StructGet vs. Evaluate - Getting different results

Do you need to access the relevant element by its dotted path?  structFindValue() does provide the "owner" reference for you, which is the relevant element.  Why not just reference it that way?

I've never used structGet() (never found a need to), but it behaves rather strangely to me.  Look at this code:

<cfset st = {
    outer =    {
        mid    = {
            inner1  = "value",
            inner2    = {a=1,b=2}
        }
    }
}>
<cfdump var="#st#" label="st">
<hr />
<cfset theWholeStruct = structGet("st")>
<cfdump var="#theWholeStruct#" label="theWholeStruct">
<cfdump var="#st#" label="st">
<hr />
<cfset theSubStruct = structGet("st.outer.mid")>
<cfdump var="#theSubStruct#" label="theSubStruct">
<cfdump var="#st#" label="st">
<hr />
<cfset inner1Value = structGet("st.outer.mid.inner1")><!--- this overwrites inner1 --->
<cfdump var="#inner1Value#" label="inner1Value">
<cfdump var="#st#" label="st">
<hr />
<cfset inner2Value = structGet("st.outer.mid.inner2")>
<cfdump var="#inner2Value#" label="inner2Value">
<cfdump var="#st#" label="st">
<hr />
<cfset inner3Value = structGet("st.outer.mid.inner3")><!--- this CREATES inner3 --->
<cfdump var="#inner3Value#" label="inner3Value">
<cfdump var="#st#" label="st">
<hr />

(it's nice how - on a CF forum - there is no option to apply CFML or even HTML source highlighting!)

It all works fine until where I indicate.  I'm seeing the same as you were: it's blowing away the value at that key and replacing it with an empty struct.  However the similar subsequent call - which attempts to get a struct rather than a simple value - works fine.

So I would say there are two bugs here:

* structGet() should not overwrite existing values just because they're not structs

* structGet() should not create anything.  It's structGET(), it's not structGETIFITSTHEREOTHERWISECREATEITANDGETIT()

Obviously the second point is "documented", but it's dumb behaviour.

I can't see how the first is anything other than a bug.

--
Adam

Hi SteveTX,

Well. If you look at the livedocs here,

http://livedocs.adobe.com/coldfusion/8/htmldocs/help.html?content=functions_s_23.html

It clearly says that the "StructGet" function creates a structure (or) structures which means that we can use it for extracting any element. Also in the same document page, if you go through the "Returns" and "Usage" titles you will get to know that it has the ability to create structures to make the "pathdesired" variable as a valid path.

HTH