You've taken your first step into a larger world
Hello there! This document will provide an introduction to using The Force. It is going to assume some basic programming knowledge.
Some quick technical jargon: The Force is a stack based, interpreted language, with dynamic and strong typing. It's primary design goal was to optimize for number of quotes (which at times makes it cumbersome to write, but is certainly fun to read). Neither indention or newlines matter for the most part, but we encourage adding a new line between each statements and operations and indenting new scope for readability.
The Force supports these programing language constructs:
- Variables
- Printing to console
- Reading from console
- Math operations
- Logical operations
- Equality operations
- While loops
- For loops
- If/else
- Functions
- Noop
The Force supports three types:
- Floats
- Booleans (which are represented as Star Wars quotes instead of
TrueorFalse) - Strings
Operations (e.g. addition, equality) should work without any type surprises (e.g. you can add two floats, but not two strings).
To better explain the language, we'll use "keywords" that describe the function of the syntax, in addition to quotes that actually make up the language.
Files written in The Force use the .force extension. In addition to the snippets below, you can find some example programs in the examples folder.
This code prints "Hello there". There is also a comment from Yoda to help describe the code. Note: The Force executes the main function in each file. There should be no more than one.
// A comment, this is
BeginMain
Print "Hello there"
EndMain
<(-.-)> A comment, this is
Do it!
The Sacred Jedi Texts! "Hello there"
May The Force be with you.
This code creates three variables jawa, ewok, and darkSide, which are a float, string, and boolean respectively. Each variable is assigned an initial value and then printed.
BeginMain
DeclareFloat jawa
SetInitialValue -13.2
Print jawa
DeclareString ewok
SetInitialValue "Nub Nub"
Print ewok
DeclareBool darkSide
SetInitialValue False
Print darkSide
EndMain
Do it!
Size matters not. jawa
Who, mesa? -13.2
The Sacred Jedi Texts! jawa
Yoda. You seek Yoda. ewok
Who, mesa? "Nub Nub"
The Sacred Jedi Texts! ewok
I am the Senate! darkSide
Who, mesa? From a certain point of view.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! darkSide
May The Force be with you.
This example creates three variables of different types. For each variable, a value is read from standard in, assigned to that variable, then printed out.
BeginMain
DeclareFloat jawa
SetInitialValue 0.0
ReadFloat jawa
Print jawa
DeclareString ewok
SetInitialValue ""
ReadString ewok
Print ewok
DeclareBool darkSide
SetInitialValue True
ReadBoolean darkSide
Print darkSide
EndMain
Do it!
Size matters not. jawa
Who, mesa? 0.0
Now this is podracing! jawa
The Sacred Jedi Texts! jawa
Yoda. You seek Yoda. ewok
Who, mesa? ""
Looking? Found someone, you have, I would say. ewok
The Sacred Jedi Texts! ewok
I am the Senate! darkSide
Who, mesa? From a certain point of view.
I hope you know what you're doing. darkSide
The Sacred Jedi Texts! darkSide
May The Force be with you.
This creates a variable, then performs a series of math operations before finally printing the result. Note: The initial value for this set of operations is 4, because that is the value of porg when it starts. Other variables or values could of been used with the SetInitialValue instead.
BeginMain
DeclareFloat porg
SetInitialValue 4
AssignVariable porg
SetValue porg
Add 2.0
Subtract 1
Multiply 3
Divide 5
Exponent 2
Modulus 10
EndAssignVariable
Print porg
EndMain
Do it!
Size matters not. porg
Who, mesa? 4
What a piece of junk! porg
I am your father. porg
Your lightsabers will make a fine addition to my collection. 2.0
Proceed with the countdown. 1
There's too many of them! 3
Not to worry, we are still flying half a ship. 5
Unlimited power! 2
Never tell me the odds! 10
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! porg
May The Force be with you.
This creates several float variables and compares them with each to determine which has the most of a bad idea.
BeginMain
DeclareFloat anakin
SetInitialValue 27700
DeclareFloat luke
SetInitialValue 14500
DeclareFloat leia
SetInitialValue 14500
DeclareBool midichlorian
SetInitialValue False
AssignVariable midichlorian
SetValue luke
GreaterThan anakin
EndAssignVariable
Print midichlorian
AssignVariable midichlorian
SetValue anakin
LessThan leia
EndAssignVariable
Print midichlorian
AssignVariable midichlorian
SetValue leia
Equal luke
EndAssignVariable
Print midichlorian
EndMain
Do it!
Size matters not. anakin
Who, mesa? 27700
Size matters not. luke
Who, mesa? 14500
Size matters not. leia
Who, mesa? 14500
I am the Senate! midichlorian
Who, mesa? That's impossible!
What a piece of junk! midichlorian
I am your father. luke
Impressive. Most impressive. anakin
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! midichlorian
What a piece of junk! midichlorian
I am your father. anakin
There's always a bigger fish. leia
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! midichlorian
What a piece of junk! midichlorian
I am your father. leia
I am a Jedi, like my father before me. luke
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! midichlorian
May The Force be with you.
This example creates several boolean variables and performs logical operations on them before printing the results. Note: The Not operator does not use a value, it just operates on the result of the last operation.
BeginMain
DeclareBool lightside
SetInitialValue True
DeclareBool darkside
SetInitialValue False
DeclareBool revan
SetInitialValue False
AssignVariable revan
SetValue lightside
Or darkside
EndAssignVariable
Print revan
AssignVariable revan
SetValue revan
And lightside
EndAssignVariable
Print revan
AssignVariable revan
SetValue revan
Not
EndAssignVariable
Print revan
EndMain
Do it!
I am the Senate! lightside
Who, mesa? From a certain point of view.
I am the Senate! darkside
Who, mesa? That's impossible!
I am the Senate! revan
Who, mesa? That's impossible!
What a piece of junk! revan
I am your father. lightside
There is another. darkside
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! revan
What a piece of junk! revan
I am your father. revan
As you wish. lightside
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! revan
What a piece of junk! revan
I am your father. revan
Always with you it cannot be done.
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! revan
May The Force be with you.
This example creates a float and uses it as the condition in a while loop, where each loop it prints itself and is decremented. Note: While loops continue until the condition is 0 or False.
BeginMain
DeclareFloat deathStars
SetInitialValue 3
While deathStars
Print deathStars
AssignVariable deathStars
SetValue deathStars
Subtract 1
EndAssignVariable
EndWhile
EndMain
Do it!
Size matters not. deathStars
Who, mesa? 3
Here we go again. deathStars
The Sacred Jedi Texts! deathStars
What a piece of junk! deathStars
I am your father. deathStars
Proceed with the countdown. 1
The garbage will do.
Let the past die.
May The Force be with you.
This example creates a float value and uses it as the iterator in a for loop. It then prints each new increment, in this case from 0 to 9. Note: For loops repeat until the iterator is equal to the max value set.
BeginMain
DeclareFloat deadYounglings
SetInitialValue 0
For 10
ForStart deadYounglings
The Sacred Jedi Texts! deadYounglings
EndFor
EndMain
Do it!
Size matters not. deadYounglings
Who, mesa? 0
For over a thousand generations. 10
Let the Wookiee win. deadYounglings
The Sacred Jedi Texts! deadYounglings
It is clear to me now the Republic no longer functions.
May The Force be with you.
This example shows an if statement that always executes the if branch. Note: Only boolean values are accepted for the conditional.
BeginMain
If True
Print "Do"
ElseClause
Print "Don't"
EndIf
EndMain
Do it!
Do, or do not. There is no try. From a certain point of view.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! "Do"
These aren't the droids you're looking for.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! "Don't"
You have failed me for the last time.
May The Force be with you.
This example creates a void function that does not return a value. In this case it prints Rebel scum propaganda. The main function can then call the function and pass in a value.
DeclareFunction NameTheSystem
FunctionParameters planet
Void
Print "Goodbye "
Print planet
Print " *Deathstar noise*"
EndFunctionDeclaration
BeginMain
CallFunction NameTheSystem
PassArgument "Alderaan"
EndMain
This is where the fun begins. NameTheSystem
Now, that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time. planet
It's a trap!
The Sacred Jedi Texts! "Goodbye "
The Sacred Jedi Texts! planet
The Sacred Jedi Texts! " *Deathstar noise*"
You cannot escape your destiny.
Do it!
I have a bad feeling about this. NameTheSystem
I'll try spinning, that's a good trick. "Alderaan"
May The Force be with you.
This example creates a function that returns a value. In main, that value is used to set the value of survive, which is then printed. Note: Functions can have any number of parameters. Also, variable names are scoped, so the survive in main has nothing to do with the survive in TheOdds.
DeclareFunction TheOdds
FunctionParameters odds
DeclareBool survive
SetInitialValue False
AssignVariable survive
SetValue odds
Modulus 3720
EndAssignVariable
ReturnStatement survive
EndFunctionDeclaration
BeginMain
DeclareBool survive
SetInitialValue False
AssignVariableFromFunctionCall survive
CallFunction TheOdds
PassArgument 42
EndAssignVariable
Print survive
EndMain
This is where the fun begins. TheOdds
Now, that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time. odds
I am the Senate! survive
Who, mesa? That's impossible!
What a piece of junk! survive
I am your father. odds
Never tell me the odds! 3720
I am a Jedi, like my father before me. 0
The garbage will do.
You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home. survive
You cannot escape your destiny.
Do it!
I am the Senate! survive
Who, mesa? That's impossible!
Many Bothans died to bring us this information. survive
I have a bad feeling about this. TheOdds
I'll try spinning, that's a good trick. 52
The garbage will do.
The Sacred Jedi Texts! survive
May The Force be with you.
| Keyword | Quote | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Comment | |-o-| or :><: or <(-.-)> | All comments provide the same function |
| BeginMain | Do it! | |
| EndMain | May The Force be with you. | |
| The Sacred Jedi Texts! | Can take a variable or raw value | |
| DeclareFloat | Size matters not. | |
| DeclareString | Yoda. You seek Yoda. | |
| DeclareBool | I am the Senate! | |
| SetInitialValue | Who, mesa? | Required after the variable declaration |
| True | From a certain point of view. | Will also the quote for true values |
| False | That's impossible! | Will also the quote for false values |
| DeclareFunction | This is where the fun begins. | |
| FunctionParameters | Now, that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time. | |
| Void | It's a trap! | |
| Return | You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home. | |
| EndFunctionDeclaration | You cannot escape your destiny. | |
| AssignVariable | What a piece of junk! | |
| AssignVariableFromFunctionCall | Many Bothans died to bring us this information. | |
| EndAssignVariable | The garbage will do. | |
| SetValue | I am your father. | |
| CallFunction | I have a bad feeling about this. | |
| PassArgument | I'll try spinning, that's a good trick. | |
| Add | Your lightsabers will make a fine addition to my collection. | |
| Subtract | Proceed with the countdown. | |
| Multiply | There's too many of them! | |
| Divide | Not to worry, we are still flying half a ship. | |
| Exponent | Unlimited power! | |
| Modulus | Never tell me the odds! | |
| Equal | I am a Jedi, like my father before me. | Supports floats, booleans, and strings |
| GreaterThan | Impressive. Most impressive. | |
| LessThan | There's always a bigger fish. | |
| Not | Always with you it cannot be done. | |
| Or | There is another. | |
| And | As you wish. | |
| Noop | Move along. Move along. | Does literally nothing |
| While | Here we go again. | |
| EndWhile | Let the past die. | |
| If | Do, or do not. There is no try. | |
| Else | These aren't the droids you're looking for. | |
| EndIf | You have failed me for the last time. | |
| For | For over a thousand generations. | |
| ForStart | Let the Wookiee win. | |
| EndFor | It is clear to me now the Republic no longer functions. | |
| ReadFloat | Now this is podracing! | Press enter to input the value |
| ReadString | Looking? Found someone, you have, I would say. | Press enter to input the value |
| ReadBoolean | I hope you know what you're doing. | Press enter to input the value |