Vector keyword

The vector type represents a position or direction in three dimensions. It consists of three float values representing x, y and z which are accessed using the "dot operator". The default value is (0.0, 0.0, 0.0).

Constructor

The constructor for a vector is the Vector function.

Literals

A vector literal consists of one to three float values separated by commas and enclosed in square brackets.

    // valid vector literals
    vector vLiteral1 = [1.0];
    vector vLiteral2 = [1.0, 2.0];
    vector vLiteral3 = [1.0, 2.0, 3.0];
 
    // invalid vector literals
    vector vInvalid1 = [1.0, , 3.0];    // causes "Parsing constant vector" error
    vector vInvalid2 = [1.0, 2, 3.0];   // causes "Parsing constant vector" error
    vector vInvalid3 = 1.0, 2.0, 3.0;   // causes "Parsing variable list" error
    vector vInvalid4 = (1.0, 2.0, 3.0); // causes "Unknown state in compiler" error

Note although there is a literal, a vector cannot be declared as a constant using the const keyword.

Conversion

Explicit

The following functions can be used to convert another data type to a vector:

• StringToVector

The following functions can be used to convert a vector to another data type:

• VectorToString

Implicit

There is no implicit conversion to a vector.

Persistence

There are no native functions providing persistence for a vector, however derived functions can be created using GetLocalFloat and SetLocalFloat to store and retrieve the individual components.

// Gets three floating point variables from the specified object and returns them as a vector.
vector GetLocalVector(object oObject, string sVarName)
{
    float fX = GetLocalFloat(oObject, sVarName + "x");
    float fY = GetLocalFloat(oObject, sVarName + "y");
    float fZ = GetLocalFloat(oObject, sVarName + "z");
 
    return Vector(fX, fY, fZ);
} 
 
// Sets three floating point variables, representing a vector, on the specified object.
void SetLocalVector(object oObject, string sVarName, vector vValue)
{
    SetLocalFloat(oObject, sVarName + "x", vValue.x);
    SetLocalFloat(oObject, sVarName + "y", vValue.y);
    SetLocalFloat(oObject, sVarName + "z", vValue.z);
}

As with all Get|SetLocal* functions the name of the variable must be predefined in the object's variables 2da file. In this instance all three variables (with the appropriate suffix) must be predefined.

Examples

void main()
{
    // uninitialised: value = (0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
    vector vDefault;
 
    // initialised using a literal: value = (1.0, 2.0, 3.0)
    vector vSpecific = [1.0, 2.0, 3.0];
 
    // initialised using the constructor: value = (1.0, 2.0, 3.0)
    vector vConstructed = Vector(1.0, 2.0, 3.0);
 
    // initialised using a function: value = (-1.0, 0.0, 0.0)
    vector vConverted = AngleToVector(90.0);    
}

See Also

Vector functions