I would like to convert a string into an array (a small map in a game with coordinates, colors, etc.), the string represents a nested array, and I am not sure how to do it. I would like to open an array after the first { , then open an array after each { , and read the key/value until the } :
function stringToArray()
local Array = {}
local txt = "{ {Group = 123, Pos = 200}, {Group = 124, Pos = 205} }"
for str in string.gmatch(txt, .....
end
since the string is actually valid lua syntax you can simply execute it using load()
for example
local txt = "{ {Group = 123, Pos = 200}, {Group = 124, Pos = 205} }"
local Array = load("return " .. txt)()
print(Array[1].Group) --prints 123
Note: for lua version 5.1 or lower it is the function loadstring()
loadstring instead? depending on which lua version it is called like that
Without such functions that are possibly sandboxed like load() for example
you have to parse the string and construct (key/value pairs) what you want.
A good idea for further decisions/conditions and analyzing could be
to count what is not needed to construct...
local txt = "{ {Group = 123, Pos = 200}, {Group = 124, Pos = 205} }"
local _, lcurlies = txt:gsub('%{','')
local _, rcurlies = txt:gsub('%}','')
local _, commas = txt:gsub(',','')
local _, spaces = txt:gsub('%s','')
local _, equals = txt:gsub('=','')
print(lcurlies,rcurlies,commas,spaces,equals)
-- Puts out: 3 3 3 13 4
