Invisible, Nonsense-Error-Generating Trash in GDL Scripts

[James Murray]

I was advised by Tech Support to post this here. It is distressing (to me) that Archicad has so much trouble running a robust * checks notes * text window, but we all know that Resources Are Limited.

GDL scripts occasionally, invisibly, glitch and start generating nonsense errors. Naturally, fake errors can't be corrected. It would be nice if this didn't happen!

Here is my thread about a fix for this: https://twitter.com/jamesm00001/status/1584936226905239552

Here is the crash report number: AC25-2022-10-20-15-55-25-4574. Not sure why this forum can make better use of this info than Tech Support, but I am trying to be cooperative.

Thanks in advance for ignoring this and making the rest of AC so perfect. https://community.Graphisoft.com/t5/Developer-forum/Sincere-Thanks-for-Not-Wasting-Resources-on-the-...

[MetalFingerz]

I have had the same issue as well.

Basically the random error happens but isn't visible in the normal script windows. When I open the pop out window of the guilty script and/or undock it, I am then able to see the random garbage causing the issue. If I fix the coding error in this undocked script window, the code passes the check script test, however in the default script window, displayed code is now wrong.

I need to save, close and reopen the .gsm for everything to go back to normal in both script windows.

[Hmooslechner]

I had to learn "not to mousdraw scriptparts" - that always causes this error on Mac (on Win i dont know now) - copy-paste works instead. Graphisoft - just fix this - its occuring since the last 5 versions or even longer!

When You work on this - just add line-numbers to the editor, please and code-highlighting as well, as also case-sensitive rightclick selectable code, bracket-closing-highlighting, coloring functions, possible table-selecting, hotkeys for direct switching between 3D-2D-Masterscript-displays ...  and more...,  what e modern editor should be able to do!  so there would be no need for extern editors any more!!

The use of extern editors is much too slow in real scripting!

[vdentello]

I agree 100%.

I can't see a reasonable excuse no to implement line numbering, "its not in the queue".
That's SO SIMPLE, seriously. Would help a LOT. It won't break down the features under development because it took too much time to script on a main version...

External conversion takes a lot of time, reimport, update library...

[Barry Kelly]

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@vdentello wrote:

I can't see a reasonable excuse no to implement line numbering, "its not in the queue".

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The line numbers are there, we just can't see them.

If you get an error to say something wrong at line xx, them just press CTRL+L and type in the line number and ENTER and you will be taken there.

If you want to know the line you are on, again just press CTRL+L and it will tell you.

The line numbers are not used in coding anyway, so having them show is not really necessary.

Yes, we can script GOTO 100, but that is not a line number.

It is a sub-routing number that we create.

Barry.

[Hmooslechner]

Barry - Just seeing line numbers directly would make life so much easier - You know how much more time i sit in front of script-displays than you, i think. Just trust me on this...

Whats also a mess with this: I often use the builtin error-search and at the beginning, it jumps automaticly to the line and highlights it perfectly, but after some time, it doesnot do that any more, it just displays the line-number. Then, You have to remorize the line number Yourself and you have to use your suggestion here and manually put in the memorized line number to jump to that place ????

I use the builtin error dedection nearly every minute in scripting to control myself and do you know how irritating this becomes in that mass?

So - its nice to get such a suggestion for a workaround after another for solutions for Graphisofts messes, but it would help much more, when G. would clean up its rubbish for once.

It is not the user's fault if Graphisoft loses programmers for whatever reason without ensuring a meaningful transfer of knowledge to the other staff and suitable replacements.

After all these years of bringing these things to Graphisoft's attention, I'm pretty pissed off about it.

Archicad is such a great programm and they are ruining it themselves by not listening to the users for decades now, one gets the impression.

It's just a shame.

[SenecaDesignLLC]

I use the go to line button. If the error check doesn't take me to the line then I just jump there.  Much easier then adding your own numbers.

[AllanP]

Hi,

My main GDL scripting is done in Archicad 18 build 9019 AUS on Windows 10 Enterprise 64bit, and it does it.

I thought I was miss coding the objects, making mistakes and somehow missing endif statements, or somehow typing garbage on random lines.

I use the Check script, a piece of paper to write down the error line numbers (because when it randomly goes bad, it goes very very bad), and then Ctrl+L to go to the line number of the error, or just find out the line the cursor is currently on so i know if its before or after where i am.

I know if I paste in code from another object it will causes errors in the end of the code after the paste point sometimes, becoming corrupt. having to close and open an older version of the object.

Or another one is the content being pasted into the master window as well as the working pop out window i am currently working in, it gets pasted in two different scripts types.

This makes me happy on one level (now knowing its not me) but unhappy/scared on another level (now knowing the gdl script editing engine is Randomly Broken for everyone, and in newer versions of Archicad).

I was hopping that when the older legacy projects in our office were over, i would be able to move the GDL coding to a newer version of Archicad we are using to get past these errors, but no 😞

I cannot remember errors like this back when i started, but that was Archicad 4.5.5 on Apple Quadra's with 24MB of ram, you didn't put much in the scripts.

[Peter Baksa]

Colleagues are doing a rework on the code editor, most of your wishes will be included: https://community.Graphisoft.com/t5/Developer-forum/GDL-Syntax-Highlight-for-VSCode/m-p/362212/highl...

[James Murray]

Peter, would it possible to share a list of the planned changes? So much to do besides syntax highlighting 😄

[Peter Baksa]

Hi,

Generally we collect thoughts in the wishes forum, and ask for feedback in the beta phase. I forwarded your message to the ones responsible for planned changes.