Script Editor Window

To create and edit scripts, Mira integrates a Script Editor Window that provides context highlighting as well as full editor functionality such as cut/copy/paste, line numbering, formatting, etc. Context highlighting uses different formatting such as fonts and color, to display different aspects of the script syntax. The related Script Manager is an older feature that is more complicated and less flexible than the Script Editor. Whereas the Script Manager has built-in controls the opening, creating, and saving scripts, the Script Editor uses the familiar Windows File > Open, File > New, and File > Save procedures to accomplish there tasks.

Components of the Script Editor

The picture below shows a typical script displayed in the Script Editor Window. This script shows various elements of a script highlighted in their different fashions. The "Language Syntax" elements are also known as "keywords". The keyword collection may be modified by adding or removing words that will be highlighted (see the Edit Script Keywords command.

The toolbar on the top margin of the Script Editor has buttons for common actions, including for executing the script. These toolbar buttons are commonly used by Windows applications, and they have their usual functions.

Menu Commands

When the Script Editor is the active document window in Mira , it loads its own menu bar containing relevant commands. Many of the commands in these menus are are common to all text editors, such as cut, copy, and paste commands. Other features are described in the following table.

Syntax Styles

The elements of a script include regular text for function calls, values, etc., as well as keywords of the Lua language, comments, and strings. Each of these syntax components may be highlighted to make it easier to distinguish from the other components. The Script Editor processes each character you enter and formats it accordingly if it matches one of the syntax rules. For example, when one dash, -, is typed, it appears as regular text. But typing a second dash to make '--' begins a comment, which is immediately highlighted in the comment style. The default for comments uses the Comic Sans font in italic form as shown above. The default settings shown above are described in the table below.

Changing the Syntax Format

1. Move the Editor caret (its cursor) onto an example of the syntax element you want to change. You can do this using the mouse or arrow keys.

2. Right click inside the editor window to open its Context Menu.

3. In the central section of the context menu, under Set Current Style:, click on Font, Color, or Background to change that element. The change will appear immediately in this Editor window.

4. Changes you make are saved and will also apply to all future Script Editor windows.

Printing Scripts

To print a script, use the standard method of File > Print or the button. Scripts print in the normal way you print other text from any Windows application software. However, there are two very useful options in the View menu that are described in the following table.

Related Topics

Working with Scripts

Edit Script Keywords

Script Manager

File Event Scripting

Mira Pro x64 User's Guide, Copyright Ⓒ 2023 Mirametrics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.