ID:2006711
 
Not a bug
BYOND Version:509
Operating System:Windows 10 Home
Web Browser:Firefox 43.0
Applies to:DM Language
Status: Not a bug

This is not a bug. It may be an incorrect use of syntax or a limitation in the software. For further discussion on the matter, please consult the BYOND forums.
Descriptive Problem Summary:

Atoms and lists inside of an associative list, when using the << operator, return null. Encapsulating the list with quotes returns the value.

Numbered Steps to Reproduce Problem:
1. Create an associative list.
2. Fill it with atoms or lists (basically any object that isn't a string or num).
3. Use the << operator like so: m << List["index"]

Code Snippet (if applicable) to Reproduce Problem:
var/list/AssociativeList = list()
AssociativeList["index"] = list(1,2,3,4)
AssociativeList["index2"] = 1

m << AssociativeList["index"] //This returns null (unable to tell if empty string).

m << "[AssociativeList["index"]]" //This outputs "/list".

m << AssociativeList["index2"] //This will return 1


Expected Results:
The atom name or default name.

Actual Results:
null

Does the problem occur:
Every time? Or how often?
Every time.
In other games?
N/A
In other user accounts?
N/A
On other computers?
Yes

When does the problem NOT occur?
In earlier versions.

Did the problem NOT occur in any earlier versions? If so, what was the last version that worked? (Visit http://www.byond.com/download/build to download old versions for testing.)
508

Workarounds:
Encapsulate the list in quotes, as it returns as a string.
</<></<></<>
try capital M
Looking over this sample code again, I don't see anything in the code snippet that's incorrect. Where is the issue exactly?
Can't reproduce this with objects, lists act like this even outside an associative list;

/client/New()
..()
var/list/L = list()
var/obj/O = new
L["test"] = O
world << L // outputs a blank line
world << "[L]" // "/list"
world << L["test"] // "obj"
world << "[L["test"]]" // "the obj"
world << O // "obj"
world << "[O]" // "the obj"
Ah sorry, I forgot about this. I discussed it a good while ago in Developer Help w/ Ter and it was determined to be an oddity in BYOND I wasn't aware of.

http://www.byond.com/forum/?post=2006540
Lummox JR resolved issue (Not a bug)