What is the best way to randomize components inside of a table? How would you approach this task

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#1

What is the best way to randomize components inside of a table? How would you approach this task.

Here is an example of what I am trying to do:

local table1 = {}
local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
for i,v in pairs(players) do
      wait()
      NMBofplayers += 1
      table.insert(table1, math.random(1, v.Name)) -- trying to randomize the table.insert, how do I approach this?
end

The table.inset above does not work its just an example of what I’m trying to do.
I’m looking for either a way to randomize the order of the names already inside the table or select a random name to insert into the table within the table.insert().

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#2

I would approach this task with looking at what has already been made.

@sleitnick has made a great module for it within AGF with table shuffle which uses an algorithm for it:

--[[
Shuffle:
			Shuffles (i.e. randomizes) an array. This uses the Fisher-Yates algorithm.
			local tbl = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}
			TableUtil.Shuffle(tbl)
			print(table.concat(tbl, ", "))  -- e.g. > 3, 6, 9, 2, 8, 4, 1, 7, 5
--]]
local function Shuffle(tbl)
	assert(type(tbl) == "table", "First argument must be a table")
	local rng = Random.new()
	for i = #tbl, 2, -1 do
		local j = rng:NextInteger(1, i)
		tbl[i], tbl[j] = tbl[j], tbl[i]
	end
end

There’s also this one

3 Likes
#3

I tried using the table.sort meathod you’ve given me but I get this error:

ServerScriptService.Scripts.Script:6: invalid order function for sorting

Here is the test code:

local table1 = {"me1", "me2", "m33", "me4", "me5"}

while true do
	wait(5)

	table.sort(table1, function() -- new
		return Random.new():NextNumber() -- new
	end)
	print(table.concat(table1, "PlayerName: "))
	for i,v in pairs(table1) do
		table.remove(table1, v)
	end
end
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#4

That is not the method

You forgot the < 0.5 that was in the other post.

#5

table.sort relies on a pure comparison between values thru the algorithm, so returning a random number will not give you the expected results. You should use the Fisher-yates shuffle function instead. It’s a simple algorithm and usually the exact algorithm you will find in any array shuffle function.

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#6

Could you tell me more about this and where I can find this?

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#7

Did not work regardless of if it had the .5 or not

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#8

@dthecoolest posted it in his first response:

local function Shuffle(tbl)
	assert(type(tbl) == "table", "First argument must be a table")
	local rng = Random.new()
	for i = #tbl, 2, -1 do
		local j = rng:NextInteger(1, i)
		tbl[i], tbl[j] = tbl[j], tbl[i]
	end
end

local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
Shuffle(players)
1 Like
#9

Add a random player into the table by doing this:

local table1 = {}
local players = game.Players:GetPlayers()
local randomPlayer = players[math.random(1, #players)]
table.insert(table1, randomPlayer)
#10

If I were to do that It would try to reselect the player again then I’d have two of the same values

1 Like