Hit a weird bug(?) with variable names

I had a string variable called "name" in my script. It compiled fine, and didn't change color like it was a reserved keyword. But while running, the variable's value would get reset to "" on its own. I checked this by putting llSay's around every place I was seting the value. And also, changing the variable to agentName fixed the problem.

Does anyone know what might have happened? If this is a documented issue, that would be good to know. If anyone else can duplicate it, that would be useful too. Basically, the script went something like this. A listen picked up the name, then looked around for it in a sensor. A pretty simple targeting/following system.

string name;

default
{
...

    listen(...)
    {
        name = message;
        llSay(0, "Name is " + name); // This prints correctly

        // llSensor for agents
    }

...

    sensor(...)
    {
         llSay(0, "Name is " + name); // Here it prints an empty string

         for (i = 0; i < num; i ++)
         {
             // Look for name in the llDetectedNames - that's what I wanted to do, 
             // but it didn't work
         }
    }

...

}

By any chance is your header for the listen event the default?

listen(integer channel, string name, key id, string message)

The problem is when you set "name = message;" it sets message into the local variable and not the global.


DISCLAIMER: Bad coding practices discussed below, do not try this at home.

For my scripts i use leters for the event variable names, that way i never have conflicts with globals (unless i'm being lazy and used singles for globals too, which from time to time i will x_x ).

listen(integer a, string b, key c, string d)

I do the same as Strife, and always prefix globals with g.
As in, gName. That way you will never have scope problems again.

Argh! Unbelievable!!!

*hangs his head and slinks away in shame*

Thanks

And Moses came down with the Ten Coding Commandments.

1) Thout shall use notation before variables, that namespace conflicts shall not be naughty in thine eyes.