Bug or I'm just tired???

[Emma]

Hello ppl,

I'll paste you a small code. So, is it me or the result is just odd !!!

This is the code:

<mvassign name="l.event" value="{'I\'m  a string!'}">
<mveval expr="{'<pre>First occurrence: '$l.event$'</pre>'}">
<mvif expr="{len(l.event:obj) GT 0}">
    <mvassign name="l.obj" value="{l.event:obj}">
<mvelseif expr="{len(l.event) GT 0}">
    <mvassign name="l.obj" value="{'function(){'$l.event$'}'}">
<mvelse>
    <mvassign name="l.obj" value="">
</mvif>
<mveval expr="{'<pre>Second occurrence: '$l.event$'</pre>'}">  

The normal result should be:

First occurrence: I'm  a string!
Second occurrence: I'm  a string! 

But instead I have:

First occurrence: I'm  a string!
Second occurrence:

So, in this example, the length check of a non existing structure will erase the content if it's a string. Normally len should not impact the variable ... and .. here obviously it does. The workaround is (for me) to back-up the variable before the len check... but it's not very elegant :-)

So, was I coding too much and I cannot see anymore something obvious... or it's just a bug?

Thanks,
Claudiu

[truXoft]

Re: Bug or I'm just tired???

Hi Claudiu,

If I remember well, this behaviour is documented, or at least rather well known. The first time you access a structure that is not yet defined (usually even in read-only operations), the variable is declared/created, suppressing so the non-structure variable of the name of the base. Not very nice, but am not sure whether it can be called a bug, or rather a feature. You simply need to be very careful when using structured and non-structured variables of the same name. The best practice is avoiding it alltogether. Instead use for example two different members: l.event:value and l.event:obj

Bet regards,
Ivo

[Emma]

Re: Bug or I'm just tired???

Oh, thank you Ivo. As a matter of fact I wasn't aware about this feature. Thanks for the tip. By the way, nice to see you around here. Log time no see :-)

Cheers,
Claudiu

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Re: Bug or I'm just tired???

Ivo Sighting!!!!