I have an array of strings and I want to randomly choose each item which I have done below. However, what I'm having trouble with is once a random item has been selected, what are the ways I can delete the item once it has been selected?

For instance when I click on the app the letter "C" comes up and when I click again it randomly goes through each item. How do I once I click the second time get rid of item "C" so that it doesn't appear in my array after it has been viewed?

code below...

Code:

int lotteryLength = 37;

String[] lottery = {
  "A", "B", "C", "D", "E",
  "F", "G", "H", "I", "J",
  "J", "K", "L", "M", "N",
  "O", "P", "Q", "R", "S",
  "T", "U", "V", "W", "X",
  "Y", "Z",
  "1", "2", "3", "4", "5",
  "6", "7", "8", "9", "10",
};

PFont gotham;
int pointer = 0;
int rand;
boolean switcher = false;

void setup() {
  size(200,200);
  smooth();
  gotham = loadFont("gotham.vlw");
  textFont(gotham, 100);
}

void draw() {
  background(103);
  noStroke();
  fill(0);
  textAlign(CENTER);

  if(switcher) {
    pointer = rand;
    text(lottery[pointer], width/2,height/2 + 36);
  }
  else {
    text(lottery[pointer], width/2, height/2 + 36);
    pointer = int(random(0, lotteryLength));
  }
}

void mousePressed() {
  rand = int(random(0, lotteryLength));

  if(switcher) {
    switcher = false;
    
    //DELETE THIS TO NOT MAKE 
    //ITEMS IN ARRAY LOST
    
    if(lotteryLength >= 0) {
      lotteryLength--;
    }
    
    //END COMMENTARY
    
    
  }
  else {
    switcher = true;
  }
}
 

thanks, I sort of got it working with that, but found that this was much more succinct.

Code:

import processing.opengl.*;

int lotteryLength = 37;

String[] lottery = {
  "A", "B", "C", "D", "E",
  "F", "G", "H", "I", "J",
  "J", "K", "L", "M", "N",
  "O", "P", "Q", "R", "S",
  "T", "U", "V", "W", "X",
  "Y", "Z",
  "1", "2", "3", "4", "5",
  "6", "7", "8", "9", "10",
};

PFont gotham;
int pointer = 0;
int rand;
boolean switcher = false;

void setup() {
  size(200,200, OPENGL);
  smooth();
  gotham = loadFont("gotham.vlw");
  textFont(gotham, 100);
}

void draw() {
  //background(103);
  noStroke();

  textAlign(CENTER);
}

void mouseReleased() {
  do { 
    rand = int(random(0, lotteryLength));
  } 
  while(lottery[rand] == "");
  println(lottery[rand]);
  fill(103);
  rect(0,0,width,height);
  fill(0);
  text(lottery[rand], width/2,height/2 + 36);
  lottery[rand] = "";
}
 

wow, that is wild. That makes a lot of sense, however, I'm still having some issues with null, because I get a null pointer exception when the array hits null I can never get through the entire array randomly.

I assume that I would have to reverse my logic and create a hierarchy that would be something along the lines of...?

Code:

if(lottery[rand].equals("any_real_string")) {
  //do nothing
}
else {
  //randomize_the_leftover_items_in_the_array
}

 

Yes, you can just use them. (You can use any Java 1.4 classes in Processing)