Log File has value on blank lines

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:26 am

Using 11.1.05

Just noticed that log files have a value "1" on each of the blank lines in the script. Never noticed this before. Think they should be blank or omitted (prefer the blank).

JRL · Post by **JRL** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:52 am

Win XP SP1
I just downloaded build 5 to see this happen but I don't see it.

Invented script with blank lines:

Code: Select all

Let>kk=0

Repeat>kk
  add>kk,1
  Wait>0.01







Until>kk,10

and I get this for a logfile:

3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - Started Macro : C:\Documents and Settings\dick\My Documents\Macro Scheduler 11\one test.exe
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - START: // COMPILE_OPTS|C:\Documents and Settings\dick\My Documents\Macro Scheduler 11\one test.exe||CONSOLE=0|INCLUDES=1|
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - START: LEt>kk=0
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - END: LEt>kk=0
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - START: Repeat>kk
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - END: Repeat>kk
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - START: add>kk,1
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - END: add>kk,1
3/2/2009 21:45:45:390 - START: Wait>0.01
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END: Wait>0.01
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START: Until>kk,1000
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END: Repeat>kk
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START: Repeat>kk
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END: Repeat>kk
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START: add>kk,1
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - END: add>kk,1
3/2/2009 21:45:45:406 - START: Wait>0.01
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END: Wait>0.01
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:421 - START:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:437 - END:
3/2/2009 21:45:45:437 - START: Until>kk,1000

ETC.

Is there some specific parameter that you're using?

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:34 am

These are truly blank lines!

Here is the end of the log

03/02/09 22:22:23:125 - // Select CHM file
03/02/09 22:22:23:203 - WaitWindowOpen>Open CHM File*
03/02/09 22:22:23:296 - SetFocus>Open CHM File*
03/02/09 22:22:23:390 - Press>ALT
03/02/09 22:22:23:484 - Send>n
03/02/09 22:22:23:593 - Release>ALT
03/02/09 22:22:23:687 - Wait>1
03/02/09 22:22:24:765 - Send>C:\Program Files\Macro Scheduler 11\msched.chm
03/02/09 22:22:25:562 - Wait>1
03/02/09 22:22:26:640 - 1
03/02/09 22:22:26:734 - // Open the CHM file
03/02/09 22:22:26:812 - Press>TAB*2
03/02/09 22:22:26:937 - Wait>1
03/02/09 22:22:28:015 - Press>ENTER
03/02/09 22:22:28:140 - 1
03/02/09 22:22:28:218 - WaitWindowClosed>Open CHM File*
03/02/09 22:22:28:343 - WaitWindowOpen>Welcome! - Mozilla Firefox*
03/02/09 22:22:28:468 - 1
03/02/09 22:22:28:562 - Label>Cleanup
03/02/09 22:22:28:656 - DeleteFile>C:\Program Files\Macro Scheduler 11\temp.htm
03/02/09 22:22:28:750 - DeleteFile>tmpAllProfiles.txt
03/02/09 22:22:29:156 - DeleteFile>tmpProfile.txt
03/02/09 22:22:29:578 - 1
03/02/09 22:22:29:671 - Label>End
03/02/09 22:22:29:765 - Finished Macro : Firefox for Macro Scheduler Help

Here is the script:

Code: Select all

// Select CHM file
WaitWindowOpen>Open CHM File*
SetFocus>Open CHM File*
Press>ALT
Send>n
Release>ALT
Wait>%vDelay%
Send>%vPath%\msched.chm
Wait>%vDelay%

// Open the CHM file
Press>TAB*2
Wait>%vDelay%
Press>ENTER

WaitWindowClosed>Open CHM File*
WaitWindowOpen>Welcome! - Mozilla Firefox*

Label>Cleanup
DeleteFile>%vFile%
DeleteFile>tmpAllProfiles.txt
DeleteFile>tmpProfile.txt

Label>End

JRL · Post by **JRL** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:24 am

Bob,
I haven't been able to reproduce your problem but I found a different issue. After I select the "logging" tab from the editor, then check the box to log to a file, I can no longer step through my script by pressing F8. I have to Exit Macro Scheduler and restart Macro Scheduler before I can step through the script again.

Anyway, I've tried every option I can think of but no matter what, I only get a space on a line that contains a space... no "1"s I even tried your script. Still, only spaces.

One possible difference is I don't have a CHM file open.

JRL · Post by **JRL** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:21 pm

Just tested on my work computer. Win XP sp3 and MS 11.1.05. I don't see any "1"s in a logfile. Also, I don't have the issue I saw at home where F8 failed to step through a script after enabling logging.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:24 pm

Amazing.... this is being caused by the RegEx command.

I get blank lines in the log until I run the RegEx command. From that line forward, I get the value of "1" in the log file.

03/03/09 10:18:21:578 - RunProgram>cmd /c find /n ".default" tmpAllProfiles.txt > tmpProfile.txt
03/03/09 10:18:22:062 - Let>RP_RESULT=0
03/03/09 10:18:22:156 -
03/03/09 10:18:22:234 - ReadLn>tmpProfile.txt,3,vProfileName.txt
03/03/09 10:18:22:312 -
03/03/09 10:18:22:406 - // Extract Profile Name
03/03/09 10:18:22:484 - RegEx>^.* (\w.*.default),[8]03/03/09 10:17 AM h8ojjv0f.default,0,,,1,$1,vProfileName
03/03/09 10:18:22:578 - 1
03/03/09 10:18:22:656 - IfDirExists>C:\Documents and Settings\Bob\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\h8ojjv0f.default\extensions\{6e098d65-7d2d-46d4-ada0-2f882a29f795},Good,Fail
03/03/09 10:18:22:750 - Message>CHM Reader is installed. OK to continue.
03/03/09 10:18:22:875 - 1
03/03/09 10:18:22:953 - Wait>3

If I comment out the RegEx command, the blank lines do not write a "1" to the log.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:14 pm

Erm. Ok, I asked a stupid question and then realised what those blank parms were. You've left "matches_array" and "num_matches" blank. So the command is setting blank and blank. If there's one match blank becomes 1.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:22 pm

Granted, it may be better to do nothing if those are set blank. But matches_array and num_matches are expected.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:07 pm

I can see the missing parameters as you point out, but does not explain to me how that translates to number on a blank line. With missing values, I would have expected some type of error message when executing the command. Anyway, no need to understand that, as long as you do. I have entered matches,num, into the two missing parameters, and the problem has gone away.

I know this is a new command, but perhaps the Help file needs to be more specific about mandatory parameters. I know we can leave blanks in other command parameters (SMTPSendMail), but apparently not in RegEx. The Replace parameters are shown as optional in Help, so maybe the Help for SMTPSendMail needs to be corrected to show the optional parameters?

Thanks for pointing out the fix.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:10 pm

The replace parameters are optional. The matches array and num matches should not be. Agree it should error more gracefully. I'll update the help file for the next release.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:11 pm

Thanks Marcus, sorry for the distraction.....

JRL · Post by **JRL** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:24 pm

I just wanted to be sure I understood what happened. So I altered the script I posted above and added the line:
Let>=This is a blank line
Since there is nothing between the chevron and the equal, this sets "nothing" to the text "This is a blank line"

Code: Select all

Let>kk=0
Let>=This is a blank line
Repeat>kk
  add>kk,1
  Wait>0.01







Until>kk,10

Then when I run the script and log the result I create the following log file with the text "This is a blank line" everyplace there would otherwise be a blank line.

logfile wrote:03/03/2009 11:12:04:070 - Started Macro : Log Space Test
03/03/2009 11:12:04:070 - Let>kk=0
03/03/2009 11:12:04:070 - Let>=This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:070 - Repeat>kk
03/03/2009 11:12:04:070 - add>kk,1
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - Wait>0.01
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - This is a blank line
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - Repeat>kk
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - Repeat>kk
03/03/2009 11:12:04:085 - add>kk,1
03/03/2009 11:12:04:101 - Wait>0.01

In Bob's case RegEx was setting "nothing" to "1" and therefore displaying "1" on each blank log file line.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:18 pm

Creative analysis JRL.

So, the lesson to be learned is:

If your log file is printing something where there should be a blank line, that means that, somewhere earlier in the script, a value is being assigned to a non-existent variable name. The value that is being assigned is what is printing out in place of the blank line.

jpuziano · Post by **jpuziano** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:43 am

mtettmar wrote:The replace parameters are optional. The matches array and num matches should not be. Agree it should error more gracefully. I'll update the help file for the next release.

Thanks Bob, JRL and Marcus for tracking this down.

On erroring more gracefully... if a command is called with nothing between the commas ,, and that parameter is required, then the command should fail and provide an error saying what is missing. I would think that should be the case for all the commands... do you agree Marcus?

On Help File syntax, here's what RegEx looks like right now:

existing Help File syntax wrote:RegEx>pattern,text,easypatterns,matches_array,num_matches,replace_flag[,replace_string,replace_result]

It is all bolded text, no color.
Parameters within [ and ] at the end tells me those are optional and I don't need to include values or the commas between them.

But I see what you mean... For illustration, let's say that the easypatterns parameter was optional i.e. you could just use ,, with nothing there between the commas... how would you show that in the help file syntax? Here's one thought:

possible enhanced Help File syntax wrote:RegEx>pattern,text,easypatterns,matches_array,num_matches,replace_flag[,replace_string,replace_result]

If its bolded, its required... and if its not... its optional.

Not counting [optional] parameters at the ends... I don't know how many commands have optional parameters within ,, however if its not too high... it would probably be safest to also state in words in the Help File that a particular parameter or parameters are optional.

Just my feedback... take care.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:58 am

I believe the existing format is acceptable, would be too much work to review all commands. The format clearly shows that the first 6 parameters are mandatory. In your new format proposal you show easypatterns as optional, but I understand it is mandatory for 0/1, so it should also be bolded.

This all came up because I did not fill in a mandatory parameter. I did not follow the documentation. I agree it would be good for error messages when mandatory parameters are missing or invalid type, etc., but we also cannot protect from every option.

Remember, the problem with making something idiot proof is that the idiots are so creative.

This idiot takes full blame for using up everyone's time and support when all I had to do was follow the instructions properly. Again, when the parameters are filled in there is no problem. Sorry about that.