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#79484 - 2003-02-06 05:07 AM Quoting Strings ??
Glenn Barnas Glenn Barnas KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-01-28 Posts: 4403 Loc: New Jersey	There was a discussion about quoting strings - I can't find it right now - and I came across something tonight that may merit further discussion... If I say: code: $X = "first" ? "X=$X, Y=$Y" ? I get "X=First, Y=$Y" - which I would kind of expect, since $Y is undeclared and inside of quotes. However, if I rewrite it as: code: $X = "first" ? "X=$X, Y=" + $Y ? I would expect the interpreter to recognize $Y as an uninitialized variable and output Null, but it outputs "$Y" again. In this example, it isn't a big deal, but I have a few scripts that I was troubleshooting tonight where I execute a command via the Shell statement. I wanted to optionally write the results to a log file. I tried code: If $OPTION = "-l" $LOG = "2>&1>> C:\TEMP\my.log" EndIf $CMD = "%COMSPEC% /c someprog.exe $LOG" shell $CMD I expected that if $LOG was undefined, it would be NULL and the command output would appear as expected. If $LOG was defined, it would receive the results via the redirection. However, when $LOG is undefined, the command complains that "$LOG" is an unknown parameter. Of course, this is easily fixed by first declaring $LOG to be null. Maybe there should be consideration for a defined "print" command that would treat all "$XXX" format strings as vars, initialized or not. ??? Glenn PS - yes, I know that good coding requires that vars be declared, but that's why I script _________________________ Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! $\:D$
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#79485 - 2003-02-06 07:06 AM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Lonkero Lonkero KiX Master Guru Registered: 2001-06-05 Posts: 22346 Loc: OK	glenn, I hear you and I'm with you on this one. 100% not sure that this has to do with the unquoted unknown keywords stuff I posted earlier but the symptoms are pretty much the same. that really is not expected nor it's wanted. _________________________ ! download KiXnet
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#79486 - 2003-02-06 04:37 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Sealeopard Sealeopard KiX Master Registered: 2001-04-25 Posts: 11165 Loc: Boston, MA, USA	See the SETOPTION function in the KiXtart Manual. A combination of NoVarsInStrings and Explicit will solve most of these issues. _________________________ There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.
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#79487 - 2003-02-06 05:01 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Richard H. Richard H. Administrator Registered: 2000-01-24 Posts: 4946 Loc: Leatherhead, Surrey, UK	There is one minor gotcha to be aware of. Supposing you have a script which can take an optional parameter on the command line. In this case, you cannot set "Explicit" on. The problem is that if the variable is not defined on the command line (it is optional after all) then you cannot reference it at all. You cannot check to see if it is undefined, as the first time that you attempt to reference it you will get an error. You cannot DIM the variable in the script, as that will destroy the value passed on the command line. This means that you must always pass the variable on the command line, even if you set it to "" (which is of course a number, heh). As I say it is a minor one, and you can always take the view that a script with "Explicit" on cannot by definition have an optional parameter.
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#79488 - 2003-02-06 07:12 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Will Hetrick Will Hetrick Hey THIS is FUN Registered: 2001-10-02 Posts: 320 Loc: Harrisburg, PA USA	Glenn, As I was looking at the statement you have used as a test, ? "X=$X, Y=" + $Y ? I think that kix is seeing this statment as a string value + a string value since the $y is undeclared. _________________________ You have at least 2 choices. Each choice changes your destiny. Choose wisely!
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#79489 - 2003-02-06 07:22 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Les Les KiX Master Registered: 2001-06-11 Posts: 12734 Loc: fortfrances.on.ca	Glenn, Not sure where Will was going with that... Your examples don't align with what you're saying. The following code: code: $X = "first" ? "X=$X, Y=$Y" ? get $_ $X = "first" ? "X=$X, Y=" + $Y ? get $_ outputs the following: quote: X=first, Y=$Y X=first, Y= but you say "I would expect the interpreter to recognize $Y as an uninitialized variable and output Null, but it outputs "$Y" again". _________________________ Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.
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#79490 - 2003-02-07 03:41 AM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Glenn Barnas Glenn Barnas KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-01-28 Posts: 4403 Loc: New Jersey	What the ? ? I was working with a rather complex script. It builds a command line to install a package of hotfixes as defined in an input file. The script reads the INI-format file and gets a list of hotfixes to apply. It then looks for each hotfix section to see if there are exceptions, different parameters, etc. before executing the hotfix file. It completes the process by running QCHAIN.exe. This has been working fine. I decided to add some logging, since when we have our third-shift operations staff apply the hotfix package, the information scrolls by so fast they can't tell if it worked or not (they're "general" operators with Mainframe, Unix and NT skills - not NT admins.) I'm not at work, so I'll pseudo-code - it works soft of like this: code: if $OPTION = "-l" $LOG = " 2>&1>> LogFile.txt" EndIf some other code... $HFIX = "123456i.exe" ; read fom file $PARM = "-z" $CMD = "%COMSPEC% /c $HFIX $PARM" + $LOG ? "Executing $CMD" ? shell $CMD At this time, when the shell command executes, it fails (unless I've passed the -l and defined the $LOG var) because the $CMD ends in "$LOG" I fixed it by declaring $LOG="" at the beginning of the script, but I started doing the simple tests I illustrated before I posted the message. Now, at home (v4.12), it works the way you say (and the way I wanted it to!). I'll review it again when I return to the office on Monday, but for now, I'm speechless. Glenn _________________________ Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! $\:D$
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#79491 - 2003-02-07 04:07 AM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Sealeopard Sealeopard KiX Master Registered: 2001-04-25 Posts: 11165 Loc: Boston, MA, USA	Take a look at REDIRECTOUTPUT() or the following UDFs: DisplayText(), WriteLog(), WriteLog2() _________________________ There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.
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#79492 - 2003-02-14 04:35 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Glenn Barnas Glenn Barnas KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-01-28 Posts: 4403 Loc: New Jersey	Let me clarify, now that I'm back at work and can see the "problem". Here's the code sample that I tested with: code: ; undefined (pass 1) $OTHER="" ; init NULL (pass 2) $OTHER="other" ; defined (pass 3) @KIX ? "This and than and $OTHER stuff" ? "This and than and " + $OTHER + " stuff" ? The first time I ran this script, there were NO "$OTHER=" definitions, so $OTHER was undefined. The second time, I added the definition to Null, whild the third time I changed the definition to contain text. Here's the output from my 2K workstation: code: P1GAB01 - D:\Development>x 4.20 Release Candidate 3 This and than and $OTHER stuff This and than and stuff P1GAB01 - D:\Development>x 4.20 Release Candidate 3 This and than and stuff This and than and stuff P1GAB01 - D:\Development>x 4.20 Release Candidate 3 This and than and other stuff This and than and other stuff Again, what my original reference was is that an undefined string value is treated differently inside and outside of quotes. I would EXPECT that an undeclared string inside of quotes return NULL, as it does outside of quotes (and in other scripting environments). Basically - unless the engine sees "$$varname", it would output the value of "$varname" and not treat it as a literal. Anyway, it was posted here to see if we could get the behaviour changed in a future release. Glenn _________________________ Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! $\:D$
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#79493 - 2003-02-14 04:50 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Les Les KiX Master Registered: 2001-06-11 Posts: 12734 Loc: fortfrances.on.ca	Well shame on you for using vars in strings. Personally, I think the SetOption('NoVarsInStrings','on') should be on by default so that the old legacy stuff can finally get behind us. If people want to use vars in strings, they should set it explicitly. That is the only way we can get people to change. Ruud, Please make it so. We will man the forum for the flood of 'KixTarts' it may bite. _________________________ Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.
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#79494 - 2003-02-14 05:23 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Sealeopard Sealeopard KiX Master Registered: 2001-04-25 Posts: 11165 Loc: Boston, MA, USA	I'd even set both 'NoVarsInStrings' and 'Explicit' to 'On' as default. _________________________ There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.
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#79495 - 2003-02-14 06:56 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Glenn Barnas Glenn Barnas KiX Supporter Registered: 2003-01-28 Posts: 4403 Loc: New Jersey	Well, Vars in Strings - I have a problem with vars out of strings without an explicit print statement.. To me code: $MSG is not as intuitive as code: SomePrintCommand $MSG when you want to print the $MSG string by itself. Just my opinion, and probably only $0.02 worth today. Glenn _________________________ Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! $\:D$
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#79496 - 2003-02-15 04:14 PM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Sealeopard Sealeopard KiX Master Registered: 2001-04-25 Posts: 11165 Loc: Boston, MA, USA	That's the price you pay for a free-format language Seriously, this is why I have a habit of coding writes to the console like this: code: ? 'some message' ? $string The '?' (new line command) reminds me that I intentionally print to the console. If something prints to the console and it doesn't have the '?' then I know that it's not supposed to do this. _________________________ There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.
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#79497 - 2003-02-18 12:08 AM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Lonkero Lonkero KiX Master Guru Registered: 2001-06-05 Posts: 22346 Loc: OK	to richard... yes, you can use explicit. just do: redim preserve $myCMDlineVar _________________________ ! download KiXnet
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#79498 - 2003-02-18 09:33 AM Re: Quoting Strings ??
Richard H. Richard H. Administrator Registered: 2000-01-24 Posts: 4946 Loc: Leatherhead, Surrey, UK	quote: yes, you can use explicit. just do: redim preserve $myCMDlineVar Ooerr. Works like a charm.
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