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for (generic)

for (generic)
The generic for lets you loop under the control of an iterator, eg. `for key, value in pairs (my_table) do print (key, value) end` The keyword in distinguishes the "generic for" from the "numeric for". The "generic for" requires three expressions after the word "in" (which might be supplied by a function call such as pairs or ipairs): An iterator function: "f" A state value: "s" An initial value of the iterator variable: "i" The equivalent of using pairs (my_table) is to do this: `for key, value in next, my_table, nil do print (key, value) end` In this case "next" is the iterator function, my_table is the state value, and nil is the initial value to be passed to the iterator. If you want to leave the loop from inside you can use a break statement. You should not attempt to change the loop control variable (the first value returned). Doing so will lead to undefined results. You don't normally need to be too concerned about the inner details of the "generic for". Often it is used to traverse tables by using the functions pairs or ipairs which return the correct iterators and initial values. For example: `t = { "every", "good", "boy", "deserves", "fruit" } for key, value in pairs (t) do print (key, value) end -- for` Results: `1 every 2 good 3 boy 4 deserves 5 fruit` More specifically what happens in the generic "for" is: The three expressions are evaluated once before the loop starts. The first argument must be a function (the iterator function). The iterator function is called with both the state "s" and the iterator variable "i". The state might be a table we are traversing, and the iterator variable might be how far through that table we are. In effect: `var1, var2, var3 = f (s, i)` The first value returned by the iterator function becomes the iterator variable for the next round. If the first value returned by the iterator function is nil the loop terminates. Otherwise the body of the loop executes and then the process (of calling the iterator function onwards) is repeated. The "next" function is an example of an iterator function. It takes a table and current key, and returns the key/value pair of the next entry. The current key can then be used to get the next one again, and so on. Since the "next" function returns the first key in the table if the "current key" is nil, then we initially start off with nil as the iterator variable. See Also ... Lua keywords/topics assignment break comments data types do for (numeric) function identifiers if / then / else keywords local logical operators precedence relational operators repeat return string literals tables while Topics Lua base functions Lua bc (big number) functions Lua bit manipulation functions Lua coroutine functions Lua debug functions Lua io functions Lua LPEG library Lua math functions Lua os functions Lua package functions Lua PCRE regular expression functions Lua script extensions Lua SQLite (database) interface Lua string functions Lua syntax Lua table functions Lua utilities Scripting Scripting callbacks - plugins (Help topic: lua=for (generic))

The generic for lets you loop under the control of an iterator, eg.

for key, value in pairs (my_table) do
  print (key, value)
end

The keyword in distinguishes the "generic for" from the "numeric for".

The "generic for" requires three expressions after the word "in" (which might be supplied by a function call such as pairs or ipairs):

An iterator function: "f"
A state value: "s"
An initial value of the iterator variable: "i"

The equivalent of using pairs (my_table) is to do this:

for key, value in next, my_table, nil do
  print (key, value)
end

In this case "next" is the iterator function, my_table is the state value, and nil is the initial value to be passed to the iterator.

If you want to leave the loop from inside you can use a break statement.

You should not attempt to change the loop control variable (the first value returned). Doing so will lead to undefined results.

You don't normally need to be too concerned about the inner details of the "generic for". Often it is used to traverse tables by using the functions pairs or ipairs which return the correct iterators and initial values. For example:

t = { "every", "good", "boy", "deserves", "fruit" }

for key, value in pairs (t) do
  print (key, value)
end -- for

Results:

1 every
2 good
3 boy
4 deserves
5 fruit

More specifically what happens in the generic "for" is:

The three expressions are evaluated once before the loop starts. The first argument must be a function (the iterator function).
The iterator function is called with both the state "s" and the iterator variable "i".

The state might be a table we are traversing, and the iterator variable might be how far through that table we are.

In effect:
```
var1, var2, var3 = f (s, i)
```
The first value returned by the iterator function becomes the iterator variable for the next round.
If the first value returned by the iterator function is nil the loop terminates.
Otherwise the body of the loop executes and then the process (of calling the iterator function onwards) is repeated.

The "next" function is an example of an iterator function. It takes a table and current key, and returns the key/value pair of the next entry. The current key can then be used to get the next one again, and so on. Since the "next" function returns the first key in the table if the "current key" is nil, then we initially start off with nil as the iterator variable.

See Also ...

Lua keywords/topics

assignment
break
comments
data types
do
for (numeric)
function
identifiers
if / then / else
keywords
local
logical operators
precedence
relational operators
repeat
return
string literals
tables
while

Topics

Lua base functions
Lua bc (big number) functions
Lua bit manipulation functions
Lua coroutine functions
Lua debug functions
Lua io functions
Lua LPEG library
Lua math functions
Lua os functions
Lua package functions
Lua PCRE regular expression functions
Lua script extensions
Lua SQLite (database) interface
Lua string functions
Lua syntax
Lua table functions
Lua utilities
Scripting
Scripting callbacks - plugins

(Help topic: lua=for (generic))

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