Specifying string name does not work after latest DCS update

[techdr1ve]

Here are more details, I used the two latest versions of MIST, can't get it to work. Was working a long time (it's a CSAR POW Mod for DCS that I added using MIST)

Line that Errors out:

POW1MARKER.pos = Unit.getByName("NameOfUnit"):getPoint() -- This is the line that errored out, used to work or POW1MARKER.pos = Group.getByName("NameOfUnit"):getPoint() -- This is the line that errored out, used to work

I narrowed my error to this last line above either of the two.

Error from dcs.log: 2022-08-14 04:56:46.250 ERROR SCRIPTING: Error while handling event [string "C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp\DCS.openbeta\/~mis00003EE0.lua"]:1060: attempt to index a nil value

Full Code Sample:

----create a orange marker for POW when released!
local myLog = mist.Logger:new('PRISONLOG')
POW1MARKER = {} ---this table is instantiated at the top of the code
csar.enableCSAROrangeCircles = True
csar.enableCSARForVIP = True
if csar.enableCSAROrangeCircles then    
     if csar.enableCSARForVIP then
           myLog:msg("D1")  
           POW1MARKER.pos = Unit.getByName("POW1"):getPoint() -- this is the line that errors out, worked b4
       --POW1MARKER.pos = _unit.getByName("POW1"):getPoint() -- tried this as well, doesn't work  
           --POW1MARKER.pos = _unit:getByName("POW1"):getPoint() -- tried this as well, doesn't work        
           --POW1MARKER.pos = Group.getByName("POW1"):getPoint() -- tried this as well, doesn't work                  
           myLog:msg("D2")  
           POW1MARKER.id = mist.marker.getNextId()
           myLog:msg("D3")  
           POW1MARKER.mType = 0
           myLog:msg("D4")  
           POW1MARKER.readOnly = 0
           myLog:msg("D5")  
           POW1MARKER.text = "POW1 Located Here!"
           myLog:msg("D6")  
           mist.marker.add(POW1MARKER)
           myLog:msg("D7")  
           POW1MARK_check = "YES"
           myLog:msg("D8")  
           POW1DEAD_check = "YES"  
           myLog:msg("D9")                
     end
end

myLog:msg("E")

dcs.log file messages: 2022-08-14 04:56:46.250 INFO SCRIPTING: PRISONLOG|1056: D1 2022-08-14 04:56:46.250 ERROR SCRIPTING: Error while handling event [string "C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp\DCS.openbeta\/~mis00003EE0.lua"]:1060: attempt to index a nil value

[mrSkortch]

It is literally impossible for me to figure out the problem without more context. Full sample of what you are passing to whichever function is apparently buggy.

[techdr1ve]

I'm sorry to post only the one line b4, hopefully this above give you a clear picture of my error. Let me know how else I can explain it.

[mrSkortch]

Ok, so it is erroring on your code. I guess the obvious question is if there is a unit in the mission actually named "POW1"? Otherwise yeah it would error because you are using getPoint() on a nil object. Whenever you are getting an object it is a good idea to verify it actually exists before trying to do anything to it.

local u = Unit.getByName("POW1")
if u then
  POW1MARKER.pos = u:getPoint()
else
  myLog:msg("POW1 didnt exist")
end

[techdr1ve]

[techdr1ve]

I see what you're saying, yea definitely have POW1 in the unit name. Good idea to verify it exists as well I agree. POW1 is group name as well and have tried it without putting POW1 as the group name as well. Still errors.

Is it possible to verify that putting a string name in this function works on your end? u = Unit.getByName("UnitName")

Then I'll know if it's just me or it's a DCS or DCS to MIST issue at that point.

[techdr1ve]

This is actually a different issue than what I thought ... really it's marker.pos that cannot receive a point(). I'll open up another issue for it.