Show script errors by default, not the opposite

[celery 8]

The editing forum is full of threads where issues are caused by the simple fact that people don't know about the -showScriptErrors parameter. New and even intermediate scripters see no error messages and thus think their scripts are fine, and when they don't work as expected, the mission editing subforum gets yet another script dump with no error message reports or a mysterious problem caused by one oversight that is impossible to find when everything seems to be in order. Even fairly high profile mod missions show easily fixable errors that stare you in the eyes as soon as the mission starts.

I propose that -showScriptErrors parameter gets the axe and is replaced by -showNoScriptErrors for people who do not under any circumstance want to see error messages. Making errors show by default would make it so much easier for users experiencing errors and the people trying to help them.

[maturin 12]

Doesn't showscripterrors cause readouts on the screen in-game?

I don't think all us non-editing players want to be nagged about slightly bugged entries in mission addons or mod conflicts, especially when we can't do anything about it.

[noubernou 77]

Doesn't showscripterrors cause readouts on the screen in-game?

I don't think all us non-editing players want to be nagged about slightly bugged entries in mission addons or mod conflicts, especially when we can't do anything about it.

This would be a good thing. Less people using buggy mods/missions with errors. There is a reason those things pop up, something bad happened!

[maturin 12]

Is updating base class for AAV engine start sound really so bad?

And I don't want my screen full of alarmism because too unimportant parts of a conflicting mod don't like each other quite well enough.

Or am I misunderstanding the function of showscripterrors? Does it blab about everything that goes in the .rpt or does it just show complete script failures?

[noubernou 77]

Is updating base class for AAV engine start sound really so bad?

And I don't want my screen full of alarmism because too unimportant parts of a conflicting mod don't like each other quite well enough.

Or am I misunderstanding the function of showscripterrors? Does it blab about everything that goes in the .rpt or does it just show complete script failures?

It just shows sqf/sqs script errors, things that if they are failing then something is totally broken and not working as intended.

[celery 8]

And I don't want my screen full of alarmism because too unimportant parts of a conflicting mod don't like each other quite well enough.

Or am I misunderstanding the function of showscripterrors? Does it blab about everything that goes in the .rpt or does it just show complete script failures?

It shows text with black background at the top of your screen when a script within the mission doesn't work. The reason why it happens so frequently nowadays seems to be exactly because the error messages have to be turned on with a shortcut parameter, and many mission makers and especially people who play their missions don't use the parameter. Having everyone see those errors by default would increase pressure to produce working scripts.

Like I said, I'd have them add a -showNoScriptErrors parameter for your viewing pleasure.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Celery

[Zipper5 74]

I fully agree. Too many times I've played missions that have been tested by many people only to see a giant error message pop up right at the start of the mission, which was simply missed because no one used -showScriptErrors. -showNoScriptErrors would be much better.

[ProfTournesol 956]

I fully agree. Too many times I've played missions that have been tested by many people only to see a giant error message pop up right at the start of the mission, which was simply missed because no one used -showScriptErrors. -showNoScriptErrors would be much better.

And you'll have a lot of newcomers posting in the TS forum about weird message appearing on their screen ? It's easier/better to teach the mission makers how to debug their scripts than the standard players IMHO.

[Zipper5 74]

No, it was this way in OFP and ArmA.

If they get said weird messages, then they'll report them, and it'll help things get fixed.

[ProfTournesol 956]

No, it was this way in OFP and ArmA.

If they get said weird messages, then they'll report them, and it'll help things get fixed.

Yes, but missions and addons are very script intensive nowadays, people don't bother anymore to learn how the mission editor works, they immediatly jump on the scripting side of it. Anyway, it'll be your task to clean the TS forum ;)

[noubernou 77]

Yes, but missions and addons are very script intensive nowadays, people don't bother anymore to learn how the mission editor works, they immediatly jump on the scripting side of it. Anyway, it'll be your task to clean the TS forum ;)

If people are scripting missions and there are errors all over the place then it goes back to what I was saying in another thread about bad mission makers.

They should not be forgiven for having code that is throwing errors all over the place, its horrible practice.

[Inkompetent 0]

Something I must say I'm experiencing with most user-made missions I'm downloading. I get the black box for even the most simple, basic errors like marker names not being the same in editor and scripts trying to reference them, and stuff like that. Things that would be impossible to miss as mission-maker if one saw the script-errors or looked at all at the RPT-file.

The fact both are hidden doesn't really help aspiring new mission-makers.

[Tankbuster 1740]

Hmm. A tough call this one. On the one hand, we'd get newbies complaining about all this text, but on the other, mission designers would be hassled into fixing their busted missions.

Personally, I play with showscripterrors on all the time, but that's because I spend a lot of time scripting.

It's shocking how may missions show these errors. I won't name them but some of the most popular missions give errors.

OK. I'm persuaded. Celery, old friend, you get my vote.

Let's not start on missions that spam junk into the server RPT. You know who you are. Missing semicolon? FFS.

[noubernou 77]

I look forward to the day when my RPT shows "Creating Briefing" and thats it till the next mission... :p

[mosh 0]

I propose that -showScriptErrors parameter gets the axe and is replaced by -showNoScriptErrors for people who do not under any circumstance want to see error messages. Making errors show by default would make it so much easier for users experiencing errors and the people trying to help them.

I couldn't agree more. While I couldn't imagine playing without it turned on, I bet you're right and most people don't even know about it.

+1

[Tankbuster 1740]

I look forward to the day when my RPT shows "Creating Briefing" and thats it till the next mission... :p

Mate. I look forward to the day your RPT shows "Creating Briefing" and that's it 'till the next mission. :p

[Big Dawg KS 6]

IMO, it should at least be automatically switched on when you preview from the editor. If you're running it from the editor then it's reasonable to assume you're testing/debugging. Of course you could go even one step further and request a debug mode for the editor that had other debugging features (that'd be sweet and could save a lot of time spent inserting debug messages).

[ProfTournesol 956]

IMO, it should at least be automatically switched on when you preview from the editor. If you're running it from the editor then it's reasonable to assume you're testing/debugging. Of course you could go even one step further and request a debug mode for the editor that had other debugging features (that'd be sweet and could save a lot of time spent inserting debug messages).

Nice. +1

[noubernou 77]

Mate. I look forward to the day your RPT shows "Creating Briefing" and that's it 'till the next mission. :p

Unless we accidentally leave debugging on (ahem) then errors in ACE and ACRE are pretty rare, at least blatant SQF parsing/interp errors. :p Functional errors on the other hand... :j:

[celery 8]

And you'll have a lot of newcomers posting in the TS forum about weird message appearing on their screen ? It's easier/better to teach the mission makers how to debug their scripts than the standard players IMHO.

Yes, but missions and addons are very script intensive nowadays, people don't bother anymore to learn how the mission editor works, they immediatly jump on the scripting side of it. Anyway, it'll be your task to clean the TS forum ;)

Well actually it's harder for us forum members to persuade each individual mission maker to use the parameter than return to the OFP and ArmA practice. At least the "weird error" threads would be easier to address. I'm one of the people who like or would like to help others on the mission editing forum, but so many threads are based on manually hunting or speculating an error that would immediately show as a script error with the parameter enabled.

The fact that missions in such quality mods as FDF and I44 have stupidly simple errors right at the beginning of them speaks volumes about the need for reversing the current situation.

[LeadCommando65 10]

I propose that -showScriptErrors parameter gets the axe and is replaced by -showNoScriptErrors for people who do not under any circumstance want to see error messages.

Fully agreed.

When I began playing around with the Arma2 editor, and tested a few scripts I was first confused. The game showed no error messages about my scripting mistakes like I was used to. Now I have the error messages turned all the time.

Moreover, I think this is also a benefit for new players or players, who don't use the editor. They get aware that something did not work correctly. Additionally for user missions tested by editor laymen it could improve the reports of errors.

Edited April 24, 2011 by LeadCommando65

[ProfTournesol 956]

Well actually it's harder for us forum members to persuade each individual mission maker to use the parameter than return to the OFP and ArmA practice. At least the "weird error" threads would be easier to address. I'm one of the people who like or would like to help others on the mission editing forum, but so many threads are based on manually hunting or speculating an error that would immediately show as a script error with the parameter enabled.

Yes, that's true, it's hard to answer those mission editing forum questions when you have so many times the same problems or questions occuring, when moreover nobody is using the search engine anymore. I must say that i more or less gave up. Showing scripting errors by default in the mission editor is a good idea.

[mr burns 131]

The editing forum is full of threads where issues are caused by the simple fact that people don't know about the -showScriptErrors parameter. New and even intermediate scripters see no error messages and thus think their scripts are fine, and when they don't work as expected, the mission editing subforum gets yet another script dump with no error message reports or a mysterious problem caused by one oversight that is impossible to find when everything seems to be in order. Even fairly high profile mod missions show easily fixable errors that stare you in the eyes as soon as the mission starts.

I propose that -showScriptErrors parameter gets the axe and is replaced by -showNoScriptErrors for people who do not under any circumstance want to see error messages. Making errors show by default would make it so much easier for users experiencing errors and the people trying to help them.

This would be a good thing. Less people using buggy mods/missions with errors. There is a reason those things pop up, something bad happened!

I fully agree. Too many times I've played missions that have been tested by many people only to see a giant error message pop up right at the start of the mission, which was simply missed because no one used -showScriptErrors. -showNoScriptErrors would be much better.

Agreed!

It was just a bad idea to hide vital info (missions works / works not) away from the players, and especially newcomers can only benefit from getting an error slapped in the face anytime they do smth. wrong - how else would they learn to do it properly? One can only guess why it was implemented at all, maybe too many faulty usermissions circulating .. or even BI hiding away own campaign errors ? kidding :p

It was fine since OFP, and only it´s absence was able to teach us it´s usefulness. Bring back the errors!

And you'll have a lot of newcomers posting in the TS forum about weird message appearing on their screen ? It's easier/better to teach the mission makers how to debug their scripts than the standard players IMHO.

Yes, but missions and addons are very script intensive nowadays, people don't bother anymore to learn how the mission editor works, they immediatly jump on the scripting side of it. Anyway, it'll be your task to clean the TS forum ;)

Disagreed, for aforementioned reasons.

[Tankbuster 1740]

Unless we accidentally leave debugging on (ahem) then errors in ACE and ACRE are pretty rare, at least blatant SQF parsing/interp errors. :p Functional errors on the other hand... :j:

I don't use ACE and the last time I used ACRE we got some odd results and errors, but that was a while back. :)

---------- Post added at 05:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:00 PM ----------

The fact that missions in such quality mods as FDF and I44 have stupidly simple errors right at the beginning of them speaks volumes about the need for reversing the current situation.

I wasn't going to name names, but seeing as you, in your indomitable style did, I can only agree with you. I too was quite surprised how many simple coding errors there were in those two mods and their example missions.

[maturin 12]

I look forward to the day when my RPT shows "Creating Briefing" and thats it till the next mission... :p

Well that won't happen while @CBA is writing an epic novel full of routine diagnostic stuff that no one but the devs can understand... :p