Leveraging an array with a switch() function in JavaScript

Question

Leveraging an array with a switch() function in JavaScript

I am currently working on creating a simplified poker game using JavaScript. I have documented all potential card combinations that a player may have in their hand, organized by their value. Here's an example:

switch(sortedHand)
{           
 //Pair
     case [1,1,4,3,2]: sortedHand.push(1,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,5,3,2]: sortedHand.push(2,"Pair"); break; 
     case [1,1,5,4,2]: sortedHand.push(3,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,5,4,3]: sortedHand.push(4,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,6,3,2]: sortedHand.push(5,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,6,4,2]: sortedHand.push(6,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,6,4,3]: sortedHand.push(7,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,6,5,2]: sortedHand.push(8,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,6,5,3]: sortedHand.push(9,"Pair"); break;
     case [1,1,6,5,4]: sortedHand.push(10,"Pair"); break;

Although the "sortedHand" array is successfully storing values (confirmed through console.log), the switch() statement consistently defaults to the default case, resulting in everyone having a straight flush. It seems like my approach of defining exact array values for comparison with "sortedHand" might be causing this issue, but I'm not sure what the correct approach should be. Is it feasible to utilize switch() in this manner?

javascript arrays switch-statement

Answer 1

Answer №1

One approach is to use a switch statement based on the textual representation of the array.

switch(sortedHand.join(' '))
{           
    //Pair
    case '1 1 4 3 2': sortedHand.push(1,"Pair"); break;
    case '1 1 5 3 2': sortedHand.push(2,"Pair"); break; 
    case '1 1 5 4 2': sortedHand.push(3,"Pair"); break;
    case '1 1 5 4 3': sortedHand.push(4,"Pair"); break;
    // etc.
}

Another option is to create a function dispatch table using an object instead of directly specifying each case in the switch statement.

var dispatch = {};

// Customize the table based on your needs
for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
    (function(i) {
        var hand = ...; // Add custom logic for hands here
        dispatch[hand] = function() { sortedHand.push(i, "Pair"); };
    })(i);
}

// Execute the appropriate function
dispatch[sortedHand.join(' ')]();

Answer 2

One approach is to use a switch statement based on the textual representation of the array.

switch(sortedHand.join(' '))
{           
    //Pair
    case '1 1 4 3 2': sortedHand.push(1,"Pair"); break;
    case '1 1 5 3 2': sortedHand.push(2,"Pair"); break; 
    case '1 1 5 4 2': sortedHand.push(3,"Pair"); break;
    case '1 1 5 4 3': sortedHand.push(4,"Pair"); break;
    // etc.
}

Another option is to create a function dispatch table using an object instead of directly specifying each case in the switch statement.

var dispatch = {};

// Customize the table based on your needs
for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
    (function(i) {
        var hand = ...; // Add custom logic for hands here
        dispatch[hand] = function() { sortedHand.push(i, "Pair"); };
    })(i);
}

// Execute the appropriate function
dispatch[sortedHand.join(' ')]();

Answer 3

Answer №2

It is a common misconception that the switch() statement always returns the default case.

This is due to the fact that the comparison within the switch statement does not check the array contents, but rather the array object itself. Objects are considered equal by their identity, so an object instantiated by a literal will not be equal to anything else.

Can switch() actually be used in this way?

Yes, it is possible to use objects in switch statements, but references would need to be used in the cases for it to work effectively - which is not applicable to your current problem.

In this scenario, my suggestion would be to stringify:

switch(sortedHand.join())
{           
 //Pair
     case "1,1,4,3,2": sortedHand.push(1,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,5,3,2": sortedHand.push(2,"Pair"); break; 
     case "1,1,5,4,2": sortedHand.push(3,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,5,4,3": sortedHand.push(4,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,3,2": sortedHand.push(5,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,4,2": sortedHand.push(6,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,4,3": sortedHand.push(7,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,5,2": sortedHand.push(8,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,5,3": sortedHand.push(9,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,5,4": sortedHand.push(10,"Pair"); break;

However, there may be a more efficient arithmetic solution to detect the patterns you are looking for. This could potentially make your code shorter and faster, though without knowing the exact purpose of this snippet, it's hard to provide specific advice.

Answer 4

It is a common misconception that the switch() statement always returns the default case.

This is due to the fact that the comparison within the switch statement does not check the array contents, but rather the array object itself. Objects are considered equal by their identity, so an object instantiated by a literal will not be equal to anything else.

Can switch() actually be used in this way?

Yes, it is possible to use objects in switch statements, but references would need to be used in the cases for it to work effectively - which is not applicable to your current problem.

In this scenario, my suggestion would be to stringify:

switch(sortedHand.join())
{           
 //Pair
     case "1,1,4,3,2": sortedHand.push(1,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,5,3,2": sortedHand.push(2,"Pair"); break; 
     case "1,1,5,4,2": sortedHand.push(3,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,5,4,3": sortedHand.push(4,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,3,2": sortedHand.push(5,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,4,2": sortedHand.push(6,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,4,3": sortedHand.push(7,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,5,2": sortedHand.push(8,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,5,3": sortedHand.push(9,"Pair"); break;
     case "1,1,6,5,4": sortedHand.push(10,"Pair"); break;

However, there may be a more efficient arithmetic solution to detect the patterns you are looking for. This could potentially make your code shorter and faster, though without knowing the exact purpose of this snippet, it's hard to provide specific advice.

Answer 5

Answer №3

For a more efficient and adaptable approach, consider utilizing objects instead of switch cases:

var options = {
    '1 1 4 3 2': 1,
    '1 1 5 3 2': 2,
    '1 1 5 4 2': 3,
    '1 1 5 4 3': 4
}[sortedHand.join(' ')];

if (options) { 
    sortedHand.push(options, "Pair"); 
}

Objects are particularly effective when there is a direct mapping between input and output values. If your logic involves multiple actions for each case, using switch cases may be necessary. However, for simple one-to-one transformations like X becoming Y, Objects in the form of Look Up Tables work perfectly.

A regular expression could potentially be utilized here as well. I have previously employed them in a connect4 game to identify four in a row. Nevertheless, the aforementioned logical table should offer a comparable or superior solution to what you have described.

Answer 6

For a more efficient and adaptable approach, consider utilizing objects instead of switch cases:

var options = {
    '1 1 4 3 2': 1,
    '1 1 5 3 2': 2,
    '1 1 5 4 2': 3,
    '1 1 5 4 3': 4
}[sortedHand.join(' ')];

if (options) { 
    sortedHand.push(options, "Pair"); 
}

Objects are particularly effective when there is a direct mapping between input and output values. If your logic involves multiple actions for each case, using switch cases may be necessary. However, for simple one-to-one transformations like X becoming Y, Objects in the form of Look Up Tables work perfectly.

A regular expression could potentially be utilized here as well. I have previously employed them in a connect4 game to identify four in a row. Nevertheless, the aforementioned logical table should offer a comparable or superior solution to what you have described.

Answer 7

Answer №4

While the suggestion you provided may not work perfectly, one alternative is to utilize sortedHand.join(',') and compare it with [1,1,1,2,5].join(','). This method will check if the two arrays have the same content and should return true in such a case (Remember to be cautious when dealing with numbers as strings!) However, it's worth noting that this approach might not be ideal for designing your logic. Even a basic card game can yield numerous possible hands. It would be more efficient to leverage the collection management functions offered by underscore.js, as it simplifies the process and promotes better coding practices.

Answer 8

While the suggestion you provided may not work perfectly, one alternative is to utilize sortedHand.join(',') and compare it with [1,1,1,2,5].join(','). This method will check if the two arrays have the same content and should return true in such a case (Remember to be cautious when dealing with numbers as strings!) However, it's worth noting that this approach might not be ideal for designing your logic. Even a basic card game can yield numerous possible hands. It would be more efficient to leverage the collection management functions offered by underscore.js, as it simplifies the process and promotes better coding practices.

Answer 9

Answer №5

Exploring the vast realm of 1274 potential combinations from a standard deck of cards can be overwhelming. Instead of exhaustively listing them in a switch statement, consider utilizing a function to detect any duplicates and identify patterns like pairs, three-of-a-kinds, four-of-a-kinds, and straights. (Note: Suit information may not be necessary for this task.)

For those determined to pursue the switch statement route, keep in mind that strings also work well with switches and can mimic array-like behavior. For instance, "123"[0] will return '1'. To convert between string and integer representations, functions like parseInt can be quite handy.

Answer 10

Exploring the vast realm of 1274 potential combinations from a standard deck of cards can be overwhelming. Instead of exhaustively listing them in a switch statement, consider utilizing a function to detect any duplicates and identify patterns like pairs, three-of-a-kinds, four-of-a-kinds, and straights. (Note: Suit information may not be necessary for this task.)

For those determined to pursue the switch statement route, keep in mind that strings also work well with switches and can mimic array-like behavior. For instance, "123"[0] will return '1'. To convert between string and integer representations, functions like parseInt can be quite handy.

Answer 11

Answer №6

In case this solution hasn't been proposed yet, you can implement a for loop to tally the number of cards with the exact specified value. By creating this function, you will be able to use 'cardCount = count(sortedHand, cardNumber)' whenever needed. Simply iterating through all possible card numbers will reveal the hands.

Considering that a player can only hold combinations like 1 pair, 2 pairs, 3 of a kind, full house (3 of a kind + 1 pair), 4 of a kind, or straights, you can iterate and return an array containing all the matches as arrays/objects indicating the frequency and the card number associated. For example, [{2, 5}, {3, 6}] would represent a full house.

Answer 12

In case this solution hasn't been proposed yet, you can implement a for loop to tally the number of cards with the exact specified value. By creating this function, you will be able to use 'cardCount = count(sortedHand, cardNumber)' whenever needed. Simply iterating through all possible card numbers will reveal the hands.

Considering that a player can only hold combinations like 1 pair, 2 pairs, 3 of a kind, full house (3 of a kind + 1 pair), 4 of a kind, or straights, you can iterate and return an array containing all the matches as arrays/objects indicating the frequency and the card number associated. For example, [{2, 5}, {3, 6}] would represent a full house.

Leveraging an array with a switch() function in JavaScript

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

Answer №4

Answer №5

Answer №6

Similar questions

BS Modal was improperly invoked, leading to an illegal instantiation

Issue with MERN stack: User not being saved in mongoDB despite lack of errors

Vue js for filtering and replacing prohibited words

Start playback of a video with Jquery (HTML5 video tag)

"Enhance Your Searching Experience with Top-Tier AngularJS

Most effective method to change a specific attribute in every element within a nested array of objects

Retrieving two values from a 2-dimensional array but displaying only one

React: Updating useState array by removing the first element triggered by an event or timer

An issue in ASP.net user control not triggering a specific javascript function

What is the best way to transform a database object into a complex JSON structure?

Is there a vanilla JavaScript alternative to using jQuery's document on click event for handling link clicks?

What is the process of declaring state in React components?

Merge the arrays from various objects stored in a MongoDB database

Generate listview items containing anchor tags automatically

The npm package for google-spreadsheet.js is experiencing issues and is not functioning correctly when trying to replicate the GitHub

JavaScript shortening a string while joining it

Is there a way to effortlessly zoom in on a Google map with just one mouse click?

What is the best way to create a JavaScript "input" field that only accepts vowel letters?

conceal a division beneath a YouTube video frame upon clicking

Extracting the value of data from my HTML and displaying it in the console with Javascript

Leveraging an array with a switch() function in JavaScript

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

Answer №4

Answer №5

Answer №6

Similar questions

BS Modal was improperly invoked, leading to an illegal instantiation

Issue with MERN stack: User not being saved in mongoDB despite lack of errors

Vue js for filtering and replacing prohibited words

Start playback of a video with Jquery (HTML5 video tag)

"Enhance Your Searching Experience with Top-Tier AngularJS

Most effective method to change a specific attribute in every element within a nested array of objects

Retrieving two values from a 2-dimensional array but displaying only one

React: Updating useState array by removing the first element triggered by an event or timer

An issue in ASP.net user control not triggering a specific javascript function

What is the best way to transform a database object into a complex JSON structure?

Is there a vanilla JavaScript alternative to using jQuery's document on click event for handling link clicks?

What is the process of declaring state in React components?

Merge the arrays from various objects stored in a MongoDB database

Generate listview items containing anchor tags automatically

The npm package for google-spreadsheet.js is experiencing issues and is not functioning correctly when trying to replicate the GitHub

JavaScript shortening a string while joining it

Is there a way to effortlessly zoom in on a Google map with just one mouse click?

What is the best way to create a JavaScript "input" field that only accepts vowel letters?

conceal a division beneath a YouTube video frame upon clicking

Extracting the value of *data* from my HTML and displaying it in the console with Javascript

Extracting the value of data from my HTML and displaying it in the console with Javascript