Altering the color matrix of a plane master results in the plane disappearing

ID:2025680
 
Jan 27 2016, 4:34 pm (Edited on Jan 27 2016, 6:25 pm)
Resolved
Color matrices set at compile-time could inappropriately set the alpha column when a list(color,color,color,color,color) format was used.
BYOND Version:510.1320
Operating System:Windows 8
Web Browser:Chrome 48.0.2564.82
Applies to:Dream Maker
Status: Resolved (510.1321)
This issue has been resolved.
[EDIT] Moved this over from dev help to bug reports since I'm fairly sure something buggy is happening. [/EDIT]

Code:
world
    maxx = 20
    maxy = 20
    maxz = 1

// This is basically the spotlight example from the reference
obj
    darkness
        screen_loc = "1,1"

        color = list(null,null,null,null,"#333")

        plane = 2

        blend_mode = BLEND_MULTIPLY
        appearance_flags = PLANE_MASTER | NO_CLIENT_COLOR

    light
        icon = 'light.dmi'
        pixel_x = -48
        pixel_y = -48

        plane = 2

    rock
        icon = 'rock.dmi'

turf
    icon = 'turf.dmi'

    Click()
        new /obj/rock (src)

var
    obj
        darkness
            darkness

mob
    icon = 'mob.dmi'

    New()
        overlays += new /obj/light

    Login()
        .=..()
        if(!darkness) darkness = new
        client.screen += darkness

    verb
        set_darkness(s as text)
            darkness.color = list(null, null, null, null, "#[s]")


Problem description:
Every time I use set_darkness anything on the plane disappears completely. Am I doing something wrong?

Jan 27 2016, 6:48 pm
What values of s are you using? This looks like a code problem.
Jan 27 2016, 6:50 pm
I'm making sure to stick to the format. For example, using the same value before, 333, causes the error too.
Jan 27 2016, 6:51 pm
The issue occurs even if you take "#[s]" out and put in a constant value.
Jan 27 2016, 6:59 pm
Here's the source if you wanna test it quickly. [link]
Jan 27 2016, 8:28 pm
I found the issue here. There are two problems.

One of the problems is a bug: A color matrix specified at compile-time fills in 1 as the alpha component when reading a short-item list like this one.

The other problem is that the plane is filling in with full transparency by default. That isn't a bug. The matrix I specified isn't adding any alpha, and hence it's actually broken; the reference example will be updated to reflect this.

This is what you'll want to use for set_darkness():

    verb
        set_darkness(s as text)
            darkness.color = list(null, null, null, null, "#[s]")
            var/list/L = darkness.color
            L[20] = 1
            darkness.color = L

The 20th component of the color matrix is the constant alpha, which should be 1 so that the whole plane fills in with opacity.
Jan 27 2016, 8:29 pm
Lummox JR resolved issue with message:
Color matrices set at compile-time could inappropriately set the alpha column when a list(color,color,color,color,color) format was used.