Zugg Software :: View topic

Beginner Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 19

How can I refer to a specific variable in a package->window->class? It seems if I just do countit = {%random(3000, 4500)} it creates countit all over the show so I'd like to specify in some way where exactly it should go.

Also, could somebody tell me what the difference is between a module and a window? I see I can convert my windows into modules and was wondering if that would help with keeping the settings seperate since it seems sometimes they use each other's stuff.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:30 pm

If you wanted to access the countit variable in a different module or window say one called NewModule from the command line for example you would do something like this:

#var //NewModule/countit {%random(3000,45000)}

As for the difference between a module and window

This is from the help files.

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

Yes, you can access a specific path using Fizgar's directions.

I'm curious though why your script would be putting new variables "all over the show". Generally this means you have a problem with your script, or with interactions between scripts. If that is the case, specifying the pathname won't help. There are a number of reasons why it might be making new variables instead of using the existing variable. Here are just a few:
1) One of the classes in the tree hierarchy above the variable might be disabled at the time the script tries to access the variable.
2) If there are already multiple variables with the same name, different scripts might access different variables depending on their own scope.
3) If the variable is defined in a window, and the script is defined in a different window, the script will not see the variable and will create a new one.
4) If you have use use threads (i.e. use #THREAD or any of the #WAIT commands) and multiple threads try to access the same variable, they will conflict, and create new variables.

In all of the above situations, using an explicit path will not help the situation. The only cases where an explicit path will help is:
5) You have multiple variables with the same name, and scripts in different modules or windows which have different scopes, some of which see one variable first, others which see a different variable first.
6) You use the #CLASS or #MODULE commands or other means to change the "current directory" of your scripts.

I recommend you try to figure out why your scripts are creating multiple variables, because it is quite likely that using an explicit path will not help.

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

Beginner Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 19

Thank you for the help so far. The variables that the triggers are supposed to be using are in the root of the window. The triggers are scattered in various classes. I don't use #THREADs. I do use #WAITs, but I don't even get to those before it all goes south.

For example. I set a variable to either 1 or 0 which I then test later to see whether certain actions should be taken in a trigger based on what the value is. When I set the variable to on (1), the variable, even though it already exist and is enabled in the root, is created in a subclass that isn't even enabled!

All variables seem to be created in this subclass. I have no idea why it's so special. I've renamed it to see what would happen and it just created the variables in the renamed subclass again.

Sorcerer Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 706 Location: USA

evdryst,
Can you post the package in xml code? This would make it easier to see what is going on.

Beginner Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 19

Right so.. I noticed that when I close Settings and open it back up again, classes that were expanded before were still expanded and that "special" subfolder was the first one that is open. I think it was just some kind of glitch because THAT part of it sorted itself out now.

I will try the explicit paths for the other issues I have and see if that helps. Thanks a ton!

Beginner Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 19

How would I use explicit pathing in the following statement?

#if (@teaching = 1)
{
blah blah
}

I will post the package in xml code as soon as I whittle it down to something manageble, there is a lot of mess in it right now :/ I made a backup though, just in case.

Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 4:37 am

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

There's a slight incompletion to the module/class syntax that affects datarecord variables. The below doesn't work in some situations:

@//module/class/varname.key

You'll need to use the below to get around this:

%db(@//module/class/varname,key)

For simple variables, though, it's just a matter of replacing @varname with @//module/class/varname like Fizgar shows.

Beginner Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 19

I'll keep that in mind, thank you. I've fixed the most intensive trigger class with the expicit paths and everything else seems to behave.. for now ;)

Thanks for all the help, appreciated!