Accessing value in a same parent table(?)

[Layback_]

Hi all,

Just a quick question about dynamic(?) access of an element within a same parent table.

So, let's say I have a table something like this.

C.size = {
	unitframe = {
		player = {
			width = 253,
			height = 50,
			point = {"RIGHT", UIParent, "CENTER", -150, -220},
		},
		target = {
			width = 253,
			height = 50,
			point = {"LEFT", UIParent, "CENTER", -150, -220},
		},
	},

	portrait = {
		player = {
			size = 50,
			point = {"TOPLEFT", "LUI_Player", "TOPLEFT", 0, 0},
		}
	}
	...
}

For a size of player's portrait (the one with red color), I am willing it to tag along with the size of player's frame height instead of giving it a hard coded value.
(So, in this case I want C.size.portrait.player.size be same as C.size.unitframe.player.height)

For one of the similar cases, I have done the following and it works fine although it doesn't look beautiful.

C.castbar = {
	player = {
		width = 350,
		height = 30,
		point = {"BOTTOM", UIParent, "BOTTOM", 0, 150},
		iconSize = "height",
		spacing = 1,
	}
}

A.CreateCastbar = function(self)
	local unit = self.unit;

	local iconSize = type(C.castbar[unit].iconSize) == "number" and C.castbar[unit].iconSize or C.castbar[unit][C.castbar[unit].iconSize];
end

Basically, if C.castbar[unit].iconSize is a number it will use its own value, otherwise it will use its height as its value.

Would there be any possible solution for the case above?

[Seerah]

Is there any possible time that it won't be a number?

[Fizzlemizz]

Instead of setting C.castbar[unit].iconSize to a string ('height"), leave it as nil to default to the unitframe height:

local iconSize = C.size.portrait[unit].size or C.size.unitframe[unit].height

[Layback_]

Originally Posted by Seerah Is there any possible time that it won't be a number?

Hi Seerah,

The reason that I gave a string value, "height", to C.castbar.player.iconSize is so it can access to C.castbar.player.height.
(C.castbar[unit][C.castbar[unit].iconSize] == C.castbar[unit][height]).

Apart from this case, yes, there isn't any possible time that it won't be a number and that's what I want

[Layback_]

Originally Posted by Fizzlemizz Instead of setting C.castbar[unit].iconSize to a string ('height"), leave it as nil to default to the unitframe height: local iconSize = C.size.portrait[unit].size or C.size.unitframe[unit].height

Hi Fizzlemizz,

You are the best!

That is much simpler than I expected!!!!

+

But would there be any possible ways to access table rather than a) table["a"]["b"] or b) table.a.b ?

[Fizzlemizz]

No. Table keys don't have parents like widgets do assuming that's what you a thinking.

[Layback_]

Originally Posted by Fizzlemizz No. Table keys don't have parents like widgets do assuming that's what you a thinking.

That's bit sad

But, thank you for the simple solution !!

[Fizzlemizz]

What I said was not entirely correct. You can shorten table calls by setting a local variable to the nearest common parent key. In this case,

local size = C.size
local iconSize = size.portrait[unit].size or size.unitframe[unit].height

It can be useful for repetative tasks as well.

[Layback_]

Originally Posted by Fizzlemizz What I said was not entierly correct. You can shorten table calls by setting a local variable to the nearest common parent key. In this case, local size = C.size local iconSize = size.portrait[unit].size or size.unitframe[unit].height It can be useful for repetative tasks as well.

So, in that case the key, size, at the very last (before "or") won't be affected by local variable size?

Am I getting it correctly?

[Fizzlemizz]

Essentially the local size variable is a pointer (reference) to the C.size key creating a shortcut to reaching that key. Everything under it remains the same as calling C.size.xxx.yyy.

You could just as easily:

    local yahoo = C.size
    local iconSize = yahoo.portrait[unit].size or yahoo.unitframe[unit].height

[Layback_]

Originally Posted by Fizzlemizz Essentially the local size variable is a pointer (reference) to the C.size key creating a shortcut to reaching that key. Everything under it remains the same as calling C.size.xxx.yyy. You could just as easily: local yahoo = C.size local iconSize = yahoo.portrait[unit].size or yahoo.unitframe[unit].height

Thanks for the clarification.

One last question here.

Would it be possible to iterate through dynamic table like:

C.test = {
    A = {
        "AA",
        "AB",
        "AC",
    },
    B = {
        "BA",
        BB = {
            "BBA",
            "BBB",
        },
    },
    C = {
        CA = {
            "CAA",
            "CAB",
            "CAC",
        },
        "CB",
        CC = {
            "CCA",
        },
    }
}

and print each of their literal values?

I could think of some recursive function, but ain't sure it could work well

[Fizzlemizz]

Recursion is fine. To print an unordered list:

local C = { 
    test = {
        A = {
            "AA",
            "AB",
            "AC",
        },
        B = {
            "BA",
            BB = {
                "BBA",
                "BBB",
            },
        },
        C = {
            CA = {
                "CAA",
                "CAB",
                "CAC",
            },
            "CB",
            CC = {
                "CCA",
            },
        }
    }
}
 
local function PrintTable(src)
    for key, value in pairs(src) do
        if type(value) == "table" then
            print(key)
            PrintTable(value)
        else
            print("   ", key, value)
        end
    end
end
 
PrintTable(C)

[Layback_]

Originally Posted by Fizzlemizz Recursion is fine. To print an unordered list:

Thanks a lot Fizzlemizz !!