Sugar for `table.insert`ing a Task to a scope

[znotfireman]

A common convention with scope is adding tasks via table.insert:

table.insert(scope, RunService.Heartbeat:Connect(function(dt)
  sessionTime:set(peek(sessionTime) + dt)
end)

It would be nice if there was a built-in function to add tasks directly:

-- name subject to bikeshedding
local function addTasks<Tasks...>(scope: Scope, ...: Tasks...): Tasks...
  for index = 1, select("#", ...) do
    table.insert(scope, select(index, ...)
  end
  return ...
end

Usage:

local connection = scope:addTasks(
  RunService.Heartbeat:Connect(function(dt)
    sessionTime:set(peek(sessionTime) + dt)
  end)
)

[dphfox]

I've considered this in the past. It could make some code nicer, but I'll have to mull over things some more once I get back from the States next weekend.

[dphfox]

So generally I'm in favour of this.

Bikeshedding the name:

• not sure if "tasks" is necessary in the name, since this is just a generic append function
• append would be a more descriptive verb
• include might read better when this function is used inline
• add is super short but maybe too broad
• give is what Maids historically have used, but this feels weird

I'd probably go for append or include.

Append:

local ins = scope:append(Instance.new("Part", workspace))

local conn, ins = scope:append(
    RunService.Heartbeat:Connnect(doUpdate),
    Instance.new("Part", workspace)
)

Include:

local ins = scope:include(Instance.new("Part", workspace))

local conn, ins = scope:include(
    RunService.Heartbeat:Connnect(doUpdate),
    Instance.new("Part", workspace)
)

I like the way include reads in user code (feels like it's more obvious that the value would be returned from it), so I'm leaning towards that.

[znotfireman]

Somewhat far-fetched suggestion for scope:insert as that's more Luau-like (and aligns with table.insert):

local ins = scope:insert(Instance.new("Part", workspace))

local conn, ins = scope:insert(
    RunService.Heartbeat:Connnect(doUpdate),
    Instance.new("Part", workspace)
)

Also suggesting use though sounds too close to the actual Use callbacks

local ins = scope:use(Instance.new("Part", workspace))

local conn, ins = scope:use(
    RunService.Heartbeat:Connnect(doUpdate),
    Instance.new("Part", workspace)
)

[spomge]

I like the scope:insert idea.

People already have to use the following:

local part1 = Instance.new("Part", workspace)
local part2 = Instance.new("Part", workspace)
local part3 = Instance.new("Part", workspace)
local part4 = Instance.new("Part", workspace)
table.insert(scope, part1 )
table.insert(scope, part2 )
table.insert(scope, part3 )
table.insert(scope, part4 )

So naturally, the syntax sugar for this should be scope:insert()

local part1, part2, part3 , part4 = scope:insert(
	Instance.new("Part", workspace),
	Instance.new("Part", workspace),
	Instance.new("Part", workspace),
        Instance.new("Part", workspace)
)

[dphfox]

Will go with :insert(). We could perhaps augment this later with :remove() too.