For loop in order

['LinKin]

Hello,

I've a table, the key is a team's element, for example:

team1 = getTeamFromName("ss")

team2 = getTeamFromName("aa")

team3 = getTeamFromName("dd")

teamsTable[team1] = { name = "mmm", tag = "tag"}

teamsTable[team2] = { name = "mmm", tag = "tag"}

teamsTable[team3] = { name = "mmm", tag = "tag"}

Then I use a for loop (in pairs) because (in ipairs) doesn't work.

But working with in pairs loop generates an 'unorganized' functionallity.

So for example I got this:

for _, theTeam in pairs(teamsTable) do

outputChatBox(tostring(_).." Team: "..theTeam.name)

end

It will display the teams without order, in this case it showed the teams in this order:

team3

team1

team2

I want to make it in the same order as I "insterted" the teams in the table..

Can I do this by working with an element-key table?

Or I am oblied to use an indexed table? Like table.instert(teamsTable, {name="ss", etc...} )

Thanks

[arezu]

Or I am oblied to use an indexed table? Like table.instert(teamsTable, {name="ss", etc...} )

Yes. Alternatively use a number in each table and use table.sort, but it's easier to insert to table with ordered index instead.

[Vinctus]

Why do you do it like that? why not just:

  
local teamsTable = { 
   {"team name", "team tag"}, 
   {"team name", "team tag"}, 
} 
  
  
for i,theTeam in ipairs(teamsTable) do 
    outputChatBox(tostring(i) .. " Team: " .. theTeam[1] .. " [" .. theTeam[2] .. "]") 
end 

1 being the team name, 2 being the tag

[IIYAMA]

@Vinctus

Because he can't access the data easily by using the team it self.

@LinKin

pairs doesn't have an order, even if it did then it wouldn't loop correctly since the keys are userdata's, which are random generated strings.

team1 = getTeamFromName("ss") 
team2 = getTeamFromName("aa") 
team3 = getTeamFromName("dd") 
  
teamsTable[team1] = { name = "mmm", tag = "tag", order = 1} 
teamsTable[team2] = { name = "mmm", tag = "tag", order = 2} 
teamsTable[team3] = { name = "mmm", tag = "tag", order = 3} 
  
local orderTeams = {} 
for theTeam, theTeamData in pairs(teamsTable) do 
    orderTeams[theTeamData.order]= {team = theTeam,data= theTeamData} 
end 
  
for i=1,#orderTeams do 
    local whatEver = orderTeams[i] 
    outputChatBox(tostring(whatEver.team) ..  " Team: " .. whatEver.data.name ) 
end 
  

[Vinctus]

@IIYAMA, in that case he could do this:

local teamsTable = { 
   ["ss"] = { name = "team name", tag = "team tag"}, 
   ["aa"] = { name = "team name", tag = "team tag"}, 
   ["dd"] = { name = "team name", tag = "team tag"}, 
} 
  

and access team name and tag by using

teamsTable["the team name"].name 
teamsTable["the team name"].tag 

yes?

[IIYAMA]

Yes, but then you can't still use the ipairs loop, without order the table first like I did.

Why would you use tags when userdata/element can access easier?

The best solution would be using 2 tables.

[Vinctus]

Yes, but then you can't still use the ipairs loop, without order the table first like I did.

Why would you use tags when userdata/element can access easier?

The best solution would be using 2 tables.

Yes you can

[IIYAMA]

Yes, but then you can't still use the ipairs loop, without order the table first like I did.

Why would you use tags when userdata/element can access easier?

The best solution would be using 2 tables.

Yes you can

To loop over an array, use ipairs. Unlike pairs, it only gives you the consecutive integer keys from 1, and it guarantees their order. With pairs, the number keys will not necessarily be given in the correct order!

You can't. I have been working long with tables and I still do.

I will recommend you to test it your self. >> http://www.lua.org/cgi-bin/demo

  
local myTable = {["hi"]="lol",["hai"]="lol2"} 
for i,data in ipairs(myTable) do 
print(data .. " ipairs") 
end 
  
for i,data in pairs(myTable) do 
print(data .. " pairs") 
end 
  

AFAIK, there is a possibility using a metatable, but that is out of the question.

['LinKin]

Thanks IIYAMA

[IIYAMA]

np.