Importing Scripts

Similarly to the #include keyword in C, the import keyword in Scratch Script "runs" the file specified ""linking"" the files together. In actuality, this process is achieved by different means in both cases.

Import

The import keyword can be used in two contexts:

1. Within a script

2. Not within a script

Importing within a script

If the import keyword is used within the body of a sprite, the import will look for the export keyword within the .scratch file.

Once it has found the export keyword, it will run all of the commands within it.

To assign stacks, the original stack will "jump" over the import and will continue on without it.

main.scratch

sprite cat {
    move(4);
    import "otherfile.scratch";
    move(3);
}

otherfile.scratch

export {
    move(7);
}

The resulting stacks would be:

move(4); move(3);

and...

move(7);

Importing outside of a script

If the import keyword is used outside of the script of a sprite, the import will look for all sprites within the .scratch file.

main.scratch

import "otherfile.scratch";

sprite cat {
    def main(){
        move(3);
    }
}

otherfile.scratch

sprite cat2 {
    move(7);
}

The resulting Scratch project would contain both cat and cat2.

This achieves the same thing as if you put the sprite in the base project.

Require

The require keyword is a one time import.

If the .scratch file has not been imported yet, it imports it.

If the .scratch file has been imported before, it does not import the file.

main.scratch

sprite cat{
    require "otherfile.scratch";
    require "otherfile.scratch";
}

The resulting cat sprite would only have one coppy of the export of the "otherfile.scratch".

File Path

The file in quotes for the require and import command is a relative file path, meaning you are able to put the file you want to import into a subdirectory.

For example a directory like this:

.
└─ project/
    ├─ main.scratch
    └─ subforlder/
        └─ example.scratch

Could have a import like this:

main.scratch

import "subfolder/example.scratch";

Standard Packages

Standard Packages are files that are part of compiler and are used for base functionality such as pointers.

Importing standard packages are the exact same as importing regular .scratch files.

import "std.scratch";

This is required for some functionality.