This section provides an overview of the Ring programming language, including lists of its 49 keywords, 198 functions, common compiler errors, and the structure and instructions of its virtual machine (VM). The keywords include common ones like class, func, if, and while. The many functions cover strings, files, math, objects, and the VM. Compiler errors relate to missing elements like ok or end in control structures. The VM executes Ring code through its instructions and uses scopes and pointers to manage memory.

1. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
odbc_connect(pODBC,"Driver={Microsoft Visual FoxPro Driver};"+
"SourceType=DBC;SourceDB=C:PWCT19ssbuildPWCTDATACH1Datamydata.dbc;")
See "Select data" + nl
see odbc_execute(pODBC,"select * from t38") + nl
nMax = odbc_colcount(pODBC)
See "Columns Count : " + nMax + nl
while odbc_fetch(pODBC)
See "Row data:" + nl
for x = 1 to nMax
see odbc_getdata(pODBC,x) + " - "
next
end
See "Close database..." + nl
odbc_disconnect(pODBC)
odbc_close(pODBC)
100.47 Why setClickEvent() doesn’t see the object methods directly?
setClickEvent(cCode) take a string contains code. The code will be executed when the event happens.
Ring support Many Programming Paradigms like Procedural, OOP, Functional and others.
But when you support many paradigms at the language level you can’t know which paradigm will be used so you have
two options
1. Provide General Solutions that works with many programming paradigms.
2. Provide Many Specific solutions where each one match a specific paradigm.
setClickEvent() and others belong to (General Solutions that works with many programming paradigms).
You just pass a string of code that will be executed without any care about classes and objects.
This code could be anything like calling a function, calling a method and setting variable value.
Some other languages force you to use OOP and call methods for events. Also some other languages uses anonymous
functions that may get parameters like the current object.
Now we have the general solution (not restricted with any paradigm), In the future we may add specific solutions that
match specific paradigms (OOP, Functional, Declarative and Natural).
100.48 Why I get Calling Function without definition Error?
Each program follow the next order
1 - Loading Files 2 - Global Variables and Statements 3 - Functions 4 - Packages, Classes and Methods
So what does that mean ?
1. **** No Functions comes After Classes ****
2. **** No command is required to end functions/methods/classes/packages ****
Look at this example
See "Hello"
test()
func test
100.47. Why setClickEvent() doesn’t see the object methods directly? 1803

2. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
see "message from the test function!" + nl
class test
In the previous example we have a function called test() so we can call it directly using test()
In the next example, test() will become a method
See"Hello"
test() # runtime error message
class test
func test # Test() now is a method (not a function)
see "message from the test method!" + nl
The errors comes when you define a method then try calling it directly as a function.
The previous program must be
See"Hello"
new test { test() } # now will call the method
class test
func test # Test() now is a method (not a function)
see "message from the test method!" + nl
100.49 Can Ring work on Windows XP?
Ring can work on Windows XP and load extensions without problems.
Just be sure that the extension can work on Windows XP and your compiler version support that (modern compilers
requires some flags to support XP)
Check this topic https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2012/10/08/windows-xp-targeting-with-c-in-visual-studio-
2012/
For example, We added
/link /SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE,"5.01"
To the batch file to support Windows XP
See : https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/src/buildvccomplete.bat
100.50 How to extend RingQt and add more classes?
You have many options
In general you can extend Ring using C or C++ code
Ring from Ring code you can call C Functions or use C++ Classes & Methods
This chapter in the documentation explains this part in the language http://ring-
lang.sourceforge.net/doc/extension.html
For example the next code in .c file can be compiled to a DLL file using the Ring library (.lib)
#include "ring.h"
RING_FUNC(ring_ringlib_dlfunc)
{
100.49. Can Ring work on Windows XP? 1804

3. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
printf("Message from dlfunc");
}
RING_API void ringlib_init(RingState *pRingState)
{
ring_vm_funcregister("dlfunc",ring_ringlib_dlfunc);
}
Then from Ring you can load the DLL file using LoadLib() function then call the C function that called dlfunc() as
any Ring function.
See "Dynamic DLL" + NL
LoadLib("ringlib.dll")
dlfunc()
Output
Dynamic DLL
Message from dlfunc
When you read the documentation you will know about how to get parameters like (strings, numbers, lists and objects)
And how to return a value (any type) from you function.
From experience, when we support a C library or C++ Library
We discovered that a lot of functions share a lot of code
To save our time, and to quickly generate wrappers for C/C++ Libraries to be used in Ring
We have this code generator
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/codegen/parsec.ring
The code generator is just a Ring program < 1200 lines of Ring code
The generator take as input a configuration file contains the C/C++ library information
like Functions Prototype, Classes and Methods, Constants, Enum, Structures and members , etc.
Then the generator will generate
*.C File for C libraries (to be able to use the library functions)
*.CPP File for C++ libraries (to be able to use C++ classes and methods)
*.Ring File (to be able to use C++ classes as Ring classes)
*.RH file (Constants)
To understand how the generator work check this extension for the Allegro game programming library
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/tree/master/extensions/ringallegro
At first we have the configuration file
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringallegro/allegro.cf
To write this file, i just used the Allegro documentation + the Ring code generator rules
Then after executing the generator using this batch file
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringallegro/gencode.bat
or using this script
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringallegro/gencode.sh
100.50. How to extend RingQt and add more classes? 1805

4. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
I get the generated source code file
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringallegro/ring_allegro.c
The generated source code file (ring_allegro.c) is around 12,000 Lines of code (12 KLOC)
While the configuration file is less than 1 KLOC
To build the library (create the DLL files)
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringallegro/buildvc.bat
Also you can check this extension for the LibSDL Library
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/tree/master/extensions/ringsdl
After this know you should know about
1 - Writing the configuration file
2 - Using the Code Generator
3 - Building your library/extension
4 - Using your library/extension from Ring code
Let us move now to you question about Qt
We have RingQt which is just an extension to ring (ringqt.dll)
You don’t need to modify Ring.
1. You just need to modify RingQt
2. Or extend Ring with another extension based on Qt (but the same Qt version)
For the first option see the RingQt extension
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/tree/master/extensions/ringqt
Configuration file
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/qt.cf
To generate the source code
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/gencode.bat
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/gencode.sh
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/gencodeandroid.bat
To build the DLL/so/Dylib files
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/buildmingw32.bat
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/buildgcc.sh
https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/buildclang.sh
Study RingQt
Learn about the options that you have
1. wrapping a Qt class directly
2. Creating a new class then wrapping your new class
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5. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
For the second option (in the previous two points or in the two points before that)
You will create new classes in C++ code
Then you merge these classes to RingQt or provide special DLL for them (your decision)
If your work is general (will help others) just put it to RingQt.
if your work is special (to specific application) just put it in another extension.
100.51 How to add Combobox and other elements to the cells of a
QTableWidget?
Check the next code
Load "guilib.ring"
New qApp
{
win1 = new qMainWindow() {
setGeometry(100,100,1100,370)
setwindowtitle("Using QTableWidget")
Table1 = new qTableWidget(win1) {
setrowcount(10) setcolumncount(10)
setGeometry(0,0,800,400)
setselectionbehavior(QAbstractItemView_SelectRows)
for x = 1 to 10
for y = 1 to 10
item1 = new qtablewidgetitem("R"+X+"C"+Y)
setitem(x-1,y-1, item1)
next
next
cmb = new QComboBox(Table1) {
alist = ["one","two","three","four","five"]
for x in aList additem(x,0) next
}
setCellWidget(5, 5, cmb)
}
setcentralwidget(table1)
show()
}
exec()
}
100.52 How to perform some manipulations on selected cells in
QTableWidget?
Check the next sample
Load "guilib.ring"
New qApp {
100.51. How to add Combobox and other elements to the cells of a QTableWidget? 1807

6. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
win1 = new qMainWindow() {
setGeometry(100,100,800,600)
setwindowtitle("Using QTableWidget")
Table1 = new qTableWidget(win1) {
setrowcount(10) setcolumncount(10)
setGeometry(10,10,400,400)
for x = 1 to 10
for y = 1 to 10
item1 = new qtablewidgetitem("10")
setitem(x-1,y-1,item1)
next
next
}
btn1 = new qPushButton(win1) {
setText("Increase")
setGeometry(510,10,100,30)
setClickEvent("pClick()")
}
show()
}
exec()
}
func pClick
for nRow = 0 to Table1.rowcount() - 1
for nCol = 0 to Table1.columncount() - 1
Table1.item(nRow,nCol) {
if isSelected()
setText( "" + ( 10 + text()) )
ok
}
next
next
100.53 Which of 3 coding styles are commonly used or recom-
mended by the community?
1. Just select any style of them but don’t mix between the different styles in the same project or at least in
the same context (Implementation, Tests, Scripts, etc)
Note: State the rules in the start of each project and follow it.
2. You can create your style (by changing keywords) - The idea is about customization and freedom.
Note: It’s better to change keywords and create new style only for a clear reason like using another natural language
(Arabic, French, etc.)
3. The First style is better (IMHO) for questions, tutorials and small applications/programs (Less than 5,000 LOC)
Example : Ring Book, Most of Ring Samples and Applications.
4. The Third style is better(IMHO) for large applications and mainstream programmers
Example (Form Designer) : https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/tree/master/applications/formdesigner
100.53. Which of 3 coding styles are commonly used or recommended by the community? 1808

7. CHAPTER
ONE
LANGUAGE REFERENCE
In this chapter we will learn about
• Language keywords
• Language Functions
• Compiler Errors
• Runtime Errors
• Environment Errors
• Language Grammar
• Virtual Machine (VM) Instructions
101.1 Language Keywords
Keywords Count : 49
• again
• and
• but
• bye
• call
• case
• catch
• changeringkeyword
• changeringoperator
• class
• def
• do
• done
• else
• elseif
• end
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8. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
• exit
• for
• from
• func
• get
• give
• if
• import
• in
• load
• loadsyntax
• loop
• new
• next
• not
• off
• ok
• on
• or
• other
• package
• private
• put
• return
• see
• step
• switch
• to
• try
• while
• endfunc
• endclass
• endpackage
101.1. Language Keywords 1810

9. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
101.2 Language Functions
Functions Count : 198
len() add() del() sysget() clock() lower()
upper() input() ascii() char() date() time()
filename() getchar() system() random() timelist() adddays()
diffdays() version() clockspersecond() prevfilename() swap() shutdown()
isstring() isnumber() islist() type() isnull() isobject()
hex() dec() number() string() str2hex() hex2str()
str2list() list2str() left() right() trim() copy()
substr() lines() strcmp() eval() raise() assert()
isalnum() isalpha() iscntrl() isdigit() isgraph() islower()
isprint() ispunct() isspace() isupper() isxdigit() locals()
globals() functions() cfunctions() islocal() isglobal() isfunction()
iscfunction() packages() ispackage() classes() isclass() packageclasses()
ispackageclass() classname() objectid() attributes() methods() isattribute()
ismethod() isprivateattribute() isprivatemethod()
addattribute() addmethod() getattribute()
setattribute() mergemethods() packagename() ringvm_fileslist()
ringvm_calllist() ringvm_memorylist()
ringvm_functionslist() ringvm_classeslist() ringvm_packageslist()
ringvm_cfunctionslist() ringvm_settrace() ringvm_tracedata()
ringvm_traceevent() ringvm_tracefunc() ringvm_scopescount()
ringvm_evalinscope() ringvm_passerror() ringvm_hideerrormsg()
ringvm_callfunc() list() find() min() max() insert()
sort() reverse() binarysearch() sin() cos() tan()
asin() acos() atan() atan2() sinh() cosh()
tanh() exp() log() log10() ceil() floor()
fabs() pow() sqrt() unsigned() decimals() murmur3hash()
fopen() fclose() fflush() freopen() tempfile() tempname()
fseek() ftell() rewind() fgetpos() fsetpos() clearerr()
feof() ferror() perror() rename() remove() fgetc()
fgets() fputc() fputs() ungetc() fread() fwrite()
dir() read() write() fexists() int2bytes() float2bytes()
double2bytes() bytes2int() bytes2float()
bytes2double() ismsdos() iswindows()
iswindows64() isunix() ismacosx() islinux() isfreebsd() isandroid()
windowsnl() currentdir() exefilename() chdir() exefolder() loadlib()
closelib() callgc() varptr() intvalue() object2pointer() pointer2object()
nullpointer() space() ptrcmp() ring_state_init()
ring_state_runcode() ring_state_delete()
ring_state_runfile() ring_state_findvar() ring_state_newvar()
ring_state_runobjectfile() ring_state_setvar()
101.3 Compiler Errors
• Error (C1) : Error in parameters list, expected identifier
• Error (C2) : Error in class name
• Error (C3) : Unclosed control strucutre, ‘ok’ is missing
• Error (C4) : Unclosed control strucutre, ‘end’ is missing
• Error (C5) : Unclosed control strucutre, next is missing
• Error (C6) : Error in function name
101.2. Language Functions 1811

10. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
• Error (C7) : Error in list items
• Error (C8) : Parentheses ‘)’ is missing
• Error (C9) : Brackets ‘]’ is missing
• Error (C10) : Error in parent class name
• Error (C11) : Error in expression operator
• Error (C12) : No class definition
• Error (C13) : Error in variable name
• Error (C14) : Try/Catch miss the Catch keyword!
• Error (C15) : Try/Catch miss the Done keyword!
• Error (C16) : Error in Switch statement expression!
• Error (C17) : Switch statement without OFF
• Error (C18) : Missing closing brace for the block opened!
• Error (C19) : Numeric Overflow!
• Error (C20) : Error in package name
• Error (C21) : Unclosed control strucutre, ‘again’ is missing
• Error (C22) : Function redefinition, function is already defined!
• Error (C23) : Using ‘(‘ after number!
• Error (C24) : The parent class name is identical to the subclass name
• Error (C25) : Trying to access the self reference after the object name”
• Error (C26) : Class redefinition, class is already defined!
101.4 Runtime Errors
• Error (R1) : Cann’t divide by zero !
• Error (R2) : Array Access (Index out of range) !
• Error (R3) : Calling Function without definition !
• Error (R4) : Stack Overflow !
• Error (R5) : Can’t access the list item, Object is not list !
• Error (R6) : Variable is required
• Error (R7) : Can’t assign to a string letter more than one character
• Error (R8) : Variable is not a string
• Error (R9) : Using exit command outside loops
• Error (R10) : Using exit command with number outside the range
• Error (R11) : error in class name, class not found!
• Error (R12) : error in property name, property not found!
• Error (R13) : Object is required
101.4. Runtime Errors 1812