[JASS] Patch 1.33: Library syntax errors

[Helheim]

After patch 1.33 came out each Library I'm trying to use gives me: "Unknown compile error - unknown compile error on line X (syntax error)".
Even:

library ABC
endlibrary

!
Does Blizztards completely ruin this, or I should just change some syntax?
NB: My laptop with an older Reforged WE version works fine...

 

[Retera]

Hi.

The syntax of Library is not a part of Warcraft 3 and was not invented by Blizzard. However, it was a part of one of the old world editor hacks that added a new scripting language, and when you would save it converts back to the actual crappier Warcraft 3 language with less features.

In the patch 1.33, now the third party hack that was thrown in as a semi-official thing (since patch 1.30) now is disabled by default instead of enabled by default. So all you have to do is go to the dropdown of the trigger editor where it says "JassHelper" and click the "Enable JassHelper". Once you enable this feature, even on patch 1.33, then when you save the map a second "fake" load bar will appear over top of the normal load bar as it runs the 3rd party hack to convert the fancy syntax like "library" into the older, actual 2002 game script that warcraft 3 engine actually supports.

1.33 did not remove support for this feature, some guy just derped and made the feature sometimes turn off. And that is confusing, when users like you got used to it and started thinking it was a normal part of the editor. It's really just a matter of you turning it back on.

Happy modding!

 

[Helheim]

Happy modding!

With such nice hints, it sure will be!

when users like you got used to it

Can't even say that I'm used to it. All I can do for now is copy-paste the vJass wizard's voodoo and screw it into my GUI triggers.
I usually translate GUI triggers into Jass to get a sample of how code should be written. But there were no examples of libraries syntax in World Editor at all (which made me suspect it's not the WE feature).

Anyway, the problem is solved, thx a lot for your help!

 

[Cokemonkey11]

Compared to a real compiler, vjass is very simple technology, but calling it a third party hack is an affront to the entire modding community and an insult to some of the most prolific and influential gaming modders of all time

Just here on the hive there are over 7000 reviewed and approved vjass resources.

No doubt, Lua is a more powerful technology. The wc3 integration is solid overall. And we should encourage users to move away from vjass. But your comment comes across as corporate bootlicking rather than contextual, nuanced, or considerate.

 

[Retera]

calling it a third party hack is an affront to the entire modding community and an insult to some of the most prolific and influential gaming modders of all time

Who says hacks are bad? I am just saying that even Blizzard did not upgrade their game to natively and directly support the vJASS language, which might be something that I would have done if I reinvented the game from scratch all over again today and had some time for additional polish and extra features.

I mean, it's really useful. I reinvented a subset of the game that only supports JASS, and I still use vJASS on my reinvented game engine. I described it how I did because I thought this might help a user -- who apparently did not understand what was going on -- to understand.

corporate bootlicking rather than contextual, nuanced, or considerate.

So, I mean literally when I was first introduced to vJASS in the late 2000s, I encountered this basically because it was a forced upgrade on me. Warcraft 3 had the 2009 patch that broke most customized map script systems (H2I / I2H) and then the only updated version of Vexorian's Caster System for my map was a new one that required vJASS. And to use that, in the documentation from Vexorian at the time, he said it means that to keep using his library the map maker like me would have to download an addon for World Editor that was not from Blizzard where these guys had disassembled the World Editor and added more code into it at the binary level and injected this into the map save feature, so that when a map saves it will run this additional 3rd party code. I was only a kid back then, but Vexorian himself said in the documentation that using the JNGP World Editor addon that those guys created was actually in violation of the Terms of Use and such of the Warcraft 3 game systems. So, given that this was a disassembled version of World Editor that was originally in violation of the terms, for me I feel it is not unreasonable to call it a "hack". But that "hack" from back then is a better World Editor with better features in several ways than what you get, today, almost 13 years later if you download Reforged World Editor from Blizzard.

But so it sounds like our guy posting above does not know this history. He does not know he is using the inferior World Editor made by Bobby Kotick and his henchmen. If I had focused on telling him that, I would not have solved his technology problem for him as quickly.

 

[Cokemonkey11]

I agree it's worth sharing the history. Here's my summary:

Jasshelper is a preprocessor and it can be used outside the editor

It was apparent and acknowledged that the world editor in its original form was basic, not built by the engine core team, and not actively maintained

As part of reforged, some folks from the community were brought in to help bring current community led enhancements into the official platform

Then -- amongst many many other things casually broken due to low diligence and poor communication -- this week's patch broke the workflow used by potentially thousands of people

Don't get me wrong, i don't use jasshelper myself. But let's say it like it is: yes, blizzard broke your workflow in 1.33. the workaround thankfully isn't that painful.