Problem worth repeating for everyone

[Jim Kosloskey]

There has been a bug in the Xlate for some time now. It has been commented on in many older posts but I thought I would post again to keep it in the forefront especially for newer Cloverleaf users.

The bug has to do with logic appearing in the GUI of the Xlate Tool that does not actually get written to the Xlate file thus a testing session will not reflect the code that is thought to be in place. As I recall, this happens inside IF Actions and ITERATE Actions.

What brought this to mind is I was helping out another clovertecher and he was getting hit by the bug (the code was inside an IF Action inside an ITERATE Action).

The clue is the testing tool does not reflect the code you have modified (I suspect the debugger will also reflect that, but I am not sure). This is not easy to detect because we all are reluctant to blame the tool when code we write does not work the way we want.

Bottom line – if you see no real reason your code should not work but the tester is not reflecting your code, try the following before banging your head against the wall any longer:

1. Either place an echo strategically in your code so that it should happen no matter what and see if the testing tool shows the echo – if it does not do # 2 below…
2. Close the Xlate (no need to close anything else) then open the Xlate and see if your modifications are there. If they are not, unfortunately you will need to redo them. If they are – there really is something wrong with your code.

Personally, if I suspect the bug, I just go to #2 (no pun intended).

This bug hits with no rhyme or reason and I have been bit by it as well (very badly at times).

I have never experienced it happening 2 times in a row, but I suppose that could happen.

Fortunately, it does not happen very often.

Unfortunately, that makes it much less likely to suspect it (at least I am late suspecting it).

 

 

 

 

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com 29+ years Cloverleaf, 59 years IT - old fart.

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[Robert Kersemakers]

Thanks Jim!
Is that bug still in there? It has been around for a long time now; I’ve seen it since CL5.0 or 5.5.

If I remember correctly this bug occurred when an IF or ITERATE action was copied. So be careful if you copy an IF or ITERATE inside an Xlate.

Zuyderland Medisch Centrum; Heerlen/Sittard; The Netherlands

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