For loops: when to use 0 and subtract 1

[Col.KanKrusha]

Very basic question. I see a lot of Lua script fragments on the forum have for loops with 0 to x-1 ranges. Is there a rule on when to use the and when to use 1 to x

My guess would be 0 to x-1 for any table generated with a CA supplied function (ie from C+) and 1 to x if i make my own table in lua or any tables defined by CA in lua rather than C+

I am just starting modding Rome 2. I have done some basic fiddling of values with Lua in another game (Dawn of war 2) but I am self-taught and not a programmer so please forgive basic questions

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

If you have made the loop's "rule" that it will stop "looping" then the counter reach Zero, it will quit the loop and return the "return Value"

Think of it as a rule, the system is ordered to stop then it reach zero, and will then continue with the rest of the program, but not that loop because it is done with it.

this is java:

while (x > 0)
{
x - 1;
System.out.println ("player " + x + "'left");
}
System.out.println ("done");

havne't tested the code, but hope it crates a better understanding of it all.

[Col.KanKrusha]

Thanks, I try and avoid while loops because of the risk of an infinite loop and my brain doesn't like them.

I was more thinking of a for, do loop through a table or vector. I think in C+ the first variable in a table has the key zero whereas in Lua the first variable has the key 1. Maybe i have raised a non-issue

Cheers
KK

[ajaccio131]

Most time, using 0 to x-1 is convenient, the number of elements in array usually begin with 0 not 1, e.g when you use "military_force_list:item_at(i)" to do a series of operations, "military_force_list:item_at(1)" is not the first

one to be handled.