Is there a way to make a Variable hold a table, AND a value?

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#1

So basically, I want to make something like:

local Table = {1,2,3}

so if u do Table[1], it will be the first value, but if you just print(Table). It has its own value?

kinda like:

local Table = {"Item1", "Item2", "Item3"}
print(Table[1]) -- Item1
print(Table) -- "A string value"
#2

That doesn’t make any sense, a table is a value, doing that is the same thing as having a variable equal a string and a number. How will the program know when Table should represent the table and when it should represent the string value?

#3

So let’s get this straight, you want to make print() print something else other it’s type and hexadecimal memory address when printing a table, is that correct?

#4

Yes but it would be very useful to me.

like Table = {something}, but if you don’t index the table, it returns another value

#5

Yes, that is correct, when the table is indexed, it will print the indexed value, but without using the index, I want it to print another possible value

#6

You need to use a metatable and __tostring metamethod to do that.

#7

What if you don’t want to index something in a table but want to get the table itself, it would just keep sending you the string. For example, if you want to have a table store other tables in it, and you wanted to get those tables directly to store it, you wouldn’t be able to.

#8

Can you provide me an example? I don’t know which metatables to use

#9

I think he wants it that the variable returns the string instead of the table whenever he uses it, not just when he prints it

#10

Yes thats the point, I don’t need it to send me the hex value of the table

#11

I wasn’t trying to elaborate on your point, I was trying to show how I don’t think your idea would be plausible.

#12

No I want it like:

local Table = game.Workspace
local Table = {"i"}
print(Table[1]) -- "i"
print(Table) -- Workspace
#13

Do you only want it to work like this when you print the variable or also in other cases?

#14

Then you need to do something like this:

local MetaTable = {
	__tostring = function()
		return "A string"
	end
}
local TestTable = setmetatable({},MetaTable)
print(TestTable)
--Output
-->A string
2 Likes
#15

Thanks, would it work if it returns and instance instead of a string?

#16

Ah alright I think I see how this would work, sorry for misunderstanding what you meant.

1 Like
#17

It should has to return a string, you have to turn the value in to a string with tostring() function if it’s not a string.

1 Like