Gui procedure syntax error

[jackstraw]

//for quick testing...delete once developed
SelectAll;
delete;
sphere;
sphere;
SelectAll -shapes;

// a function called each time a checkbox is checked/unchecked
proc string[] getSelections (){
string $collectSelection[] = ls -sl;
return $collectSelection;
}

// a procedure to change the values based on user checkboxes
proc makeChanges (string $boxNumber, int $value, string $collectSelection[]){

if ($boxNumber == "castShadows") {
	for ($each in $collectSelection)
	{
		setAttr ($each +".castsShadows") $value;
	}
}

}

//deletes existing window
if (window -exists myWindow)
deleteUI myWindow;

//builds a new gui
window -title "My Window" -resizeToFitChildren true myWindow;
columnLayout -adjustableColumn true;
frameLayout -collapsable false -l "Maya Settings" -w 200;
columnLayout;
$box1 = checkBox -al "left" -value 1 -h 28 -l "castShadows" -w 200
-onCommand "checkBox -edit -value 1 $box1; getSelections; makeChanges ('castShadows', 1, $collectSelection[]);"
-offCommand "checkBox -edit -value 0 $box1; getSelections; makeChanges ('castShadows', 0, $collectSelection[]);";

			//for quick testing return value...delete once developed			
			string $button1 = `button -al "center" -h 28 -l "Get Selected Objects" -w 120`;

		setParent..;
	setParent..;

//for quick testing return value...delete once developed
button -edit -command ("getSelections();") $button1;

showWindow myWindow;

myWindow is created...but un-checking the castShadows checkbox yields:

// Error: checkBox -edit -value 0 $box1; getSelections; makeChanges ('castShadows', 0, $collectSelection[]); //
// Error: Syntax error /

I'm learning as I go here but can't seem to resolve this error.

Thanks.

[thnkr]

$box1 = `checkBox -al "left" -value 1 -h 28 -l "castShadows" -w 200
  	-onCommand "checkBox -edit -value 1 $box1;  makeChanges (\"castShadows\", 1, `getSelections`);"
  	-offCommand "checkBox -edit -value 0 $box1; makeChanges (\"castShadows\", 0, `getSelections`);"`;

[jackstraw]

Nice.  I now understand I was being redundant with the call to $collectSelection when getSelection() was returning that for me.

What I don't understand is the syntax of the makeChanges procedure.

makeChanges (\"castShadows\", 0, getSelections);"`;

2 syntax questions with this statement...

\"castShadows\" and getSelections

If I pass a procedure as a variable do I need to format it with glyphs like:  myProcedureVar        

What are the syntax rules for \"castShadows\"

Much thanks for the help and deeper understanding.

[joojaa]

If I pass a procedure as a variable do I need to format it with glyphs like:  myProcedureVar  

your not passing a procedure, your passing the return of the procedure. Thats wildly different. To indicate this you either needs a shell script return syntax of back ticked content (NOTE: you can ONLY have 1 thing backticked per line). Or you use the normal procedure syntax myProcedureVar()

What are the syntax rules for \"castShadows\"

computer languages 101

well in isolation that doesn't make sense, but see you are quoting it. Now since obviously " can not be written inside "" becaus how would the computer know your intent. its just escaped form the original quotes so "\"" means the string containing " ergo:

"\"castShadows\"" means the string containing "castShadows".

For more on escape sequences look for example here.

Maya doesn't allow any other quoting then double quotes so you have no other possibility than to escape.