HalcyonScript

A native programming language for building Windows desktop applications with a simple, readable syntax.

Version: 0.20.26
Runtime: HalcyonRT

Overview

HalcyonScript is a domain-specific language designed for rapid GUI application development on Windows. It compiles to native executables and includes two UI frameworks:

• HalGUI - Modern themed UI with custom rendering
• HalForms - Windows Forms-like native controls

Features

• Simple, human-readable syntax
• Native Windows GUI support via HalGUI (modern themed UI)
• NEW: Automatic Layout System - No more manual coordinate calculations!
• NEW: Paint API - Complete graphics editor functionality with brushes, filters, and file support
• NEW: Console API - Full terminal control with colors, cursor positioning, and input
• NEW: Enhanced String & Math Functions - String.split(), Math.random(), Tooltip.show()
• HalForms framework (Windows Forms-like, native controls)
• Built-in theming system (Dark, Light, Midnight, Ocean, Teal)
• Event-driven programming model
• File I/O operations
• Audio playback support
• Project-based builds with .halproj files
• Single executable distribution
• Windows XP/7/10/11 compatibility

Quick Start

HalGUI (Modern UI)

# Hello World with HalGUI
HalGUI.init()
HalGUI.setTheme("dark")

create window app "My Application" 800 600
create button btn "Click Me" x:20 y:20 width:150 height:40
create label lbl "Status: Ready" x:20 y:80 width:300 height:30

when btn clicked {
    set lbl.text = "Button clicked!"
}

HalGUI.run()

HalForms (Windows Forms-like)

# Hello World with HalForms
HalForms.init()

HalForms.createForm("mainForm", "My Application", 800, 600, 0)
HalForms.createControl("button", "btn", "Click Me", 20, 20, 150, 40)
HalForms.createControl("label", "lbl", "Status: Ready", 20, 80, 300, 30)

on btn.clicked {
    HalForms.setProperty("lbl", "text", "Button clicked!")
}

HalForms.run()

NEW: Automatic Layout System

No more manual coordinate calculations! Use automatic layouts:

HalGUI.init()
HalGUI.setTheme("dark")

window main "Layout Demo" 400 300

# Create a panel with vertical layout
panel container {
    x: 20
    y: 20
    width: 360
    height: 260
}

# Set vertical layout - widgets will auto-arrange!
HalGUI.setLayout("container", "vertical")
HalGUI.setGap("container", 10)

# Just add widgets - they position automatically!
label lblTitle "Welcome!" { width: 340, height: 30 }
input txtName "Enter name" { width: 340, height: 36 }
button btnSubmit "Submit" { width: 340, height: 40 }
label lblResult "" { width: 340, height: 30 }

on btnSubmit clicked {
    lblResult.text = "Hello, " + txtName.text + "!"
}

HalGUI.run()

Layout Types:

• vertical - Stack widgets vertically
• horizontal - Arrange widgets in a row
• grid - Auto-wrap grid layout
• flex - Proportional sizing with flex weights

See docs/LAYOUT_SYSTEM.md for full documentation.

Installation

Requirements

• Windows 10/11
• MinGW-w64 (for building from source)

Build from Source

cd HalcyonScript
build_all.bat

This builds HalcyonScript with both HalGUI and HalForms support.

Run a Script

Halcyon script.hcs

Build a Project

Halcyon build project.halproj

Language Syntax

Variables

var name = "John"
const PI = 3.14159
global counter = 0

Control Flow

if condition {
    # code
} else {
    # code
}

for i from 1 to 10 {
    print i
}

while running {
    # code
}

Functions

func add(a, b) {
    return a + b
}

var result = add(5, 3)

GUI Elements

create window win "Title" 800 600
create button btn "Text" x:10 y:10 width:100 height:30
create label lbl "Text" x:10 y:50 width:200 height:25
create input inp "" x:10 y:90 width:200 height:30
create checkbox chk "Option" x:10 y:130 width:150 height:25
create slider sld x:10 y:170 width:200 height:30 min:0 max:100 value:50
create progress prg x:10 y:210 width:200 height:20
create textarea txt "" x:10 y:250 width:300 height:150

Events

when btn clicked {
    # handle click
}

when inp changed {
    get inp.text -> value
    print value
}

Properties

set lbl.text = "New text"
set btn.visible = true
set chk.checked = false

get inp.text -> userInput
get sld.value -> sliderValue

Dialogs

HalGUI.dialog("Message", "Title", 0, 0)

var file = HalGUI.openFile("Select File", "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt")
var save = HalGUI.saveFile("Save As", "All Files (*.*)|*.*", "default.txt")

File Operations

var content = File.read("data.txt")
File.write("output.txt", content)
var exists = File.exists("config.ini")

Audio

Audio.create("player")
Audio.load("player", "music.mp3")
Audio.play("player")
Audio.setVolume("player", 80)
Audio.pause("player")
Audio.stop("player")

NEW: Console API

Full terminal control for console applications:

# Initialize console
Console.init()
Console.setTitle("My Console App")

# Colored output
Console.setColor("bright_green")
Console.writeln("SUCCESS: Operation completed!")
Console.resetColor()

# User input
Console.write("Enter your name: ")
var name = Console.read()

# Screen control
Console.clear()
Console.setCursor(10, 5)
Console.write("Text at position 10,5")

# Progress bar example
for i from 0 to 100 step 5 {
    Console.setCursor(0, 10)
    Console.write("Progress: [")
    var filled = i / 2
    for j from 0 to filled {
        Console.write("█")
    }
    Console.write("] " + i + "%")
    Sys.sleep(100)
}

NEW: Paint API

Complete graphics editor functionality:

# Create paint canvas
paintcanvas_create("mainForm", "canvas", 10, 10, 800, 600)
paintcanvas_clear("canvas", 255, 255, 255)

# Set drawing tools
paintcanvas_set_tool("canvas", "brush")
paintcanvas_set_brush_size("canvas", 10)
paintcanvas_set_brush_type("canvas", "soft")
paintcanvas_set_color("canvas", 255, 0, 0)

# Image filters
paintcanvas_grayscale("canvas")
paintcanvas_blur("canvas", 3)
paintcanvas_brightness("canvas", 50)
paintcanvas_invert("canvas")

# File operations
paintcanvas_save("canvas", "artwork.bmp")
paintcanvas_load("canvas", "photo.bmp")

# Undo/Redo
paintcanvas_undo("canvas")
paintcanvas_redo("canvas")

NEW: Enhanced Functions

String manipulation and utilities:

# String splitting
var csv = "apple,banana,orange"
var fruits = String.split(csv, ",")
# fruits = ["apple", "banana", "orange"]

# Random numbers
var dice = Math.random(1, 6)
var percentage = Math.random(0, 100)

# Tooltips
Tooltip.show("Hello World!", 100, 100)
on btn clicked {
    Tooltip.show("Button clicked!", 200, 150)
}

Project Structure

MyProject/
├── MyProject.halproj
├── src/
│   ├── main.hcs
│   └── utils.hcs
└── assets/
    └── icon.ico

Project File Format

{
    "name": "MyProject",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "entry": "src/main.hcs",
    "files": ["src/main.hcs", "src/utils.hcs"],
    "build": {
        "output": "dist",
        "icon": "assets/icon.ico"
    }
}

Themes

Available themes: dark, light, midnight, ocean, teal

HalGUI.setTheme("midnight")

Directory Structure

HalcyonScript-Native/
├── src/
│   ├── main.c           # Entry point
│   ├── lexer.c          # Tokenizer
│   ├── parser.c         # AST builder
│   ├── runtime.c        # Interpreter
│   ├── builtin_api.c    # Built-in functions (String.split, Math.random, etc.)
│   ├── console_api.c    # Console API implementation
│   ├── halgui/          # HalGUI framework (modern themed UI)
│   │   ├── halgui_core.c
│   │   ├── halgui_widgets.c
│   │   ├── halgui_render.c
│   │   ├── halgui_themes.c
│   │   ├── halgui_dialogs.c
│   │   └── halgui_audio.c
│   ├── halforms/        # HalForms framework (Windows Forms-like)
│   │   ├── halforms_core.c
│   │   ├── halforms_controls.c
│   │   ├── halforms_menu.c
│   │   ├── halforms_advanced.c
│   │   ├── halforms_dialogs.c
│   │   ├── halforms_paint.c      # Paint API implementation
│   │   └── halforms_runtime.c
│   └── launcher/        # Standalone app builder
├── examples/            # Sample programs
├── docs/               # Documentation
│   ├── LAYOUT_SYSTEM.md    # Layout system guide
│   ├── CONSOLE_API.md      # Console API reference
│   ├── PAINT_API.md        # Paint API reference
│   └── NEW_FUNCTIONS.md    # New built-in functions
└── logo/               # Branding assets

UI Frameworks Comparison

Feature	HalGUI	HalForms
Rendering	Custom GDI+/D3D11	Native Win32
Themes	dark, light, midnight, ocean, teal	System
Compatibility	Windows 7+	Windows XP+
Best for	Modern apps	IDE, DAW, editors
Controls	Styled widgets	Native controls
Layout System	✅ Automatic layouts	❌ Manual positioning
Paint API	❌ Not supported	✅ Full paint functionality
Console API	✅ Supported	✅ Supported

Examples

See the examples/ directory for sample applications:

HalGUI Examples

• halgui_simple.hcs - Basic GUI demo
• calc.hcs - Calculator
• audioplayer.hcs - Music player

HalForms Examples

• halforms_demo.hcs - HalForms controls demo
• halforms_editor.hcs - Simple text editor

NEW: Console Examples

• console_calculator.hcs - Console-based calculator with colors
• test_console.hcs - Console API demonstration

NEW: Paint Examples

• simple_paint_demo.hcs - Basic paint application
• test_paint_draw.hcs - Drawing tools demonstration
• test_paint_console.hcs - Paint with console output

NEW: Layout Examples

• simple_layout.hcs - Automatic layout demonstration
• advanced_layout_app.hcs - Complex layout with multiple panels
• responsive_layout_demo.hcs - Responsive design patterns

License

MIT License

Author

KAInaps