Talk:UBasic command Suggestions

Help: talk pages, talk page guidelines

This page is specifically for suggestions related to CHDK uBasic, either suggested new or modified uBasic script commands, or for sugggested CHDK-specific implimentations of the uBasic language.

The idea is to separate out these requests from other issues found in the (now overwhelming and somewhat stale) general suggestion page.

I've seeded this with some of my requests ( :) ), and I also reviewed the general suggestions page and carried over any such suggestions that others have posted. (If they were your suggestions, please feel free to edit them if I didn't quite make it clear what you wanted, and *please* delete them if you no longer desire those extensions).

If you'd like to post a *NEW* uBasic-specific suggestion, click the post a new comment button at the top of this page.

If you want to modify or comment on an *EXISTING* suggestion posted here, use the "EDIT" link next to that specific suggestion.

The ability to read the system time in a Script

I'd like the ability to get the system time. Would be very userful for intervalometer scripts, and perhaps for other procedures as well that depend in precise timing.

A suggested format: "get_sys_time x", where x=the time in whatever units the camera uses (msec, 0.1 msec, whatever!)

[This probably would be easy to impliment, since it appears that there already is a C routine that deals with this variable.]

ability to turn on/off darkframe subtraction

The ability to turn on/off darkframe subtraction in a script.

Suggested format: set_DF_off and set_DF_on.

[This also likely would be easy to impliment, since CHDK already controls this function via the menu.]

ability to get & set image resolution

The ability to get and set the image resolution state. Like some other parameters (e.g., ISO) the ability to "press" buttons lets you change this setting, but only if you know what state it is in at the start.

Suggested format: "get_image_res x" and "set_image_res x"

ability to get & set exposure compensation

ability to set (and get) the exposure compensation (+/-)? [Question: are all Canon cameras like the S3, where your ability to adjust is in 1/3 stop units over the range of -2 to +2?]

Note: currently one can set the exposure compensation, and reset it back, using the press button commands only if you know the initial setting. (You can set it to anything regardless of the initial setting using the button press command by first driving it down to -2 by doing 12 button presses (which will put it in a known state regardless of where it starts at, but in that situation, you won't be able to return it to where it was).

Suggested format "get_ex_comp x" and "set_ex_comp x", where x=0 is normal, and +/- 1 is up or down 1/3 stop, +/1 = 2/3 stop, etc. (i.e., the range of the variable x will be from -6 to +6, corresponding to -2 to +2 stops)

ability to set sharpness, saturation & contrast.

ability to set Sharpness, Saturation and Contrast in a script.

Similar to parameters like Exposure compensation, ISO, etc. The format of such commands would probably best be similar (e/g/. "get/set_contrast x")

(suggested by another user previously in the general suggestion page)

ability to read the battery voltage

ability to read the battery voltage (or % battery remaining?)

This was suggested by another user in the general suggestion page.

Suggested format: "get_battery_volts x" where x is the voltage in mV (although for most purposes the %battery remaining parameter that CHDK already calculates for the battery display would probably be sufficient)

Ability to delete images

[This was suggested by another user in the general suggestion page.]

A set of extensions that would allow file deletion. As the person who requested this points out, unless you can enter playback mode, the "erase" button doesn't work for that function. He/she suggested having either a command to switch between recording to playback modes, or a delete command with a variable that would specify deletion of the most recent image.

Suggested format: "fdel x" where x = 0 to delete the most recent image, and -1,-2,etc to delete previous images) or a prior image (variable = 1 for immediately preceeding image, etc)

IF//THEN//ELSE//ENDIF

[This was suggested by another user in the general suggestion page.]

IF//THEN//ELSE//ENDIF would allow a more convienent and more transparent way to code some proceedures. The currently IF/THEN/ELSE construct does not permit more than one basic command for the THEN and ELSE alternatives. If more than one command is needed, you typically will have to use gosubs to subroutines as the THEN/ELSE alternatives, which has the disadvantage of moving those lines of code elsewhere in the program file.