Tables

A table groups values together. Create one with {}.

Lists

local labels = { "FPS", "Position", "Biome" }

lh.drawln(labels[1]) -- Output: FPS
lh.drawln(labels[3]) -- Output: Biome

labels[2] = "Coordinates"

List indices start at 1, not 0. Reading a missing entry gives nil.

Use ipairs() to visit a list in order, as shown in Loops.

Named fields

Tables can also hold values under named keys:

local settings = {
    title = "My HUD",
    scale = 2,
    visible = true,
}

lh.drawln(settings.title) -- Output: My HUD
settings.scale = 3

settings.title is short for settings["title"]. Use brackets when the key is stored in a variable:

local settings = { title = "My HUD" }
local key = "title"
lh.drawln(settings[key]) -- Output: My HUD

settings.key would look for a field literally named key instead.

Set a field to nil to remove it. false keeps the field with a false value.

List length and gaps

#list gives the length of a list with consecutive indices from 1:

local labels = { "FPS", "Position" }
table.insert(labels, "Biome") -- Append an entry.
lh.drawln(#labels) -- Output: 3

table.remove(labels, 2) -- Remove Position and shift later entries down.
lh.drawln(labels[2]) -- Output: Biome

Caution

Assigning labels[2] = nil does not shift later entries. If that leaves a gap, #labels is not a reliable entry count and ipairs() stops at the gap. Use table.remove() to remove an entry from a list.

# does not count named fields. Use pairs() if you need to visit those.

Nested tables

A table can contain other tables:

local hud = {
    position = { x = 10, y = 20 },
    labels = { "FPS", "Biome" },
}

lh.drawln(hud.position.x) -- Output: 10
lh.drawln(hud.labels[1]) -- Output: FPS

Sharing a table

Assigning a table to another variable does not copy its contents. Both variables refer to the same table:

local settings = { scale = 1 }
local other = settings
other.scale = 2

lh.drawln(settings.scale) -- Output: 2
lh.drawln(settings == other) -- Output: true
lh.drawln(settings == { scale = 2 }) -- Output: false

Two separately created tables are different even when their contents match.