[SOLVED] Function only returns nil

[thselukas]

To explain my problem, I want to make a simple program where I can type a command for example in a wireless pocket computer and a turtle will execute the command.

Code for the turtle:

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rednet.open("left")
 
while true do
local _, command = rednet.receive()
exec = loadstring(command)
print(command)
if exec ~= nil
then
value = exec()
rednet.send(0, value) --This returns nill
--print(returnValue) For debugging

else
rednet.send(0, "ERROR")
end

--rednet.broadcast( returnValue)  My attemps to fix the problem
--print(returnValue)
sleep(0.1)
end

This is the code for the advanced computer with a modem:

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rednet.open("front")

while true do
command = read()
rednet.send(1, command)
_,returnv = rednet.receive()
print(returnv) --should return the value of the action e. g. true
end

Now, when I give the turtle a command, for example turtle.forward(), the command is executed and the turtle moves forward, but my return value is nil. I tested a bit and I guess it is that way, because of the way I execute my commands (with loadstring(command)). Is there any way, that the return value isn't nil?

thanks in advance

[Lupus590]

In your turtle code you print returnValue which is never initialised and so will always be nil.

[thselukas]

I'm sorry, I worded the question wrong and commented the wrong line of code. I meant the 10^th line in the turtle code (rednet.send(0, value)). Because if I do " value = turtle.forward() " and then send value via rednet to an other computer, I get true or false. But if I do " exec = loadstring("turtle.forward()") " and then " value = exec() " and then send value via rednet I get nil. I am assuming it is because of loadstring() but I'm not sure. The returnValue was there to see, if tostring() would do anything and maybe fix it (it didn't work).

[Lupus590]

Change your loaded string to "return "..command and it will then return what the command would return.

This is because loadstring wraps your code into a function to execute it.

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local exec = loadstring("turtle.forward()")
-- is equivalent to

local function exec()
  turtle.forward()
end

-- with the return in there we get
local exec = loadstring("return turtle.forward()")
-- is equivalent to

local function exec()
  return turtle.forward()
end


[thselukas]

Thanks for the quick response. It works now.