A question about math.random

[Darth_Salva]

Well... I'm learning scripting, and some time ago i saw a script where it was used the math.random to select an ID from an array...

That's the question: How to use the math.random to select ONLY ONE of the different IDs inside of an array? Example:

local array = {1234, 4321, 5544, 9966}
And use the math.random() to select one of them.

For now i'm using the only way i know:

local item = 0
local select = math.random(1, 4)
if select == 1 then
   item = 1234
elseif select == 2 then
   item = 4321
and so on...

That works but is tedious and long if you want to do many possible results...

 

[EvulMastah]

You mean, like this?

local table = { 1234, 4321, 6543, 3213 }
doPlayerSendTextMessage(cid, MESSAGE_INFO_DESCR, table[math.random(1, table.maxn(table))])

 

[Darth_Salva]

I don't know... The script chooses a value between 1 and the max number inside the array?

I'm searching for a way to do this: choose randomly only values inside the array "table = { 1234, 4321, 6543, 3213} "; So the result of mat.random could be ONLY one of these: 1234, 4321, 6543, 3213.

Thanks... testing, i'll edit when finish...

 

[EvulMastah]

local results = {
	[1] = { 1234 },
	[2] = { 3421 },
	[3] = { 6521 },
	[4] = { 8882 }
}

function onUse(cid, item)
	local rand = math.random(1, 4)
	for key, value in pairs(results) do
		if rand == key then
			doPlayerSendTextMessage(cid, MESSAGE_INFO_DESCR, value)
		end
	end
	return TRUE
end

Well, both would only return the number from the table.

 

[Darth_Salva]

Yeah, that works too; Well, i was looking for a shorter way to do the same, like: math.random({1234}, {4321}, {5742}, {8954}) (this example don't works)...

I mean, a way to indicate to the random function to only do those chooses without arrays or variables.

 

[Colandus]

Yes and that's how he did

But to make it even shorter you could make a function that you could use each time you need it

function table.random(t)
    return t[math.random(1, #t)]
end