WoW:API RunScript: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:42, 10 November 2007

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Execute a string as LUA code.

RunScript("script")

("script")

nil

To define a function dynamically you could do:

local retExpr = '"Hello " .. UnitName("target")';
RunScript("function My_GetGreeting() return " .. retExpr .. ";end");

The My_GetGreeting() function will be defined to return Hello followed by the name of your target.

This function is NOT recommended for general use within addons for a number of reasons:

1. It'll do whatever you tell it, that includes calling functions, setting variables, whatever.

2. Errors in the script string produce the error popup (at least, they produce the UI_ERROR_MESSAGE event).

On the other hand, it's invaluable if you need to run code that is input by the player at run-time, or do self-generating code.

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 : 1. It'll do whatever you tell it, that includes calling functions, setting variables, whatever.
-: 2. It does things globally, so to get data out of it you have to pollute at least one global variable. This isn't a big deal but it's mildly annoying.
+: 2. Errors in the script string produce the error popup (at least, they produce the UI_ERROR_MESSAGE event).
-: 3. Errors in the script string produce the error popup (at least, they produce the UI_ERROR_MESSAGE event).
+: On the other hand, it's invaluable if you need to run code that is input by the player at run-time, or do self-generating code.
-: On the other hand, it's invaluable if you need to run arbitrary code, or do self-generating code.
 == See Also ==
 * The standard Lua function [[API loadstring]], which can overcome all of the problems of RunScript described above.