Dynamic scripted nested array keys?

[Keith Clarke]

Hi folks,
Inspired by Jaque’s (working - thank you!) response to my question “Show Tree widget row contents on hover” I’ve isolated the final piece of that puzzle that leaves me baffled.

Specifically, can LiveCode accept a dynamically built key for a nested multi-dimensional array? Copy the button script recipe below to see the problem.

Perhaps the LC array experts here can help explain why Jaque’s hard-wired key definition works but my attempts to replicate this syntax via scripting to support variable depth of arrays  get ignored? Is it my syntax or just the way arrays work in LC…?
on mouseUp pButtonNumber

# Create a nested array

put "Content" into tArray["key1"]["key2"]["key3"]["key4"]


# Replicate the path response from the Tree widget actionInspect function

put "key1,key2,key3,key4" into pPath


# Jaque's 'hard-wired' array key recipe works!

answer tArray[item 1 of pPath][item 2 of pPath][item 3 of pPath][item 4 of pPath] --returns 'Content'


# Replicate Jaque's syntax dynamically

put the number of items in pPath into tKeyCount

put empty into iNum

repeat for each item i in pPath

add 1 to iNum

# Try building the full key string

put "[" & item iNum of pPath & "]"after tKey1


# Try building keys string to 'embed' into the regular array key syntax

put item iNum of pPath after tKey2

if iNum < tKeyCount then put "][" after tKey2


# Try building by each key

if i is not empty then put "[" & item iNum of pPath & "]" after tArray2

end repeat


# Dynamic tKey1 results

answer tKey1 -- returns '["key1"]["key2"]["key3"]["key4"]' ...seems 'correct'

answer tArray & tKey1 -- returns '["key1"]["key2"]["key3"]["key4"]' ...dynamic key definition is not appended to array(?)


# Dynamic tKey2 results

answer tKey2 -- returns '"key1"]["key2"]["key3"]["key4"'

answer tArray[tKey2] -- returns null ...dynamic key definition is not understood (as first level key)?


answer tArray2 -- returns '["key1"]["key2"]["key3"]["key4"]' ...dynamic key definition is not appended to array(?)

end mouseUp


Best,
Keith