Problem with struct array member

[Dr. Boom]

Moin moin =)

I have a little problem and a question to that. When a hero cast my spell, all nearby units
are picked up. So it can be just 1 or 1000 units. Now I need to store every picked unit into an array variable and I do this:

private struct ElementalSpin
     unit    array   target

Now he say,expect size, so I have to add [value] behind it. The problem is now, I don't know
how many values I need at the end, so what can I type here?

Edit: The end value of the number of loops is a struct member called "iloop" (integer loop), but when I enter this between the [],
he gives me an error "Wrong [size] definition"

Greetings and Peace
Dr. Boom

 

[Axarion]

Why aren't you using a group? You could then enum the units and save your data in a hashtable. (With the Spells instance and the units Handle/Id)

 

[Dr. Boom]

First, I use arrays - Second, I fking hate hashtables - Third, I have other values, there an array is needed, so this was just an example.

 

[PurgeandFire]

If it is 1 to 1000, then just use:

private struct ElementalSpin
     unit    array   target[1001]

Tbh, hashtables would be probably safer for this or maybe faster, because Idk how jasshelper handles struct member arrays with high sizes. But otherwise, the method above would be the way you would do it.

 

[Dr Super Good]

unit array target[1001] will allow for a massive 8 instances at any time.

vJASS is still bound by the normal laws of JASS, which is why I dislike a lot of it as it makes it appear more deep that in actually is.

 

[dardas]

Purge? he said this:

"So it can be just 1 or 1000 units"
1 OR 1000, he didnt say 1 TO 1000 xD,
and btw.. why not do what i did with my ShieldSystem?

struct ShieldData
        public unit wielder
        public string shieldSFX
        public effect sEffect

globals
        public ShieldData array shieldData
endglobals

this way, you just have a struct array, and you dont have to put the amount..
depends how do you need it xD (if it does a loop inside the struct as if it was a group, this wont really work )

 

[Dr Super Good]

What he is after is perfectly doable in OOP languages. You just allocate an array to the instance as needed with the required size and it will be placed in free memory and recycled when you deallocate that array. However JASS is not an OOP language as it is functional. It can be viewed very simlarly to C programming for microcontrollers whereby you can not do all the easy dynamic allocation you can in OOP languages. Due to the type saftey in JASS it is inact worse than C as you can not allocate and deallocate memory areas at will so it is even harder to emulate such dynamic behaviour as he wants.

I can say that 2 approaches could be used to obtain what he is after.
1. Using chains of instances to provide a joint collection of units which will only consume space from the arrays as nescescary but will need a lot of allocation and deallocation overhead.
2. Using a group, which for all purposes acts as a dynamicly allocatable array for units (although slower at times).

 

[chobibo]

Use a list, instead of arrays, if the amount of units is dynamic.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Yes but a group may be faster.

 

[PurgeandFire]

Purge? he said this:

"So it can be just 1 or 1000 units"
1 OR 1000, he didnt say 1 TO 1000 xD,

Oh. Lol. xP Well, either way, if he wants to keep all the unit data, then that would be how to make an array of it. The size definition determines the maximum amount of indices that the "array" can be filled with.

However, it is a bad choice as DSG said. The most practical choice is to use a unit group. You can also use a list, as chobibo said, but it really depends on what you are doing.