Maximum length for Globals, 32 characters Options

[Baronius]

I wasn't sure if this was known or not, but since it isn't in current IESDP, I thought I'd mention that in BG1: TotSC, the names of your Globals shouldn't be longer than 32 bytes.
The script will still be compiled (and can be properly decompiled), but the game will ignore the trigger/action that uses the global.

The following script block uses a global which name is exactly 32 characters long. The creatures appear in the game normally.

CODE

IF
Global("BW05_TGC1","GLOBAL",7)
Global("BW05_CreatureSummonedinMagicTrap","GLOBAL",0)
THEN
RESPONSE #100
SetGlobal("BW05_CreatureSummonedinMagicTrap","GLOBAL",1)
CreateCreature("BW05MOLD",[510.349],0)
CreateCreature("BW05HERT",[412.456],3)
END

In this block the variable's name is longer than 32 characters. The creatures start to appear in the game in an infinite loop.

CODE

IF
Global("BW05_TGC1","GLOBAL",7)
Global("BW05_CreaturesSummonedinMagicTrap","GLOBAL",0)
THEN
RESPONSE #100
SetGlobal("BW05_CreaturesSummonedinMagicTrap","GLOBAL",1)
CreateCreature("BW05MOLD",[510.349],0)
CreateCreature("BW05HERT",[412.456],3)
END

This was with 33 characters, and my tests proved that the same happens with more characters as well.

Normally it's pointless to use so long variable names, but I think it is important to know that there is such limit.

As I've said, I'm not sure if this has been already known or not.
Additionally, I am wondering if the same variable length limit applies for BG2 / other IE games...

[devSin]

It's noted in the format descriptions for ARE and GAM (and possibly EFF, since LOCALS are all internal EFF data to the creature object). The fields to store the variable name are all 32 bytes in length. I don't know if anybody has checked the behavior to see if it's just truncated on set (only the first 32 characters will be written), or if it doesn't get set at all, though.

This post has been edited by devSin: Jul 7 2005, 10:33 PM