Lua Iterators Stateful Iterators

Help us to keep this website almost Ad Free! It takes only 10 seconds of your time:
> Step 1: Go view our video on YouTube: EF Core Bulk Extensions
> Step 2: And Like the video. BONUS: You can also share it!

Example

Stateful iterators carry some additional information about the current state of the iterator.

Using Tables

The addition state can be packed into the generic for loop's invariant state.

  local function chars_iter(t, i)
    local i = i + 1
    if i <= t.len then
      return i, t.s:sub(i, i)
    end
  end

  local function chars(s)
    -- the iterators state
    local t = {
      s = s,    -- the subject
      len = #s  -- cached length
    }
    return chars_iter, t, 0
  end

  for i, c in chars 'abcde' do
    print(i, c) --> 1 a, 2 b, 3 c, 4 d, 5 e
  end

Using Closures

Additional state can be wrapped within a function closure. Since the state is fully contained in the scope of the closure the invariant state and control variable are not needed.

  local function chars(s)
    local i, len = 0, #s
    return function() -- iterator function
      i = i + 1
      if i <= len then
        return i, s:sub(i, i)
      end
    end
  end

  for i, c in chars 'abcde' do
    print(i, c) --> 1 a, 2 b, 3 c, 4 d, 5 e
  end

Using Coroutines

Additional state can be contained within a coroutine, again the invariant state and control variable are not needed.

  local function chars(s)
    return coroutine.wrap(function()
      for i = 1, #s do
        coroutine.yield(s:sub(i, i))
      end
    end)
  end

  for c in chars 'abcde' do
    print(c) --> a, b, c, d, e
  end


Got any Lua Question?