Flex Language Support for Visual Studio Code

This extension provides comprehensive language support for the Flex programming language, a flexible multi-syntax language designed for both beginners and advanced developers.

Features

• Syntax highlighting for:

  • Comments (single-line // and #, multi-line /* */, and documentation ''' ''')
  • Strings with interpolation ("Hello, {name}")
  • Keywords in both English and Franco syntax
  • Types (rakm, kasr, so2al, klma, dorg / int, float, bool, string, list)
  • Functions and function calls
  • Operators (arithmetic, comparison, logical)
  • Numbers (integers and floats)
  • Variables
  • List operations

• Smart code completion for:

  • Keywords and language constructs
  • List operations (push, pop, remove, length)
  • Operators and common functions
  • Built-in functions (absolute, do_modulus, isprime, etc.)

• Hover information for:

  • Keywords and syntax elements
  • Operators and their functionality
  • Function signatures and parameters

• Error detection for common Flex coding mistakes:

  • Missing curly braces in blocks
  • Incorrect karr loop syntax
  • Unassigned input functions
  • Incorrect logical operators
  • Semicolon usage (not required in Flex)
  • Boolean value syntax (sa7/ghalt vs true/false)

• Function signature help that shows:

  • Parameter information
  • Function descriptions
  • Return types

• Code snippets for common patterns:

  • If statements and if-else blocks
  • Loops (while, for, C-style for)
  • Function definitions
  • Print statements with formatting
  • Input handling
  • Variable declarations
  • Import statements
  • List operations
  • Complete program templates

• Editor features:

  • Bracket matching and auto-closing
  • Code folding for blocks and regions
  • Smart indentation for control structures and functions
  • Comment toggling (single and multi-line)
  • Word pattern recognition
  • Auto-indent when entering control blocks

• Run Flex files directly from VSCode:

  • Run button in the status bar when editing Flex files
  • Run button in the editor title area
  • Command palette option: "Run Flex File"
  • AI-powered debugging with the ✨ button
  • Automatic Flex interpreter detection with download prompt if not found
  • On macOS, directly uses the 'flex' command without complex path searching

• AI Model Selection:

  • Search across 300+ AI models from various providers
  • Real-time search with instant results
  • Recently used models appear at the top
  • Detailed model information and pricing
  • One-click model switching

Installation

1. Open Visual Studio Code
2. Press Ctrl+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+P (macOS)
3. Type ext install flex-language
4. Press Enter

Requirements

• Flex Interpreter: The extension requires the Flex interpreter to run Flex files
  • The extension automatically checks if the Flex interpreter is installed
  • If not found, it will prompt you to download it from the Flex Releases page
  • macOS Users: Install the Flex interpreter to /usr/local/bin/flex or ensure it's in your PATH as the 'flex' command
  • Windows/Linux Users: Make sure to add the Flex interpreter to your PATH after installation

Platform-specific Notes

macOS

• The extension directly uses the 'flex' command without searching for other paths
• Ensure the Flex compiler is installed as 'flex' in your PATH (typically in /usr/local/bin/flex)
• To install: brew install flex or manually place the executable at /usr/local/bin/flex

Windows

• The extension searches for the Flex compiler in standard installation locations
• Add the Flex compiler directory to your PATH or specify a custom path in settings

Linux

• The extension primarily looks for the 'flex' command in your PATH
• You can also specify a custom path in settings if needed

Usage

Files with .lx, .fx, or .flex extensions will automatically be recognized as Flex files.

Code Completion

Type any keyword or start of a construct to see completion suggestions:

• Type lw to get suggestions for an if statement
• Type . after a list variable to see available list operations
• Use snippets by typing their prefix (e.g., if-block, while-loop, function-arabic)

Hover Information

Hover over any keyword, function, or operator to see a description:

• For keywords: explains the purpose and syntax variants
• For operators: explains operation and usage
• For built-in functions: shows parameter information and description

Error Detection

The extension will highlight common Flex errors as you type:

• Missing curly braces around blocks
• Using C-style syntax with Arabic keywords
• Missing l7d in karr loops
• Using da5l() without assigning to a variable
• Using && or || instead of "and" and "or"
• Using "true/false" instead of "sa7/ghalt"

Function Signatures

When typing function calls, you'll see parameter information:

• Parameter names and types
• Function description
• Return type information

Running Flex Programs

To run a Flex program:

1. Open a Flex file (with .lx, .fx, or .flex extension)
2. Click the "Run Flex" button in the status bar at the bottom of the window
3. Alternatively, click the "Run" icon in the editor title area
4. Or use the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and search for "Run Flex File"

AI-Powered Development 🤖✨

The extension includes advanced AI-powered debugging and assistance with support for 300+ models from OpenRouter:

1. Setup OpenRouter API Key:

   • Go to Settings → Extensions → Flex
   • Click the link in "OpenRouter API Key" setting to get your API key
   • Paste your API key in the setting field
   • Enable "AI" in the Flex settings

2. Select AI Model:

   • Search & Select: Use Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) → "Flex: Search AI Models" to search through all available models
   • Quick Access: Your 5 most recently used models appear at the top of the search results
   • Real-time Search: Type to filter models by name, provider, or capability
   • Model Details: View details like context window size and pricing before selecting
   • Refresh Models: Use Command Palette → "Flex: Refresh OpenRouter Models" to update the model cache

3. Run with AI:

   • Click the "✨" (sparkle) icon in the editor title bar
   • Or use Command Palette: "Run Flex File with AI"
   • The AI will analyze your code, suggest fixes, and provide explanations

Flex Compiler Installation

If the Flex interpreter is not installed, the extension will:

• Show an error message indicating that the interpreter is missing
• Provide a "Download Flex" button that will take you to the Flex releases page
• You'll need to download and install the appropriate version for your operating system

For Developers 🛠️

The extension includes a powerful model management system:

• Model Management:

  • Run npm run update-models to fetch the latest 300+ models from OpenRouter
  • Models are automatically refreshed during npm run vscode:prepublish
  • Caching system prevents unnecessary API calls (24-hour TTL)

• Search Implementation:

  • Real-time search with debounced input for performance
  • Case-insensitive matching against model names and providers
  • Results sorted by relevance and recency of use

• UI Components:

  • Custom search input with loading states
  • Detailed model information display
  • Error handling and user feedback

• Performance:

  • Efficient model caching in VSCode's global state
  • Lazy loading of model details
  • Optimized search algorithm for responsive performance

Example

# Variable declarations
rakm x = 42
klma message = "Hello, World!"

# Function definition
sndo2 calculateSum(rakm a, rakm b) {
    rg3 a + b
}

# Control structures
lw (x > 0) {
    etb3("Positive number")
} gher {
    etb3("Non-positive number")
}

# Loops
talama (x > 0) {
    etb3(x)
    x = x - 1
}

# List operations
dorg numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
numbers.push(6)
etb3("List length: {length(numbers)}")

Language Features

Flex is a flexible language that supports multiple programming styles:

• Franco-Arabic keywords: lw, gher, talama, karr, sndo2, rg3
• English keywords: if, else, while, for, function, return
• Mixed syntax: Use any combination of styles in your code
• String interpolation: Include variables in strings with {variable}
• List operations: push, pop, remove, length
• I/O functions: etb3/print for output, da5l/input for input
• Built-in functions: Several utility functions like absolute, isprime, calculator
• No semicolons: End of line defines the end of a statement
• Required braces: All blocks must be enclosed in curly braces {}

Common Errors and Fixes

The extension helps you avoid these common errors in Flex:

Error	Fix
Missing curly braces	Always use { and } around code blocks
Using semicolons	Flex doesn't require semicolons at end of statements
Wrong Arabic loop	Use karr i=0 l7d 10 { } not karr (i=0; i<10; i++)
Missing l7d	In karr loops, always include l7d between start and end values
Incorrect function declaration	Use sndo2 or fun keywords for functions
Missing input assignment	Always assign input: x = da5l()
Adding parameters to input	Don't use: x = da5l("Enter a value")
Wrong logical operators	Use and, or, not &&, `
Incorrect boolean values	Use sa7 and ghalt, not true and false

Contributing

Found a bug or want to contribute? Visit our GitHub repository.

License

This extension is licensed under the MIT License.