Returning RefCollectionAlias from function?

[FiftyTifty]

As a bit of background, I've created a large (~500 lines) script for a follower framework that is very similar to what was in Skyrim, but with several RefCollection aliases to allow for multiple followers. Initially, I'd use a slew of if checks to determine which RefCollection to use for an NPC. But that's a right pain in the arse and super branchy.

 

Much easier to have a function return the RefCollection I'm looking for, so I only have to call the same block of if checks. But Papyrus, far as I can tell, doesn't like returning RefCollectionAlias variables.

 

This is one of the lines that throws an error:

 

Function CreateRelaxMarker(Actor akActor)
    
    RefCollectionAlias refcollMarker = GetMarkerRefCollToUse(akActor)
   ...

 

GetMarkerRefCollToUse() calls this code:

 

Function GetMarkerRefCollToUse(Actor akActor)

    RefCollectionAlias refcollMarker

    RefCollectionAlias refcollFollower = GetFollowerRefCollection(akActor)

    if refcollFollower == AAAFyTy_FF_FollowerRefColl01 || iRefCollectionID == AAAFyTy_FF_SandboxRefColl01
        refcollMarker = AAAFyTy_FF_RelaxMarkerRefColl01
    ElseIf refcollFollower == AAAFyTy_FF_FollowerRefColl02 || iRefCollectionID == AAAFyTy_FF_SandboxRefColl02
        refcollMarker = AAAFyTy_FF_RelaxMarkerRefColl02
    ElseIf refcollFollower == AAAFyTy_FF_FollowerRefColl03 || iRefCollectionID == AAAFyTy_FF_SandboxRefColl03
        refcollMarker = AAAFyTy_FF_RelaxMarkerRefColl03
    EndIf

    refcollFollower = None

    Return refcollMarker

EndFunction

 

And Papyrus throws this error:

 

 

G:\Temp\PapyrusTemp\FyTyFollowerFramework\AAAFyTy_FollowerFramework_QuestScript.psc(196,20): type mismatch while assigning to a refcollectionalias (cast missing or types unrelated)

 

The problem, assuming I haven't f*#@ed something up, is that Bethesda's just half-assed their scripting system. I'd rather not have to compare integers again and again, with nested functions calling nested functions, so if there's something I'm just doing wrong here...

[Zebrina]

Are you missing the return type in your function declaration? In the code you pasted at least the GetMarkerRefColToUse function has no return type specified.

[FiftyTifty]

Are you missing the return type in your function declaration? In the code you pasted at least the GetMarkerRefColToUse function has no return type specified.

 

That's probably it. The Papyrus docs on the wiki don't tell you how this is done, only that "return results the functions return type". In Pascal, you'd suffix a column and the variable type at the end of a function, but Papyrus? Nae idea.

[Zebrina]

It should be specified at the start of the function header, before "Function", or completely omitted if the function shouldn't return anything. Like this in your function:

RefCollectionAlias Function GetMarkerRefCollToUse(Actor akActor)

[FiftyTifty]

 

It should be specified at the start of the function header, before "Function", or completely omitted if the function shouldn't return anything. Like this in your function:

RefCollectionAlias Function GetMarkerRefCollToUse(Actor akActor)

Yup, that did the trick. Much obliged man.