Re: [NSE] Syntax error messages and help finding them.

["Patrick Donnelly" <batrick.donnelly () gmail com>]

On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 8:53 PM, jah <jah () zadkiel plus com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> If one makes a syntax error that prevents an NSE script from loading one
> would see the following:
>
> SCRIPT ENGINE: error while initializing script rules:
> 'C:\Program Files\Nmap\dev\foo.nse' could not be loaded!
> stack traceback:
>        [C]: ?
>        [C]: ?
>
> SCRIPT ENGINE: Aborting script scan.
>
> This certainly applies to windows, I don't know if there's any more
> detail shown when this happens on other OSes. I've attached a quick
> script for those that would like to find out - it uses an assignment
> operator where it should use comparison.
>
> Using Nmap 4.53 the error message pointed to the actual mistake:
>
> LUA INTERPRETER in ..\nse_init.cc:760: C:\Program
> Files\Nmap\dev\foo.nse:11: 'end' expected (to close 'function' at line
>  10) near '='
> SCRIPT ENGINE: Aborting script scan.
>
> Both of these messages are helpful, but I've often spent ages hunting
> through lines of script trying to find the source of the error and have
> wished many times for that LUA INTERPRETER message to point me at a mistake.
>
> If these two messages could be combined I think it would be really
> beneficial and especially so for users who are new to NSE scripting.
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
> jah

Hi Jah,

I've added the error messages to the output now. Please give it a try!

Thanks,

-- 
-Patrick Donnelly

"One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing
to do and always a clever thing to say."

-Will Durant

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