Easiest way to cycle thronugh 16 different blocks.

[WolfAmaril]

I want an item that will place one of 16 blocks when used, and I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to cycle through said 16 blocks without 16 different if() statements.

My current idea is a Block[], but I can't seem to get that to work. Any suggestions?

[larsgerrits]

You mean a random one of the 16 blocks? If so, add a Block[] and a Random field in your item, and when ou want to place that block, get the Block using

Block block = blockArray[random.nextInt(blockArray.length)]

.

[WolfAmaril]

Actually I'm just looking to cycle through one of my 16 custom fire blocks using a custom flint and steel. I've got most of the rest of the code figured out, I just can't figure out how to initializes an array of blocks.

[Nephroid]

You'll need some sort of integer variable to store which block you're on. Then do something like this:

 

int i = 0; // Only do this once
block = blockArray[i++];
i %= 16;

 

Alternatively, if you take advantage of the fact that assignment statements return the type that was assigned, you can do something like this:

int i = 0;
block = blockArray[i = (i + 1) % 16];

Do note that the second method may be considered poor style.

[WolfAmaril]

  On 12/17/2014 at 5:37 AM, Nephroid said:

You'll need some sort of integer variable to store which block you're on. Then do something like this:

 

int i = 0; // Only do this once
block = blockArray[i++];
i %= 16;

 

Alternatively, if you take advantage of the fact that assignment statements return the type that was assigned, you can do something like this:

int i = 0;
block = blockArray[i = (i + 1) % 16];

Do note that the second method may be considered poor style.

 

I already had all of this figured out. All I need to know is how to initialize and write to this blockArray because every time I try IntelliJ throws every error known to mankind at me.

[Nephroid]

If you want it to be different from player to player, you may want to attach that integer to every player. This means you need to use extended entity properties. Here's a link: http://jabelarminecraft.blogspot.com/p/minecraft-17x.html

 

Another way of doing it is having a "tool" that places the blocks down for you. You can use the damage value to store which block you want to use, since you only have 16 blocks.

 

Neither of the above options is trivial.

 

There might also be a way of getting what you want using the number of items in the stack (ItemStack.getSize() % 16), although that won't necessarily cycle if the player changes the stack size, but as long as the player keeps placing down blocks, they will cycle. (A useful side-effect of this is that if the player breaks the last block placed, the cycle will automatically go back one step.)

[WolfAmaril]

OK, all of this stuff is really helpful, but nobody has answered my first question, so I'm just gonna put it here, again.

 

 

How do I initialize and write to a block array? Because every time I try the common sense way I get every error known to mankind.

[Nephroid]

It would be helpful if you told us what errors you got. "Every error" doesn't give us any information about your problem, which is why you aren't getting the answers you need.

[WolfAmaril]

I am literally asking for one line of code.

 

for an int array I would write

  Quote

int[] intArray = new int[5];

 

what do I write to get an array that holds 16 blocks?

[Nephroid]

Are you asking how to register blocks? You wouldn't initialize them otherwise.

 

Assuming you've registered the blocks already, you should already have static references to them. You can just make a block array, then assign each element individually:

Block[] blockArray = new Block[16];
blockArray[0] = block0;
// ...

 

Again, with no information about the supposed errors you're getting, it is impossible to help you further.

[WolfAmaril]

OK, so I've been doing it right the whole time.

 

Every time I try to do that, the first line

  Quote

public Block[] blockArray = new Block[16];

works fine, but then when I try to write to it in the next line

  Quote

blockArray[1] = ModBlocks.modblock;

IntelliJ thrown an Unknown Class error at me for both sides of the line.

[Nephroid]

Did you import your classes properly?

(I assume you know how the package structure works in Java, but you should at least know what a "class" is.)

[WolfAmaril]

  On 12/17/2014 at 6:54 AM, Nephroid said:

Did you import your classes properly?

(I assume you know how the package structure works in Java, but you should at least know what a "class" is.)

 

Pretty sure I have, at least I assume so. I'm kind of new to Java, but not that new.

The code is here https://github.com/WolfAmaril/ColoredFlame/blob/master/src/main/java/com/wolfamaril/coloredflame/item/ItemAdaptiveIgnitorHardened.java if you want to double check that I haven't missed something really obvious.

[Nephroid]

My guess is that your project isn't set up properly or got changed. Try reverting to the most recent working version of your code, and see if the problem persists. Comment out lines until the error disappears. Then you'll have a better understanding of what causes the error. From looking at the github repository, the classes that you import don't actually exist. (This probably isn't the problem since your project setup could be using the libraries externally.)

 

As a side note, instead of having multiple if statements when you're checking integer equality, you can use a switch statement instead. It usually looks nicer. (There are also some optimizations that compilers can do with switches, but that's not really relevant.)

[SanAndreaP]

Where do you do

blockArray[1] = ModBlocks.modblock;

?

You said next line... so directly below where you initialize the array? That is wrong. You need to set it inside a constructor/method/initializer.

[larsgerrits]

Or do something like this:

Block[] blockArray = new Block[]{block1,block2,block3,block4,...};

[Draco18s]

  On 12/17/2014 at 1:30 PM, larsgerrits said:

Or do something like this:

Block[] blockArray = new Block[]{block1,block2,block3,block4,...};

 

This will almost certainly fail, because those variables are almost certainly null at the time, and the array won't update when those variables get defined.

[WolfAmaril]

  On 12/17/2014 at 7:56 AM, SanAndreasP said:

Where do you do

blockArray[1] = ModBlocks.modblock;

?

You said next line... so directly below where you initialize the array? That is wrong. You need to set it inside a constructor/method/initializer.

 

For those of you wondering. This was the answer I was looking for. I was trying to set the array values outside the constructor. When I set the array values inside the constructor, it works.