Difference between revisions of "Compiler error message"

Revision as of 13:39, 13 April 2020

When the compiler encounters a syntax error it aborts the process for that script and displays a compiler error message in the Log window.

There are a couple of guidelines to remember when trying to understand compiler error message:

• The compiler reports the error when it can no longer make sense of the script: this often occurs on the line 'after the line containing the error.
• If the script has one or more include files the error may have "while compiling <include>.nss" appended to it, however the error may be in the script being compiled rather than an include file.

Messages

The following is a list of compiler error messages that have been encountered and what caused them. It is important to be aware that these may not be the only cause for a particular error and therefore should be viewed as examples rather than definitions.

A

After compound statement at end

The double quote before the file name is missing from an #include directive.

B

Break outside of loop or case statement

[example].

D

Declaration does not match parameters

The wrong type of argument used when calling a function, e.g. a string passed into a int argument.

Declaration does not match parameters (<function>)

Too few or too many arguments used when calling a function.

E

Equality test has invalid operands

[example].

F

Function definition missing parameter list

The brackets were omitted when defining a function.

I

Included file not found

1. An include file does not exist or has not been saved.
2. The wrong file name used or the ".nss" extension included in an #include directive.

NOTE: include files cannot not be compiled directly (attempting to do so will generate a Script must contain either a main or StartingConditional error).

Invalid declaration type

The brackets were omitted when declaring a function.

M

Mismatched types

1. A value or variable is assigned to a variable of a different type, e.g. a string value assigned to an int varaible.
2. A function is assigned to a variable of a different type, e.g. a [[string] function to assigned to an int variable.
3. A function returns a different type from its declared return type.
4. A void function is assigned to a variable.

N

No colon after case label

[example].

No left bracket on arg list

1. The brackets were omitted when calling a function (without arguments).

No semicolon after expression

1. The statement terminator (;) is missing from the end of an expression.
2. A keyword in an expression contains a typo.

No semicolon after structure

1. The statement terminator (;) is missing from the end of a structure definition.

Not all control paths return a value

1. A function does not have a return statement.
2. A logic branch in a function does not have a return statement.
3. A function does not have an else or default case with a return function.

P

Parsing variable list

1. The statement terminator (;) is missing from the on previous line.
2. A line contains a rogue double-quotes mark.

S

Script must contain either a main or StartingConditional

1. Compiled an include file directly (instead of the script including it).
2. Used the incorrect case i.e. Main instead of main.

U

Undefined identifier (<identifier>)

1. A variable is being used before it is defined.
2. A string is missing its opening double-quotes mark.

Undefined structure

A struct is being used before it is defined.

Unknown state in compiler

Invalid syntax e.g. an extra comma in a list of arguments.

Unterminated string constant

1. A string is missing its closing double-quotes mark.
2. A line contains a rogue double-quotes mark.

V

Variable defined without type

1. A value is being assigned to a variable before it has been declared.
2. A variable is being assigned or passed into a function before it has been declared.

Void expression where non void required

Assigned a member of a vector which was itself a member of a struct to a variable.