This seems like it should be so simple... but I'm stumped.
I'm trying to add a spell to the player's spellbook once they take a particular perk. I created the following script:

Scriptname mystyAddSpell extends Perk
{Adds a spell to the player's spellbook}

SPELL Property learnedSpell Auto

Game.GetPlayer().AddSpell(learnedSpell)

and assigned the property to the spell I want to the player to learn. However, the script does not compile and I don't understand the error message:
no viable alternative at input '.'

From what I can tell, it doesn't like the Game.GetPlayer() bit. I tried adding an actor property to use as a reference instead, but that had errors as well and wouldn't let me assign the property value. What gives?

i think you need to have an event in order for that action to trigger

hmmm... perk scripts don't have any events

Scripts extending http://www.creationkit.com/Perk_Script will have all native events used for http://www.creationkit.com/Form_Script and "all types" (like http://www.creationkit.com/OnInit) called on them, but I don't think that's what you'd want to use.

Amethyst Deceiver is correct, however, in that any non-declarative code can only exist within functions (including events, which are just functions that can't have a return value), and you need a native event as an entry point for any script to run.

What I think you should do instead is add an "Ability" type perk entry to your perk that adds a scripted ability that runs your code when it is first applied.

Cipscis

Cipscis, thank you so much! The ability worked

Excellent, glad to hear it

Cipscis