More Misleading Compiler Error Messages

This is something between a SOPW and a Meditation. I'm not really asking a question, just grousing...

I suspect every language has its idiosyncratic compiler error messages. I know Perl is not immune. Consider:

C:\>perl -c ag2gen.pl
"my" variable $i masks earlier declaration in same statement at ag2gen
+.pl line 1391.
"my" variable @test_order masks earlier declaration in same scope at a
+g2gen.pl line 1391.
"my" variable @test_order masks earlier declaration in same statement 
+at ag2gen.pl line 1393.
"my" variable $i masks earlier declaration in same statement at ag2gen
+.pl line 1393.
"my" variable @test_order masks earlier declaration in same statement 
+at ag2gen.pl line 1393.
"my" variable $j masks earlier declaration in same statement at ag2gen
+.pl line 1393.
"my" variable %test_order masks earlier declaration in same scope at a
+g2gen.pl line 1394.
"my" variable @test_order masks earlier declaration in same statement 
+at ag2gen.pl line 1394.
"my" variable $i masks earlier declaration in same statement at ag2gen
+.pl line 1394.
"my" variable @test_order masks earlier declaration in same statement 
+at ag2gen.pl line 1394.
"my" variable $j masks earlier declaration in same statement at ag2gen
+.pl line 1394.
syntax error at ag2gen.pl line 1389, near "2]"
ag2gen.pl had compilation errors.
[download]

Here are the offending lines:

1389: for my $i (0..@test_order-2])
1390: {
1391:   for my $j ($i+1..@test_order-1)
1392:   {
1393:     unless ( ( $test_order[$i] eq $test_order[$j] )
1394:       or exists($test_order{"$test_order[$i]\t$test_order[$j]"} 
+) )
[download]

for my $i doesn't mask anything. In fact, it doesn't compile (at least, not completely).

-QM
--
Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of

Comment on More Misleading Compiler Error Messages Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: More Misleading Compiler Error Messages by ikegami (Patriarch) on Aug 01, 2006 at 23:17 UTC
Might not be the only problem, but `1389: for my $i (0..@test_order-2])` should be `1389: for my $i (0..@test_order-2)`	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: More Misleading Compiler Error Messages by QM (Parson) on Aug 02, 2006 at 01:18 UTC
Thanks. I should have said that I figured it out. I guess it was something of a puzzle as well. I just find it odd that the `for` loop expression didn't compile, and it's complaining about the `my $i`, which is bogus. Granted, it pointed out the syntax error, but syntax errors should trump `warnings`, shouldn't it? Thanks again! -QM -- Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: More Misleading Compiler Error Messages by ikegami (Patriarch) on Aug 02, 2006 at 04:57 UTC
It doesn't realize the warning is related to the syntax error. Given `my $s = shift . '!'; $s+++;` [download] the compile will issue both a warning (`Warning: Use of "shift" without parens is ambiguous`) and a syntax error (`syntax error`). As far as `perl` was concerned, it was the same situation with your code. Missing and extraneous closers (closing quotes, closing curlies, closing brackets, etc) are notoriously noisy errors. If you get a lot of unusual errors/warnings, chances are that's your problem.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: More Misleading Compiler Error Messages by QM (Parson) on Aug 02, 2006 at 14:23 UTC
Re^5: More Misleading Compiler Error Messages by ikegami (Patriarch) on Aug 02, 2006 at 17:37 UTC
Re^3: More Misleading Compiler Error Messages by Anonymous Monk on Aug 02, 2006 at 02:26 UTC
You've obviously never driven your grandmother to the library, have you? `GM: Look out for that bicycle! GM: Ooh! GM: The light is red, watch out! GM: Eek, a tram! Don't drive so fast! GM: Oh look what a darling kitty! Me: Where? GM: There! There behind that window, look! CRASH` [download]	[reply] [d/l]


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