What is the maximum string length

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:13am

Hi. Please forgive me, cause is will be stated somewhere, but I can’t find it. What is the maximum length of a string in gpscript. This is because I like to create larger sysex messages.

Thanks

pianopaul · July 22, 2022, 7:18am

I tested with this code and got no compilation error

var S : String

initialization
 S = "12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890"
end

pianopaul · July 22, 2022, 7:21am

Or with this syntax

var S : String

initialization
 S = <<< 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123
 45678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 67890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 6789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
 34567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567
 890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123
 456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
 0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123
 456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
 012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 6789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123
 4567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901
 2345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
 01234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678
 901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 6789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123
 4567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234
 5678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 67890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567
 89012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
 0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 2345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
 3456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123
 45678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 6789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
 3456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901
 23456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 67890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
 012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901
 2345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234
 5678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567
 89012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901
 23456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
 678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 >>>
end

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:22am

Thank you. But I want to build it ‘in code’. So it is not about the maximum of the ide, but internally.

Pseudo code:

for x=;x<8000;x=x+1 do
S=S+”01”
End

I’ve left out the sysex header and trailer.

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:23am

Not that the ide is too shabby in this respect

pianopaul · July 22, 2022, 7:26am

What do you want to achieve with that large syses message?
Transfer Patches to Hardware?

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:30am

I’ve created a jsfx plugin, that I want to send ‘patchnames’, typically this will be songpart names. The maximum patches will be 64, so I was thinking 64 names from about 64 characters long. That is 4096 characters plus 64 separators. In hex that boils down to a little over 8192 bytes.

Otherwise I’ll have to build a way to send it in parts, but that’s more complicated

pianopaul · July 22, 2022, 7:44am

How about sending OSC messages?

David-san · July 22, 2022, 7:45am

Read the String section of the GPScript functions documentation. You can manipulate strings as you want.

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:48am

Jsfx (reaper plugin) does not support osc. Sending a sysex message is the only way to transfer a blob. I’m not having too much trouble with that. I just want to make my code solid enough. I cannot possibly imagine someone having a song with 64 parts, but I don’t want to be the limiting factor, although the ‘someone’ will most likely be myself

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:51am

The manipulating is not the problem, but there might be limitations, as there are also limitations to arrays.

But when there is no official statement about the maximum length, I can create a test script, determine when it breaks and then stay well below that maximum.

Thank you all

David-san · July 22, 2022, 7:52am

OK, then please report your findings here

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:53am

I will. Thank you all and have a nice day.

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 8:08am

@pianopaul’s example is 6200 bytes long, so that is at least possible

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 5:24pm

I created this little script to verify the maximum length of a string. It might be more, but some of the functions for manipulating strings use apparently 32 bit signed integers, amongst the Length(s), so I cannot test further than a string length of 2,147,483,647 bytes (being (2 ^ 31) - 1)

Initialization
var s : string
    i : integer
    
    Print ("Start: " + FormatTime(ClockTime(), "%H:%M:%S"))

    s = "01234567"
    for i = 0; i < 27; i = i + 1 do
        s = s + s
    end
    s = s + CopySubstring (s, 0, Length(s) - 9) + "ABCDEGHI"

    Print ("Stop: " + FormatTime(ClockTime(), "%H:%M:%S"))
    Print (Length(s))
    Print (CopySubstring (s, Length(s) - 16, 16)) // Should be "70123456ABCDEFGHI"
End

As it turns out, the max length is exactly ‘MAXINT’ bytes (signed), so to be more precise (2 ^ 31) - 1 bytes == 2,147,483,647 bytes.

Shame on you! Not even cared for using an unsigned int ?! (just kidding). I think this will do more than nicely.

Because the memory has to be allocated, bigger strings will be slower to assign. They are also a lot slower to use.

dhj · July 22, 2022, 6:27pm

GPScript does not have a concept of an unsigned integer.

Very sorry if that’s not enough for you That said, do not depend on that undocumented max length - the max length is deliberately not defined so that we can change it in the future if it becomes necessary.

Indeed — strings are absolutely not intended to be used for any real-time purpose.

Frank1119 · July 22, 2022, 7:43pm

GPScript does not have a concept of an unsigned integer

I was just joking, as you undoubtedly did understand. As far as I can see .Net has the same limit. I’m really enjoying Gigperformer. And in the domain Gigperformer and gpscript are operating, I do not see much need for longer strings either.

Keep up the good work!

dhj · July 22, 2022, 8:31pm

I think Microsoft named .Net so it wouldn’t show up in a Unix directory listing.
— Oktal