* any unintended consequences?

[Ron Melby]

2 situations, sometimes I want to know values, and sometimes I want to write them out. I have chosen a trivial example it is offset by ****.
rtvSEX = retrieve sex
matSEX = materilize sex (write it out)

so, given each circumstance, I can either inspect it, or write it out (when called 'directly')
any down the road problems you can think of with this?

Code: Select all

function rtvSEX(iptr)
  local  thisPTR    = iptr
  local sex = matSEX(thisPTR)
  return sex
end -- fn matSEX 

function matSEX(iptr)
  local  thisPTR    = iptr

  tblSEX = tblSEX or {}
  cwsex = cwsex or 6

  local sex = string.sub(fhGetItemText(thisPTR,'~.SEX'), 1, 1)
  if sex == '' then
    sex = 'U'
  end

****
  local cs = debug.getinfo(2, 'n')
  if cs.name ~= 'rtvSEX' then
    table.insert(tblSEX, sex)
  end
****

  return sex
end -- fn matSEX 

[tatewise]

That should work Ok, but seems a rather complex method.
Why not have one function with a parameter that identifies whether to save the value?
e.g.

Code: Select all

function getSEX(iptr,save)
  local sex = string.sub(fhGetItemText(iptr,'~.SEX'), 1, 1)
  if sex == '' then sex = 'U' end
  if save then
    tblSEX = tblSEX or {}
    cwsex = cwsex or 6
    table.insert(tblSEX, sex)
  end
  return sex
end -- fn getSEX

then
local sex = getSEX(ptr,false) or local sex = getSEX(ptr,nil) or local sex = getSEX(ptr) will retrieve without saving
whereas
local sex = getSEX(ptr,true) or local sex = getSEX(ptr,"Save") or local sex = getSEX(ptr,1) will retrieve and save

BTW: I've noticed you often start functions with local thisPTR = iptr that is unnecessary as iptr is already a local variable.

[Ron Melby]

So if I dispense with thisPTR I would not need a
local iptr = iptr (as a speedup measure?)

[tatewise]

Correct.
The iptr parameter is by definition a local variable already.
It is only in scope within the function, just like any explicit local variable.
Lua says:
"Parameters act as local variables that are initialized with the argument values"

[Ron Melby]

ok, I have cleaned up my standard functions to dispense with thisPTR

no noticable difference yet.

there will be a new post in this continuing saga, in search of speed.