[LUA] '=' expected

I made a very simple program for my turtles, where they simple move until they bump into something, and then randomly turn either left or right. When I run it it says [string "wander]:8: '=' expected. I have no clue why it would want = there, since I already have ==, which it what should be there.

while true do
repeat
turtle.forward()
until turtle.detect()
turn = math.random(1,2)
if turn == 2 then
turtle.turnLeft
elseif turn == 1 then
turtle.turnRight
end

You missed the brackets here:

turtle.turnRight

should be:

turtle.turnRight()

You forgot the () after turnLeft. Sometimes the debugger freaks out when it cannot figure out what is wrong, so it tells you the next nearest thing is wrong in a common manner. No idea why.

EDIT: Been MysticT ninja'd. Again.

Heh, you can pen them in? Let them randomly chose up and down every once in a while, and set them freeee!

I'm no professional, though my theory on why it's expecting '=' on line 8 is because it reads turtle.turnLeft without the brackets as a variable instead of a function. Typically variables are assigned via the '=' character, so when it reaches line 8 and bumps into the elseif statement, it says "Woah, hey. Wait a minute. Where did that equal sign go?" and pops an error on the spot.

It's good to keep this behavior in mind when debugging code. I never only check the line in question, I always check around it as well. It saves a lot of headaches. =3

Ok guys, thanks. I'm used to Python, where you only need parenthesis if you are using arguments. I'll get the hang of this eventually.

i am having the same problem my program is extremely simple all it is is

local x = 5

if x==5 then
function{} redset left true
end

yoro, on 24 July 2013 - 06:36 PM said:

–snip–

yoro pleas start a new topic where you can tell us what exactly you are trying to do.

yoro, on 24 July 2013 - 06:36 PM said:

i am having the same problem my program is extremely simple all it is is

local x = 5

if x==5 then
function{} redset left true
end

Hmm..
I dont get what you are trying to do. But the problem is that you are declaring a function, not correct, it requires parenthesis, and to add to that you are using invalid programming language.

Im just guessing here, but I think you are looking for this particular function:

shell.run( "Redset left true" )

shell.run is a function where you can run other programs on the particular computer.

I am not sure if you are looking for this, so please clearify what you are trying to do. Also, I would recommend to do that with all questions you have, we cant smell where a=you are having a problem with.