lua script error checking

Question

Is it possible to check if a lua script contains errors without executing it? I have fallowing code:

    if(luaL_loadbuffer(L, data, size, name))
    {
        fprintf (stderr, "%s", lua_tostring (L, -1));
        lua_pop (L, 1);
    }

    if(lua_pcall(L, 0, 0, 0))
    {
        fprintf (stderr, "%s", lua_tostring (L, -1));
        lua_pop (L, 1);
    }

But if the script contains errors it passes first if and it is executed. I want to know if it contains errors when I load it, not when I execute it. Is this possible?

Answer 1

You can use the LUA Compiler. It will only compile your file to bytecode without executing it.

Your program will also have the advantage the run faster if it is compiled.

You can even use the -p option to only perform a syntax checking, according to the linked man page :

-p load files but do not generate any output file. Used mainly for syntax checking or testing precompiled chunks: corrupted files will probably generate errors when loaded. For a thourough integrity test, use -t.