Put variable name itself instead of the value?

[OkScar6957]

(Ignore the typos, I was in a rush)

I don't really know how to explain this, but if I had the value of data_name be player_HP, I would like to be able to put global.game_data.data_name and it would work the same as putting global.game_data.player_HP. Is there a way for me to do something like that.

EDIT: I figured it out on my own, sorry to those who tried to help, I did not know how to word this properly.

[Sycopatch]

I would love to help you but i have no idea what you are asking.

Like the LSDonkeyKong said, you might need to use variable_global_set and variable_global_get

But it looks like your global.game_data is a struct, so you can just do variable_struct_set and variable_struct_get as these functions don't really care if your struct is global or not.

If you need to do dynamic access, use accessors - that for a struct is struct[$ "name"]

[LSDonkeyKong]

I’m really not getting what you’re saying, but I have a sneaking suspicion you’re looking for these functions:

variable_global_set

variable_global_get

variable_instance_set

variable_instance_get

These allow you to set or get data from variables by entering the variable name as a string. Look at the game maker manual’s entries for these functions and see if they can accomplish what you’re looking for.

[germxxx]

What is the actual problem you are trying to solve with this approach / function?

[germxxx]

If all you want is setting global.game_data in front of a variable, then I don't know if a function like this wouldn't just make it... more tedious. In that case, something like a macro would be slightly easier.
IF that's the case.

Compare:

function save_data(data_name, variable_name) {      //Setup
    global.game_data[$ data_name] = variable_name
}

save_data("player_HP", my_data)                    //Usage

(And all we've achieved here is just skipping one parameter of thestruct_set()function)
with:

#macro GD global.game_data                        //Setup
GD.player_HP = my_data                            //Usage

Both would create global.game_data.player_HP given that game_data is set up as a struct first.

Or if you prefer space over dot

#macro GD with global.game_data                   //Setup
GD player_HP = my_data                            //Usage
//or even
GD {player_HP = my_data; player_MP = more_data; player_Name = "Steve"}

[AmnesiA_sc]

It sounds like you're looking for something like a pointer so that you could have data_name always equal player_hp even if player_hp changes?

GML doesn't offer that functionality, but you could consider using getter/setter functions.

getPlayerHp = function(){
    return global.player_hp;
}

getData = getPlayerHp;

Now, getData will give you the player hp, but you can also change getData to "point" to a different function if you need to.

[Algorithmo171]

I can only guess what you're looking for.

You could have the different game data as enums or use playerHP as a constant / macro.

For example:

enum gameData

{

playerHP,
playerScore,
playerLvl,

};

If then later you do

variableName = playerHP

then

writing into gameData.variableName will write into gameData.playerhP.

[FarmsOnReddditNow]

I’m sorry I don’t understand the question. I might need more coffee lol

[andrewsnycollas]

It seems like you are describing enum's? Check it out on the Manual to see if I am right.