Data Types
Data Types in Proto
This article details the different types of data that Proto uses to communicate between modules.
Data in Proto
In Proto, modules communicate by sending and receiving information in the form of messages. Every message contains a single, general structure of data. This data can be further subclassified into the following data types: number, text, true/false, date, entryset, range, and module.
Number
A number represents any real numeric value—whole numbers and decimals.
Text
Text is comprised of letters, numbers, and punctuation
Proto attempts to convert, but may fail. For instance the text “100” could be converted to a number.
True/false
A true/false is a boolean value that represents a 1/0, yes/no, true/false, or on/off state.
Date
A date represents any specific date
Entryset
An entryset is an organized collection of data. Its structure can be thought of as a table containing various data types in which each column is an attribute and each row is an entry. See the entryset article for more information about entrysets.
Module
Modules can be transmitted as data over plug-in connections. See the plug-in article for more information about specific plug-in connections.
Compatibility and Conversion
While connections can transmit any data type, input and output connectors will only receive or send messages that contain data of a specific data type or set of data types. For example, a Slider module can only accept number messages on its “Set Value” input connector. An incompatible “Set Value” input message such as an entryset will cause the Slider to enter an error state. However, certain data types can conditionally convert to other specific data types. If the “Set Value” input connector receives a message of the type text, it will attempt to convert the text data into a valid number and set the value of the Slider accordingly.
Number
Converts to: Text, True/false
When a number is converted to true/false, any non-zero value becomes true and zero becomes false.
Text
Converts to: Number, True/false, Date
Proto attempts to convert text to another data type, but may fail with a data type mismatch error. For instance, the text “100” can be converted to a number, but the text “my data” cannot. When converting to true/false either of the text values “1” or “true” become true and either of the text values “0” or “false” become false. The capitalization of “true” and “false” does not matter.
True/false
Converts to: Text, Number
When converting to text, true becomes “true” and false becomes “false.” When converting to a number, true becomes 0 and false becomes 1.
Date
Converts to: Text
A date converts to text in the format “month/day/year.”
Entryset
Converts to: Text
Each piece of data in an entryset is converted according to its particular conversion rules and the result is displayed as text.
See Also:
- Errors
- An article explaining error states