Switch-case problem

[Spudgunner 10]

I'm trying to figure out a way to detect civilian type, such as Worker or WorkWoman regardless of if they are 1,2...5. But it looks like you have to test for each type directly. If there is a way, I couldn't find it.

Instead, I'm using switch-case as below, but it never works.

//_pasRnd : random AI

_civClass = [url="http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/typeOf"]typeof [/url]_pasRnd;

switch (_civClass) do {
         case (("Worker1") || ("Worker2") || ("Worker3") || ("Worker4")): { 
               hint "I am a Worker"; 
         };   
         case (("Citizen1") || ("Citizen2") || ("Citizen3") || ("Citizen4")): { 
               hint "I am a citizen of Chernarus"; 
         };
// etc..
         case (("WorkWoman1") || ("WorkWoman2") || ("WorkWoman3") || ("WorkWoman4") || ("WorkWoman5")): { 
               hint "I am a Working girl"; 
         };
         default {
               hint "ERROR";
         }; 
};

Edited September 20, 2009 by Spudgunner
mistake & make code clear

[Master85 1]

you're looking for isKindOf ;)

[Spudgunner 10]

you're looking for isKindOf ;)

That would work with multiple "if" statements but I can't see how it would work for Switch-case. The return from "isKindof" is Boolean (True or False). Unless I have a blind spot - most likely :)

If only "elseIf" were implemented then I would have gone down that route.

isTypeof does return a string like "WorkWoman3" which should match test condition. How would you use "isKindof" in the switch statement?

Edited September 20, 2009 by Spudgunner

[Master85 1]

don't think that a few cascaded ifs are such bad (ok, lots of parentheses)

but if you need your switch-statement you can do something like

_civClass = typeof _pasRnd;
if (_civClass isKindOf "Worker") then {
   _civClass = "Worker";
};
if ...
switch (...

- it's not beautiful, but it works (I hope so)

[Spudgunner 10]

The problem with if is that there would be many of them. The program would be testing each "if" even when the condition I'm looking for is found in the first "if", and slowing down the script. Since the project I'm working on is a background task, I should aim to keep it code optimised. That's the beauty of elseIf, because once it comes true, all the other elseIf's or else are skipped, similar to switch.

So why is the switch statement not working? Could it be that it doesn't like multiple Or'ed test conditions? The only other reason I can think of is a mismatch between the strings, but I can't see it. Hint _civClass looks the same as the strings I'm testing for. Baffed! :confused_o:

[Master85 1]

with (("Worker1") || ("Worker2") || ("Worker3") || ("Worker4")) you're trying to make an or between strings - if you have scriptErrors enabled you'll get an error-message (or look into your arma.rpt)

if you use nested ifs there shouldn't be a difference to elseif except a few more parentheses

if it should be a backround-task and you've got many different states / conditions perhaps a FSM could do the job.

[Deadfast 43]

Just use the parents of the different classes you are checking for.

For example for Worker1-4 the parent class is Worker.

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA_2:_CfgVehicles#Man_Class_Vehicles:

[Spudgunner 10]

Deadfast

That's what I was originally trying to do, but couldn't find the function to do it. How would I extract the parent?

Master85:

I leave state machines until I know how to code them but I understand the theory. That's my next challenge.

I did try to use a switch for numbers to see if OR's work, but again the script halted.

I'm not sure if nested if would work because if the outer "if" is false, then the inner ones will never process. It look like a row of if's is the only way.

[shuko 59]

Deadfast

That's what I was originally trying to do, but couldn't find the function to do it. How would I extract the parent?

You dont need to "extract" it anyway. Just use iskindof/typeof directly as you would use for "Worker1" etc.