turtle:10: Expected number

So, I've typed up the following code (automatically digs a stripmine and places torches)

function Forward(x)
 local a=0
 repeat
  if turtle.forward() then
   a=a+1
  else
   print("Obstruction")
   wait(0.5)
  end
 until a==x
end

function Backward(x)
 local a=0
 repeat
  if turtle.backward() then
   a=a+1
  else
   print("Obstruction")
   wait(0.5)
  end
 until a==x
end

function Left(x)
 for _=1,x do
  turtle.turnLeft()
 end
end

function Mine(x)
 local a=0
 repeat
  turtle.dig()
  if turtle.forward() then
   turtle.digDown()
   a=a+1
  else
   print("Obstruction")
   wait(0.5)
  end
 until a==x
end

local tArgs={ ... }
if #tArgs~=1 then
 write("Place torches in top left slot.nUsage: stripmine <branches>n")
 return
end

if tonumber(tArgs[1])<1 then
 write("Must have one or more branches!n")
 return
end

turtle.select(1)
for _=1,tArgs[1] do
 Mine(2)
 turtle.placeDown()
 Left(1)
 Mine(6)
 Left(2)
 Forward(6)
 Mine(6)
 Backward(6)
 Left(1)
end
print("Finished!")

And for some reason, my turtle keeps throwing "turtle:10: Expected number" at me. There's probably something with the turtle API, and the line of code in the API is :

  local id = native[s_command]( ... )

So, what's wrong?

Are you passing x as a number?

Spotted missing capital letters in digDown and turnLeft. I'll see if that fixes it.

tiin57, on 18 October 2012 - 09:35 AM said:

Are you passing x as a number?

It should be. Not sure how it isn't working.

Use this instead.

until a == tonumber(x)

why tonumber a number?

Doyle3694, on 18 October 2012 - 01:23 PM said:

why tonumber a number?

Topic title : Expected number.
Error @ line 10 : until a == x

It must be passing x as a string and not a number.
I had this issue a few days ago.

Edit: It IS passing x as a string. I just made a test file with the following.

args = {...}

if args[1] == true then
  print("True")
elseif args[1] == false then
  print("False")
elseif args[1] == 1 then
  print("One")
elseif tonumber(args[1]) == 2 then
  print("Two")
else
  print("Invalid")
end

Go on, run it. Everything you type will return invalid unless you type 2.

Yeah tonumber() should work

JoshhT, on 18 October 2012 - 01:32 PM said:

Doyle3694, on 18 October 2012 - 01:23 PM said:

why tonumber a number?

Topic title : Expected number.
Error @ line 10 : until a == x

It must be passing x as a string and not a number.
I had this issue a few days ago.

Edit: It IS passing x as a string. I just made a test file with the following.

args = {...}

if args[1] == true then
  print("True")
elseif args[1] == false then
  print("False")
elseif args[1] == 1 then
  print("One")
elseif tonumber(args[1]) == 2 then
  print("Two")
else
  print("Invalid")
end

Go on, run it. Everything you type will return invalid unless you type 2.

I've managed to fix it WITHOUT having to use tonumber().
Turns out, I was using wait() instead of sleep().

function Forward(x)
local a=0
repeat
  if turtle.forward() then
   a=a+1
  else
   print("Obstruction")
  sleep(0.5)
  end
until a==x
end
function Backward(x)
local a=0
repeat
  if turtle.back() then
   a=a+1
  else
   print("Obstruction")
   sleep(0.5)
  end
until a==x
end
function Left(x)
for _=1,x do
  turtle.turnLeft()
end
end
function Mine(x)
local a=0
repeat
  turtle.dig()
  if turtle.forward() then
   turtle.digDown()
   a=a+1
  else
   print("Obstruction")
   sleep(0.5)
  end
until a==x
end
local tArgs={ ... }
if #tArgs~=1 then
write("Place torches in top left slot.nUsage: stripmine <branches>n")
return
end
if tonumber(tArgs[1])<1 then
write("Must have one or more branches!n")
return
end
turtle.select(1)
for _=1,tArgs[1] do
Mine(3)
turtle.placeDown()
Left(1)
Mine(6)
Left(2)
Forward(6)
Mine(6)
Backward(6)
Left(1)
end
print("Finished!")

By the way, the program itself was called "stripmine", not "turtle".

Okay, that needs to be in the "get help faster" section: Tell us the error line in your program rather than telling us to hunt down an error in the existing API. Yes, it is possible that there are errors in the existing API, but if so that's something to report in the Bugs forum.