Arrays
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Tutorials -> Arrays
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Introduction
An array, or a list, is a collection of values (of any type). Each value is separated by comma. A list starts with [ and ends with ].
The position of specific value in an array is called its index number (or index for short). E.g. in this list: [5, 7, 4, 2], the value "7" has index number "2".
Examples of working with arrays
1) To use only one value from an array:
list:= [2, 3, 4]; one_element:= list [3]; // one_element will be equal to 4 because third [3] value in list is 4
2) To joint some arrays into one:
Array1:= [2, 3, 4]; Array2:= [3, 4, 5]; JointArray:= Array1 ^ Array2;
JointArray will contain: [2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 5]
However sometimes we need different result as when working with units we don't need more than one of each in a list. That's where union operator comes in handy:
JointArray:= [John, Bobby, Joan] union [John, Joan, Cyrus, Radzio];
JointArray will contain: [John, Bobby, Joan, Cyrus, Radzio]
Union excludes all repeated values in each list, then excludes in the right list these which are already in the left and finally joints two lists.
It can be used also for removing repeated values in a single list:
JointArray:= [1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3] union [];
JointArray will contain: [1, 2, 3]
3) To exclude a value or a whole array from another array:
MyArray:= [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] diff [1, 4]; MyArray:= MyArray diff 5;
MyArray will contain: [2, 3]
Note: diff removes repeated values (like union - see above) and can be used like union on a single list with the same result
4) To find common elements in two arrays. The "isect" operator retains all elements from the first array which are also present in the second array.
MyArray := [1, 2, 3, 4] isect [3, 4, 5];
The result is [3, 4]. For the methametically inclined this corresponds to the intersection operator on sets. Like union and diff isect removes repeated values.
5) To work on each value in an array:
var a, MyArray;
//some code
MyArray:= [John, Joan, Bobby];
for a in list do
begin
if (not IsDead(a)) then
KillUnit(a);
end;
And everybody alive in the list will get killed.
Arrays, maths, comparisons
When we use an array in mathematical expression like this:
[1, 3] * [9, 3, 7] + [11]
it's treated as integer with a value being its size; that is how many values it contains. So the result from the above expression is 2 * 3 + 1 = 7
The same happens if you compare list with an integer: [1, 5, 3, 4, 0] = 5 is true.
However, if you compare two arrays, they will be treated as equal only if they have the same size and same values at same indexes:
true: [1, 2, 3, 4] = [1, 2, 3, 4] false: [1, 2, 3, 4] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 4] [1, 2, 3, 4] = [2, 1, 4, 3]
Size of the array
To know what is the size of the array, use this function :
Function size( _array );
begin
Result := 0;
for _x in _array do
begin
Result := Result + 1;
end;
end;
