Best way to add data to the first row of a table

tatiang

I know this is a simple question but that's what the forums are for, right?

Now that I'm using tables extensively for a game I'm building, I'm finding some quirks with the first row data that's causing problems. If I have a blank table and I want to add data to the table by adding a row at the end each time, I have to do:

When TableRowCount(TableName)=1 and TableCellValue(TableName,1,1)=”” change table value for row 1; Otherwise, add row to table at end and change table value at end row.

Without the RowCount rule, if I just add a row at the end of a "blank" table, it adds it at row 2, not row 1, and I end up having a table with a blank row at the top which causes all sorts of problems for counting rows, etc.

Is this just a fact of life or am I missing something? I really wish that tables could have zero rows.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

As promised. http://fryingbacon.com/temp/tdemo.zip

IsabelleK

I don't get it - do you want to add data to the first row of the table, or to add a row with data at the end?

tatiang

Both. I want to always add data at the end of a table (in a new row) but if the table is blank, I want to add data to the first row. As it stands, if I create a new table and then add a row to the end of the table, it gets added to Row 2.

Here's an illustration:

*BEFORE*
Table
Row 1:

Add row to end of table
Change row 1, col 1 to "hello"

*AFTER*
Table
Row 1:
Row 2: "hello"

What I want is for my table to start out blank and after adding a row, to have ONE row.

*AFTER*
Table
Row 1: "hello"

Maybe it's a pipe dream.

IsabelleK

I have something similar in one of my games:
First, I have Constrain behavior: game.TableRows to tableRowCount(game.Rotation).
And a rule (after some actions):
If (here are some attributes, but unimportant for this message):
Change attribute: self.RowAdded to true
Add row: Table: Rotation; Action: Add Row, At The End.
Timer, after 0.1 seconds. Change attribute self.MyRow to game.TableRows

And then I have some other unimportant rules, and then:

Rule, if self.RowAdded is true
Timer, every 0.0001 seconds. Change Table Value: Table: Rotation; Row: self.MyRow; Value: self.Rotation.

That's all

tatiang

@TheMoonwalls I don't see how that addresses the issue of the first row being blank. In your example, I believe you'll still have a blank first row and then a second row (that was added to the end) with self.Rotation stored there.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

I think I know how to do this. Just have to test my idea. Post results in a few. Are all your tables text attributes?

tatiang

@TheMoonwalls, don't get me wrong... I appreciate the suggestion!

@FryingBaconStudio... mostly text: about 5 integer columns out of 500 columns.

RThurman

@tatiang -- is there a reason why you couldn't delete the first row of the "blank" table immediately upon game startup? It doesn't seem to hurt anything to have a table with 0 rows and 1 column.

tatiang

I think I ran into problems trying to add a row to a table with 0 rows and then change the data in that (first) row, but I'll check again. That was my preferred solution.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

Got tied up yesterday. I'll throw together the code this morning with my idea. How many tables are you using?

tatiang

Thanks, @FryingBackStudios. I ended up using the same strategy in the game I'm building. Instead of deleting the first row, I just change it if it's empty.