NULL mag Issue 07 11 Mpl vs mpy

Published in

· 3 years ago

  

 

    you installed mystic, you want to get into script programming and you  
    don't know which language to choose. MPL or MPY? don't worry... i am  
    here to help you... lol 
     
     
    pascal vs python 
     
    it all starts from this point... except some other differences, the  
    basic and most critical difference is that you have to do with pascal  
    or python. so if you know, one of these languages and not the other,  
    it's like you all ready made your choice ;) if you know both of them,  
    then keep reading, cause there is more... 
     
     
    complete pr.lang vs subset 
     
    in case of MPL, it may seems like the pascal pr.lang. but it's not.  
    MPL uses the syntax of pascal, but the commands that are used are  
    mystic specific and also, you can only use those, that are all ready  
    built in. you can't use any other "external" command, lets say, from  
    other pascal units. 
     
    in MPY, is not the same. in MPY you can use all python libraries!  
    plus the one library mystic offers, mystic_bbs to have access to the  
    screen, keyboard, built-in variables etc. so with MPY the  
    possibilities to make awesome things with it, are endless. where in  
    MPL you may have to use external scripts/apps and so. 
     
     
    built-in commands 
     
    in this area, MPL is more advanced, i may say. because it was longer  
    developed, it has more built-in function to use and access  
    "mystic-things", than MPY. i am sure that in the future this will  
    change and the balance will be tipped towards MPY. but for now, MPL  
    has more mystic-stuff ready to use. 
     
     
    docs/source code 
     
    same thing with documentation. you will find more things written for  
    MPL, instead of MPY. more tutors and more source code is written for  
    MPL, when for MPY it's almost non existant. 
     
     
    python2?!!! 
     
    up to ver 1.12A43, MPY uses python2. but in the near future python2 is  
    going to be dropped out and not developed or supported any more, check  
    it here: https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0373/ 
    so writing MPY/python2 scripts right now, is... lets say a risk...  
    cause it's not clear if mystic is going to support python3 and when.  
    there are not bog differences between ver 2 and 3 of python and you  
    should be able to upgrade your scripts, but still would be a pain in  
    the ass to do. 
     
     
    installation/usage/environment 
     
    if you want to write a MPL script... you just get an editor, compile  
    the script and done! right out of the box. no configs, no nothing...  
    in the case of MPY, specially if you are a windows user (looser!!!)  
    you have to install python first and make some configuration. this is  
    also true for linux, cause in many occasions the pre-installed python  
    version doesn't work with mystic, so you have to re-install it. 
     
     
    overall 
     
    MPL is well tested and defined, with bigger support in the community,  
    where MPY is very promising for the future of mystic bbs. which one  
    you will use, is just your choice to do. ;)