generate sequential strings in javascript

Question

Im making a javascript game, and I want to generate enemies, but this does not seem to work

var Monster = function(x,y) {
    this.x = x;
    this.y = y;
};

var spawnMonsters = function() {
    for(var i = 0; i < spawn; i++) {
        var name = "Monster";
        name += i;
        name = new Monster(Math.random()*canvas.width-16,0); 
    }     
};

help please? Though I can generate multiple enemies by hard-coding each monster name. such as Monster2=new Monster(Math.random()*canvas.width-16,0); Monster3=...... etc

What does not seem to work? What do you expect your code to do vs what is happening? — Evan Davis
– Evan Davis, Commented Apr 3, 2013 at 15:47

Matteo Tassinari · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-03 15:48:13Z

3

In javascript you cannot use "variable variables" as you could do, for example, in PHP.

You could try this:

var monsters = [];

function spawn(num) {
  for (var i = 0; i < num; ++i) {
    monster.push(new Monster(Math.random() * canvas.width - 16, 0));
  }
}

now monsters will be an array of all the monsters you spawned.

answered Apr 3, 2013 at 15:48

Matteo Tassinari

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3 Comments

drquicksilver Over a year ago

Well you can use variable variables, either by using eval or by poking them into the scope object concerned (e.g. window in a browser). However you shouldn't do that for various reasons, so this approach is a much better one.

Jamie Anacleto Over a year ago

Thanks Matteo! lastly, how can I use that array of monsters to be drawn by this function var drawMonsters=function(){ for (var i=0;i<spawn;i++){ var name = "Monster"; name+=i; ctx.drawImage(monsterImage, name.x, name.y); } };

Matteo Tassinari Over a year ago

In your function, it is not clear from where monsterImage does come.

Hydroid · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-03 15:47:56Z

0

You can genarate Strings like:

function makeid()
{
var text = "";
var possible = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789";

for( var i=0; i < 5; i++ )
    text += possible.charAt(Math.floor(Math.random() * possible.length));

return text;
}

answered Apr 3, 2013 at 15:47

Hydroid

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