List and Dictionary Extensive Guide (by HK)

HegemonKhan

30 Mar 2015 14:19

<object name="object1">
  <object name="object2">
  </object>
</object>

<object name="object3">
  <attr name="objectlistx" type="objectlist">object2</attr>
</object>

'object2' exists+location is inside (a Child of its Parent) 'object1'

the 'object2' item in the 'objectlistx' Objectlist Attribute is just that, an item (as it's NOT the actual 'object2' Object), which is inside~of 'object3', has absolutely no bearing on anything at all. We can use the Objectlist do to do things, that's its purpose, but outside of that doing (actions~scriptings), it has no bearing at all on anything. For example, we can use the objectlist to actually move the 'object2' from 'object1' to 'object3', but until we actually do the 'move' scripting, 'object2' exists and is located inside of 'object1', NOT 'object3'.

About Lists:

Note: my use of 'item' is just my own general term of~for ambigiously referencing 'text~Strings' for Stringlists or 'Objects' for Objectlists

they are just a collection of text~strings (Stringlists) or Objects (Objectlists), separated as individual choices~selections (see section above too):

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... split.html

VARIABLE = split ("item1 SEPARATOR_SYMBOL item2 SEPARATOR_SYMBOL item3 SEPARATOR_SYMBOL etc4", "SEPARATOR_SYMBOL")

the generally prefered separator symbol is usually a semicolon:

VARIABLE = split ("item1;item2;item3;etc4", ";")

the point of a List, is that we can then use it, to do a ton of really cool and useful things.

but first, you got to understand more on how Lists work:

VARIABLE = split ("item1;item2;item3;etc4", ";")
game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = split ("red;blue;yellow", ";")

0. red (1st item)
1. blue (2nd item)
2. yellow (3rd item)

we have 3 items: red (1st item), blue (2nd item), and yellow (3rd item):

ListCount (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist) ====> 3 (quantity of items in the List)

HOWEVER, to actually reference~use~get that item, is via its 'index' number (think of an actual book library), which starts at 0, not 1 (ya, it is very confusing especially when you're using 'ListCount' + 'ListItem~StringListItem~ObjectListItem', grr):

red's index # is 0
blue's index # is 1
yellow's index # is 2

so, for example:

VARIABLE = StringListItem (List, index number)

StringListItem (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist, 0) ===> red
StringListItem (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist, 1) ===> blue
StringListItem (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist, 2) ===> yellow
StringListItem (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist, 3) ===> ERROR !!!! there is no 4th item, so can't compute! ERROR !!!

now, you can use variables for your 'index number, too, to do the more fancy things:

get input {
-> // you type in a number
-> // quest automatically sets the variable: result = your_typed_in_input
-> VARIABLE = StringListItem (List, result)
}

and also with using Randomization:

GetRandomInt (min integer number value, max inteer number value)

for a Static+Known quantity of items in your List:

game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = split ("red;blue;yellow", ";")
game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = StringListItem (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist, GetRandomInt (0, 2) )
// 'GetRandomInt' will randomly select '0', '1', or '2'
// game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = red (0)
// OR
// game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = blue (1)
// OR
// game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = yellow (2)

for a Dynamic+UNknown quantity of items in your List:

'ListCount' will add~sum up the quantity of items in your list each time, so this works great when you're constantly adding~removing items from your list over the duration of the game, hence the list's dynamic~unknown quantity of items in the list, hence the 'magic' of using 'ListCount', hehe

however, this is where the confusion comes in between 'quantity' and 'index number', as we got to do:

ListCount (List) - 1 ====> index number

we're finding the highest item quantity:

if there's 3 items in a list, then the max items in a list is 3 too, and thus the highest (last) item itself (via its index number) in the list is: 2 (3-1=2)

as remember the above example:

0. red (1st item)
1. blue (2nd item)
2. yellow (3rd item)

Index # vs Item Quantity:
0 vs 1
1 vs 2
2 vs 3

game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = split ("red;blue;yellow", ";")
game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = StringListItem (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist, GetRandomInt (0, ListCount (game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist) - 1 ) )
// 'GetRandomInt' will randomly select '0', '1', or '2'
// game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = red (0)
// OR
// game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = blue (1)
// OR
// game.primary_pigment_colors_stringlist = yellow (2)

-----------------

About Dictionaries:

they're essentially (think of them as) 'conversions' or 'inputs~outputs'

(and most~all of the stuff about lists, applies to Dictionaries too, in terms of the referencing)

examples:

<attr name="day_stringdictionary" type="simplestringdictionary">1=sunday;2=monday;3=tuesday;4=wednesday;5=thursday;6=friday;7=saturday;sunday=1;monday=2;tuesday=3;wednesday=4;thursday=5;friday=6;saturday=7</attr>

<attr name="month_to_season_stringdictionary" type="simplestringdictionary">january=winter;february=winter;march=spring;april=spring;may=spring;june=summer;july=summer;august=summer;september=autumn;october=autumn;november=autumn;december=winter</attr>

<attr name="opposing_magic_elementals_stringdictionary" type="simplestringdictionary">fire=water;water=fire;air=earth;earth=air</attr>

examples in~of application:

game.day_integer_stringlist = split ("1;2;3;4;5;6;7", ";")
show menu ("What day is it?", game.day_integer_stringlist, false) {
  game.day_string = StringdictionaryItem (game.day_stringdictionary, result)
}

game.day_stringlist = split ("sunday;monday;tuesday;wednesday;thursday;friday;saturday", ";")
show menu ("What day is it?", game.day_stringlist, false) {
  game.day_string = StringdictionaryItem (game.day_stringdictionary, result)
}

// let's see if I can remember how to do this, lol ~ its been a while ... Credit goes to Pixie's Spell Library for this ingenius usage of Dictionaries:

<attr name="opposing_magic_elementals_stringdictionary" type="simplestringdictionary">fire=water;water=fire;air=earth;earth=air</attr>

ice_dragon.elemental = "water"
fireball_spell.elemental = "fire"

'Cast' Verb on your 'spell' Objects (specific, non-global, non-dynamic, example):
spell = GetObject (fireball_spell)
enemy = GetObject (ice_dragon)
if (spell.elemental = StringDictionaryItem (opposing_magic_elementals_stringdictionary, enemy.elemental) ) {
  enemy.life = enemy.life - (spell.damage * 2)
  msg ("You do double the damage to the enemy, using the correct~opposing spell for its elemental vulnerability~weakness!")
} else if (spell.elemental = enemy.elemental) {
  enemy.life = enemy.life + spell.damage
  msg ("Doh!, You used the same elemental spell as the enemy's elemental, healing it instead of damaging it! You idiot!")
} else {
  enemy.life = enemy.life - spell.damage
  msg ("Your elemental spell, being neither the same nor opposite of the enemy's elemental, thus does its normal damage to the enemy.")
}

------------

anyways, conceptually:

StringDictionaries:

the 'conversion' or 'input-output', only goes 1 way: left to right, so that's (if you need) why you need:
(I'm not sure if this also applies to Objectdictionaries and Scriptdictionaries, or not)

String1A (input) ---> String1B (output)
~OR~
String1A ---> (conversion) ---> String1B

example: fire=water

~ (if need) AND ~

String1B (input) ---> String1A (output)
~OR~
String1B ---> (conversion) ---> String1A

example: water=fire

ObjectDictionaries:

String1 (input) ---> Object1 (output)
~OR~
String1 ---> (conversion) ---> Object1

ScriptDictionaries:

String1 (input) ---> Script1 (output)
~OR~
String1 ---> (conversion) ---> Script1

-------------

lastly, note that there's the 'List~DictionaryContains' Function too, you can check if a List~Dictionary has a specific item in it. And all of the other Functions~Scripts that I give as the links above (at the top of my post).

'DisplayList' is useful too:

DisplayList (List, true_or_false)

colors = split ("red;blue;yellow", ";")
DisplayList (colors, true)
outputs:
1. red
2. blue
3. yellow

not sure what false does, haven't tried it yet, lol... a guess ONLY:
colors = split ("red;blue;yellow", ";")
DisplayList (colors, false)
outputs:
red
blue
yellow

and there's the 'Sort' Functions too. and etc... whatever else I'm missing...

the 'Scopes', 'Gets', and 'Alls' are very useful too...

-----------------

oops, I forgot...

to make a new List~Dictionary (using a Stringlist for example):

VARIABLE = NewStringList ()

game.colors = NewStringList ()
list add (game.colors, "red")
list add (game.colors, "blue")
list add (game.colors, "yellow")

and etc... again see all of my links at the top of this post, and ask if you got any questions, and~or want to know what applications there are with using Lists~Dictionaries~the various links (at the top of the post), hope this helps anyone wanting to learn to using lists~dictionaries....

----------

ach... I forgot the 'Iteration' stuff (I'm tired now, so this will be brief, ask and I'll explain~help in more detail):

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... lists.html (this shows better how to use 'for' properly, than the 'for' link itself below, lol)
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... reach.html
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/scripts/for.html

'foreach' and 'for'

'foreach' is for iterating through EVERY~ALL~EACH (for*EACH*) item in your list, applying the scripting to each of those items. This is generally used most often by people. In 'foreach' you reference the List directly in its 'foreach' syntax line, and (depending) also in your scripting

'for' is for specific~targetted iteration of items in your list, applying the scripting to each of those items. This is generally not used as often by people, as it is (probably~assumingly) used for advanced RPG equipment+item system usages. You do NOT reference the List within the 'for' syntax line itself, instead you reference the List in the scriptings.

foreach (placeholder_variable, List) { scripts }

for (placeholder_variable, integer number min range value, integer number max range value, optionally: skip-count number value) { scripts }

with 'for', you reference your actual List within the scripting itself, not in the 'for' syntax line, this always confuses me (causing me to have to go look up on how to use 'for' over and over again, lol ~ I can never remember this)

examples:

'foreach' Function:

game.team = split ("joe;jim;john", ";")
foreach (team_member, game.team) {
  do (team_member,"run_laps_script_attribute")
  // output result conceptually:
  // joe.runs_laps_script_attribute -> joe runs laps
  // jim.runs_laps_script_attribute -> jim runs laps
  // john.runs_laps_script_attribute -> john runs laps
}

// and the exact same thing:

game.team = split ("joe;jim;john", ";")
foreach (x, game.team) {
  do (x,"run_laps")
  // output result conceptually:
  // joe.runs_laps -> joe runs laps
  // jim.runs_laps -> jim runs laps
  // john.runs_laps -> john runs laps
}

// and the exact same thing:

game.team = split ("joe;jim;john", ";")
foreach (item, game.team) {
  do (item,"run_laps")
  // output result conceptually:
  // joe.runs_laps -> joe runs laps
  // jim.runs -> jim runs laps
  // john.runs -> john runs laps
}

// and the exact same thing:

game.team = split ("joe;jim;john", ";")
foreach (blahblahblah, game.team) {
  do (blahblahblah,"run_laps")
  // output result conceptually:
  // joe.runs_laps -> joe runs laps
  // jim.runs -> jim runs laps
  // john.runs -> john runs laps
}

------------------------

extra links (used below in my examples, well, just 'invoke', meh):

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... nvoke.html
~OR~
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/scripts/do.html

'for' Function:

// Objectlist:
game.team = split ("joe;jim;john;jeff;jake;job;jab", ";")

for (team_member,0,0) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
}

for (team_member,6,6) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,2,2) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // john.run_laps
}

for (team_member,3,3) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // jeff.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,2) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // jim.run_laps
  // john.run_laps
}

for (team_member,3,6) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // jeff.run_laps
  // jake.run_laps
  // job.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,6) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // jim.run_laps
  // john.run_laps
  // jeff.run_laps
  // jake.run_laps
  // job.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,6,1) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // jim.run_laps
  // john.run_laps
  // jeff.run_laps
  // jake.run_laps
  // job.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,6,2) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // john.run_laps
  // jake.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,6,3) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // jeff.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,6,4) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // jake.run_laps
}

for (team_member,0,6,5) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // joe.run_laps
  // job.run_laps
}

for (team_member,2,6,1) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // john.run_laps
  // jeff.run_laps
  // jake.run_laps
  // job.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

for (team_member,2,6,4) {
  do (ObjectListItem(game.team,team_member),"run_laps")
  // john.run_laps
  // jab.run_laps
}

// I think you get the idea now... lol

-----------

P.S.

you can also take a look here at another application of Lists+Dictionaries:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=5138 (HK's 'Explore' and 'Travel' Code)

ask if you got any questions!

HegemonKhan

31 Mar 2015 12:43

here's my two testing game codes to make sure my 'for' examples work, and them as attached files at the bottom too:

note 1:

I'm using quest v551 (v550), so hopefully if you're using v560, you just need to change the topmost code line from:

<asl version="550">

to:

<asl version="560">

note 2:

restart the game (ctrl+R), to see the randomization working.

<asl version="550">
  <include ref="English.aslx" />
  <include ref="Core.aslx" />
  <game name="Testing Game Stuff">
    <gameid>b073bbfb-0e99-45d3-9786-bb395a6bc6b0</gameid>
    <version>1.0</version>
    <firstpublished>2015</firstpublished>
    <start type="script">
      wait {
        for_test_function
      }
    </start>
    <attr name="count_integer_attribute" type="int">0</attr>
    <attr name="team_stringlist" type="simplestringlist">joe;jim;john;jake;jess;june;jane;jell</attr>
  <game>
  <object name="room">
    <inherit name="editor_room" />
    <object name="player">
      <inherit name="editor_object" />
      <inherit name="editor_player" />
    </object>
  </object>
  <function name="for_test_function">
    if (game.count_integer_attribute = 10) {
      finish
    } else {
      for (team_member,0,GetRandomInt(0,ListCount(game.team_stringlist)-1),GetRandomInt(0,ListCount(game.team_stringlist)-1)) {
        msg (StringListItem(game.team_stringlist,team_member))
      }
      on ready {
        game.count_integer_attribute = game.count_integer_attribute + 1
        for_test_function
      }
    }
  </function>
</asl>

and

<asl version="550">
  <include ref="English.aslx" />
  <include ref="Core.aslx" />
  <game name="Testing Game Stuff">
    <gameid>b073bbfb-0e99-45d3-9786-bb395a6bc6b0</gameid>
    <version>1.0</version>
    <firstpublished>2015</firstpublished>
    <start type="script">
      wait {
        for_test_function
      }
    </start>
    <attr name="count_integer_attribute" type="int">0</attr>
    <attr name="team_objectlist" type="objectlist">joe;jim;john;jake;jess;june;jane;jell</attr>
  <game>
  <object name="room">
    <inherit name="editor_room" />
    <object name="player">
      <inherit name="editor_object" />
      <inherit name="editor_player" />
    </object>
  </object>
  <object name="joe">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="jim">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="john">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="jake">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="jess">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="june">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="jane">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <object name="jell">
    <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  </object>
  <type name="character_object_type" />
    <inherit name="editor_object" />
    <attr name="run_laps" type="script">
      msg (this.name + " is running laps.")
    </attr>
  </type>
  <function name="for_test_function">
    if (game.count_integer_attribute = 10) {
      finish
    } else {
      for (team_member,0,GetRandomInt(0,ListCount(game.team_objectlist)-1),GetRandomInt(0,ListCount(game.team_objectlist)-1)) {
        do (ObjectListItem(game.team_objectlist,team_member),"run_laps")
      }
      on ready {
        game.count_integer_attribute = game.count_integer_attribute + 1
        for_test_function
      }
    }
  </function>
</asl>

For Function Testing 2.aslx

For Function Testing 1.aslx

jaynabonne

31 Mar 2015 17:50

FYI, your attached files are in RTF format and won't load with Quest. If you use WordPad, be sure when you go to save that you set the "Save as type" to Text Document before saving. Changing the extension alone won't do it.

HegemonKhan

31 Mar 2015 22:42

I'm using an old mac... it only got 'text editor (*.rtf), word 97 (*.doc), web (*.html), and word 2003 (*.xml), would any of these work ???

jaynabonne

01 Apr 2015 06:57

XML might work. If not, I seem to have the ability to edit posts, so I could fix them for you, if you wish.

HegemonKhan

01 Apr 2015 18:57

let me re-upload the files (in *THIS* post as attachments) as the *.xml file format + extension, and let me know if their format works or not. I'm leaving them as having the *.xml extension in the file name, so not sure if you'll need to change it over to *.aslx, or if *.xml will work for the quest.exe

err... the site won't let me upload this (xml) file format... so much for that... argh...

okay... I tried changing the file name over to *.aslx and now the site will upload it as attachment... let's see now if you can play it...

--------

providing a game file, is just convenience~courtesy for people, as it's really not that much work to copy and paste the code into a new game's code... lol

For Function Testing 2.aslx

For Function Testing 1.aslx

jaynabonne

01 Apr 2015 19:04

That didn't work either. It saved the Word document using an XML schema. (Which I read is called "Open XML".) Is there no "Plain text" option in your list of formats?

Do these links help?

https://support.office.com/en-us/articl ... 04a9cdca4a
http://support.smqueue.com/support/solu ... c-in-utf-8

HegemonKhan

01 Apr 2015 19:10

Do I just have to save the files as 'xml' format (I've been using the text editor), or do I have to actually use the software (word 2003) itself to produce the xml format?

'save as' file formats available:

text editor (apple's notepad): rtf
word 2003: xml
word 97: doc (would this work?)
word 2007: docx (would this work?)
opendocument text: odt (maybe this works?)
html: html (I presume)
web archive: ???

jaynabonne

01 Apr 2015 19:13

It doesn't look like it supports a simple text format (amazingly enough). Is that what's supported by your text editor? Is there a simpler text editor for the Mac?

HegemonKhan

01 Apr 2015 19:15

I'm pretty sure the 'text editor' is it, as it's pretty much equivalent to pc's 'notepad' ~ had to find it buried in the system files ~ utilities, lol.

I'm not familiar with apple software at all...

could I use 'word', and see if that has a plain text file format ???

there's also 'pages', 'keynote', 'spaces' software... ???

jaynabonne

01 Apr 2015 19:33

You could give it a shot. I'm not Mac literate.

I wish I could help.

The Pixie

01 Apr 2015 20:07

There is software you can download for Mac that would work, for example:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/textwra ... 0395?mt=12

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List and Dictionary Extensive Guide (by HK)

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