & extension ---
27. FOR po% = LEN(file$) TO 1 STEP -1
28.     IF MID$(file$, po%, 1) = "." THEN
29.         body$ = LEFT$(file$, po% - 1)
30.         ext$ = MID$(file$, po%)
31.         EXIT FOR
32.     ELSEIF MID$(file$, po%, 1) = "\" OR MID$(file$, po%, 1) = "/" OR po% = 1 THEN
33.         body$ = file$
34.         ext$ = ""
35.         EXIT FOR
36.     END IF
37. NEXT po%
38. '--- avoid overwriting of existing files ---
39. num% = 1
40. WHILE _FILEEXISTS(file$)
41.     file$ = body$ + "(" + LTRIM$(STR$(num%)) + ")" + ext$
42.     num% = num% + 1
43. WEND
44. '--- write DATAs ---
45. RESTORE QMC
46. READ numL&, numB&
47. rawdata$ = SPACE$((numL& * 4) + numB&)
48. stroffs& = 1
49. FOR i& = 1 TO numL&
50.     READ dat&
51.     MID$(rawdata$, stroffs&, 4) = MKL$(dat&)
52.     stroffs& = stroffs& + 4
53. NEXT i&
54. IF numB& > 0 THEN
55.     FOR i& = 1 TO numB&
56.         READ dat&
57.         MID$(rawdata$, stroffs&, 1) = CHR$(dat&)
58.         stroffs& = stroffs& + 1
59.     NEXT i&
60. END IF
61. ff% = FREEFILE
62. OPEN file$ FOR OUTPUT AS ff%
63. PRINT #ff%, rawdata$;
64. CLOSE ff%
65. '--- set result ---
66. WriteQMCData$ = file$
67. EXIT FUNCTION
68.  
69. '--- DATAs representing the contents of file QMC.bas
70. '---------------------------------------------------------------------
71. QMC:
72. DATA 88,20
73. DATA &H5449545F,&H2220454C,&H746F7551,&H794D2065,&H646F4320,&H0A0D2265,&H52500A0D,&H20544E49
74. DATA &H69685422,&H69772073,&H64206C6C,&H6E6F6D65,&H61727473,&H202C6574,&H20776F68,&H20756F79
75. DATA &H206E6163,&H65626D65,&H68742064,&H6F632065,&H0D226564,&H4952500A,&H2220544E,&H20646E61
76. DATA &H74697277,&H74692065,&H63616220,&H6E69206B,&H61206F74,&H78742E20,&H622E2F74,&H6F207361
77. DATA &H68772072,&H76657461,&H222E7265,&H52500A0D,&H0D544E49,&H4952500A,&H2220544E,&H61656C50
78. DATA &H74206573,&H20657079,&H20656874,&H656C6966,&H6D616E20,&H6F742065,&H69727720,&H74206574
79. DATA &H63206568,&H2065646F,&H223A6F74,&H494C0A0D,&H4920454E,&H5455504E,&H69462220,&H203A656C
80. DATA &H66202C22,&H500A0D24,&H544E4952,&H52500A0D,&H20544E49,&H61685422,&H79206B6E,&H202C756F
81. DATA &H20656874,&H65646F63,&H726F6620,&H69687420,&H65642073,&H77206F6D,&H73207361,&H65636375
82. DATA &H75667373,&H22796C6C,&H52500A0D,&H20544E49,&H69727722,&H6E657474,&H746E6920,&H3B22206F
83. DATA &H69725720,&H4D516574,&H74614443,&H66282461,&H0A0D2924,&H4E495250,&H0D0A0D54,&H4924270A
84. DATA &H4E,&H43,&H4C,&H55,&H44,&H45,&H3A,&H20,&H27,&H51,&H4D,&H43,&H2E,&H62,&H6D,&H27
85. DATA &H0D,&H0A,&H0D,&H0A
86. END FUNCTION
87.  
88.  

1.) Now open the QB64 IDE, load QMC.bas and just make EXE (F11), don't actually run it.
2.) Take the EXE and move it into any other place, eg. Downloads, My Files etc. (this shall imitate the distribution of your EXE to sombody else)
3.) Double click the EXE (in its new location), give the file name QMC.txt when ask for it.
4.) Check the contents of the just written QMC.txt, it should be the same contents as QMC.bas in your QB64 folder.

This is for my understanding exactly what you've ask for in your first post.
If this is otherwise not what you want, then you need to refine the description of your problem.

[TempodiBasic]

Hi Bartok,
Hi guys and gals
here my rough solution to the question of Bartok
.....
STOP a moment, this request let me remember the task of writing a code self reproducing....
1. if you put into codefile an '$include:'namefile' you get a compiler error for looping $Include (maybe there is a solution managing line by line the copy of code excluding the $include line of code)
2. if you put DATA statement you must READ it data marking them with a starting label. But DATA statements doesn't support multiple string delimitators on the line and doesn't support  go ahead of text in one DATA statement...
(maybe it is possible managing line by line the copy of code adding for each line a DATA statement)
3. write code that adds itself to the end of file like code, then compile againg the code...
and here we go against a feature of QB64 IDE /Parser... the autocompleting for string delimitator...(maybe it is possible if I can put off the feature of autocompleting string delimitator "

LOL 3 wrong ways to suggest a solution
Good Luck

[bartok]

Then it's often the best not thinking so much about it and instead give it a simple try:

Get the next two codeboxes and save it in your QB64 folder:

Save as: QMC.bas

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. _TITLE "Quote My Code"
2.  
3. PRINT "This will demonstrate, how you can embed the code"
4. PRINT "and write it back into a .txt/.bas or whatever."
5. PRINT
6. PRINT "Please type the file name to write the code to:"
7. LINE INPUT "File: ", f$
8. PRINT
9. PRINT "Thank you, the code for this demo was successfully"
10. PRINT "written into "; WriteQMCData$(f$)
11. PRINT
12.  
13. '$INCLUDE: 'QMC.bm'
14.  
15.  

Save as: QMC.bm

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. '============================================================
2. '=== This file was created with MakeDATA.bas by RhoSigma, ===
3. '=== you must $INCLUDE this at the end of your program.   ===
4. '============================================================
5.  
6. '=====================================================================
7. 'Function to write the embedded DATAs back to disk. Call this FUNCTION
8. 'once, before you will access the represented file for the first time.
9. 'After the call always use the returned realFile$ ONLY to access the
10. 'written file, as the filename was maybe altered in order to avoid the
11. 'overwriting of an existing file of the same name in the given location.
12. '---------------------------------------------------------------------
13. 'SYNTAX: realFile$ = WriteQMCData$ (wantFile$)
14. '
15. 'INPUTS: wantFile$ --> The filename you would like to write the DATAs
16. '                      to, can contain a full or relative path.
17. '
18. 'RESULT: realFile$ --> On success the path and filename finally used
19. '                      after applied checks, use ONLY this returned
20. '                      name to access the file.
21. '                   -> On failure this FUNCTION will panic with the
22. '                      appropriate ERROR code, you may handle this as
23. '                      needed with your own ON ERROR GOTO... handler.
24. '=====================================================================
25. FUNCTION WriteQMCData$ (file$)
26. '--- separate filename body & extension ---
27. FOR po% = LEN(file$) TO 1 STEP -1
28.     IF MID$(file$, po%, 1) = "." THEN
29.         body$ = LEFT$(file$, po% - 1)
30.         ext$ = MID$(file$, po%)
31.         EXIT FOR
32.     ELSEIF MID$(file$, po%, 1) = "\" OR MID$(file$, po%, 1) = "/" OR po% = 1 THEN
33.         body$ = file$
34.         ext$ = ""
35.         EXIT FOR
36.     END IF
37. NEXT po%
38. '--- avoid overwriting of existing files ---
39. num% = 1
40. WHILE _FILEEXISTS(file$)
41.     file$ = body$ + "(" + LTRIM$(STR$(num%)) + ")" + ext$
42.     num% = num% + 1
43. WEND
44. '--- write DATAs ---
45. RESTORE QMC
46. READ numL&, numB&
47. rawdata$ = SPACE$((numL& * 4) + numB&)
48. stroffs& = 1
49. FOR i& = 1 TO numL&
50.     READ dat&
51.     MID$(rawdata$, stroffs&, 4) = MKL$(dat&)
52.     stroffs& = stroffs& + 4
53. NEXT i&
54. IF numB& > 0 THEN
55.     FOR i& = 1 TO numB&
56.         READ dat&
57.         MID$(rawdata$, stroffs&, 1) = CHR$(dat&)
58.         stroffs& = stroffs& + 1
59.     NEXT i&
60. END IF
61. ff% = FREEFILE
62. OPEN file$ FOR OUTPUT AS ff%
63. PRINT #ff%, rawdata$;
64. CLOSE ff%
65. '--- set result ---
66. WriteQMCData$ = file$
67. EXIT FUNCTION
68.  
69. '--- DATAs representing the contents of file QMC.bas
70. '---------------------------------------------------------------------
71. QMC:
72. DATA 88,20
73. DATA &H5449545F,&H2220454C,&H746F7551,&H794D2065,&H646F4320,&H0A0D2265,&H52500A0D,&H20544E49
74. DATA &H69685422,&H69772073,&H64206C6C,&H6E6F6D65,&H61727473,&H202C6574,&H20776F68,&H20756F79
75. DATA &H206E6163,&H65626D65,&H68742064,&H6F632065,&H0D226564,&H4952500A,&H2220544E,&H20646E61
76. DATA &H74697277,&H74692065,&H63616220,&H6E69206B,&H61206F74,&H78742E20,&H622E2F74,&H6F207361
77. DATA &H68772072,&H76657461,&H222E7265,&H52500A0D,&H0D544E49,&H4952500A,&H2220544E,&H61656C50
78. DATA &H74206573,&H20657079,&H20656874,&H656C6966,&H6D616E20,&H6F742065,&H69727720,&H74206574
79. DATA &H63206568,&H2065646F,&H223A6F74,&H494C0A0D,&H4920454E,&H5455504E,&H69462220,&H203A656C
80. DATA &H66202C22,&H500A0D24,&H544E4952,&H52500A0D,&H20544E49,&H61685422,&H79206B6E,&H202C756F
81. DATA &H20656874,&H65646F63,&H726F6620,&H69687420,&H65642073,&H77206F6D,&H73207361,&H65636375
82. DATA &H75667373,&H22796C6C,&H52500A0D,&H20544E49,&H69727722,&H6E657474,&H746E6920,&H3B22206F
83. DATA &H69725720,&H4D516574,&H74614443,&H66282461,&H0A0D2924,&H4E495250,&H0D0A0D54,&H4924270A
84. DATA &H4E,&H43,&H4C,&H55,&H44,&H45,&H3A,&H20,&H27,&H51,&H4D,&H43,&H2E,&H62,&H6D,&H27
85. DATA &H0D,&H0A,&H0D,&H0A
86. END FUNCTION
87.  
88.  

1.) Now open the QB64 IDE, load QMC.bas and just make EXE (F11), don't actually run it.
2.) Take the EXE and move it into any other place, eg. Downloads, My Files etc. (this shall imitate the distribution of your EXE to sombody else)
3.) Double click the EXE (in its new location), give the file name QMC.txt when ask for it.
4.) Check the contents of the just written QMC.txt, it should be the same contents as QMC.bas in your QB64 folder.

This is for my understanding exactly what you've ask for in your first post.
If this is otherwise not what you want, then you need to refine the description of your problem.

Exactly! It is what I need. Thank's you!

[RhoSigma]

Well, that's good.

The only remaining question for me is why you wanna make it so complicated. If the EXE is able to write out its original code, then you seem to have no problem that other people get the source code. So why not simply spreading the .bas file together with the EXE directly?

[bartok]

Well, that's good.

The only remaining question for me is why you wanna make it so complicated. If the EXE is able to write out its original code, then you seem to have no problem that other people get the source code. So why not simply spreading the .bas file together with the EXE directly?

Basically, because I don't want to give too much importance to the code. I don't want to spread 2 files, that can be separeted by someone, but one only one file, that, when launched, it makes many output files, including the code. Further more, I was curious to see if it was possible, and, if so, if it were in my ability to make it.

But I have to admit that this, and the trasformation of an image& to BMP file, are ato the moment both out of my skills, so I will use yours subroutines,  quoting them.

[RhoSigma]

No problem, was just curious about your motive behind it.

BTW - when using the MakeDATA.bas program to convert your final code into that .bm file containing the DATAs, then make sure that you also get and incude the lzwpacker.bm mentioned.

If you don't want to include that extra file, then you can also easily change the MakeDATA.bas code to use the QB64 internal _DEFLATE$() and _INFLATE$() instead:

look for the line:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. rawdata$ = LzwPack$(filedata$, 20)

change it to:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. rawdata$ = _DEFLATE$(filedata$)

and further look for:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.     PRINT #2, "filedata$ = LzwUnpack$(rawdata$)"

and change it to:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.     PRINT #2, "filedata$ = _INFLATE$(rawdata$)"

[bartok]

No problem, was just curious about your motive behind it.

BTW - when using the MakeDATA.bas program to convert your final code into that .bm file containing the DATAs, then make sure that you also get and incude the lzwpacker.bm mentioned.

If you don't want to include that extra file, then you can also easily change the MakeDATA.bas code to use the QB64 internal _DEFLATE$() and _INFLATE$() instead:

look for the line:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. rawdata$ = LzwPack$(filedata$, 20)

change it to:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. rawdata$ = _DEFLATE$(filedata$)

and further look for:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.     PRINT #2, "filedata$ = LzwUnpack$(rawdata$)"

and change it to:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.     PRINT #2, "filedata$ = _INFLATE$(rawdata$)"

ok, I do that. Thank's.