Can I call a table inside itself in Lua?

Question

So I'm trying this:

buttons = {

{imageNothing = love.graphics.newImage("buildingButtonNotSelected.png"), imageHovering = love.graphics.newImage("buildingButtonHovering.png"), imageSelected = love.graphics.newImage("buildingButton.png"),imgW = buttons[1].imageNothing:getWidth(), imgH = buttons[1].imageNothing:getHeight(), imgX = windowWidth - buttons[1].imgW, imgY = windowHeight - buttons[1].imgH, selected = false, hovering = false}

}

I am currently getting this error: Attempt to index global 'buttons' (a nil value)

Any idea?

Answer 1

You can't.

The table isn't created until the table constructor is evaluated. So buttons isn't defined inside the table constructor.

You can initliaze buttons without using `buttons inside the table constructor, then add those fields later.

buttons = {
  {
    imageNothing = love.graphics.newImage("buildingButtonNotSelected.png"), 
    imageHovering = love.graphics.newImage("buildingButtonHovering.png"), 
    imageSelected = love.graphics.newImage("buildingButton.png"),
    selected = false, 
    hovering = false
  }
}

buttons.imgW = buttons[1].imageNothing:getWidth()
buttons.imgH = buttons[1].imageNothing:getHeight()
buttons.imgX = windowWidth - buttons[1].imgW
buttons.imgY = windowHeight - buttons[1].imgH