BlitzMax/Language/Project Management

Importing source files

The Import statement provides an efficient way to split your project up into multiple files. The syntax for import is:

Import Filename

Filename must be a quote enclosed string literal with a recognized source file extension such as 'bmx'.

Importing a file makes all the globals, consts, functions and user defined types declared in that file available to the file being currently compiled.

Imported files can be precompiled. This means that if you have a project split into multiple source files, only the files that are actually modified (and files those modifications affect) need to be recompiled. For example, say you have a project split into 2 source files:

'file1.bmx
Import "file2.bmx"
Print Test()

'file2.bmx
Function Test:String()
Return "This is a test!"
End Function

If file2.bmx is then modified, both files need to be recompiled because not only has file2.bmx changed, but its changes may also affect file1.bmx.

However, if only file1.bmx is modified there is no need to recompile file2.bmx. BlitzMax's BMK]] utility takes care of all this for you.

One important limitation of Import is that you cannot create 'cycles' of imports.

Including source files

Include is another way to split a project up into multiple files. The syntax for Include is the same as that for Import, however the included file is simply inserted 'verbatim' into the including file, instead of being separately compiled.

Depending on the platform and project, Include may be faster than Import. It also allows you to get around the 'no cycles' restriction of Import.

Including binary files

The Incbin statement allows you to include binary files with your programs. The syntax for Incbin is the same as that for Import, however any kind of file may be specified, not just 'bmx' files.

You can access the binary data contained in an incbined file using IncbinPtr (which returns a Byte Ptr) and IncbinLen (which returns an Int). Both IncbinPtr and IncbinLen require a filename parameter. For example:

Incbin "data.bin"
Local p:Byte Ptr=IncbinPtr( "data.bin" )
Local n:Int=IncbinLen( "data.bin" )
For Local i=0 Until n
Print "Byte "+i+":"+p[i]
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