Table & List: Ordering Treasure Search Routes

Learning route

Prepare first, then do it; after seeing the result, remember to save it.

Every time a small step is completed, it is tested. Say what you expect to see first, and then use Play and Output to check it. Don't rush to write all the code at once.

Step by step

01·Give accurate names to the three road signs

First use the operations of Lesson 2 to lay out the route, and the code is responsible for determining the order of lighting. The name will be a clue to what the program is looking for, and must be case-sensitive.

Each landmark remains independent. Don't put them into the Model first, otherwise workspace:WaitForChild(name) in this lesson will not find the direct child objects.

1. Create three Anchored Parts and name them Camp, Bridge, and Cave respectively.
2. Size is set to 6, 1, 6, Position is 0, 1, -8; 0, 1, -18; 0, 1, -28 respectively.
3. Create RouteLights in ServerScriptService.

Step by step

02·An array is like a row of boxes lined up

Luau arrays usually start at 1: route[1] is the first item, route[3] is the third item. #route can read the length of this list without holes.

ipairs will give the index and value in sequence according to 1, 2, 3... and stop when encountering the first missing value. Don't dig random holes in the array with route[2] = nil.

1. First run a short experiment and observe index and name.
2. Exchange the first item with the third item and re-predict the output order.

local route = {"Camp", "Bridge", "Cave"}
print("First stop:", route[1])
print("Stop count:", #route)
for index, name in ipairs(route) do
    print(index, name)
end

Step by step

03 · Dictionary allows settings to explain their uses

settings.reward is easier to read than settings[2] because reward already indicates that this number is a reward. Dictionaries are suitable for data with names such as colors, duration, rewards, etc.

The dictionary does not have the route sequence of "first stop, second stop". Don't rely on the order in which pairs are traversed through the dictionary to arrange levels.

1. Add the following settings at the end of the experiment just now and read reward.
2. Change reward to 20 and confirm the output change; this step is just a data experiment and no gold coins have been issued yet.

local settings = {
    reward = 10,
    pauseSeconds = 1,
    activeColor = Color3.fromRGB(90, 220, 150),
}
print("Reward preview:", settings.reward)

Step by step

04·The same action is given to three road signs in sequence

The complete script below separates "who to deal with" and "what to do". route is responsible for object order, and the loop body is responsible for changing colors.

WaitForChild(name) uses a string to find an object. When the name is misspelled, it will wait and may prompt Infinite yield in Output; that is not because the program is slow, but that the object path needs to be checked.

1. Replace RouteLights with full code.
2. After Play, wait for the road signs to light up in sequence, and each road sign only lights up for one second.
3. After Stop, only the route order is changed, the loop body is left unchanged, and the verification route is changed accordingly.

local route = {"Camp", "Bridge", "Cave"}
local settings = {
    pauseSeconds = 1,
    activeColor = Color3.fromRGB(90, 220, 150),
}

for index, name in ipairs(route) do
    local marker = workspace:WaitForChild(name)
    local originalColor = marker.Color
    print("Stop", index, name)
    marker.Color = settings.activeColor
    task.wait(settings.pauseSeconds)
    marker.Color = originalColor
end
print("Route complete")

Step by step

05 · Change data, do not change the structure randomly

Adding a fourth station requires adding scene objects and list items at the same time. If you only add a string, if there is no corresponding Part, the program cannot find it; if you only add a Part, if it is not added to the list, it will not light up.

When the list is arranged continuously, table.insert(route, "Tower") can add an item; table.remove(route, 2) will delete the second item and move the following items forward.

1. Add Anchored's Tower, and then add "Tower" to the end of route.
2. Confirm that Output has four stations 1, 2, 3, and 4.
3. Try to read route [99], which turns out to be nel; don't change nar col.

Exit questions

Answer it yourself first, and then expand on it.

Explore further

This is where we start when we need to check the data.

The text code can be copied directly. First confirm the script type, placement, and whether this code is a complete version or a small experiment; do not run multiple versions of the same script superimposed. The source of the interface reference picture has been marked. The object names in the picture may be different from those in this lesson. Please refer to the operation steps.

• Getting Started with Arrays ↗
• Introduction to Dictionary ↗