Table binding (passing tables as reference)

Questions
#1

Hi me and my drawings.

explanation
explanation.png842×595 5.71 KB

I have a table with data, I pass this table to a module, and send a message to other object, script B, then this script B look the data in the module, and take it into another variable inside him.

I noticed that if I change something from this table, in script B , the table is bind to the original table, and the changes are affected in script A.

but, what happen, if I change the variable in the module and set it to nil? (after the script comunication, both scripts already have the table) or, if I modify the table in script A, will it change in script B?

Then I can pass the reference at the start of the objects, and have no more comunication for passing data??

Can anyone explain me this? thanks

#2

Tables are passed as reference. Therefore changing the table anywhere will result in modified table everywhere.
If you want to change the table without affecting the original one - you have to explicitly deepcopy it.
Setting a variable to nil does not destroy the table, it destroys the reference to it.

#3

but, if I do

test[2]=nil

then in script B, the table in index 2 will be nil , correct?

Fledgling dev flailing their way through a magical girl apocalypse
#4

If I understood you correctly - yes. Modifying the table affects every script.

#5

interesting, thanks

#6

I did some test, if you send a table to a module, and another script take that table, works as reference, but if you send.a table with the message passing system, it works as a value

#7

Yes, the table is serialised when sent as a message.

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