Zugg Software :: View topic - LOOPDB, expansion of %{key} in a variable name

Beginner Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 14

Basically, the part I'm having issues with is this

#LOOPDB @afflictions {
#ECHO %key %val
#IF (!@HerbBalance/herbbal AND @HerbBalance/%{key} = 1) {
#echo Should have eaten!
%exec( %val)
HerbBalance/herbbal = 1
}

The variable afflictions is a DB variable with an affliction->cure method. I have a variable for each affliction stored inside the HerbBalance class, thus when it loops through @afflictions, it should check to see if HerbBalance/herbbal = 0 and if HerbBalance/(whatever the current affliction name in the loop is) = 1, however, it doesn't seem to check, because I can't get it to echo "Should have eaten!", or even execute the commands. It lists the affliction then cure just fine, which is shown by #ECHO %key %val, but once it gets the the if, it just won't read it. What do you suggest?

Wizard Joined: 15 Jan 2002 Posts: 1644 Location: USA

Untested but try this

@{HerbBalance/%key}
or
@{HerbBalance/%{key}}

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

Also the "%exec(%val)" should be "#EXEC %val".

Beginner Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 14

The #exec bit was helpful, but the first suggestion did nothing. When I used @{HerbBalance/%{key}} it gave me a syntax error and wouldn't work, and when I used {@HerbBalance/%{key}} it returned every one as true.

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

I just tested Nexela's suggestion of "@{HerbBalance/%key}" and it worked perfectly. Both of Nexela's suggestions are actually valid syntax. In my testing the only way you would have a problem retrieving the variable data is the presence of a disallowed character (a-z A-Z - _ and 0-9 are only allowed in variable names).

Also you should use grouping parenthesis in your #IF expression. While I am sure you mean "((!@HerbBalance/herbbal) AND (@HerbBalance/%{key} = 1))" and this follows the order of operations as specified in the help for Expressions I find it to be best to always be explicit about these things; no matter what language you are working with.

Wizard Joined: 15 Jan 2002 Posts: 1644 Location: USA

Cury braces {} in zscript are used for grouping. They follow the same principals of Parenthesis () in math in that the innermost set will be expanded first.

@HerbBalance/%{key}
Will expand (I believe. this part could be a little off due to using the class/var notation) like this. assuming Herbbalance is a class and %key="anything"
1. @Herbalance becomes %null (nothing nada zip (unless you also have a variable called herbbalance).
2. {%key} expands out to "anything"
3. Which finnaly becomes %null/"anything" which is an invalid math statement :P

@{HerbBalance/%{key}}
Will expand like this in a nutshell

1. becomes @{Herbalance/anything}
2. becomes the value of the variable anything in the herbalance class

I use this same principal in a math/comparative intensive script comparing mutiple datarecords and it had me thinking it couldnt be done when I first started until I remember reading somewhere about {}.

Beginner Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 14

Oddly enough
@{HerbBalance/%key}
Gives me a syntax error in the editor, but still works in practice. Perhaps this is a bug and should be edited out as a syntax error? I dunno.

Wizard Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 1113 Location: USA

I write lots of aliases that appear to have syntax errors when viewed in the settings editor, but they all work in practice. You'll see this primarily with <>, [], and {} grouping or expansion.