Zugg Software :: View topic

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:34 am

I'm pretty sure this has been going on for a while, but not sure that anyone really uses it much, and probably why it hasn't been questioned yet. Either that, or I'm totally missing something. However, this is the situation.

I'm using an afk script that shows a message when someone sends me a tell, kindly telling them that I'm not here, and how long I've been gone. Script works perfectly, with one minor flaw:

Unless I quote them, I cannot put special characters in my away message.

Remember that %string converts them to a string (quoted with " "s) and that %quote quotes the actual special characters, I've tried the following:

ft :is away. Reason: %string(%-1)
and
ft :is away. Reason: %quote(%-1)

Neither of them work. In fact, it's like they're both ignored. Sooooo... I ran a couple of tests.

#SAY %string(This (is) a test.)
#SAY %quote(This (is) a test.)

Ran them in zMUD 7.21: The output?

"This (is) a test." (correct!)
This (is) a test. (I'm assuming is correct, although the () don't appear escaped visually).

Ran them in CMUD 2.29: The output?
-- Illegal character in expression: (
This(is)atest.

Knowing that CMUD is stricter, I changed it to:
#SAY %string("This (is) a test.")
#SAY %quote("This (is) a test.")

The results were favorable (sort of). Both returned
This (is) a test.

So, going back to my script, and comparing it to the tests, it appears to me that %string and %quote aren't really doing anything at all. In fact, it appears that the expansion of the values actually comes from the " "s within, not the actual functions.

I think I've also had this same issue in several previous versions, but this has finally bothered me enough to say something about it. Perhaps I should have said something earlier, but I never was too sure if it's a bug or something I'm doing wrong.

Charneus

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:30 pm

When using a literal string on the command line, you MUST enclose the string in quotes if it contains special characters. So CMUD is correct about the illegal ( character in your expression and you are correct that CMUD is stricter and requires the quotes on the command line.

When passing a variable, the %string function just passes it normally and converts the result to a string. The intended use is for converting string lists or database variables into string values, or converting numbers or floating point into strings. For example:

#SHOW (1+2)
-> 3
#SHOW (1+%string(2))
-> 12

%string does not quote anything. The %quote function only quotes the characters listed in the "Special Characters" preferences page (such as @ and % and #, etc). It doesn't quote parenthesis.

So, there isn't any bug here. What you should be doing in your original script is just using %-1 without any special function or conversion. Just create an alias like this:

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:57 pm

Hmmm, well, I tried your suggestion, Zugg, and then I entered on the command line:

away This is a test (just to test things).

It returned

Error parsing command:
extra ) parenthesis

However, I can still encase it in quotes, and it'll pass just fine. Any other suggestions on this? Or will I need to always encase all my strings in quotes whenever they contain parentheses and whatnot?

Charneus

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:07 pm

Is "away" the name of your alias? Did you go into the Settings Editor and turn off the Parse Arguments option near the bottom of the screen and then click Save? I just tried that here and it worked fine in v2.29. You don't need to encase your string in quotes when Parse Arguments is turned off. In fact, if Parse Arguments is turned off and you put quotes in your string, then the quotes will be passed to the MUD too.

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:13 pm

Hmmm... I think I located the problem as to why it wasn't working.

I had a local variable defined in the Param box. When I deleted it, it worked without a problem.

But thanks! Love it even more now that I can just do whatever I want without having to quote everything.

Charneus

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:19 pm

Hmm, I couldn't get it to fail even with a local variable defined in the Param box. Maybe you could post the exact XML for the one that wasn't working so I can look at it and make sure there isn't some other bug there.

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

Do you think you could give a little more details about the local variable. It doesn't sound entirely right that the presence of that should cause things to break. I can see that it would break the Parse parameters option being off. Perhaps if you could post the XML for the alias with the local variable causing it to be broken, Zugg could find a way to either display an error/warning ealier; or we could document a correct usage.

Edit I guess I typing slowly now.

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:29 pm

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

I tried pretty much every combination of settings I could think of based on what you have provided and couldn't find any failure points when the Parse arguements was off.

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:52 pm

Hmm, I don't see any $msg argument in the XML that you posted.

Btw, another problem you might want to fix...you have several lines in your script like this:

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:52 pm

How many times can Zugg and Vijilante post at exactly the same time?? Scary.