Alternative to FloatDict

schotsl

I want to store a high score with a name before, so an example would be "Schotsl 100" where Schotsl is my name and 100 my score. I though the FloatDict would be perfect since I can store one String and value in one set + I can just sort them based of the value which i exactly what i wanted!

Then it turned out I can only use the string once which is my where I run into problems since it means "Schotsl" can only have one high score, Is there another method I could use that would allow me to set create multiple strings with the same name but different high scores and then sort them based of the second value

GoToLoop

• In order to have more than 1 score, 1st you're gonna need to have some container of float type.
• However, a FloatDict don't accept any other value datatype but a single float.
• What isn't clear is what exactly you wanna sort: The values under the same key or among all keys as well?

jeremydouglass

There are many ways to do this.

One is using an ArrayList of custom class objects:

ArrayList<Entry> scoreList;
void setup() {
  scoreList = new ArrayList<Entry>();
  scoreList.add(new Entry("Schotsl", 100));
  for(Entry e : scoreList){
    println(e.name, e.points);
  }
}
class Entry {
   String name;
   float points;
   Entry( String name_, float points_ ){
     name = name_;
     points = points_;
   }
}

Another is to use a Table with TableRows:

Table scoreList;
void setup() {
  scoreList = new Table();  
  scoreList.addColumn("name", Table.STRING);
  scoreList.addColumn("points", Table.FLOAT);

  TableRow newScore = scoreList.addRow();
  newScore.setString("name", "Schotsl");
  newScore.setFloat("points", 100);

  for(TableRow r : scoreList.rows()){
    println(r.getString("name"), r.getFloat("points"));
  }
  saveTable(scoreList, "data/scoreList.csv");
}

The custom class has slightly more concise code for adding and printing data. However the Table approach comes with saveTable already built-in if you want to save and load your scoreList file between sessions.

• https://processing.org/reference/ArrayList.html
• https://processing.org/examples/arraylistclass.html
• https://processing.org/reference/Table.html

schotsl

@GoTo I want to put them in like a top 10 and display them automatically, so it would be perfect to have 10 different object for all of my 10 high scores (which is why I choose FloatDict since I only want one value but 10 different FloatDict 'entries' ) and then each one contains my name and my score (as float like you said) and I want to sort them among all keys

GoToLoop

• I'm still confused about your request. :-??
• Seems like you don't mind having the same name repeated w/ diff score values, right?
• If it is so, just use a FloatList in place of FloatDict container: L-)
  https://Processing.org/reference/FloatList.html

jeremydouglass

@schotsl -- If you also want to sort a high score list, I'd go with Table, which already has Table.sort() built in.

• https://processing.org/reference/Table_sort_.html

Like this:

Table scoreList;
TableRow newScore;

void setup() {
  scoreList = new Table();  
  scoreList.addColumn("name", Table.STRING);
  scoreList.addColumn("points", Table.FLOAT);

  newScore = scoreList.addRow();
  newScore.setString("name", "JD");
  newScore.setFloat("points", 50);

  newScore = scoreList.addRow();
  newScore.setString("name", "Schotsl");
  newScore.setFloat("points", 100);

  newScore = scoreList.addRow();
  newScore.setString("name", "GTL");
  newScore.setFloat("points", 75);

  scoreList.sort("points");

  for(TableRow r : scoreList.rows()){
    println(r.getFloat("points"), r.getString("name"));
  }
  saveTable(scoreList, "data/scoreList.csv");
}

If you want the sort results reversed, you can loop through the scores backwards -- or there are two undocumented ways of reversing the sort itself:

scoreList.sortReverse("points");
scoreList.sort(1, true); // column number, boolean reverse

Results:

100.0  Schotsl
75.0   GTL
50.0   JD

Final suggestion: perhaps use int for your scores, not float....

GoToLoop

I want to put them in like a top 10...

Given the number of scores are fixed at 10, you can even change to a vanilla float[] array: *-:)
float[] topScores = new float[10];

Then use Arrays::sort() method to sort that array: :)>-
http://Docs.Oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/util/Arrays.html#sort-float:A-

Still I wonder why a float datatype for scores. Can't they be just an int datatype instead? :>

koogs

it's a name / value pair though, score AND scorer.

have you never played a video game?

GoToLoop

Oops, I've ended up forgetting you still need to associate a name to each score. How forgetful I am! #-o

In this case, the class solution proposed at 1st by @jeremydouglass is the simplest.

However, it's a good idea to make that class implements Comparable too:
http://Docs.Oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/Comparable.html

Then having a List container to store each object of the ScoreEntry class.

And finally, create a getTop10() helper function which calls Collections::sort() over that List container:
http://Docs.Oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/util/Collections.html#sort-java.util.List-

And collect the 10 1st entries after that, returning everything as 1 String, ready to be println(). \m/

/**
 * Sorted 10 Top Score Entries (v1.0)
 * GoToLoop (2017-Oct-15)
 * Forum.Processing.org/two/discussion/24564/alternative-to-floatdict#Item_8
 */

import java.util.List;
import java.util.Collections;

static final int TOPS = 10, MAX_SCORE = 100;
final List<ScoreEntry> topScores = new ArrayList<ScoreEntry>();

void setup() {
  for (int i = 0; i < TOPS; ++i) {
    topScores.add(new ScoreEntry("John", (int) random(1 + MAX_SCORE)));
    topScores.add(new ScoreEntry("Lisa", (int) random(1 + MAX_SCORE)));
    topScores.add(new ScoreEntry("Dave", (int) random(1 + MAX_SCORE)));
  }

  println(getTop10(topScores));
  exit();
}

static final String getTop10(final List<ScoreEntry> list) {
  final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

  Collections.sort(list);

  for (int i = 0; i < TOPS; 
    sb.append(nf(i+1, 2)).append(". ").append(list.get(i++)).append(ENTER));

  return sb.substring(0, sb.length() - 1);
}

class ScoreEntry implements Comparable<ScoreEntry> {
  final String name; 
  final int score; 

  ScoreEntry(final String entry, final int value) {
    name = entry; 
    score = value;
  }

  @ Override int compareTo(final ScoreEntry entry) {
    return entry.score - score;
  }

  @ Override String toString() {
    return "Player: " + name + "  -  Score: " + score;
  }
}

schotsl

Thanks for all your help guys! Table seems like the simplest solution since it has everything build in :)