A function to copy the argument array to a GML array

Is your feature request related to a problem?

Sometimes it'd be nice to take the contents of argument and pass it straight into array functions for processing, as it isn't super fast or as convenient in some cases.

Describe the solution you'd like

The new function argument_array_copy([srcOffset], [srcLength], [destArray], [destOffset]), will copy the whole argument array within the current function scope, into a GML array. If the target GML array is not big enough, it will be resized accordingly to fit in the argument contents.

The arguments go as follow:

srcOffset - Offset of the arguments to start copying from. Defaults to 0
srcLength - Length of the arguments to copy up to. Defaults to argument_count
destArray - Array to copy the contents into. Defaults to a new GML array array_create(srcLength-srcOffset)
destOffset - Offset to paste copied arguments. Defaults to 0 (just like srcOffset)

Example:

function add() {
   static args = [];
   // The argument array contents is copied to the static variable args.
   // Automatically resizing the GML array if it's not big enough.
   argument_array_copy(0, argument_count, args); 

   return array_reduce(args, function(previous, current, index) {
       return previous + current;
   }, 0, argument_count);
}

Describe alternatives you've considered

Looping the whole argument array, which is slow. Especially for big argument counts.
Passing in an array of values. Which while works, it's less convenient than just looping the argument array.

Looping

function add() {
    var i = 0;
    var value = 0;
    repeat(argument_count) {
        value+= argument[i];
        i++;
    }
    return value;
}

Passing in an array of values

function add(args) {
   return array_reduce(args, function(previous, current, index) {
       return previous + current;
   });
}

Additional context

I had previously discussed this with Russell on Discord about possibly allowing to pass argument directly to array functions, without creating an array loop. Due to complications, it was instead suggested to be a function that can copy the argument array, as a GML array. Though, seeing that I can't find an existing feature request, I decided to make one.

YoYoGames / GameMaker-Bugs