Developer Question - temporary storage + SetError

[Ascend4nt]

Okay, since I never got a response to a question directed at developers, I don't think this will work, but here goes anyway:

To use a workaround to both return a value *and* the @error/@extended codes from a function, I've used this:

$tempVal=_MyFunction()
If @error Then SetError(@error)
Return $tempVal

This is to get around the limitation used when doing this (which doesn't pass along @error/@extended information):

Return _MyFunction()

Also, another option that was suggested by Valik would look like this:

$tempVal=_MyFunction()
Return SetError(@error,@extended,$tempVal)

Okay, assume that '_MyFunction()' returns a GIGANTIC array. Now, since I don't know how the internals of AutoIT's script interpreter works, I'm asking for some clarity here:

1. Would 'Return _MyFunction()' not be the most efficient? In other languages it would. (of course, @error/@extended isn't passed on here)

2. Storing a $tempVal value - wouldn't this be more data passing (receiving it to that temporary storage variable, and then passing it back through Return, rather than passing back the return from '_MyFunction()' directly )?

3. Passing $tempVal to SetError() as the 3rd parameter - wouldn't this be yet more data passing back and forth?

Please shed some light on this, it would help me alot. I have experience in C++,Java,VbScript,and Assembly language, so it doesn't have to be 'dumbed down' for me (poor choice of words, but you know what I mean)

Any help here is much appreciated.

Thank you,

Ascend4nt

[MrCreatoR]

You can use ByRef in this case:

Dim $sRet
_ReturnCheck($sRet)

ConsoleWrite(StringFormat("$sRet = %s\n@extended = %i\n@error = %i", $sRet, @extended, @error))

Func _ReturnCheck(ByRef $sVar)
    _MyFunc($sVar)
    Return SetError(@error, @extended)
EndFunc

Func _MyFunc(ByRef $sVar)
    $sVar = "Some data"
    SetError(1, 1)
EndFunc

But i agree, it would be much easy and faster to able to pass it directly with Return.

[Ascend4nt]

Yes, ByRef has its place, but not always. I've considered adding a global $_LastError type of variable to get around this matter, but it's not very elegant and would require some maintaining to ensure it works as intended. Plus it won't be very useful to others to release code that relies on that...