Can I pass an expression as variable in a Tool?

Question

So here I am now developing my first Tool - very exciting - and here I am the first time scratching my head :)

 

Let's assume the following code:

| x y expression |

x := 1.

expression := expressionFromTool.

"expressionFromTool is a localVariable (Text, Number) where the user should put in an expression like: 2 * x."

y := expression.

 

The problem is I can't pass an expression as variable, I always get that variable x is undeclared - or is there a way? I also tried defining expressionFromTool as an object but that didn't do it. Maybe a string? But then how do I convert the string to an expression?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The variable you call expressionFromTool should be a String, for example: '2 * x'.  Once you receive the String you can parse it and evaluate the expression.

What is it that you're trying to build in the Tool?  Where is the expression going to be used?

With more background on what your Tool is supposed to do, we might be able to offer more suggestions on how to accomplish it.

Thanks!

Comments

Thanks!
How do I parse the string?
Well, it's my first Tool so I'm trying to keep things simple.. It's just a functionWriter that let's you plot and save (to wav) functions you put in. So the expression above is basically it, except that I'm iterating over an array of x-values.

---

| myExpression |
myExpresion := Compiler evaluate: 'aString'.


here some interesting reading about how the Compiler works in Pharo. I guess it is not exactly the same in Kyma, but it can give you an idea.