Module Script does not recognize entries

[iamjonroncinabon]

Good morning! ,

I am currently working on a module script that will pick a random entry and output stored values:

local HOLDERTABLE = 
 {
["TEST"] = {
	["subHolder_1"] = "HOLDER",
	["subHolder_2"] = "HOLDER"
	},
	
["TEST_2"] = {
		["subHolder_1"] = "HOLDER",
		["subHolder_2"] = "HOLDER"
	},
}


return HOLDERTABLE

However, when I use
print(#HOLDERTABLE), the returned value is 0. I was wondering why the HOLDERTABLE does not consider the two holder values as members of the HOLDERTABLE, and what could be done to work around this issue.

Thank you.

[HugeCoolboy2007 (omega)]

The length operator only works for arrays, not dictionaries. If you want to see the length of a dictionary you have to do something like this:

local function GetLengthOfDictionary(t)
    local keys = {}

    for key in t do
       -- insert the index into the keys table
       table.insert(keys, key)
    end

    return #keys -- return the length of the keys array
end

[bluebxrrybot (blueberry)]

You can’t get the length of a dictionary. But if you really want to, you can use metatables to give the dictionary that ability:

local data = {
    Coins = 1000,
    Gems = 20,
    Rebirths = 0,
}

print(#data) --> 0

setmetatable(data, {
    __len = function(self)
        local count = 0
        for _, _ in pairs(self) do
            count = count + 1
        end
        return count
    end
})

print(#data) --> 3

You can also just make a function to get the length:

local function getlength(data)
    local count = 0
    for _, _ in pairs(data) do
        count = count + 1
    end
    return count
end

[iamjonroncinabon]

The metatable function works like a charm, thank you.

[iamjonroncinabon]

The length operator only working on arrays was a huge oversight on my part