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What do people do in a function return(_)?

Asked by

PoePoeCannon 519

6 years ago

I was watching someone code and i saw them do

function get()
    for _,v in pairs(game.Players:GetPlayers()) do
        if v.Name == title.Text then
            return(_)
        end
    end
end

This is for a spectating script and later on they do

local num = get()

and they add +1 to num. I dont understand how that function even returns a number value?

:GetPlayers() returns an array, the first value `_` is the index, and therefore a number theCJarmy7 1293 — 6y

Oh wow, seems pretty obvious now that you say it haha. Thank you. It just made me question it because it had a blue error line under the '_' PoePoeCannon 519 — 6y

To add, using underscore variables is bad practice (thats why studio warns you) so who cares. As long as you understand it's the same as putting "i,v" ; using i. cabbler 1942 — 6y

2 answers

Answered by

TheeDeathCaster 2368

6 years ago

Edited 6 years ago

Note: This answer assumes (kinda) that you have knowledge on for loops, functions, tuples, etc. If not, links/explanations are supplied at the end of the answer.

Return is a function that, well, returns a value (or values) when prompted to. In the case of your script, it returns an index (I like to call it an iteration/iterator, as you'll see later on). The return function can be used for different purposes, such as returning a value in a table:

local exampletable = {'Hello', 'World'}

function GetValue(tbl, val)
    for i, v in next, tbl do
        if v == val then
            return i, v
        end
    end
    return nil, nil --< Returns nothing if there was no match; a "fail-safe"
end

local i, v = GetValue(exampletable, 'World')
print(i, v)--> 2 World

As you'll see (or noticed XP) it'll return what the current iteration in the table was, and what value it was on when it found the match. To note, you don't always need to use return like that; you can even use it for CONFUSING MATH!!! >>:O

function Add(...) --> `...` is a tuple
    local numbahs = {...}
    local num = 0
    for i, v in next, numbahs do
        num = num + v
    end
    return num
end

print(Add(5, 7, 1, 3), 'was the final result') --> 16 was the final result

And as you'll see (again XP) it returned all the numbers added up! :D

I'm tired, so I'm gonna leave here. Bai...

GET BACK HERE! FINISH IT!

Alright. ;-;

There's so many possibilities you can use return for, and there's many advantages to using it! Don't be afraid to use it, or anything else you may discover! You might be surprised in what you might find. :)

NOW, ONTO THE ST00F!!!! >>:OOOOOOOOO

St00f touched on, yet barely explained by this fr00b

Tuples - The ability to use as many arguments in a function as much as you want! :D The catch: You gotta account for each and every one, and (don't quote me on this) put it in a table. qq
Generic Fors - A for loop that returns both the iteration and value in a table. Only catch is that you need to give it a table. (Please don't quote me on that qq)
Return - Returns values given to it.

Tyvm for reading! ^^ I hope this helped!

Answered by

KingLoneCat 2642

6 years ago

Hi PoePoeCannon,

I am just going to say it as it is and tell it you simply. Return(_) is the same as just return, as in it just ends the function right there. The reason they were probably using it was to keep count of something, like increase this number until you hit a certain value. Once you hit the value, just end the function right there, that's how it looks like to me.

Thanks,

Best regards,

~~ KingLoneCat

What do people do in a function return(_)?

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