Custom

Ruby users will be familiar with the use of modules, but may not be aware that they can be of particular use in PiCrate (and jruby generally)

Namespace to wrap java packages

Use include_package within a Ruby Module to import a Java Package’s classes on const_missing

Use include_package 'package_name' in a Ruby Module to support namespaced access to the Java classes in the package. This is similar to Java’s package xxx.yyy.zzz; format. It is also legal to use java_import 'package_name', that is similar to import package_name.*.

Example: using include_package in a module

module MyApp
 include_package 'org.apache.logging.log4j'
 # now any class from "org.apache.logging.log4j" will be available within
 # this module, ex if "org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager" exists ...
 Logger = LogManager.getLogger('MyApp')
end

Example: create a Ruby Module called JavaLangDemo that includes the classes in the Java package java.lang.

module JavaLangDemo
  include_package 'java.lang'
  # alternately, use the #import method
  # java_import 'java.lang'
end

Now you can prefix the desired Java Class name with JavaLangDemo:: to access the included class

Example: Simpler form available in a PiCrate sketch

But we have made this even easier for you because since we wrap the processing sketch in a Processing module so you are able to just use include_package in your PiCrate sketches. See below example where include several ddf.minim packages in a sketch:-

load_library :minim
include_package 'ddf.minim'
include_package 'ddf.minim.ugens'
# the effects package is needed because the filters are there for now.
include_package 'ddf.minim.effects'

However you may still want to use full method above to create a namespace (which you may need to prefix with Processing:: if accessed outside the Processing module)

Example: multiple (nested) packages in a module

module Hype
  include_package 'hype.extended.colorist'
  include_package 'hype.extended.layout'
  # a sometimes better alternative, is to use the java_import for specific classes
  # java_import 'hype.extended.colorist.HColorPool'
  # java_import 'hype.extended.layout.HGridLayout'
end

Now you can prefix the desired Java Class name with Hype:: to access the included classes Hype::HColorPool and Hype::HGridLayout.