Code archives/Algorithms/Object and Handle with Entities

Another option is to use a Array of Types. Ideal for managing types with a specified collection amount and provides faster access than using Object/Handle.

; Example on how to use array of types
; to look up types with a extremly low lookup time.
; By Rob Cummings and Frankie Taylor

Graphics3D 640,480,0,2

Type info
	Field name$,a,b,c,ball,stuff,mass#,physics,etc
End Type
Dim infoHandle.info(100) ;<-- arrays of types

; Part I create a ball and some related information.
now=MilliSecs()
a.info=New info
a\name$="bowling ball"
a\mass#=0.9
a\ball=CreateSphere()
NameEntity a\ball,Handle(a) ; the type handle held within the entity name.


;now all you do is grab the entity using any of Blitz's own commands.
;This could be LinePicks, Collisions And so forth.


;uncomment for a proper example within a collision framework
;ent = EntityCollided(bat,collisiontype_ball)
ent=a\ball ; test

If ent
	a.info = Object.info(EntityName(ent)) ; quickly retrieve source type
	Print a\name$
	Print a\mass#
EndIf
Print "time:"+Str(MilliSecs()-now)





;Part II using a Array of Types
now=MilliSecs()
b.info=New info
b\name$="bowling ball2"
b\mass#=0.9
b\ball=CreateSphere()
infoHandle(2)=b ;we store our second type in the second array element 

;now all you do is grab the entity accessing the array element.
;This could be LinePicks, Collisions And so forth.

;uncomment for a proper example within a collision framework
;ent = EntityCollided(bat,collisiontype_ball)
ent=b\ball ; test

If ent
	b.info = infoHandle.info(2) ; quickly retrieve source type
	Print b\name$
	Print b\mass#
EndIf
Print "time:"+Str(MilliSecs()-now)

WaitKey()

I prefer the 1st solution! Great!