Re: Error with test script

[Daniel J Sebald]

On 08/30/2014 10:06 PM, Daniel J Sebald wrote:

> Yes, but that does currently work. The test script in this case is
> defining global functions because the contents of the file are being
> treated as command-line script statements. Hence, following the
> execution of those scripts the functions will be resident in Octave (not
> local to some function file). I.e.,
>
> -----------
> # test script
>
> 1;
>
> function say_hello
> fprintf('Hello !\n');
> endfunction
> -----------
>
> octave-cli:10> testscript
> octave-cli:11> say_hello
> Hello !

Hmm, here's one thing to think about with the above result.  I will 
repeat the process above and then ask for "say_hello":

octave-cli:1> testscript
octave-cli:2> say_hello
Hello !
octave-cli:3> type say_hello
error: type: 'say_hello' undefined
octave-cli:3> say_hello
Hello !

Technically, that error message is bogus because 'say_hello' is defined, 
as evidenced by its usage.  The parser probably doesn't keep the 
original ASCII definition of the function.  (It certainly shouldn't keep 
a filename, line number and print what is there because the user could 
modify the file without it being reloaded...suppose the same could be 
done with regular function files too, but at least there if one runs the 
function again it reflects whatever is in the file.)  If the original 
ASCII isn't retained, perhaps Octave should at least print something like:

octave-cli:5> type say_hello
say_hello is a global function

similar to what it does for built-in functions.

Dan