nul = []...execVM vs. just execVM in init.sqf

[Skelt 10]

null = []...execVM
nul = []...execVM
nul0 = []..execVM

I've seen all sorts of different script calls from the init.sqf why not just run it with:

execVM "scripts.sqf";

(this only applies to scripts which does not require an array) Otherwise I can understand. Besides for that, when you do null = arn't you assigning null a value?

[buliwyf 4]

scriptDone null
scriptDone nul
scriptDone nul0

:D

[Skelt 10]

ayeee,

I'm a bit obsessive compulsive about the way things look, is there anything wrong with just running them flat out:

execVM from the line?

[buliwyf 4]

You can start your scripts with execVM "bla.sqf"; if you like... if you need to wait until a script is finished you can use nul=execVM "bla.sqf"; and then waitUntil{scriptDone nul};.

:)

[Muzzleflash 111]

This nul = ... stuff is probably result of not understanding the language and it's environment properly or copy-paste syndrome. Almost all expressions in the editor cannot result in anything else than "Nothing" (one exception is the condition field of a trigger).

[] execVM "script.sqf" - the result of this is a handle to the script.

_nul = [] execVM "script.sqf" - the result of this is Nothing and is therefore valid in the editor.

null is a free variable in arma scripting unlike other languages. You might be thinking of objNull, grpNull and some others: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/objNull. Don't change 'nil'.

Guess you don't have to pass an argument to execVM, but I would recommend always doing it for call's since if you omit the argument it called function will be able to access the 'this' of the calling function which can cause problems.

[Skelt 10]

had to read your post twice Muzz. ObjNull is kinda like dividing by zero then eh. Not equal to anything, not even itself.. kind of dumbfounding isn't it?

Thanks for the replies*

[celery 8]

Scripts executed in triggers and init lines require a script handle because the editor won't let you do it otherwise for some reason. But I don't get the whole "nul" thing, especially outside the editor. It's just a variable that has no special function. Numbers can't be reassigned in the engine, so 0= does the same thing.

Edited October 7, 2011 by Celery

[loyalguard 15]

I have always used "null" because for execVM and the like so on quick glance I know this is a variable (usually a script handle) that I am not expecting to use/need. I just use it to stay consistent so when I see anything other than null I know it has a purpose.

[Przemek_kondor 13]

Non used variable is usually considered (in various coding convensions) as maybe not bug but something wrong. And this null = [] execVM thing is nothing more than unused variable

[Skelt 10]

Thanks again.

Edited October 7, 2011 by Skelt

[galzohar 31]

Yes, just don't assign it into a variable unless you actually need to for one reason or another.

[Skelt 10]

ah* thank you, didn't hear back from anyone for a little so figured I'd close the post without bumping it. Since I'm going to now anyways, my question I edited out was:

can you pass arguments to scripts without using null=[] which resulted in the response above.

*cheers

[celery 8]

ah* thank you, didn't hear back from anyone for a little so figured I'd close the post without bumping it. Since I'm going to now anyways, my question I edited out was:

can you pass arguments to scripts without using null=[] which resulted in the response above.

*cheers

You can pass arguments by including them in the brackets. The handle is unnecessary unless you're doing it in the mission editor.

[Skelt 10]

Thank you Celery, I'm not a great script writer but I have written a few working scripts from the ground up. As such I've looked at a ton of other people's code and I kept seeing that over and over again null = [] inside of functions and I started changing them because I'm a lil OCD about the way the code looks, which brought this question to light - was there going to be any effect from me changing the way these scripts are called inside of my functions.

-You guys are great. Thanks again.

[zapat 55]

I don't know much about the editor calls, but in a script you can even pass arguments without [].

[] is only needed if you want to pass an array of arguments.

_arg = [1,2,3];

_arg execVM "xy.sqf";

Then, in xy.sqf _this will equal _arg. Thus _this select 0 is _arg select 0, which is 1.

The whole stuff is the same with [1,2,3] execVM "xy.sqf";

Edited October 8, 2011 by zapat

[Craig_VG 20]

Yeah, I personally run them all as:

[] execVM "script.sqf";

and when they are in triggers or somewhere in mission I use:

0=execVM "script.sqf";

But that's me... :)