A Processing equivalent to php's dynamic variable access?

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Sparkling..

A Processing equivalent to php's dynamic variable access?

in General Discussion • Other • 10 months ago

Hello,

I have created a sketch based on this one: http://processing.org/learning/topics/bouncybubbles.html

In my sketch there is no gravity, and the bubbles just bounce against each other. I gave them properties such as color, size, and type. The bubbles affect each other on either collision or when they get close to one another. A "suckR" type bubble will "suck" the red (hence "suckR") of the bubbles within a certain distance. I created several types like this, affecting color or size. It's very beautiful to look at but it's not the point :)

So, I have only one class with a "type" variable that defines which method will be used when the bubble approaches another one. The idea being to give randomness a bigger part in the process, I would like to create one class per type instead of one class with "switchable" methods. I would like to define in each class which variables can be affected by other bubbles, and that's what I don't know how to do. I want to be able to create new classes without having to update each previously created class to tell them which variables from the new class can be affected. If I'm not mistaken, Processing doesn't allow to access variables dynamically so I can't just name the variables in an array. I'm sure it's not such a complicated thing for experienced coders but I'm a self-taught stupid amateur and feel stuck! Please help, I need a hint!

I hope I made myself clear enough, English not being my mother tongue, thanks in advance for any help!

Replies(1)

PhiLho

Re: A Processing equivalent to php's dynamic variable access?

10 months ago

The usual answer to this problem is to use inheritance, ie. use an OOP approach.
You can define a base class for all your bubbles. It can be abstract, if you feel this kind of bubble is too basic and should not be instantiated.
Then, each particular class extends this base class.
You are thus free to add any class variable (field) needed for this particular kind of bubble.
And you can add also class functions (methods).
But the important part is that you can override a method defining the behavior of the bubble.

Thus, you can have one class per kind of bubble, each with the same base variables inherited from the base class, and each with its own, specific variables. No need for dynamic creation, as you see.

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