Am I the only nublet who can't get what JASS is about.

[nubl3tofire]

I seriously can't seem to understand the JASS programming and it's crucial usage of variables. Oh, believe me, I've tried. I read the tutorials, and I get confused just at the part where they start talking about Local Variables, and Global Variables, and some other stuff on where to put the variables, etc.
I'm just not getting it. I don't even understand how JASS is used and what effects it can make in the game. All I know is that many people use it to create spells. Can someone like Daelin write some kind of ULTRA-SLOW UBER NUBLET OMG WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING IT guide to JASS?! Or just explain how you make a spell using JASS variables... >.<

 

[Lobster]

Answer to the first sentence

No, your not the only one who thinks JASS is confusing, I do, especially compatred to html and visual basic

 

[Pahl]

JASS is just the normal trigger-system (the GUI) you use when you create triggers. For every thing you add, like "unit - kill" it gets written in JASS in the background. So using jass is just not using the interface that they made to make it easier to make triggers.
Locals are like the variables you create when clicking on the "variables"-button in the trigger editor, only that they only exist in the trigger they where created, kind of. The variables you normaly create exist in the entire map.
Creating spells with JASS is just like creating spells with the GUI, triggered spells.
Im not Daelin but i hope that helpes some.

 

[Capt Griffen]

Rather than learning JASS, which has a tiny community, suggest you learn something like C/C++ first, which would give you a good programming starting point, making learning JASS a doddle (also extract the common.j and Blizzard.j files so you have a list of the functions).

C/C++ has a large variety of documentation in far more detail.

 

[Vexorian]

re:

I wouldn't say learning C/C++ first is a great idea if you just want to fool around with the WE . Besides that I don't know how well can C++ perform as an starting language. It is a great and super powerful language, the best in my opinion but it does have its pitfalls. Also finding out JASS' limitations after learning C/C++ would frustrate you to hell.

If you instead try a language that is supposed to be easier to learn, like C#, java, python or ruby(I am pro ruby . You would get frustrated later by finding out JASS is a much more complicated thing. Besides of the limitations in the syntax , JASS does not have a garbage collector and is not (Directly) object oriented.

Try: http://www.wc3campaigns.net/showthread.php?t=78946

There is no really a good language you could learn with the objective of learning JASS later because JASS is too different to most languages. It is also event oriented which is something you don't find too often and it has its very own pitfalls that would kick your ass when you begin. I survived by using notepad and pjass. I heard the new generation prefers to use a program called JASScraft

--
JASS is a good starting point for programmers, I am being serious, since it is easier than C++ but it still doesn't have a garbage collector it helps you learn how to code with responsibility. Also its pitfalls are really good training for C++ .

 

[nubl3tofire]

So if is just like GUI triggers except more complicated, what's the point of using them... Oh yeah, and JASScraft, you say? And how do I call up the list of commands... >.<

 

[phyrex1an]

Comparing jass to gui is like comparing a car with a bicycle, a bicycle is 'less complicated' but if you want to go fast the car is superior in all ways.

<And how do I call up the list of commands
There is no build in command list in wc3 world editor, extract blizzard.j and common.j from the mpq for that, or use the previous mentioned jasscraft.

 

[nubl3tofire]

Thx for the comparison. So you're saying that JASS has more triggers, conditions, actions, etc.? Well anyways, I'll check out that JASS craft and see the list of commands. Thanks! =D

 

[Sim]

Carefully note though that JassCraft won't tell you what to do. Not at all that is

You need to learn how to write your triggers then use the functions listed by JassCraft and other programs.