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Apprentice Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 173

Id like to make some recursive functions similar to the example in the section #HELP FUNCTION, but im worried about using variables in the function because they seem to be very global in nature. Unfortunately the function im designing needs to use some form of temporary variable.

Is there a way do declare the scope of a variable to local, rather than global, so the variable cannot be seen outside of a function? or have the ability to destroy the recurrsion by accidentially overwriting data from a previous call...

In addition i was wondering about the use of the #LOOP command's %i variable...is it safe in a recurrsive call....

thanks,
Graham

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

Nope, there is no form of scope used in ZScript among user-created variables, other than location (ie, ZMud will use the first-found instance if you don't provide specific location). Location-based scope only applies to the use of the setting, not the contents thereof:

(NONE)
alias
alias
Variable1 = 25
Variable1 = 15

#SHOW @Variable1 would always output 25, unless for some reason variables could be disabled (in which case, if the first Variable1 was disabled the #Show would show 15). This applies to all types of settings, but in the case of triggers every enabled trigger is tested against the line rather than just the first one.

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

Perhaps if you tell us what your looking to do we can devise another way. In general programming recursive function are rarely necessary and while very powerful they are often avoided. There is almost always another way.