Problem with variable types

[TheMcDeth]

I tried combining names in a script as follows

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">
target=&#34;v&#34;+format&#91;&#34;%1&#34;,raah&#9 3;
[/QUOTE]
raah is an integer from 1 ... 10
I then have 10 different objects in a mission named from v1 .. v10

I then checked that the combining of the number and letter is correct in hint dialog

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">hint format&#91;&#34;%1&#34;,target&#93;[/QUOTE]

When I try to use the "target" variable in another command I get an error message about the variable being a string and not object.

So my question is can I change a type of a variable from string to object? Or are there any other possibilities to achieve the same

[Hakon_H]

dont know exactly but u cant try

Quote[/b] ]_targetname = format ["T72"]

[Hakon_H]

forgot then u

[QUOTE]hint format["%1",_targetname]

[tracy_t]

I tried combining names in a script as follows

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">
target=&#34;v&#34;+format&#91;&#34;%1&#34;,raah&#9 3;

raah is an integer from 1 ... 10
I then have 10 different objects in a mission named from v1 .. v10

I then checked that the combining of the number and letter is correct in hint dialog[/QUOTE]

Why concatenate strings that way?

This is better code.
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">
_target = format&#91;&#34;v%1&#34;, raah&#93;
hint _target
[/QUOTE]

And

then use

object _target

to create an object reference. If that doesn&#39;t work, you&#39;re screwed

[TheMcDeth]

Thanks. I have to try it when I get back home in the evening. I thought there must be easier way than what I was trying.

[Sgt_Wilson]

Use the call command to return the value of a variable from a string. I think it works like this:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

_Target=format&#91;&#34;v%1&#34;,raah&#93;

_CurrTarget=Call {_Target}

[/QUOTE]

So if raah equals 1 then _Target="V1". The call command executes a function that returns the value assigned to
the variable V1.

[Suma]

I think what you mean is more like:
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">_Target=format&#91;&#34;v%1&#34;,raah&#9 3;
_CurrTarget=call _Target
[/QUOTE]

_Target is a string and if you enclose it in double quotes, the result of evaluation will be value of _Target (the string), not the object with the name given in _Target.

[tracy_t]

So to summarise:

use

object _varname

to get an object reference

and

call _varname to get the value of a "calculated" named variable at run time.

Might be one for the FAQ, this?

[CrashDome]

Not to beat a dead horse, but this is a single line format I use quite often when needed (using first posts vars):

call format["target = v%1",raah]

EDIT: Must mention that "target" variable MUST be declared prior to this line being executed for it to remain in top scope level --- example again:

target = objNull
.
.
{bunch of code}
.
.
call format["target = v%1",raah]

[TheMcDeth]

Thanks to all who helped me. I reduced the length of one code to about 15 % of the original. When I use the same code in many missions I now have a very easy job of editing the code for each mission.