(TorqueScript) Set an object field virtually?

#1 I guess I dont understand what you are asking, but here are some functions off the top of my head:

// gets the name of the object
%name = %obj.getName();

// gets the class of the object
%class = %obj.getClassName();

// gets the datablock for an object
%data = %obj.getDataBlock();

// gets some field value from that objects datablock
%someField = %data.someField;

#2

Quote:// gets some field value from that objects datablock
%someField = %data.someField;

I'd like the "%data.someField" part of that code to be chosen virtually/dynamically.

For example:
In some cases 'data' will "point" to an Emitter, in another case, a Particle.
In some cases 'someField' will "point" to the ejectionPeriodMS field, in another case, ejectionOffset.

Put another way, I was hoping to write a function similar to...

function SetFieldValue(%objName, %fieldName, %value)
{
    %objName.%fieldName = %value;
}

An then I use it like so ...

SetFieldValue("CrossbowBoltEmitter", "thetaMax", 10.0);

I hope that makes more sense.

#3 I just discovered the eval() function, and it allows me to do what I need. I still wonder if there's a better way to do this, but it's no biggie.

Strangely enough, eval() is not listed in the script reference section of Ken Finney's book.

#4 That's odd. Anyway, yes, eval works good. You can also do things like

("Obj" @ %var).field

And I think (tho am not 100% sure) that

("Obj" @ %var).(%anotherVar)

works. Naturally, if it doesn't you can fall back to eval very easily.

#5 Thanks. It doesn't look like this works ...

(%obj).(%field) = %val;

But it's nice to know I can at least do this ...

(%obj).fleldName

And eval handles the rest.

#6 Thanks for checking what I said. :)

#7 Robert, do this:
eval( %obj @ "." @ %field @ " = %val ;" );

#8 Thanks. It doesn't look like this works ...

(%obj).(%field) = %val;

But it's nice to know I can at least do this ...

(%obj).fleldName

And eval handles the rest.