Checking if constant is false returns "true" incorrectly

[ultra0000]

Problem Description

I've encountered an issue where if a defined constant is set to true, checking if it's false will return true, and then checking if it's set to true will also return true.

Happens on AIR version 51.3.1.1, happens on Windows. It might happen on Android too, I will check later.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Set a constant to true. I'll be using CONFIG::test for this example.
2. Add code like this somewhere:

!CONFIG::test
{
   trace("false");
}
CONFIG::test
{
   trace("true");
}

3. Compile and run. You will see both messages if the CONFIG::test constant is set to true, and only the "false" message if it's set to false.

Known Workarounds

You can define another constant that is the opposite of the constant you're trying to define, such as CONFIG::not_test, set it to true and check that. Not very clean, though.

[marchbold]

Interesting.

Does it work if you wrap it in an if ?

if (!CONFIG::test)
{
   trace("false");
}

[Mintonist]

I always think that CONFIG:: has own local code area within {}
We really can write "if (!CONFIG::test) {}" ?

I even do not know about "!CONFIG:: " expression) I think it is impossible now, so that is why you get such test results. Your "!" does not work and ignored.

I use it to split Android builds by platforms specials (like Google, Huawei, etc) to do builds for each store.

Is any documentation about it with all available examples of using?

For me it will be nice if we can write like this
CONFIG::test
{
}
ELSE
{
}

[FliplineStudios]

@ultra0000 Has that syntax ever worked in previous AIR SDK versions? I had thought that checking the value (ie. treating it as a Boolean with !) only worked if you were using it as a constant, not as a conditional compilation block as your example shows -- at least I never saw a negative conditional compilation block in Adobe's docs!

I'm only aware of three ways you can use compiler constants:

Conditional compilation block:

CONFIG::test {
        //this will only be compiled if CONFIG::test is set to true
}

CONFIG::anothertest {
      //this will only be compiled if CONFIG::anothertest is set to true
}

Conditionally compile a single variable/etc;

CONFIG:test
public var onlyAddToAppIfTrue:MyClass;

And when checking its value:

if (CONFIG::test == true){
     //do something
} else {
    //do something else
}

[ultra0000]

@Mintonist @FliplineStudios You might be right. I just assumed it would be something that is supported, as I thought it was common sense. My bad.

If this is intended behavior, should I close this issue? Or should I tag it as a feature suggestion instead?

[ultra0000]

Interesting.

Does it work if you wrap it in an if ?

if (!CONFIG::test)
{
   trace("false");
}

@marchbold Yes, this does work.

[marchbold]

Yeah I'd suggest you use existing syntax if you want to use logic in the conditional flags. As far as I'm aware the ! in a conditional block never worked but the if statement supports it and particularly if you want else :

if (CONFIG::test)
{
   trace("true");
}
else
{
   trace("false");
}

[ultra0000]

Understood. Let me know what I should do with this issue, then.

[marchbold]

Suppose it depends if we feel this is a feature we want added or not? Personally I haven't needed it...

[ultra0000]

Apologies for the late response here.

I'd like to see it added, as it would remain consistent with other CONFIG::x {} blocks in code-bases that already have them and need to check if said constant isn't true.

Also, it would determine whether the code inside the block actually gets compiled or not, avoiding certain specific errors that might happen when using if (CONFIG::x) {} due to those code blocks still technically being compiled into the SWF. It might also affect file sizes, albeit minimally.

So yeah, I'd label this as a feature suggestion, instead. I now realize I don't have the required permissions on the repository to do that, so I'd need to have someone else do it for me.