Programming Without Coding Technology (PWCT)

Introduction

I am Interested in Visual programming systems implementation using AI Techniques and Programming Without Coding Technology (PWCT) is a result of my researches in this topic.

The Programming Without Coding Technology (PWCT) is a technology wherein the programmer need not write code but can visually specify every functional aspect of the program similar to flowcharts and algorithms.

PWCT include (Mahmoud Programming Language, RPWI Environment & DoubleS [Super Server] Programming Paradigm).

PWCT is free-open source project ( http://doublesvsoop.sourceforge.net ) .

PWCT uses Interaction by presenting a GUI between a Human language and a Programming language; so doing anything requires knowing Procedure instead of being Declarative.

PWCT is used for developing win32 applications without directly coding and uses XHarbour, HarbourMiniGUI and Borland C/c++ as the embedded coding layer to produce executable applications.

Starting from PWCT 1.6 (Ready) there are three open source projects added the first project is
Supernova (Simple scripting programming language developed using PWCT to prove that the PWCT technology are ready for developing complex software) and the second project is PythonPWCT (Components wrap the Python programming language) to clear that many other languages could be supported and you are free to use the programming language which you like in the background and the third project is SupernovaPWCT (Components wrap the Supernova programming language) so we can use the RPWI-Environment (including the Form Designer) to Develop applications without coding and get the generated code written in Supernova.

PWCT presents new Methodology called Coding Simulation instead of Drag and drop and coding simulation could be full replacement for coding.

Hello World Program

There are many samples to learn how to use PWCT and i am going to present the Hello World program where we reach our goal through generating two steps

The first step print the message "Hello World" on screen then the second step wait for number of seconds

To generate a step, at first we select a component to interact with, then we enter the required data then the steps will generated in our goal tree.

This way is a very slow way and you could use shortcut keys to work faster (than coding too).

1 - Select (The First Step)

2 - click "Interact" button Or press CTRL+R instead

To use the Wait Key/Seconds component press "w" this will open the components browser and will put this letter "w" in the search line and you will get the component quickly

Or use the next slow way

Supernova Programming Language

Supernova is a small programming language developed using PWCT and it's Free-Open Source and when you download PWCT 1.6 Ready, you will get it in the package, so you could see a real example demonstrates how to develop complete application using PWCT (supernova is an example)

To know more about supernova, you could start by reading the Supernova article

Now i am going to explain how to open Supernova source files using PWCT and browse the language design

The first simple step is to Run PWCT

Open the file C:\SSBuild\Supernova\Source\Nova.SSF

From this source file, you can build the language interpreter by pressing CTRL+R

To see the scanner source, open the file C:\SSBuild\Supernova\Source\Scanner.SSF

To see the Supernova language KB (Knowledge Base)

Open the source file C:\SSBuild\Supernova\Source\Details.SSF

You can modify any rule in the Rule-based knowledge base

History

I am the creator of PWCT (Programming Without Coding Technology) and i am interested in Visual programming systems implementation using AI-Techniques and PWCT is a result of my researches in this topic (2006-2010).

I still need to spend more years to implement many useful ideas, but the current state of the project is acceptable (at least for me) and i am using it for developing my own applications and for introducing programming concepts to students.

Have Fun.