Roku SDK Documentation : Conditional Compilation

Conditional Compilation allows boolean constants to determine whether a section of code should be compiled. Conditional compilation values are defined by the #const identifier and has the form:

#const <constant-name> = <expression> 

#const someFlag = true
#const anotherFlag = false
#const someOtherFlag = someFlag

Criteria:

• This initial release only supports boolean constant values.

• Constant names must be composed of alphanumeric characters, and optionally, the underscore _ character. There is no limit to the length of a constant name.

• Constant names are case-insensitive.

• A constant name should not be redefined if it has already been defined prior. 

Defining a Constant

A constant can be defined in 2 ways:

• A manifest attribute in the channel package
• A constant locally scoped to individual BrightScript files

Manifest Constant

Conditional compilation values can be specified in the manifest via the bs_const attribute:

bs_const=someFlag=false

More than one conditional compilation value can be specified via semi-colon separated key-value pairs:

bs_const=someFlag=false;anotherFlag=true

Uses

 There are a variety of ways Conditional Compilation can be used:

#if someFlag 
	'code to execute when someFlag is true
#else if anotherFlag
	'code to execute when anotherFlag is true
#end if

#const FeatureA = true
#const FeatureB = false
 
#if FeatureA
	'code for Feature A
#else if FeatureB
	'code for Feature B
#else
	'production code
#end if

An #error constant can also be used to force a compilation error with an error message:

#const FeatureA = true 
 
#if FeatureA AND deviceSupported
	'code for Feature A
#else
	#error Your device cannot support this feature.
#end if

Block Comments

#if false
	This is a function that does nothing.
	This function takes no parameters.
	This function does not return anything.
#end if 
Function foo() as void
	'do nothing
End Function

#if false
Function Order66() as void
	'code for Order66
End Function
#end if