quote:
error checking is always one of the more overlooked and/or bloated scripting bits
Nah, the thing that causes most bloat in every language I have ever coded in is validating user input. You will get every response imaginable, except the one that you have asked for. [Big Grin]

You're right of course Shawn, many of the postings in the starters and script forums would not be needed if the authors had bothered to check the return or error values after a file open, get object etc.

Grasshopper, It sounds like you've done all the right things.

KiXtart scripts are now tokenised internally so things like comments, multiple line spacing and long variable names which were once an issue because they cause script parsing to take longer are no longer so important.

External files which comprise function libraries are also evaluated once (providing you call them once [Wink] ), so their overhead is low.

In terms of speed, you are more likely to find improvements by studying your scripts and finding different ways of doing things. The Golf challenges frequently throw up ways of achieving the task which not only reduce character counts, but more interestingly involve less processes.

Imaginative use of KiXtart intrinsic functions are often far faster than trying to code the same functionality, especially if it means that a loop can be avoided. AScan(), Split() and Join() are relatively new functions which are having a huge impact on the way scripts are written.

As a final word, I suggest that in a support environment you should err on the side of maintainability over speed. Speed is rarely an issue, but getting a 'phone call at 2 AM because the on shift personnel don't understand some arcane bit of your script usually is.