runmany 2.3.0

A tool to run many programs written in many languages from one file.

RunMany

Intro | Installation | Usage | Syntax | Settings | About

A tool to run many programs written in many languages from one file.

Normally to practice multiple programming languages at once you need multiple files or multiple projects, perhaps multiple IDE's. RunMany is a tool that lets you write multiple programs in the same file using any programming languages you want, and then run them all at once.

RunMany uses ".many" as its file extension, so for example, if a file called simple.many has the following contents:

Python:
    print("Hi")

JavaScript:
    console.log("Hi")

C:
    #include <stdio.h>
    int main() {
        printf("Hi\n");
        return 0;
    }

Then doing runmany simple.many in terminal will produce this organized output of running the Python, JavaScript, and C programs within:

************************************************************
1. Python
-------------------- output from line 1 --------------------
Hi


************************************************************
2. JavaScript
-------------------- output from line 4 --------------------
Hi


************************************************************
3. C
-------------------- output from line 7 --------------------
Hi


************************************************************
3/3 programs successfully run!
3/3 had the exact same stdout!
************************************************************

Argv and stdin can also be specified in the .many file on a per-language basis, and there are many settings that can customize how languages are run and displayed in the output.

In general, RunMany can be used for:

• Chrestomathy - Writing equivalent programs in many languages, like on Rosetta Code. (example/ output)
• Performance Testing - Timing different implementations of a program, even across languages. (example/ output)
• Input Testing - Easily giving many combinations of argv or stdin to programs. (example/ output)
• Polyglots - Making esoteric code that can be executed in multiple languages at once. (example/ output)

Overall RunMany is a useful tool for anyone who wants to play with multiple programming languages at a time.

Installation

Make sure you have Python version 3.6 or above installed, then run

pip install runmany

in terminal to install the latest RunMany Python package from PyPI. Then runmany <filename> should work to run .many files. See more ways to run in Usage.

RunMany works best in VSCode with the companion RunMany VSCode extension which provides syntax highlighting for .many files and quick ways to run them. Install the extension for free from the marketplace or by running:

code --install-extension discretegames.runmany

You also need the programming languages you want RunMany to run installed on your computer because RunMany uses their interpreters/compilers behind the scenes to actually run programs.

RunMany has built-in support for the following languages:

Ada, Bash, Batch, C, C#, C++, Dart, Fortran, Go, Groovy, Haskell, Java, JavaScript, Julia, Kotlin, Lisp, Lua, MIPS, Pascal, Perl, PHP, PowerShell, Print, Python, Python 2, R, Racket, Ruby, Rust, Scala, TypeScript, VBScript, and Visual Basic

Meaning, if you already have one of these languages installed, there's a good chance it will work in RunMany automatically.

The RunMany VSCode extension provides syntax highlighting for all of these languages plus a few more.

There are ways to add custom languages and change the behavior of built-in languages, and even make them different on different operating systems. For more info see Customizing Languages.

Note that Print is a utility language that simply prints the code content to stdout, and MIPS expects mars.jar to be in the current working directory.

Troubleshooting

If pip install runmany didn't work try pip3 install runmany or python -m pip install runmany or python3 -m pip install runmany.

On Windows, if nothing works, you may need to make sure the Python installation and Scripts directories are in your Path environment variable, then restart your terminal and try again.

RunMany was made in Python 3.9 on Windows and has been thoroughly tested on Python versions 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.10 on Windows. It should also work fine on Linux and macOS but has been less extensively tested on those operating systems, especially when it comes to the commands that run the interpreters/compilers of other programming languages.

RunMany is now in version 2 with improved .many file syntax and more settings. The old 1.0.3 version is still available on PyPI.

Usage

Running RunMany From Command Line

To run a RunMany file named myfile.many use the terminal command:

runmany myfile.many

There are also optional arguments to get help and specify the settings and output files:

runmany [-h --help] [-s --settings <settings-file>] [-o --outfile <output-file>] <input-file>

• <input-file> is the required .many file to run.
• <settings-file> is the optional .json file that defines how languages are run and how the output is formatted.
• <output-file> is the optional file to send the output to. When omitted, output goes to stdout.

For example, the command to run myfile.many with settings mysettings.json and send output to myoutput.txt would be:

runmany -s mysettings.json -o myoutput.txt myfile.many

When a settings file is provided on command line, any settings sections embedded in the input file are ignored. If neither are present, or for any missing settings, default_settings.json is used as a fallback. See more info in Settings.

For some examples of .many files and their output check the examples folder on GitHub or the manychallenges repo where various code challenges for sites like Project Euler are solved in many languages at once.

The .many extension for RunMany files is not required but recommended for clarity.

Running RunMany From Python

RunMany can be imported and used from Python as follows:

from runmany import runmany, runmanys

# Run to stdout
runmany('path/to/myfile.many', 'path/to/mysettings.json')  # settings JSON is always optional

# Run to output file
runmany('path/to/myfile.many', 'path/to/mysettings.json', 'path/to/myoutput.txt')

# Run to file object
with open('path/to/myoutput.txt', 'w') as output_file:
    runmany('path/to/myfile.many', 'path/to/mysettings.json', output_file)

# Run to string
output_string = runmanys('path/to/myfile.many', 'path/to/mysettings.json')
print(output_string)

In both runmany.runmany and runmany.runmanys functions, from_string=True will make the .many file argument be interpreted as a string instead of a file path, and the settings JSON argument may be given as a path to the .json file or a JSON-like Python dictionary, or None to provide no settings. As with running from the command line, providing settings here means all settings embedded in the .many file are ignored.

The function runmany.cmdline, which takes a list of command line arguments, is also present as an alternative to using the command line directly.

.many Syntax

The .many file format is what RunMany expects when given a file to run.

Principally, a .many file consists of sections that each contain one or more snippets. A section starts with an unindented header line such as Python: or Stdin for Python:, then the content of the first snippet is what appears after the colon and on indented lines below. Additional snippets may be added to the section with an unindented Also: header, and a section ends when a new one starts or an unindented End. or the end of the file is reached.

A .many file runs from top to bottom, executing sections and snippets in the order they are encountered. Notably, a .many file will run regardless of if it has syntax errors or not. Any invalid syntax will be ignored and mentioned in an error message.

In the example .many file below, the Stdin for Python: section has two snippets, bar and baz, and they become the standard input for the Python program in the Python: section, which has one snippet print('foo' + input()). Running this file runs the Python program twice, once for bar and once for baz, giving the respective outputs foobar and foobaz.

Stdin for Python:
    bar
Also:
    baz
End.

Python:
    print('foo' + input())
End.

Read on for specifics about all .many file syntax, or check out syntax.many which has examples of all syntax as well.

Syntax Specifics

---

Comments

%% as the first non-whitespace characters in a line makes a comment until the end of that line.

%% this is a comment
Python: %% this is not a comment
    %% this is a comment
    print(1) %% this is not a comment

There are no block comments, though Start & Stop are close in functionality.

---

Sections & Snippets

As mentioned, a .many file consists of sections that start with a header and contain snippets. There are four types of sections:

• Code sections with the header <language>: or <language1>, <language2>, ...:
• Argv sections with the header Argv: or Argv for <language1>, <language2>, ...:
• Stdin sections with the header Stdin: or Stdin for <language1>, <language2>, ...:
• Settings sections with the header Settings:

All but the settings section can have a comma separated list of the languages it applies to in the header. These languages, once stripped of whitespace, must match the "name" keys of the languages in the settings JSON, but are not case sensitive. (Keywords like "Argv" and "Stdin" are case sensitive. Custom languages should not use RunMany keywords as names nor contain the characters ,:%!@.)

The header Also: is used to add snippets to a section and End. can optionally be used to end a section.

The content of a snippet is the text after any whitespace after the colon (:) in the snippet header, plus all the lines below that are indented with a single tab or 4 spaces (with these indents removed), until the next header or End. or end of file.

So this code section

Python: import math
    print(math.pi)
Also: print('pie')
    print('cake')

has two snippets whose contents are:

import math
print(math.pi)

print('pie')
print('cake')

Blank lines above or below sections are only for readability and not required. Uncommented code outside of sections is invalid.

---

Code Section

A code section starts right out with a comma separated list of languages and its snippet contents are the programs to run in those languages.

One language in the comma separated list is almost always sufficient unless you are writing polyglots,

JavaScript:
    console.log('Some code that will be run in JavaScript.')

Python, Python 2:
    print('Some code that will be run in Python 3 then Python 2.')
Also:
    print('Some more code that will be run in Python 3 then Python 2.')

Also: snippet headers in code sections are shorthand for repeating the section header.

---

Argv Section

Argv is the argument vector, aka the command line arguments sent to programs.

An argv section can either start Argv: to apply to all languages, or Argv for <language1>, <language2>, ...: to apply to the languages in the comma separated list. Either way overwrites any previous argv set for those languages.

Each snippet in an argv section is a separate argv that will be sent in turn to the programs of the languages the section applies to. This makes it easy to test many argvs at once.

Argv: argv sent to all languages

Argv for Python: 1
Also: 2
Also: 3

Python:
    import sys
    print(sys.argv[1])

This .many code will run the Python program three times with argv 1 then 2 then 3.

For argv to work the $argv placeholder must be placed properly into the command of the language.

---

Stdin Section

Almost exactly like an argv section but for the standard input stream users normally type text into.

An stdin section can either start Stdin: to apply to all languages, or Stdin for <language1>, <language2>, ...: to apply to the languages in the comma separated list. Either way overwrites any previous stdin set for those languages.

Each snippet in a stdin section is a separate stdin that will be sent in turn to the programs of the languages the section applies to. This makes it easy to test many stdins at once.

Stdin: stdin sent to all languages

Stdin for Python: A
Also: B
Also: C

Python:
    print(input())

This .many code will run the Python program three times with stdin A then B then C.

When multiple argvs and stdins apply to one language, all possible combinations of every argv and every stdin are sent to programs of that language.

---

Settings Section

A settings section starts with Settings: and allows embedding a settings JSON in a .many file, which is used until another settings section is encountered.

These embedded settings are only used when settings were not specifically provided when runmany was called. Any missing settings default to their values in default_settings.json.

Settings:
    { "show_code": true }
Python:
    print('this Python code will now be shown as part of the output')

A JSON string of the path to a settings file can also be used, like Settings: "path/to/mysettings.json".

Also: snippet headers in settings sections are shorthand for repeating the section header. So they don't serve much purpose since they immediately overwrite the previous settings.

---

Disabled Sections & Snippets

Putting !! at the start of a section header disables the entire section and all its snippets.

Putting ! at the start of a snippet header disables that snippet.

!!Python:
    print('this is disabled')
Also:
    print('this is also disabled')

!Python:
    print('this is disabled')
Also:
    print('this is not disabled')
!Also:
    print('this is disabled')

Solo Sections & Snippets

If any section headers start with @@ then only those sections are run, similar to a "solo" checkbox in audio/video editing software.

If any snippet headers within a section start with @ then only those snippets are run when the section runs.

@@@Python:
    print('this is run')
Also:
    print('this is not run')
@Also:
    print('this is run')

Python:
    print('this is not run')
@Also:
    print('this is also not run')

Note how the first line has three @@@, two to solo the section and another to solo its first snippet.

---

Start & Stop

Everything before the last START: at the start of a line by itself in a .many file is ignored.

Everything after the first STOP. at the start of a line by itself in a .many file is ignored.

So only the JavaScript section of this .many file is run:

Python: print('unseen')
START:
JavaScript: console.log('seen')
STOP.
Python: print('unseen')

There should only be up to one START: and one STOP. in a .many file.

---

Settings

RunMany's setting are defined by a JSON file that can be provided when runmany is called or directly embedded in a .many file.

The settings JSON defines what languages RunMany can run and how it will run them. It also defines how the RunMany output will be formatted.

The file default_settings.json holds the default values for all settings. These defaults are automatically used if not present in a provided or embedded settings JSON.

Customizing Languages

Most settings are simple flags or values that can be set in the base settings JSON object to apply them globally (see List of Settings) but four special keys in the JSON are used to customize the languages RunMany can run or to add more languages. These are "languages", "languages_windows", "languages_linux" and "languages_mac" ("languages_<os>" will be used to refer to the last three). They are arrays of single-level JSON objects that specify the settings for the language that matches the "name" key of the object.

The "languages_<os>" array that matches the system OS has highest priority when determining a language's settings, followed by the "languages" array, followed by the built-in "supplied_languages_<os>" and "supplied_languages" arrays. (These "supplied_languages..." arrays should never be set in your settings JSON.) Languages use the settings in the base JSON object as a final fallback.

For example, the following settings JSON sets the "show_code" setting (which is false by default) to true for all languages except for Python and Python 2. It also creates a new language "Python 3.10" that can be used in a .many file section header on Windows.

{
    "show_code": true,
    "languages": [
        { "name": "Python", "show_code": false },
        { "name": "Python 2", "show_code": false }
    ],
    "languages_windows": [
        { "name": "Python 3.10", "extension": ".py", "command": "py -3.10" }
    ]
}

The "name" key is required for every object in a languages array, and the "command" and "extension" keys should always be provided for new custom languages. Not every setting makes sense to apply on a per-language basis though. For example, "show_equal" applies to the run of the .many file as a whole, so it only makes sense in the base JSON object.

List of Settings

All settings described and whether or not they can be overridden on a per-language basis in the "languages" and "languages_<os>" array objects:

JSON Key	Type	Default	Overridable	Description
"command"	string	"echo NOCOMMAND"	yes	The console command to run a language, following the command format.
"extension"	string	""	yes	The file extension of a language, including the dot.
"timeout"	float	10.0	yes	The time limit of each program in seconds, or null for no time limit.
"runs"	int	1	yes	The number of times each program is run. Only the output of the last run is shown.
"stderr"	string	"smart"	yes	"yes"/true to combine program stderr with stdout. "no"/false to hide program stderr. "smart"/null to only show stderr when programs have non-zero exit codes.
"spacing"	int	1	yes	The number of blank lines to add after each run.
"newline"	string	"\n"	yes	What newlines are replaced with in code, argv, and stdin snippet content. Or null for the OS default.
"tab"	string	"\t"	yes	What the tab character is replaced with in code, argv, and stdin snippet content.
"cwd"	string	null	yes	The current working directory to run programs from. May be a relative path. Use null or "." for no change to the current working directory.
"minimalist"	bool	false	no	Whether to display all output in a minimal format where the dividers, code, argv, and stdin are not shown.
"run_blanks"	bool	false	no	Whether blank snippets that consist purely of whitespace are run or ignored.
"show_time"	bool	false	yes	Whether the execution time is shown. Useful for performance testing when combined with "runs".
"show_command"	bool	false	yes	Whether the command used to run each program is shown. Useful for debugging commands for new languages.
"show_code"	bool	false	yes	Whether the source code of the program is shown.
"show_argv"	bool	true	yes	Whether the argv for the program is shown (when present).
"show_stdin"	bool	true	yes	Whether the stdin for the program is shown (when present).
"show_output"	bool	true	yes	Whether the output for the program is shown. This includes the stdout, and, depending on "stderr", the stderr.
"show_runs"	bool	true	no	Whether the list of runs is shown. This is usually the bulk of the output.
"show_stats"	bool	true	no	Whether the success and failure counts are shown after everything has run.
"show_equal"	bool	true	no	Whether the matching stdouts are compared and grouped after everything has run.
"show_errors"	bool	true	no	Whether RunMany errors like `
"strip_argv"	string	"smart"	no	"yes"/true to strip the snippet content of leading and trailing whitespace. "no"/false to keep the snippet content as is. "smart"/null to join all the lines in the snippet together with spaces as if they were on one line.
"strip_stdin"	string	"smart"	no	"yes"/true to strip the start and end of the snippet of whitespace-only lines. "no"/false to keep the snippet content as is. "smart"/null to do the same as "yes"/true but also append a single newline.
"strip_code"	string	"smart"	yes	"yes"/true to strip the start and end of the snippet of whitespace-only lines. "no"/false to keep the snippet content as is. "smart"/null to treat the top of the .many file as the start of the code snippet with all irrelevant parts blanked out so errors in programs report correct line numbers.
"strip_output"	string	"no"	yes	"yes"/true to strip program output of leading and trailing whitespace. "no"/false to leave program output as is. "smart"/null to strip program output of empty leading and trailing lines.

It should be mentioned that the code, argv, and stdin portions of the .many file output are stripped of empty lines to keep things visually clean regardless of the values of "strip_code", "strip_argv", and "strip_stdin".

Command Format

The "command" key of an object in the "languages" or "languages_<os>" array defines the terminal command that is run to execute that language.

Placeholders like $file and $dir can be used in a command to refer to the temporary file RunMany creates for the code of each program it runs and the directory that file is stored in:

Placeholder	Portion of .../dir/file.ext
$rawdir	.../dir
$dir	".../dir"
$rawfile	.../dir/file.ext
$file	".../dir/file.ext"
$rawbranch	.../dir/file
$branch	".../dir/file"
$name	file.ext
$stem	file
$ext	.ext
$sep	/ (OS specific)
$argv	n/a - the argv is inserted here
$code	n/a - the raw snippet content

Note that some placeholders are "quoted" and some are not. Some operating systems like Windows may have spaces in the path to temporary files so correct quoting is important.

If $ is not present anywhere in the command string, $file $argv is appended to it. For example, the command python is implicitly python $file $argv.

Check the "supplied_languages" array in default_settings.json for more examples of commands.

About

I was driven to make RunMany by my desire to learn more programming languages,combined with my annoyance that whenever I tried I would invariably have to make a whole new project for that language, or even switch IDEs.

I plan to use it to practice solving code challenges in multiple languages from sites like Project Euler.

Check out some of my other Python packages.