Alint Error

[Xaiya]

There is a problem with it. I downloaded the windows version and when I opened it, it immediately closed.

[Nioca]

You don't open the application itself. First, put Alint in your scenario's folder. Next, find the file path for the scenario folder. More than likely, it's either

Code:

c:\Program Files\Blades of Avernum\Blades of Avernum Scenarios\[name of your scenario's folder]ORc:\Program Files\Blades of Avernum\Data\[name of your scenario's folder]

But it depends on where you put BoA. Next, open up your computer's Command Prompt, and type (without quotes), "cd [your scenario's folder file path]". So in the previous example, you'd type this

Code:

cd c:\Program Files\Blades of Avernum\Blades of Avernum Scenarios\[name of your scenario's folder]

The prompt should have then printed a new line of text with the file path you specified. Now, simply type:

Code:

alint [script to test].txt

And it'll check the script for bugs.

[Xaiya]

Where would the command prompt be?

[Nioca]

Start Menu -> Programs -> Accessories

[Ishad Nha]

The Command Prompt may also be called the MS Dos Prompt, it may be found in the Programs > Accessories part of the Start Menu.

 

I normally change directory before attempting to use the Alint. An example of this is:"cd C:\Program Files\Blades of Avernum\Blades of Avernum Scenarios\High Level Party Maker", (omit quotes).

 

Then type "alint -w (filename)", omit quotes again. You will see something like this:

C:\Program Files\Blades of Avernum\Blades of Avernum Scenarios\High Level Party

Maker>alint -w t1Library.txt

Checking file 't1Library.txt':

Warning line 746: Result ignored

 

If you click on the little black "C\:" button in the upper left corner you can use Edit > Paste to paste stuff straight into the Prompt. I use this to paste the change directory command above. You can also choose Select All and Mark to copy the error reports so you can paste them into a Word documnet.

 

Finally, alint is good for most error checking but it is not perfect, see previous posts in this forum.

 

Edit:

Copy the Alint program into the folder of the scenario; this avoids the need to move files to and from the Alint home directory.

 

Remove spaces from the titles of all files being scanned, otherwise you can’t get the program to recognise the files.

 

After each lot of alterations, hit the Up Arrow and Enter keys till the file comes up clean. Alint is not infallible, but between it and the Blades game you should be able to clean up the errors. Certain errors will not be detected by Alint but the game itself will give error messages.

 

First there is a mistake with “fl_shimmers”, the Alint source code shows it as “floor_shimmers”. So to Alint “fl_shimmers” is always wrong while “floor_shimmers” is always right. Then te_cutaway_second_icon is spelled as “te_cutaway_second_item”. As far as I can see, the program does not recognize print_big_str_num. These errors can’t be fixed in the MS-Dos Prompt Edit command.

 

Then it won’t accept the Sanctification state in the sanctitem.txt.

“Checking file 'sanctitem.txt':

Error line 29: Bad beginstate line

Warning line 29: Result ignored”

 

As I learned the hard way, the variables in the various calls are not checked for magnitude. Thus for put_item_on_spot it accepted an item with the number 3,840.

 

Then it is unable to handle spaces between words in the title of a script. This is a problem for all scripts not just the ported ones. The Command Prompt can handle spaces in the names of directories. But it seems unable to handle spaces in the names of files, hence the flaw seems to be inherent in any command – line program.

 

May not detect the absence of the “i = i + 1;” in a while statement.

 

It seems that the Blades documentation is wrong when it says that states over 100 are not possible for towns. I haven’t experimented with this much myself, but it seems to be possible to use states with numbers around, and not exceeding, 255. Of course some numbers can never be used:

INIT_STATE (equal to 0)

LOAD_SCEN_STATE (equal to 0)

EXIT_STATE (equal to 1)

START_STATE (equal to 2)

DEAD_STATE (equal to 1)

START_SCEN_STATE (equal to 111)

SEARCH_STATE (equal to 100)

TALKING_STATE (equal to 110)

UNLOCK_SPELL_STATE (equal to 101)

SANCTIFICATION_STATE (equal to 102)

BLOCK_MOVE_STATE (equal to 112)

DISPEL_BARRIER_STATE (equal to 113)

STEP_INTO_SPOT_STATE (equal to 114)

 

From the source file global.h:

“For now, cut_away_offset_x & cut_away_offset_y are UNUSED”.

“short value_class; // Represents the item's value for random treasures

// from 0 - 10, if -1, no class.”

(There was no comment listed for it_augment_item_type, and I could not find any reference to icon adjusts.)

[Xaiya]

What does it mean when it says "Have 's' want 'ss'"?

[Nioca]

It means that you only used one string parameter for a call when the call wanted two.

[Xaiya]

What does it mean when it says "Syntax error [statement]"? And so I don't have to keep asking questions about it, is there somewhere that has what things mean for this?

[Ishad Nha]

Normally errors will be connected to the wrong use of an Avernumscript call. Check the description of the relevant call in the BoA Editor documentation, see if you entered the wrong kind of variable or whatever.

 

As for information, I don't know that there is any elsewhere.

[Khoth]

The "Syntax error" message means there's something wrong at or slightly before the line number it reports. probably a missing semicolon, or incorrect bracket nesting.

 

It should be able to handle files with spaces in the name, if you put quotes round the filename:

alint -w "I like spaces.txt"

 

If you put alint.exe into C:\WINDOWS, then it's available anywhere and you don't have to copy it to every scenario folder.

[Thralni]

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the error messages like "syntax error" can be found in the BoA editor docs. It should be the last chapter.

[Khoth]

Ones BoA gives you might be. Ones alint gives definitely aren't.

[Ishad Nha]

Alint can be used to check all files in the scenario folder. Here is an example for Frostbite.

C:\Program Files\Blades of Avernum\Blades of Avernum Scenarios\Frostbite Win\Frostbite\Scripts>Alint -v -w *

Remove any text files that are not BOA scripts, else you will be spammed with errors.

[Ephesos]

Why? I ask you, why? Why would you necro a topic that's been dead for a year and a half? One whose principal question has already been answered!

 

We are so done here.