8 replies to this topic

[thenoller]

I'm not a novice user at all, but I felt that this belonged here.
Maybe I haven't written GML in way too long, or maybe this just has no simple solution..
How do I find the nearest instance of the same object as the one checking, but isn't that particular instance?! "distance_to_object(obj)" can't return the particular instance, and "instance_nearest(x,y,obj)" can't exclude "self" cause it operates from a point, not an instance. This is giving me a headache any help is appreciated...!
-Nils.

[Eva unit-01]

Did you try setting it up as a variable?
like
other_object=instance_nearest(x,y,obj)

[MasterOfKings]

/*  instance_nearest_ext()
**  by masterofkings
**
**  General form: instance_nearest_ext(x,y,obj,id);
**
**  Usage: Finds nearest instance of object, excluding self.
**         noone is none are found.
*/
var obj,dis,tDis;
obj=noone;
dis=1000000;
with (argument2) {
    if (id!=argument3) {
        tDis=point_distance(argument0,argument1,x,y);
        if (tDis < dis) {
            dis=tDis;
            obj=id;
        }
    }
}
return obj;

Then call as...

obj=instance_nearest_ext(x,y,obj,id);

Note: Tested. This code works (id must be used for the 4th argument; for some reason self doesn't work).

-MoK

Edited by masterofkings, 20 September 2010 - 08:19 AM.

[thenoller]

/*  instance_nearest_ext()
**  by masterofkings
**
**  General form: instance_nearest_ext(x,y,obj,id);
**
**  Usage: Finds nearest instance of object, excluding self.
**         noone is none are found.
*/
var obj,dis,tDis;
obj=noone;
dis=1000000;
with (argument2) {
    if (id!=argument3) {
        tDis=point_distance(argument0,argument1,x,y);
        if (tDis < dis) {
            dis=tDis;
            obj=id;
        }
    }
}
return obj;

Then call as...

obj=instance_nearest_ext(x,y,obj,id);

Note: Tested. This code works (id must be used for the 4th argument; for some reason self doesn't work).

-MoK

Now very efficient for the thing I was going to do (several uses each step), but I trust that this is the way to do it. Thanks so much

[MasterOfKings]

No, it isn't efficient; but I can't think of any other way to do it.

-MoK

[ND4SPD]

No, it isn't efficient; but I can't think of any other way to do it.

-MoK

Not sure if this is more efficient, but you could use instance_nth_nearest() and get the 2nd instance?
GMLscripts.com :: instance_nth_nearest()

[MasterOfKings]

instance_nth_nearest() would use more memory and be no faster than that of the script I provided. Why? Because, it does exactly the same, but arranges instances based on distance. It still loops through them all.

-MoK

[Nocturne]

Easy... In the event you want...

var xx;
xx=x; //Temp variable to hold the current x-coord...
x-=1000000; //Move the instance 1 million pixels...
inst=instance_nearest(xx,y,object_index); //Check for the nearest instance to where it WAS...
if inst=id show_message("You found yourself!"); //if it finds itself show a message (debug only! can be deleted!)...
x=xx; //Return the object to it´s original position...

There you go. With this you will find the nearest instance to the same object unless either no other objects exists OR the distance between the same objects is greater than 1000000 pixels (un-likely!!!)...

Hope that helps!

[ragarnak]

How do I find the nearest instance of the same object as the one checking, but isn't that particular instance?!

By using the trick "masterofkings" showed you, but without the "with" loop (which I think is not needed) :

x-=10000
inst=instance_nearest(x+10000,y,object_index)
x+=10000

Hope that helps.

[edit]
Shucks ... Much too late, "Mark13673" already posted it.

Edited by ragarnak, 20 September 2010 - 11:00 AM.