The IDEAScript editor allows you to save an IDEAScript in three formats:
- iss - this is the format that when saved you can reload and edit the file and make changes. So if you are creating a script and you want to make changes and you want others to be able to see how you created the code or make changes to the code you would save it in this format. This can only be run from either within the script editor or directly from IDEA.
- ise - this is the complied version of the script. The ise type can only be run from within IDEA, it can't be run from within the script editor. Also since it is compiled you can not make any changes to it or see the code. So if you want to distribute your code and not allow any user to make changes to it you would save it in this format but make sure you keep a copy in iss format if you want to make any changes to it in the future, if not you would be out of luck.
- exe - this is much like the ise type in that it has been compiled but it has been compiled as a windows executable file. So you don't have to have IDEA running to use it but you do need IDEA installed to use it. Like the ise type if you distribute your file in this way make sure you keep an iss file type copy so you can make any changes to it.
I created a script that had a for next loop that looped 10,000,000 times. I didn't find any speed difference from any of the file types except for the exe type when IDEA was closed. They all took 7 seconds to run (there is a timer in the script), the only difference is for the exe file with IDEA closed, with IDEA opened it took 7 seconds with IDEA closed it took 8 seconds, I assume the extra second was loading in the needed information to be able to run properly.
There is also a large size difference. The iss and ise seem to be about the same size while the exe is quite a bit larger. Here again I assume it is all the overhead needed to run it through windows instead of directly through IDEA.
I have attached the 3 test files if you want to try it out for yourself. If you do and find difference in the timing let me know.
