Got a quick question, possibly dumb :/.
Are function overloads possible in AGS?
Just considering the 3.0 beta, of course.
AGS doesn't support overloads. You can do this (which isn't necessarily an overload, but allows you to have same-named functions multiple times):
struct MyStruct {
import function MyFunction(int a);
};
struct MyOtherStruct {
import function MyFunction(int a);
};
import function MyFunction(int a);
/*
struct MyThirdStruct {
import function MyFunction(int a); // ERROR - function MyFunction already defined
};
*/
As you can see you can use functions with the same name throughout structs unless (or until) a function with the same name has already been declared. So you can define MyStruct::MyFunction, MyOtherStruct::MyFunction, and MyFunction but once the global MyFunction has been declared you can't use it as the name of struct-functions any more.
AGS 3.0 provides basically the same set of rules: You can have functions with the same name across multiple structs (although only one function per name per struct ;)) unless a global function by the same name has already been declared.
However AGS 3.0 does provide extender methods so it's possible to include functions into pre-defined (both built-in and user) types:
struct MyStruct {
import function DoSomething();
};
import function MyFunction(this Character*, int a);
import function MyFunction(this GUI*, int a);
import function MyFunction(this Object*, int a);
import function MyFunction(this MyStruct*, int a);
import function MyFunction(int a);
// import function MyFunction(this GUIControl*, int a); // ERROR - function MyFunction already defined
Unfortunately this is as close to overloads as AGS currently allows.
Furthermore, you can make parameters to a function optional, as long as you declare the function in a script header. This allows you to call the same function with e.g. one, two, or three parameters.
Quote from: Radiant on Sat 24/11/2007 15:05:06as long as you declare the function in a script header
Actually you don't even have to make the function global, you just have to have an import defined for the function. I often make default parameters for internal functions by doing this:
// main script
import void DoSomething(int a, int b=7, c=9, d=382);
void DoSomething(int a, int b, int c, int d) {
/* blah blah */
}The import line allows me to set default parameters, while putting the line in the main body of the script keeps it local to that script.