Function NameGen(): attempt to compare nil with number - random

Question

The error I'm getting is
[string "function NameGen()..."]:14: attempt to compare nil with number
stack traceback:
[string "function NameGen()..."]:14: in function 'NameGen'
[string "function NameGen()..."]:23: in main chunk
[C]: ?
My code:
function NameGen()
preftest = math.random(100) ;
syltest = math.random(100) ;
sufftest = math.random(100) ;
pref1 = "New ";
_1syl1 = "Lon";
_2syl1 = "Don";
suff1 = " City";
prefchoice = pref1;
_1sylchoice = _1syl1;
_2sylchoice = _2syl;
suffchoice = suff1;
if preftest < 50 and _2syltest < 50 and sufftest < 50 then
cityname = prefchoice .. _1sylchoice .. _2sylchoice .. suffchoice;
elseif preftest < 50 and _2syltest < 50 then
cityname = prefchoice .. _1sylchoice .. _2sylchoice;
else
cityname = _1sylchoice;
end
end
NameGen();
print(cityname);

Answer 1

I don't see where _2syltest is being assigned -- only syltest. If _2syltest isn't coming from somewhere else, that could be the issue, since that's the condition in your if uses that value.

Answer 2

From the structure of your code it seems that you wanted to use syltest < 50 in both if and elseif conditions, instead you used _2sylchoice < 50. Moreover probably you meant _2sylchoice = _2syl1 (a typo there?).
See if this is what you meant:
function NameGen()
preftest = math.random(100)
syltest = math.random(100)
sufftest = math.random(100)
pref1 = "New "
_1syl1 = "Lon"
_2syl1 = "Don";
suff1 = " City"
prefchoice = pref1
_1sylchoice = _1syl1
_2sylchoice = _2syl1
suffchoice = suff1
if preftest < 50 and syltest < 50 and sufftest < 50 then
cityname = prefchoice .. _1sylchoice .. _2sylchoice .. suffchoice
elseif preftest < 50 and syltest < 50 then
cityname = prefchoice .. _1sylchoice .. _2sylchoice
else
cityname = _1sylchoice
end
end
for i = 1, 100 do
NameGen()
print(cityname)
end
As an aside, you are using way too much global variables. All the variables you use should be local ones unless you have a strong reason to do otherwise (although I didn't change this aspect of your code in order not to confuse you in the case you weren't aware of what I'm talking about).