Scripting Error Message disappears!

Hakujin · Mon 02/08/2004 02:37:50

I'm somewhat new to developing in AGS, although for the vast majority of things I've been able to figure everything out myself. My problem is now I'm getting into scripting and when I have a scripting error a debugging error message pops up when I try to save the room. The only problem is that this error message disappears automatically almost the second it pops up. (talking milliseconds here...) So I can't tell what is wrong with my script.

Has anyone else had this problem or know how to fix it? Is there another way of having AGS check my script?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Radiant · Mon 02/08/2004 12:22:03

How are you displaying it, using Display() ?
On the first page of the editor, there's a bunch of options and one of them indicates how fast text disappears from screen. I'd recommend setting it to 'clickable'.

Mr Jake · Mon 02/08/2004 15:36:22

he is getting an error message that is disappearing, I dont know what it could be sorry

When does it happen and can you post the script that it SHOULD be doing around that time.

Hakujin · Mon 02/08/2004 16:31:32

Yes, it is an actual error in AGS, not in the game I am making. It's similar to when you try to open an old Sierra game in a dosbox and the box flashes open and closes immediately. This happens with my error messages in windows occasionally, but not often. It's never been a problem before. Figuring it a windows problem I searched the web for this same problem in any software and it seems like I am the only person on the web with this problem (don't I feel special!). But I talked to my girlfriend and she says, very occasionally, the same things happen to her, but they don't matter since they're just error messages, usually. I'm not sure if this is a problem with windows (xp), AGS, both or what...

Anyway, in the meantime, like a true adventurere, I've figured out a wrap-around. If I turn off the prompt that asks if I want to save the room, I can click the 'save room' icon rapidly and repeatedly and sort of make out the important parts of the error message (ie, what line the script is crashing at). But it's a lot like trying to read fine print advertisements on the other side of the subway station when the train is pulling through...

With this wrap around I was able to solve my script problem from last night but, anyway, I can't just post my every minor script problem on the board merely because I didn't know what the error is or where it is located...

Anyone have any suggestions? Do you think I should report this as a bug?

Thanks for your responses!

Pumaman · Mon 02/08/2004 20:55:03

Is it only the script error message box that does this, or do other message boxes do it as well?

I really can't see any reason for this - it's just a standard Windows MessageBox call, there's nothing special about it.

You don't have a paperweight resting on your ESC key, do you?

Hakujin · Mon 02/08/2004 21:14:17

Yes, it's only the scripting error message box. After writing and exiting my script I press the 'save room' button. The 'compiling' screen flashes up for a millisecond and disappears, followed by the script error message box which also disappears instantly. There is nothing after that, just the normal room screen.

I really have no idea why it does this. It has nothing to do with the actual script, becuase anytime I have a script error it disappears like this.

And I can gauruntee you with the number of hours I've spent trying to figure this out, the problem is free from simple user error like a paperweight or anything, unfortunately! I really wish it was just me being a dork.

Pumaman · Wed 04/08/2004 20:50:31

The other possibility is you've got one of those auto-reply programs running in the background, which automatically select a particular option when they see a certain window appear. Quite why it would pick on the AGS Script Error message I don't know.

Hakujin · Thu 05/08/2004 01:19:47

Auto-reply program? What's that, for example?

For a while, I thought it might be a pop-up stopper glitch, but that only runs as html & javascript code, which shouldn't interfere with message boxes...anyway, I ran it without IE on and still have the problem. I tried re downloading AGS, running it in various compatability modes and still the same result.

Pumaman · Thu 05/08/2004 22:51:31

I really don't know what to attribute this to other than something bizarre with your computer. I've never heard of anything like this before.

Kinoko · Fri 06/08/2004 04:13:31

My god, this has been happening to me ever since I got AGS for the first time. I used the same work around, I just save quickly and constantly to get the message box to flash up and I try to read the message that way. You'll get used to it

It doesn't happen for me all the time, just occasionally, but it has always been happening and hasn't stopped between different versions of AGS. It never occured to me to ask about it since I assumed other people had this problem and it must have been discussed before, plus I'd just learned to deal with it.

I figured I might as well chime up now to add to the number of people this happens to. I've never come across a pattern or any clue that would explain why this happens sometimes and not other times.

Hakujin · Fri 06/08/2004 05:46:01

Few! Good to know I'm not alone... Anyone else out there have this problem? If there's enough of us, we might be able to find some sort of commonality, or get it fixed. I find the more code I have, the longer the message box will stay up (but we're still talking a fraction of a second here.) But yeah, I'm getting quite used to speed-reading error messages. Maybe I can catch subliminal messages in commercials now... :

I know this isn't the place for it, but you're the Kinoko who made Cirque De Zale, aren't you? I just wanted to quickly say that I thought it was quite a good game. Enjoyed it, myself, I did.

Kinoko · Sun 08/08/2004 15:01:34

Hehehe, I am, thanks. ^_^

As for the length of time the message stays up... I've found it just tends to be pretty random. At one point, I thought it was to do with my own button presses when saving, how long I held the mouse button... I don't know. The same message seems to be up for random amounts of time when I get it to appear over and over so ... I really don't know.