Is it possible to check multiple things in 1 'statement' instead of using multiple "or ..."

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1

It’s kinda hard to explain, but im trying to do like, lets say im checking if a variable named test is equal to 1 or 2, is it possible to do this without doing if test == 1 or test == 2

I tried this:

local test = "2"

if test ~= ("1" and "2") then
	print("Its not equal to either.")
	print(test)
else
	print("Its equal to one of them.")
	print(test)
end

but it only worked for 2

1 Like
2

Replace and with or, and try it out.

3

replace and with or so it can print “Its not equal to either.”

4

Just does the opposite now, works for 1 but not 2

5 
local allowedValuesMap = {
	["1"] = true,
	["2"] = true
}

local test: string = "1"

if allowedValuesMap[test] then
	print("Passed the test!")
else
	print("Didn't pass the test.")
end
6

I mean.

if test == 1 then

elseif test == 2 then

end

test = 1
result = (test == 1 or test == 2)

if result then

end

test = 1
result = test == 1 or test == 2 and true

if result then

end

test = 1
whiteList = {true, true}

if whiteList[test] then

end
7

I usually user table.find for bigger lists, you can do something like this:

local test = "2"
if not table.find({"1", "2"}, test) then
	print("Its not equal to either.")
	print(test)
else
	print("Its equal to one of them.")
	print(test)
end

it might not be the most eficient solution but it works

8 
local test = "2"

if test ~= "1" and test ~= "2" then
	print("Its not equal to either.")
	print(test)
else
	print("Its equal to one of them.")
	print(test)
end
9

Just to explain the reason this happens; it is because the way ternary operators work in Lua. Everything that is not false or nil is considered true, so "1" would be truthy.

If you use the and operator, it will check the first value for truthiness and if it is so, it will use the second value.

local value = "1" and "2"
print(value) -- 2

So, when you use ~=, what’s really happening in your clause is:

local value = "1" and "2"

local one = "1" ~= value -- true
local two = "2" ~= value -- false

That’s why you must use (test ~= 1) or (test ~= 2). Both statements will coerce into true or false and then it checks if either are true to pass.

2 Likes