I never came to understand how pairs work.

[pure wyvern]

what does for i, v in pairs() do mean?

and before you tell me to search through yt vids I did and I just never came to understand it because the videos never answered my questions so I was wondering if someone here could help me get deep into my questions here and what this means and the difference between this and for i = 1 pairs like wtf does that mean?

[vocal meadow]

💀

[molten rain]

i is the key for every element in the table

v is the element

[pure wyvern]

so if I was to do

Mypair = {10, 20}

for i, v in pairs(MyPair) do
print(i) it will print 1 and 2?

[molten rain]

{"H" = 5}
i = "H", v = 5

yes

i is 1, 2 in that case

[pure wyvern]

its kinda hard for me to explain what I am stuck on

Sorry if it feels like i am wasting your time

But I am telling you like im stuck

like when I look at a vid ik what everything means but when I try and do something on my own im stuck.

like wtf

[molten rain]

looping through pairs mean you go through each element in a table with i being the key and v being the value of whatever element

[pure wyvern]

mind if I send you some code I am seeing in a yt vid and ask questions on the parts im stuck on?

[molten rain]

if no key is provided then it counts up from 1

yes

[pure wyvern]

kk

[molten rain]

go ahead

[pure wyvern]

kk

[neat meteor]

Pairs is used to iterate through key values, including keys that are not numbers or not in order

local myTable = {
  a = 1,
  b = 2,
  c = 3,
}

for i, v in pairs(myTable) do
  print(i, v)
end

--[[
output would be like this, but the order can vary
 - a 1
 - b 2
 - c 3
]]

[molten rain]

^^^^

[pure wyvern]

local MainGame = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("mainGame")
local Gates = MainGame:WaitForChild("Gates")
local Buttons = MainGame:WaitForChild("Buttons")

local function activateButton(v, touched) --why do we have v,touched here? Why can't we leave it blank?
touched.Value = true

local gates = Gates:FindFirstChild(v.Name)

local duration = v:FindFirstChild("Duration")

task.wait(duration.Value)

touched.Value = false

end

for _, v in pairs(Buttons:GetChildren()) do
v.Touched:Connect(function(otherPart) --how does it know what v is? like v is the actual parts in the pair right? Not the number order they are in right?
local humanoid = otherPart.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
local touched = v:FindFirstChild("Touched")
if humanoid and touched and touched.Value == false then
activateButton(v, touched)
end
end)
end

see the commnents I made, those are my questions

[pure wyvern]

iterate?

[pure wyvern]

i would be the abc and the v would be the 123 right?

[neat meteor]

Then, you have ipairs which can only iterate through arrays with consecutive numbers (1, 2, 3, etc)
-# ⚠️ important to keep in mind that with ipairs, it will stop at the first nil that it finds ⚠️

so for example:

local myTable = {
  "string",
  "woosh",
  nil,
  "another string",
}

for i, v in pairs(myTable) do
  print(i, v)
end

--[[
output would be:
 - 1 string
 - 2 woosh

-- and then it doesn't print more because it reached a nil

]]

[molten rain]

the functions arguments are needed because they are being using inside the function?

[neat meteor]

Yes, but remember the order can be different since you're using pairs

[pure wyvern]

"iterate through arrays with consecutive numbers?"

what does iterate mean?
what does arrays mean?
what does consecutive mean>

Sorry english was not my first language

[molten rain]

i isnt a good name for the variable if it isnt numbers only

k, v should be used instead

[pure wyvern]

and im still stupid with my other language too

[molten rain]

i, v if you using ipairs()

technically lua has no arrays

[neat meteor]

"Iterate" means to go through each item one by one

if you have this:

local fruits = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}

Then:

for i, v in pairs(fruits) do
  print(v)
end

Will iterate (go through):

First: "apple"

Then: "banana"

Then: "cherry"

[molten rain]

only tables

[sleek fox]

** You are now Level 2! **

[pure wyvern]

i isn't a good name for the variable means i isn't a good way to describe it?

[molten rain]

yes

k, v for key, value

[pure wyvern]

it will print apple, banana, and cherry into the output yes?

yes

kk

[neat meteor]

order can vary, but yes

[pure wyvern]

if you print i it will do 123?

like 1
2
3

[molten rain]

why dont you test it in roblox studios

[neat meteor]

An array is a table that stores a list of items, usually using numbers as keys, like this:

local array = {"a", "b", "c"}
--[[ same as:
     [1] = "a"
     [2] = "b"
     [3] = "c"
]]

Each value is stored at a position: 1, 2, 3, etc

[neat meteor]

it can also print 2, 1, 3, the order can vary because you're using pairs

[pure wyvern]

so its a table?

or

[neat meteor]

Yes

[pure wyvern]

so why not table? why array?

[molten rain]

its a table

tables can act as arrays

arrays cant act as tables

arrays are list of items

with indices counting up

[neat meteor]

because this:

local myTable = {"a", "b", "c"}

and this:

local myTable = {
 a = "b",
 b = "c",
 d = "e",
}

they're not the same thing.

[pure wyvern]

ohh

I see

[molten rain]

array = {"a", "b", "c"}
you can index it by numbers
array[2] gets the second element

[pure wyvern]

consecutive means constant?

[molten rain]

search up the definition

[pure wyvern]

kk, whats an element?

[neat meteor]

consecutive means numbers that come one after another without gaps

[pure wyvern]

kk

ty

[molten rain]

1, 2, 3 is consecutive

[pure wyvern]

kk

is 5,4,3 consecutice?

consecutive*

[neat meteor]

So:

{10, 20, 30}

has indices 1, 2, 3 -> these are consecutive

[molten rain]

element is one of the values stored in the array or table

[neat meteor]

But this:

local t = {}
t[1] = "a"
t[3] = "b"

has keys 1 and 3, but skips 2 -> these are not consecutive

[molten rain]

elements for tables are both the key and value

[pure wyvern]

so a value for

local myTable = {
a = "b",
b = "c",
d = "e",
}

would be "b" or "c"?

[sleek fox]

** You are now Level 6! **

[molten rain]

yes

[pure wyvern]

abd = i?

kk

[molten rain]

and a= "b" is a key value pair

[pure wyvern]

index means the order of them,?

[molten rain]

also known as a element

[molten rain]

index is a numeric key

a key thats a number

[neat meteor]

You could say, yes

[molten rain]

usually for arrays

[pure wyvern]

a key?

like a key used to unlock doors

or an objective

[molten rain]

a is key "b" is value

[pure wyvern]

oh

so these keys unlock new stuff? ?

wdym

[molten rain]

the key is what you use to select the element you want

[pure wyvern]

why is a a key?

[molten rain]

if you have no key you cant find the element

[pure wyvern]

why can't b be the value like ik i can name them but what they actually define

[pure wyvern]

local table = {5, 10, 15}

a element here would be 5 or 10?

[molten rain]

the key is the identification of a element

[molten rain]

yes

[pure wyvern]

OHH so instead of i, v i can do like index, value and that means I changed the key?

[pure wyvern]

the element is the same as value?

or element can also be a string?

[molten rain]

not necassarily

in lua a element has a key and value

and the key and value can be of any type

number, string, boolean

[pure wyvern]

for _, v in pairs(Buttons:GetChildren()) do
v.Touched:Connect(function(otherPart) --how does it know what v is? like v is the actual parts in the pair right? Not the number order they are in right?
local humanoid = otherPart.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
local touched = v:FindFirstChild("Touched")
if humanoid and touched and touched.Value == false then
activateButton(v, touched)
end
end)
end
what would the key be here then?

[molten rain]

wrap your code with
```lua

```

[pure wyvern]

?

wrap my code with lua?

[molten rain]

for _, v in pairs(Buttons:GetChildren()) do
    v.Touched:Connect(function(otherPart) --how does it know what v is? like v is the actual parts in the pair right? Not the number order they are in right?
        local humanoid = otherPart.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
        local touched = v:FindFirstChild("Touched")
        if humanoid and touched and touched.Value == false then
            activateButton(v, touched)
        end
    end)
end

_ is the key

usually _ is used a sort of trashcan

meaning the variable wont be used in this code

[sleek fox]

** You are now Level 3! **

[molten rain]

_ is the key

and the code doesnt use the key

[near dock]

If you use the markings he said, it will format the code nicely so its more readable.

[molten rain]

yea

[pure wyvern]

so its the i? aka index?

[molten rain]

yes

its the index in this case

[pure wyvern]

why can't we just replace _ with i?

why does it matter? for organization?

[molten rain]

you can

[neat meteor]

You can

[molten rain]

_ is just saying it wont be used

[pure wyvern]

is it for organization?

[pure wyvern]

so to remind myself

or organizing

[neat meteor]

i and v are variables that roblox automatically assigns, and you can name them as you prefer

[molten rain]

its just a stardard to use i, v or k, v for the key/index and value

its also a standard to set values your not going to use to _

[pure wyvern]

kk

How come I understand everything I see in youtube video tutorials like what the youtubers put in their code I understand it all but when I try and create something myself using what I know and what they showed me my code doesn't work or my mind is blank?

Is that normal

[near dock]

That's very normal for beginners, especially if you don't have prior coding experience. It just takes practice.

[molten rain]

i have no idea how to awnser that questiong but that is a normal thing to happen

[neat meteor]

It's harder to think how to make the code yourself than understand others code, it is very normal for beginners

[pure wyvern]

I do have prior coding experience like 3 years ago tho but forgot like 90% of what I knew

[pure wyvern]

oh alr

[pure wyvern]

kk

and everytime I check the tutorial im like "ohh why didn't I think of that?"

[molten rain]

usually when this happens it eighter a syntax issue or a logic issue

[neat meteor]

It doesn't mean you shouldn't try tho, keep trying until you start getting the hang of it, it's a matter of practice

[pure wyvern]

kk

[pure wyvern]

yes I know I am very stupid

[molten rain]

theres a difference between knowing how to code something and knowing why that code works

[pure wyvern]

ah

[molten rain]

you may now know how to use tables

but you dont know why they work

(hashmaps)

[pure wyvern]

can you give me a very simple learning objective?

[molten rain]

🤔

[pure wyvern]

like something easy with pairs or tables and I try and do it alone and I try and explain whate everything means and does

[molten rain]

make a function that takes the sum of whatever

so sum({1,2,3,4,5) returns the value 15 as the awnser

because 1+2+3+4+5 = 15

[pure wyvern]

using pairs and tables?

[molten rain]

the input is a table

the output is the loop

[neat meteor]

https://create.roblox.com/docs/luau/tables

[pure wyvern]

I am not spanish

[neat meteor]

There

[molten rain]

have you coded in any other programming languages

[molten rain]

im asking you btw

[neat meteor]

no, i havent

[molten rain]

oh alright

[pure wyvern]

for index = 1, #testArray do
print(index, testArray[index])
end

does for i = 1, #testarray mean it goes from 1 to how many number of index there is in the array?

or number of elements

@molten rain @neat meteor sorry for the ping I forgot to reply to one of you

[molten rain]

yes

1,2,3...#testArray

[neat meteor]

yes,

#testArray -- this is the amount of values that are stored in the table, so if your table has 4 strings in it, it will return 4

[pure wyvern]

kk

[pure wyvern]

Can you give me a learning objective so I can understand this or remember it more? like a simple objective

[neat meteor]

uhhh

[pure wyvern]

within what we have been leaening

[neat meteor]

idk

[pure wyvern]

its ok if u don't want to

but

it would help

[neat meteor]

make a for loop that iterates through a table, searching for a specific string or smth idk

[pure wyvern]

kk

[pure wyvern]

how do you have it in this like bar that shows the text?

instead of just plain copy and paste?

[neat meteor]

https://tenor.com/view/discord-triple-backticks-triple-backticks-backticks-code-block-discord-code-block-gif-27410596

-# replace js with lua

[pure wyvern]

**js local MyTable = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50}

for i, v in pairs(MyTable) do
print(i)
if i == 3 then
print("its the third one")
end
end**

oh

[neat meteor]

its this key: `

[pure wyvern]

`

lua

kk

ty

for i, v in pairs(MyTable) do
    print(i)
    if i == 3 then
        print("its the third one")
    end
end````

[neat meteor]

lua goes next to the 3 first `

[pure wyvern]

oh

for i, v in pairs(MyTable) do
    print(i)
    if i == 3 then
        print("its the third one")
    end
end```

this works

17:49:31.235 1 - Server - Script:4
17:49:31.235 2 - Server - Script:4
17:49:31.235 3 - Server - Script:4
17:49:31.235 its the third one - Server - Script:6
17:49:31.235 4 - Server - Script:4
17:49:31.236 5 - Server - Script:4

went into the output

did I do what you said?

[neat meteor]

instead of this, you should check if v == MyTable[3]

[pure wyvern]

When it noticed it was the third one I made it print its the third

[pure wyvern]

?

wdyj

wdym

oh

[neat meteor]

right now, you search for the specific index

[pure wyvern]

ye

[neat meteor]

but i wanted you to search for the value in the table

[pure wyvern]

ohh

for i, v in pairs(MyTable) do
    print(v)
    if v == 30 then
        print("its the third one")
    end
end```

does this work?

i mean it does

but

[neat meteor]

i want you to search for the third item in the table

[pure wyvern]

yeah thats 30 right? when it gets there I make it print "its 30"

[neat meteor]

you can access tables contents like this:

local myTable = {10, 20, 30, 40}

print(myTable[3])
-- output: 30

[pure wyvern]

kk

[pure wyvern]

for i, v in pairs(MyTable) do
    print(v)
    if v == MyTable[3] then
        print("its 30 now")
    end
end```

17:57:00.954 10 - Server - Script:4
17:57:00.954 20 - Server - Script:4
17:57:00.954 30 - Server - Script:4
17:57:00.954 its 30 now - Server - Script:6
17:57:00.955 40 - Server - Script:4
17:57:00.955 50 - Server - Script:4

or i can do'

for i, v in pairs(MyTable) do
    print(v)
    if v == MyTable[2] then
        print("its 20 now")
    end
end```

[neat meteor]

yh

[pure wyvern]

W

ty

[pure wyvern]

if I have any questions mind if I go to you?

[neat meteor]

i'd prefer not to

sorry

[pure wyvern]

alr

thank you