Motherlode Peer Group Review

[ajtribick]

Just curious, and responses will not dictate any actions on my part...

Is anyone still using a version of Celestia prior to 1.4.1?
If so, why?

Thanks, Bob

The official package repositories for OpenSUSE supply Celestia 1.3.2, so I'd guess that would be a reason why some users might be using a pre-1.4.1 version.

[cartrite]

This is how I found out about Celestia. It was in Suse 8.2 which got me started with Linux. Many moons ago.
cartrite

[John Van Vliet]

edit 5:33 pm

[BobHegwood]

The official package repositories for OpenSUSE supply Celestia 1.3.2, so I'd guess that would be a reason why some users might be using a pre-1.4.1 version.

Hey, thanks *very* much for this information. I was simply unaware of this, so it's good to know.
Also thanks John and Cartrite... Appreciate the information. I am curious to know why the OpenSUSE
resource hasn't been updated though. Is there no one to do this?

Thanks again, Bob

[ajtribick]

Another potential set of pre-1.4.1 users is those using Ubuntu 6.06 "Dapper Drake", which is a long-term-support version (until June 2009 for desktops) and which supplies v1.3.2 in the default repositories.

Ubuntu 6.10 "Edgy Eft" and Ubuntu 7.04 "Feisty Fawn" also have v1.3.2 in the default repositories. "Edgy Eft" is only supported for another few days (until April 25th) and support for "Feisty Fawn" is planned until October 2008.

The current version of Ubuntu (7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon") supplies v1.4.1. The next version (8.04 "Hardy Heron", a long-term support release) apparently has v1.5.0 in the repositories.

[John Van Vliet]

edit 5:32 pm

[BobHegwood]

Okay, here we go again...

I simply cannot get the following two script packages to work on my PC. Can someone have a look at them and tell me what the problem is?

The first one is Don Goyette's date converter, which is located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=65
I know that this add-on used to work, but I simply get NO indication that it is working at all now with Version 1.5.1 Final. Does anyone know what the problem is here?

I am also having trouble with the Celestia Superlass add-on located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=919
No matter what I do with the installation, I keep getting various error messages when I try to run the thing.

Could one of you (vastly superior) CELX types investigate these add-ons for me?

Thanks, Bob

[BobHegwood]

Okay, here we go again...

I simply cannot get the following two script packages to work on my PC. Can someone have a look at them and tell me what the problem is?

The first one is Don Goyette's date converter, which is located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=65
I know that this add-on used to work, but I simply get NO indication that it is working at all now with Version 1.5.1 Final. Does anyone know what the problem is here?

I am also having trouble with the Celestia Superlass add-on located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=919
No matter what I do with the installation, I keep getting various error messages when I try to run the thing.

Could one of you (vastly superior) CELX types investigate these add-ons for me?

Thanks, Bob

Okay, it has been over one week now with no responses of any kind...
Guess you all simply do not mind if DELETE these add-ons now then?

Okay by me...

[chris]

Okay, here we go again...

I simply cannot get the following two script packages to work on my PC. Can someone have a look at them and tell me what the problem is?

The first one is Don Goyette's date converter, which is located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=65
I know that this add-on used to work, but I simply get NO indication that it is working at all now with Version 1.5.1 Final. Does anyone know what the problem is here?

I am also having trouble with the Celestia Superlass add-on located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=919
No matter what I do with the installation, I keep getting various error messages when I try to run the thing.

Could one of you (vastly superior) CELX types investigate these add-ons for me?

Thanks, Bob

Okay, it has been over one week now with no responses of any kind...
Guess you all simply do not mind if DELETE these add-ons now then?

Okay by me...

Please don't delete these. I still need to try debugging the scripts--there's nothing that should prevent them from working with 1.5.1. (Doesn't mean there isn't a bug . . .)

--Chris

[Vincent]

Please don't delete these. I still need to try debugging the scripts--there's nothing that should prevent them from working with 1.5.1. (Doesn't mean there isn't a bug . . .)

--Chris

Don Goyette's date converter works great with a version of Celestia 1.5.1 built against Lua 5.0, but doesn't with Celestia 1.5.1 built against Lua 5.1.
This might have something to do with the way Lua 5.1 handles the 'for' loop at line 54. Also note that the 'plain' argument in the string.find function should be set as the boolean 'true'.

Anyway, the script seems to be fixed (and still works with Lua 5.0, and thus celestia 1.4.1) when replacing the following lines (54-61):

Code: Select all

    charcount = string.len(prompt)
    for charpos = 1, charcount do
      x = string.find(prompt, "\n", charpos, plain)
      if x ~= nil then
         nlcount = nlcount + 1
         charpos = x + 1
      end
    end

with:

Code: Select all

    charcount = string.len(prompt)
    while charpos < charcount do
      x = string.find(prompt, "\n", charpos)
      if x ~= nil then
         nlcount = nlcount + 1
         charpos = x + 1
      else
         charpos = charcount
      end
      wait(0)
    end

This could be done quicker using:

Code: Select all

for textline in string.gfind(prompt,"([^\n]*)\n") do
  nlcount = nlcount + 1;
end

...but i'm not sure this would work with versions of Celestia prior to 1.4.1...

Note: When entering decimal values, the locale decimal separator must be used. E.g., the comma "," must be used with the french locale instead of the full stop ".".

[BobHegwood]

Simply amazing to me...

When I simply ask about a couple of add-ons, no one at all has any interest in the problems associated with them.
When I suggest deleting them, however, look out and then LET THE GAMES BEGIN... Took what, 15 minutes to get some replies?

I really do appreciate the help here, so thanks very much for the pointers as to what might be wrong. I simply do NOT have the
aptitude, nor the brains to de-bug CELX scripts, so THANKS very much.

No deletions yet, was just curious to see what the difference in interest was. Hee, hee...

[BobHegwood]

ug . . .)
Don Goyette's date converter works great with a version of Celestia 1.5.1 built against Lua 5.0, but doesn't with Celestia 1.5.1 built against Lua 5.1.
This might have something to do with the way Lua 5.1 handles the 'for' loop at line 54. Also note that the 'plain' argument in the string.find function should be set as the boolean 'true'.

Anyway, the script seems to be fixed (and still works with Lua 5.0, and thus celestia 1.4.1) when replacing the following lines (54-61):

Code: Select all

    charcount = string.len(prompt)
    for charpos = 1, charcount do
      x = string.find(prompt, "\n", charpos, plain)
      if x ~= nil then
         nlcount = nlcount + 1
         charpos = x + 1
      end
    end

with:

Code: Select all

    charcount = string.len(prompt)
    while charpos < charcount do
      x = string.find(prompt, "\n", charpos)
      if x ~= nil then
         nlcount = nlcount + 1
         charpos = x + 1
      else
         charpos = charcount
      end
      wait(0)
    end

Thanks VERY much here Vincent...
Your fix works perfectly. Now, I can either upload the modified script to the ML and place it under Don's name, or I can explain the code changes needed in order to make the thing work like it should again. Don doesn't spend very much time one the web anymore, but I will try to see if he can update it following these instructions.

Again, MANY thanks for the help.

Now, does anyone have any suggestions for the other package?

[chris]

Please don't delete these. I still need to try debugging the scripts--there's nothing that should prevent them from working with 1.5.1. (Doesn't mean there isn't a bug . . .)

--Chris

Don Goyette's date converter works great with a version of Celestia 1.5.1 built against Lua 5.0, but doesn't with Celestia 1.5.1 built against Lua 5.1.
This might have something to do with the way Lua 5.1 handles the 'for' loop at line 54. Also note that the 'plain' argument in the string.find function should be set as the boolean 'true'.

Anyway, the script seems to be fixed (and still works with Lua 5.0, and thus celestia 1.4.1) when replacing the following lines (54-61):

Code: Select all

    charcount = string.len(prompt)
    for charpos = 1, charcount do
      x = string.find(prompt, "\n", charpos, plain)
      if x ~= nil then
         nlcount = nlcount + 1
         charpos = x + 1
      end
    end

with:

Code: Select all

    charcount = string.len(prompt)
    while charpos < charcount do
      x = string.find(prompt, "\n", charpos)
      if x ~= nil then
         nlcount = nlcount + 1
         charpos = x + 1
      else
         charpos = charcount
      end
      wait(0)
    end

This could be done quicker using:

Code: Select all

for textline in string.gfind(prompt,"([^\n]*)\n") do
  nlcount = nlcount + 1;
end

...but i'm not sure this would work with versions of Celestia prior to 1.4.1...

Note: When entering decimal values, the locale decimal separator must be used. E.g., the comma "," must be used with the french locale instead of the full stop ".".

Vincent,

Thanks for debugging this script. I'm not clear exactly what's going wrong with the for loop in Lua 5.1, but there was a change to the scoping of the loop variable between 5.0 and 5.1. The assignment of the loop variable within the loop (charpos = x + 1) certainly makes me suspicious. We should upload a fixed version of this script with your change. I think the first version is better from a compatibility standpoint: string.gfind was renamed to string.gmatch in 5.1 (though if it's working for you in 5.1, gfind must still be allowed? http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#7.2)

--Chris

[BobHegwood]

Vincent,

Thanks for debugging this script. I'm not clear exactly what's going wrong with the for loop in Lua 5.1, but there was a change to the scoping of the loop variable between 5.0 and 5.1. The assignment of the loop variable within the loop (charpos = x + 1) certainly makes me suspicious. We should upload a fixed version of this script with your change. I think the first version is better from a compatibility standpoint: string.gfind was renamed to string.gmatch in 5.1 (though if it's working for you in 5.1, gfind must still be allowed? http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#7.2)

--Chris

Chris?
Should I then KEEP the older script, along with a version-appropriate notice?
And, then perhaps upload the new revised script also with a version notice?

Thanks, Bob

[chris]

Vincent,

Thanks for debugging this script. I'm not clear exactly what's going wrong with the for loop in Lua 5.1, but there was a change to the scoping of the loop variable between 5.0 and 5.1. The assignment of the loop variable within the loop (charpos = x + 1) certainly makes me suspicious. We should upload a fixed version of this script with your change. I think the first version is better from a compatibility standpoint: string.gfind was renamed to string.gmatch in 5.1 (though if it's working for you in 5.1, gfind must still be allowed? http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#7.2)

--Chris

Chris?
Should I then KEEP the older script, along with a version-appropriate notice?
And, then perhaps upload the new revised script also with a version notice?

Thanks, Bob

With Vincent's first modification, the script will work on any version of Celestia, so there shouldn't be any need to keep the old script or put a version notice on the new one.

--Chris

[BobHegwood]

Okay, thanks very much, Chris.

Have DELETED the offending script, and have uploaded the REVISED version (Thanks again very much Vincent.)
This means that the revised, working version will not be available until Ulrich can get to adding it back to the
ML listing though. Sorry, but Ulrich still has a life to live, so it may take a day or two.

Thanks, Bob

[Vincent]

Simply amazing to me...

When I simply ask about a couple of add-ons, no one at all has any interest in the problems associated with them.
When I suggest deleting them, however, look out and then LET THE GAMES BEGIN... Took what, 15 minutes to get some replies?

Bob,

I simply didn't realize at first that these addons were in fact scripts.

Again, MANY thanks for the help.

Now, does anyone have any suggestions for the other package?

You're welcome Bob. I'll have a look at the other package as soon as I get a chance.

I'm not clear exactly what's going wrong with the for loop in Lua 5.1, but there was a change to the scoping of the loop variable between 5.0 and 5.1. The assignment of the loop variable within the loop (charpos = x + 1) certainly makes me suspicious.

Chris,

That was also my conclusion. As an example, the following short script doesn't return the same values in Lua 5.0 (Celestia 1.4.1) and in Lua 5.1 (Celestia 1.5):

Code: Select all

for n = 1, 10 do
   celestia:print(n, 1)
   wait(1)
   n = 5
end

In Lua 5.1, the assignment of the the loop variable within the loop is not taken into account, and the script returns successively all the integers from 1 to 10.
On the other hand, in Lua 5.0, the assignment of the loop variable n is effective and n jumps from the value 1 up to the value 5.
What surprises me is that there doesn't seem to be any detailed information about this quite signicant change on lua.org. I may have missed it, though.

We should upload a fixed version of this script with your change. I think the first version is better from a compatibility standpoint: string.gfind was renamed to string.gmatch in 5.1 (though if it's working for you in 5.1, gfind must still be allowed? http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#7.2)

Agreed.

[BobHegwood]

You're welcome Bob. I'll have a look at the other package as soon as I get a chance.

No hurry, Vincent. I have placed your name in the new package as the repairer.
I very much appreciate your help here. Sorry, but I simply have NO ability to repair these
LUA thingies. I just don't have the brains it takes to follow the changes from one version
of the language to another, so ANY assistance you can render is muchly appreciated.

Again, thanks VERY much for your help.

Take care, Brain-Dead

[Vincent]

I am also having trouble with the Celestia Superlass add-on located at: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/show_addon_details.php?addon_id=919
No matter what I do with the installation, I keep getting various error messages when I try to run the thing.

Some changes were also made to the require function in Lua 5.1:
http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#7.2

The simpler fix that comes to my mind is replacing the first line of the Trials.celx script:

Code: Select all

require  ("CelestiaSuperset.lua")

with

Code: Select all

if _VERSION == "Lua 5.1" then
   celestia:requestsystemaccess(true)
   wait(0)
   package.path = "LUA_Library/?.lua;"
else
   LUA_PATH = "LUA_Library/?.lua;"
end

require  ("CelestiaSuperset")

WRT this change, I also suggest replacing the following section of the readme:

To install, move the Celestia.lua file to either your Celestia directory, or to a directory in
your LUA_PATH. I highly reccomend setting LUA_PATH environment variable and putting it there,
so you don't confuse this script with a Celestia component later on. If you do set LUA_PATH,
Celestia won't see it until it's in your environment, so either start Celestia from that
shell, or add LUA_PATH to your master environment (see your OS documentation for that) and
restart your desktop. The Trails.celx can go anywhere, but I reccomend placing it in your
scripts directory under Celestia.

with:

To install, place the 'LUA_Library' folder into your Celestia base directory.

Does anybody have a better suggestion?

[BobHegwood]

The simpler fix that comes to my mind is replacing the first line of the Trials.celx script:

Code: Select all

require  ("CelestiaSuperset.lua")

with

Code: Select all

if _VERSION == "Lua 5.1" then
   celestia:requestsystemaccess(true)
   wait(0)
   package.path = "LUA_Library/?.lua;"
else
   LUA_PATH = "LUA_Library/?.lua;"
end

require  ("CelestiaSuperset")

WRT this change, I also suggest replacing the following section of the readme:

To install, move the Celestia.lua file to either your Celestia directory, or to a directory in
your LUA_PATH. I highly reccomend setting LUA_PATH environment variable and putting it there,
so you don't confuse this script with a Celestia component later on. If you do set LUA_PATH,
Celestia won't see it until it's in your environment, so either start Celestia from that
shell, or add LUA_PATH to your master environment (see your OS documentation for that) and
restart your desktop. The Trails.celx can go anywhere, but I reccomend placing it in your
scripts directory under Celestia.

with:

To install, place the 'LUA_Library' folder into your Celestia base directory.

Does anybody have a better suggestion?

Vincent,

I did as you described here and the script now works perfectly.

I will now delete the current package and upload the revised package with your changes
as I did with Don's CELX script.

Again, thanks VERY much for your help here. You better watch out though. I now know
WHO to bother when I need to repair/fix/explain a CELX and/or Lua problem.

Seriously though, I DO thank you for this effort. More than most people would do for a
Brain-Dead old geezer like myself, and I really appreciate it.

Thanks again, Bob