When $nick() uses a not-present nick or an invalid index number with the .color prop, it returns 0 instead of $null, indicating the color is white

//echo -a $nick($chan, nosuchnick).color should be null instead of zero

For this next example I had to insert an extra 9999 check because it was difficult to get it to respond to control break to exit the infinite loop

//var %i 1 | while ($nick($chan,%i).color != $null) { echo -a i= %i nick= $nick($chan,%i) color= $v1 | inc %i | if (%i > 9999) halt }

edit: the .idle property is also returning zero for these same cases

This behaviour is actually present in many identifier properties. Some return a default value if no match is found, others return $null. The behaviour is somewhat arbitrary - probably based on what a particular scripter requested at the time it was implemented. In this case, this has always returned a default value.


The same applies to this property.

In general, if you want to check if something exists, you need to check for the item itself ie. $nick($chan,nick), without properties. In many cases, a return of $null for a property can be perfectly valid.