Variables in For loops

Hi there,

As lot's of people are, I'm creating an emailing (except this is more like a chat) system, and I've run into a problem that I don't know how to fix. I know quite a bit about lua and am still learning. Here's my problem

–


layout1()

local a = 4

term.setCursorPos(20,1)
print("Sending a message to"..mailsendto)
term.setCursorPos(20,2)
print("Subject: "..mailsubjectto)

for i = 1, 10 do

term.setCursorPos(20, a)
local composingmessage = read()
local (?? What can i put here to change the variable name?) = composingmessage
a = (a+1)

end

print(40)

–

because the computer dosn't automatically create a new line, every time the user gets to the end of the line, he/she hits enter. The problem is, it's not all one variable so when he/she hits enter it needs to be saved as different variables. But lua dosn't like math in variables, (I don't think) so how can i get around this problem?

Thank you so much! :D/>

Moved to Ask a Pro.

You will need to make an advanced read function that goes into the next line when you hit enter or something, learn the edit program and see how it does it?

Look in the source of the edit program. Another solution, if you don't mind NOT being able to edit lines above, would be something like this:

function readLines(maxLines)
    io.write("\n")
    local lines = {}

    for i = 1, maxLines do
        lines[i] = io.read()

        if i > 1 and lines[i] == "" and lines[i - 1] == "" then -- If you made two blank lines, stop the loop
            break;
        end  
    end

    return lines
end

The key point here is the table. Lua doesn't mind at all if you use maths to index tables.

Technically, all variables are contained in environment tables, so you could access your environment as a table and create ordinary looking variables that way. But that's a hassle.

So mad, how would I then read those lines? Say if I were to print it, would it be:

print(lines[1])
print(lines[2]) etc etc?

Exactly.

Awesome, I shall try that out now then. :D/>

ftank12, on 06 January 2013 - 11:41 AM said:

So mad, how would I then read those lines? Say if I were to print it, would it be:

print(lines[1])
print(lines[2]) etc etc?

Or since you won't know ahead of time how many lines there will be:

for i = 1,#lines do
  print(lines[i])
end

ok, I'll try that then :)/>

Hmm, this is what I have..


–MessageComposeLoop

function readLines(maxLines)
io.write("\n")
local lines = {}

local a = 4

for i = 1, maxLines do
term.setCursorPos(20, a)
lines = io.read()
a = (a+1)

if i > 1 and lines == "" and lines == "" then – If you made two blank lines, stop the loop
break;
end
end

return lines
end

readLines(10)

–EndMessageComposeLoop

term.clear()

layout1()

term.setCursorPos(1,7)
print("Your message")

–Display the message loop:

for i = 1,#lines do – Line 744
print(lines)
end





–End Message display loop

It's coming up with 744 (highlighted) attempt to get length of nil…… is it maybe because the term.clear() is clearing the variables? Also, what does the return function do? :)/>

Ok, fixed that problem. It didn't like printing it when it was out of the original function.

Thank you SOOO much for your help. Really appreciate it!! :D/>

Your readLines() function returns a table, so call it like this:

t_messageTable = readLines(10)

Now to print the message:

 for i = 1, #t_messageTable do
    print(t_messageTable[i])
end