Script Troubleshooting Tutorial for the Non-Scripter
Apologia Most errors that people see from released scripts are not major and can easily be fixed, even by the non-scripter. The purpose of this tutorial is to teach some very basic strategies on diagnosing and fixing common errors without any particularized scripting knowledge. It does not aim to teach you how to script, but simply goes through a few of the most common errors you are likely to encounter when using custom scripts and what can be done about them by yourself, before asking the scripter. In the main part of this tutorial, I will go through some common error messages, what they might mean, and how to fix them. I will not be explaining why these errors occur or why these tips fix them since that requires some knowledge of scripting, and this tutorial is aimed at the non-scripter. If you would like to know, feel free to ask me in this topic and I will explain to the best of my knowledge.
Caution Most of the tips in this tutorial do not require you to do any substantial editing to your script, since if that is required, your best strategy is to go to a scripter. However, if you do try to edit a script, do not do so in your main project. It is a lot safer to make a test project and do any editing there, as even small errors on your part may become quite a headache and it's better to be safe. Again, there is nothing in this tutorial that would require you to do any major editing, this caution is mostly just in case you get creative. Don't get creative.
General Remember: the first thing to do when encountering any error is to go to the topic where the author published the script and see if anyone else has had the same problem and if the error has been addressed. The easiest fix is the one you don't have to do. Secondly, if this tutorial does help you to fix the error, then you should still alert the author of the script to the error. It is a simple courtesy and one which you should always undertake, as scripters want their scripts to be bug-free.
Also, some common errors, such as the bug where you can't set a variable to the stats of an actor, are bugs in the default scripts and not the result of any custom script. A good set of fixes for these can be found in Yanfly's
Core Fixes and Upgrades . Check those out and see if the bug you are getting is resolved by one of those scripts.
Common Errors Unable to find file Unable to find file Graphics/Directory/Filename. SystemStackError Script 'Slot Name' line x:SystemStackError occured. Spoiler for Troubleshooting Tip :
This is a recursion error. If it happens without having reset, then you probably can't do anything about it by yourself as it is a serious logic error or may be an incompatibility. Alert the scripter and ask them to fix it if the tips on resolving script incompatibilities don't work. If, however, it has happened anytime after you pressed F12 to reset the game, then the problem could be that the script aliases a hidden or inherited method, in which case it is easy to fix. Go into the script editor to the slot and line identified. Look to the name of the method that line is within (i.e. the closest "def whatever_name" line). Somewhere in that class, there should be a line which aliases that method and it will look like: alias whatever_alias whatever_name alias whatever_alias whatever_name unless self. method_defined? (: whatever_alias ) alias mit_lsu_name_1er4 name alias mit_lsu_name_1er4 name unless self.method_defined? (:mit_lsu_name_1er4)
RGSSError Script 'Slot Name' line x:RGSSError occured. Spoiler for Troubleshooting Tip :
When the slot name is 'Cache' and the line is 80, then as Mithran notes:
... This problem is most likely caused by either an invalid or blank image file trying to be loaded, or another file with the same name as the image file trying to be loaded in the same directory that is not an image file your Title folder should hold only valid images and only one of each by any given name (Bitmap class will load the first file with the name, regardless of the extension)... In other words, find out which graphic was trying to be loaded and then go to the corresponding folder in Graphics (like System, Battlers, Characters, etc...). Make sure there is only one file in the folder by that name and make sure it is a valid image file.
As GubiD notes, this error may also occur when a script tries to create a Bitmap with a width or height of less than 1. This is most likely a logic error on the part of the scripter and he or she will need to be alerted. However, if there is a configuration section that allows you to choose the width or height of something (like a window) then it could be a user error as well. Make sure that any time there are values like that, they are within appropriate parameters. (This may or may not be a problem depending on the script - I know for some of my scripts where I let the width or height of something be configurable, I will have a value of -1 be an indication to have the window's size be automatically sized depending on other factors, such as the size of other windows at the time or the resolution of the screen. So read the instructions, but that may be the problem.)
Similarly, this error can occur if the width and height are too large, and that may occur where a script generates the size of a Bitmap depending on how many items are to be listed in the window. That can happen if you have, for instance, lots of different stacks of items in Scene_Item. Yanfly wrote a fix for that in her Core Fixes, though it is not a perfect fix as it will cut off the offending items in the list. As far as I know, there is no perfect general fix for it, but a scripter might be able to whip something up for you by, for instance, swapping bitmaps. The other thing you could do is reduce the number of items that will appear in the list at any given time.
NoMethodError Script 'Slot Name' line x: NoMethodError occured. Spoiler for Troubleshooting Tip :
There are a number of possible reasons for this error, some of which would require a scripter to take a look. However, there are a couple situations where this can easily be fixed by you.
You're loading an old save file. The scripter misspelled a method name or changed a method's name without changing a line that refers to it. Script Incompatibility Syntax Error Script 'Slot Name' line x. SyntaxError occurred. Spoiler for Troubleshooting Tip :
This error message will appear at the very start of the game before the title screen even loads up. If it occurs in-game and doesn't give a script name or line, then it is very likely a call script error and I encourage you to take a look at that. Anyway, it is very rare for one of these errors to be in a published script, since they are the easiest to find and fix, and any attempt to test it will identify the error. By and large, when this error occurs, it is one of three things: (1) the script was corrupted by BBCode when it was posted; (2) you copied the script incorrectly (left out a line or two, for instance); or (3) you made an error when configuring the script. So first, go to the place where you got the script and try recopying the script. If it has a demo, test the demo and see if it works there. Then, look for errors in your configuration if it has a configuration script. Things that you should particularly look out for are unclosed brackets and quotation marks. Another thing to look out for are hashes. When setting up a hash (which will typically be setup as:CONSTANT = { => x , => y , }
Call Script Errors Spoiler for Troubleshooting Tip :
Some scripts have options that allow you to use the Script event command to modify or track something about the script; maybe set a variable to a value or something. You follow the directions perfectly, but then you still get an error message popup. These error messages can take many forms, but one of the most common are Syntax errors and argument errors. The most common reason for this is that your command uses more than one line in the script call box. This is very easy to fix; all you need to do is set some of the objects to short local variables. Look for periods. As a general rule, you can split an expression at any point before a period. For instance, if you are asked to do something like:$game_variables[y] = $game_party.quests.quest (z).objectives.size a = $game_party.quests a = $game_party.quests.quest (z) a = $game_party.quests.quest (z).objectives $game_variables[y] =
Script Incompatibilities The most common reason for a script not to work properly is a conflict with another script. If none of the above tips resolve your error, then you should look into the possibility that it is a script incompatibility. The first thing to do is confirm whether it is a script incompatibility. To do this, make a new project and recreate the error-throwing situation. Then move the problem script into that project. If the error does not occur, then it is a script incompatibility. If it is, then you have to identify which other script is causing the problem. Move each of your other scripts into the clean project one by one until the error occurs. The last script you added is the conflicting script. Now that you know which scripts are problematic, try switching their order in the Script Editor. In other words, if Script X is above Script Y, move Script Y above Script X. Try running the project again and see if the error occurs. If it does then there's not much more you can do by yourself. However, your work in identifying the errors is not all for naught. Alert the authors of both scripts to the incompatibility and ask them for help. The fact that you have already identified the incompatible script and have a clean project with only the error situation in it means that they will probably be much more motivated to help you as half their job is done.
Closing Note There are probably a bunch of other common and simple little errors I didn't think of when writing this tutorial. If you can think of any, then just bring them to my attention and if there is likely to be a simple fix then I will add it to this tutorial. Also, remember that even if your bug is fixed by following the tips in this tutorial, you should always report errors to the author of the script as a courtesy. Moreover, if your bug is not fixed by the tips in the tutorial, you should always ask the author of the script first and, if he/she refuses, then post a topic asking for help from other scripters.
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