MaxScript Arrays, link values to indexs

Tools 3ds Max
1

Hi all,

I have an array, say Array = #(0.2, 0.6, 0.1, 0.8 )
index : 1 2 3 4

I need to sort this array but I need somehow to keep a trace of the index by values so :

#(0.1, 0.2, 0.6, 0.8 )
3 1 2 4

How could I do that ? I am quite of stuck with it :frowning:

Thanks
Bloby

EDIT… found a solution with multidimentional arrays… first sub array = values, second = index, and simply reordering the index after sorting (thanks google on this one)… a bit tricky still for something which appear so “basic”. Missing a simple function in maxscript for returning this :frowning:

2

Multidimensional arrays are not needed if you sort the indices first:

arr = #(0.2, 0.6, 0.1, 0.8)
indices = #{1..arr.count} as array

fn compareByIndex i1 i2 arr: =
	if arr[i1] > arr[i2] then 1
	else if arr[i1] < arr[i2] then -1
	else 0

qSort indices compareByIndex arr:arr
indices --> #(3, 1, 2, 4)
sort arr --> #(0.1, 0.2, 0.6, 0.8)
3

[QUOTE=Swordslayer;24318]Multidimensional arrays are not needed if you sort the indices first:

arr = #(0.2, 0.6, 0.1, 0.8)
indices = #{1..arr.count} as array

fn compareByIndex i1 i2 arr: =
	if arr[i1] > arr[i2] then 1
	else if arr[i1] < arr[i2] then -1
	else 0

qSort indices compareByIndex arr:arr
indices --> #(3, 1, 2, 4)
sort arr --> #(0.1, 0.2, 0.6, 0.8)

[/QUOTE]

Arg thanks, I was really hoping being able to avoid the qsort, I really don’t get it, the help is so unhelpfull for me.
In your exemple I can’t figure out what is the “arr:”
here fn compareByIndex i1 i2 arr: =
and qSort indices compareByIndex arr:arr

It’s simple when I want to rename the first array arr by Test and then change the code accordingly, it stop working, and I really don’t get why. What is this arr ? One is the array the other an argument (?) but what is this argument ? The code seems so much more logical without it (which confuse me even more)

4

Because there are two arrays there and we’re sorting just one, we have to either hardcode the other in the function or pass it to it somehow - look up keyword function arguments in maxscript reference for further info. If you change the name of the variable to Test, the function call will be qSort indices compareByIndex arr:Test (and arr will be a local variable in the compareByIndex function, used in arr[i1] and so on).

5

instead of creating an array of arrays, you could create an array of Datapair values. Datapair() is a kind of KeyValue type and rarely used and known…

http://docs.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/14/ENU/MAXScript%20Help%202012/files/GUID-E035EAA8-BDF4-486F-B19E-9E0FFB9990C-504.htm

Of course that would’nt save you from qsort

You could also fall back to dotNet ( Arraylist and/or Hashtable )

6

Thanks spacefrog,

I had completely forgot about those datapair !!! I can’t try now but when I look in the help : <dataPair>.<value1_name> : Value I see I could name my values (?) So maybe could I use the name to stock my index so they follow well my data when using a simple sorting ? If not why using datapairs instead of multidimentonal array ? It’s faster ?

Thanks
Bloby

7

Already answered.