Ok, so I got bored today and was thinking what else I could add to a script that I have been working on that displays a random lyric. What I want to do, is make it so that the random number that is generated is not repeated within a certain amount of number generations. So for example, the numer 7 is generated, and then that number cant be used again until 10 different numbers have been used. Something like that.

What I am looking for are ideas to do that.. I looked online, and all I could find was ways to prevent using the same number twice in a row.. But I am looking for a way to prevent the same lyric being used until, lets say 10, different lyrics have been used. I dont like using the same lyric every other or every 4 times or something, and that has happened.

Anyways, does anyone have any ideas how to go about doing this? I was thinking of storing the random number into an array and then comparing the new random number against the array to make sure they are different.. but I couldnt find any way to make that work. Any new ideas or help would be great, thanks

Hmm, there are probably better ways to do this, but you could possibly do this using a multidimensional array...

I'm not sure how to explain but in my head it makes sense. Basically create an array for all the used lyrics, in which each item is also an array containing the 1) lyric number and 2) number of times a lyric has been generated since that one.

So say you generate lyric number 8, the used lyrics array would contain [8,0]

Then every time you generate another lyric, add it to the usedlyrics array and increment the second array item for all the previously generated ones until they are 10, at which point you can remove the item from the usedlyrics array.

Thus if you generate another lyric (say, number 3), your usedlyrics array would contain [8,1],[3,0].

Then another lyric (say number 9): [8,2],[3,1],[0,9] etc.

Obviously you have to make sure the lyric generated is not already in the usedlyrics array before adding it though =p

Sorry if I'm not making myself clear,  I'm tired and not feeling great but it sounded good in my head

the easiest thing to do would be an array and a function like:

function a{
int i is random;
for(int j=0,j<array.length;j++){
  if(i==array[j]){
    return a();
  }
}
array[count]=i;
count++;
count=count%9;
return i;
}

something like that...

Create this at the top of your script:

code:

---

var Array = new Array();

---

code:

---

var random = Math.floor(Math.random()*10 /* 10 lyrics.. */);
for(i=0;i<Array.length;i++){

if(Array[random] != i){
Array[random] = i;
return;
}

}

---

I think foaly's is the simplest working code.

Although I think instead of:
count=count%9
You should replace it with:
count= (count==9 ? 0:count);

Because you don't want to have unnecessarily large integers being stored in memory.
EDIT: actually ignore this, foaly's does exactly the same My mistake.

why use count at all when j will give you the same result?
your code should just be this:

code:

---

var lyricsArray = new Array("Come fly with me, lets fly, lets fly away","Can't buy me love","Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away");
var selectedArray = new Array();

function chooseRandomLyric(){
    var i = Math.round(Math.random()*(lyricsArray.length-1));
    var j;
    Inner:
    for(j=0;j<selectedArray.length;j++){
        if(i==selectedArray[j]){
            i=Math.round(Math.random()*lyricsArray.length);
            continue Inner;
        }
    }
    if(selectedArray.length === 10){
        selectedArray.pop;
    }
    selectedArray.concat(i,selectedArray);
    return i;
}

---

markee, that code isn't very elegant and could be more optimised, but it also doesn't solve the initial problem =/

quote:

---

Originally posted by markee
why use count at all when j will give you the same result?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
But I am looking for a way to prevent the same lyric being used until, lets say 10, different lyrics have been used. ...
So for example, the numer 7 is generated, and then that number cant be used again until 10 different numbers have been used. Something like that.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Volv
'count' provides a means of allowing the lyric to be re-used after 10 different lyrics have been used as was requested:

    quoteriginally posted by stu
    But I am looking for a way to prevent the same lyric being used until, lets say 10, different lyrics have been used. I dont like using the same lyric every other or every 4 times or something, and that has happened.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by markee
   

code:

---

var lyricsArray = new Array("Come fly with me, lets fly, lets fly away","Can't buy me love","Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away");
    var selectedArray = new Array();

    function chooseRandomLyric(){
    var i = Math.round(Math.random()*(lyricsArray.length-1));
    var j;
    Inner:
    for(j=0;j<selectedArray.length;j++){
    if(i==selectedArray[j]){
    i=Math.round(Math.random()*lyricsArray.length);
    continue Inner;
    }
    }
    if(selectedArray.length === 10){
    selectedArray.pop;
    }
    selectedArray.concat(i,selectedArray);
    return i;
    }

---

---

Wow, thanks for the responses guys, didnt expect so many.. I'll give your suggestions all a try today and see what I come up with. A lot of it, I dont even understand though, like markee's code, lol. But I will give it a try anyways.

foaly, in your code, what does "count=count%9;" that line mean? Never seen that before..

Also, Im going to attach a copy of my script on here as it is right now if you want to take a look at it to better understand what I am doing. I took out the lyrics to cut down on filesize, but if anyone is interested in seeing them as well, just let me know.

Probably later on tonight I'll get back to you about what my results were, thanks again for the suggestions

Edit: Replaced file with current working version, with this implemented in it, and all lyrics I currently have for anyone who is interested.

another suggestion:

instead of putting the lyrics on the script (big filesize)
you can put it on a webserver then call a 'httpwebrequest' object?

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
foaly, in your code, what does "count=count%9;" that line mean? Never seen that before..

---

What is being requested can be done in essentially just 3 steps/lines of code!!

(if you don't count in 1 line for generating the initial random number and 1 line to return the new lyric, which each method would have...)

And if it wasn't for the 'undefined' problem, it would be just 2 steps/lines of code!!!!



----------------------------------------------------------------------

quote:

---

Originally posted by Volv
I think foaly's is the simplest working code.

---

code:

---

var arrLyrics = new Array();
var arrPrevious = new Array();
var nUniqueness = 10; // positive number, should always be lower than the total number of possible lyric lines!

function GetAllLyrics() {
        // normally you read in all the possible lyrics from a file here
        return Array("A","B","C","D","E","F","G","H","I","J","K","L","M","N","O","P","Q","R","S","T","U","V","W","X","Y","Z")
}

function GetRandomLyric() {
        // get a random lyric line from the 'possible lyrics' array
        var rndLyric = Math.floor(Math.random() * arrLyrics.length);
        // step 1: add new line to 'used lyrics' array and remove it from the 'possible lyrics' array
        arrPrevious[nUniqueness-1] = arrLyrics.splice(rndLyric, 1);
        // step 2: add last lyric line from the 'used lyrics' array back to the 'possible lyrics' array
        if (arrPrevious[0] !== undefined) arrLyrics.push(arrPrevious[0]);
        // step 3: remove last lyric line from the 'used lyrics' array
        arrPrevious.shift();
        // you're done: return the new lyric line
        return arrPrevious[nUniqueness-2]
}

// EXAMPLE START (get 20 lyrics)
        arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();
        for (var i=0; i<20; i++) {
                Debug.Trace('New lyric: ' + GetRandomLyric());
        }
// EXAMPLE END

---

Ok, so like CookieRevised said, the suggestions made did not work.. so I guess its not just me not being able to get them to work, lol. Cookie, I will give yours a try now, it looks like I will need to make a few adjustments to it to make it work with my script though, so I'll let you know how that turns out, thanks

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
Cookie, I will give yours a try now, it looks like I will need to make a few adjustments to it to make it work with my script though

---

code:

---

function FileToArray(sFileName) {
        var arrTemp = new Array();
        var oFSO = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
        if (oFSO.FileExists(sFileName)) {
                var oFile = oFSO.OpenTextFile(sFileName, 1);       
                while(!oFile.AtEndOfStream) {
                        var sLine = oFile.ReadLine().replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g,'');
                        if (sLine !== '') arrTemp.push(sLine);
                }
                oFile.Close();
        }
        return arrTemp;
}

---

my array is called Text, so i renamed your code appropriately, as well as your random number variable, to Number, as it is in my code (I attached my code in one of my previous posts, if you havent seen it).  So right now other then that, its just copied straight in, and it doesnt seem to be working, or returning any lyric for that matter, just undefined. Going to further look into it now..

Seeing your code you need to do more than that...

What you've been requesting in this thread is for an array which doesn't change.

Your code shows that you also change the array completely (the which variable and use).

But in doing so, you actually make it yourself very hard...

The use of the random variable which is wrong. You check upon it inside the personalMessage() function each time you want to change the PSM. Way easier and way more efficient is that you check on it outside of the personalMessage().

And according to what which is, you create your arrLyrics[] array.

So, instead, just make an array of only the lyrics (the old case where which is 1) or make an array of only all the external files (the old case where which is 0), or make an array of everything (not currently implemented in your existing script, but extremely easy to do if you follow my advise ).... You don't need to have different arrays for everything, it is all the same array which you simply (re)create according to what you want... This is done in the GetAllLyrics() function in my example code.

That is why it is there; it initializes the array you're going to use. And you call that function (GetAllLyrics()) each time the user changes the script preferences (which I assume is what which eventually will reflect).

So, since the array is created outside the personalMessage() function, you don't need to bother to see from which array you draw a random line from. AND(!) the stuff you want (don't draw the same line for x times) will work.

Hence why I suggested to just rename your stuff instead. Because if you're going to change your code over time and make your code more efficient as you go, you would end up renaming your arrays and variables the same anyways...

Ok, so if I was to do it as you suggest, outside my personalMessage function I would check to see what which is.. But thats not how I want the script to work though. The reason the which statement is there, is for when the script calls the personalMessage function to get a new personal message, the function can choose, by using which, if its going to be a lyric, or using my example in the script, a joke. so instead of creating 3 functions, i just have the one. the 3 functions being one that gets called on when a new personal message is displayed that chooses either joke or lyric(which would be the which statement), and one for each, the lyric and joke.  I want it to choose between a lyric and a joke each time that the script requests a new psm, and doing it outside of my function would not allow me to do so..

Anyways, I am only using the lyric method for now, I only have the which variable included for the future, if I decide to use that as well.

You keep on updating your post, lol..   

quote:

---

And you call that function (GetAllLyrics()) each time the user changes the script preferences (which I assume is what which eventually will reflect).

---

quote:

---

// EXAMPLE START (get 20 lyrics)
        arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();
        for (var i=0; i<20; i++) {
                Debug.Trace('New lyric: ' + GetRandomLyric());
        }
// EXAMPLE END

---

code:

---

New lyric: A
New lyric: B
New lyric: E
New lyric: J
New lyric: D
New lyric: K
New lyric: Q
New lyric: R
New lyric: N
New lyric: O
New lyric: G
New lyric: I
New lyric: M
New lyric: S
New lyric: P
New lyric: H
New lyric: U
New lyric: X
New lyric: W
New lyric: C
arrLyrics - F,L,T,V,Y,Z,A,B,E,J,D,K,Q,R,N,O,G
arrPrevios: I,M,S,P,H,U,X,W,C

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
Ok, so if I was to do it as you suggest, outside my personalMessage function I would check to see what which is.. But thats not how I want the script to work though. The reason the which statement is there, is for when the script calls the personalMessage function to get a new personal message, the function can choose, by using which, if its going to be a lyric, or using my example in the script, a joke. so instead of creating 3 functions, i just have the one.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
I want it to choose between a lyric and a joke each time that the script requests a new psm, and doing it outside of my function would not allow me to do so..

---

code:

---

var Text = new Array(); // build in array or whatever... though I would indeed never ever build in a big array like that!
Text[0] = "blah1";
Text[1] = "blah2";

var arrLyrics = new Array(); // Working array
var arrPrevious = new Array(); // working array
var nUniqueness = 10; // magic


function GetAllLyrics(nWhich) {
        arrPrevious = new Array();
        switch (nWhich) {
                // use the external file quotes
                case 0: return FileToArray("C:\\quotes.txt")
                // use the internal lyrics
                case 1: return Text
                // use both
                case 2: return FileToArray("C:\\quotes.txt").concat(Text)
       
        }
}


function personalMessage() {
        Debug.Trace ("Started Personal Message");
        if (randomlyric==1) {
                var rndLyric = GetRandomLyric();
                Messenger.MyPersonalMessage = "( 8)" + rndLyric;       
                MsgPlus.DisplayToast("New Random Lyric", "( 8)" + rndLyric, null, 'OnToastClick', null);
                MsgPlus.AddTimer('randomtext', timer);
                Debug.Trace ("Printed personal message - " + rndLyric);
       }
}

function GetRandomLyric() {
etc...
etc...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
Anyways, I had a question. Where you have

quote:

---

// EXAMPLE START (get 20 lyrics)
        arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();
        for (var i=0; i<20; i++) {
                Debug.Trace('New lyric: ' + GetRandomLyric());
        }
// EXAMPLE END

---

Does that go inside my personalMessage function, or outside it like everything else?

---

Ok, Im not too worried about the which statement right now, its just redundant code in my script for right now, and I have actually just taken it out, I probably wont use it, but I was playing around with it earlier. But anyways, I still cant seem to get this to work.. all I am still getting is "undefined" for my lyric.. I have ttried putting your code straight in, and playing around with it, cant seem to get it. Havent tried anyeverything, but maybe you've got an idea to speed up the process?

quote:

---

in that case you do not need the which checking, seperate arrays, and all that other stuff at all. Just concat the lyrics array with your quotes array and be done with it. In other words, you're REALLY making it WAY hard on yourself ...

(and hence my initial suggestion to not alter my example routine at all but instead optimizing your code!).

---

quote:

---

That is example code. Code to show how you would use the above functions...

---

I think the problem you have is that you're thinking too much about seperate arrays and making it so that your code switches between arrays, checks stuff, etc.... You're focussing too much on that. Forget about all that. You only need 1 array to work with, nothing more. And that array should only be (re)created when the user enables the "change PSM to random line" feature of your script.

What you need to do in the main code is getting a random line out of 1 array. What that array contains is of no concearn anymore as that array was created and filled at the beginning of your script (aka: when the user changed options). As such it could contain quotes, lyrics, the lines from 5 external files, only the lines from 1 external file, or whatever else you (or the user) wants, combinations of stuff, it doesn't matter.

1) script initializes (or user enabled the feature of the script or whatever): create the array.
2) When timer triggers and PSM must change: read random line from the array. No need to check anything, you already have your array...

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu

quote:

---

in that case you do not need the which checking, seperate arrays, and all that other stuff at all. Just concat the lyrics array with your quotes array and be done with it. In other words, you're REALLY making it WAY hard on yourself ...

(and hence my initial suggestion to not alter my example routine at all but instead optimizing your code!).

---

Yes, I could very well do that, and the reason I did not was that if, going by my example again, I used lyrics, and jokes, they would be displayed different, by adding in front of the lyric, and probably not adding anything to the joke. If i just had them all together, the jokes would also have in front of them.. that is why they are seperate...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised
Actualy foaly's method is not going to work

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised
foaly's method doesn't return anything if the randomly generated lyric already exists in the past 10 lines! His function would simply stop.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised

quote:

---

Although I think instead of:
count=count%9
You should replace it with:
count= (count==9 ? 0:count);

Because you don't want to have unnecessarily large integers being stored in memory.

---

it wouldn't make a difference.

---

Ok, true enough, if I want to take the extra time to change that now, and each future one as I add it. I am just going to leave that for now though. As I said, I have now cut out the which statement alltogether, and am using just the Text array so its not a huge deal right now, to me..

I still cant get this to work though, when it calls the GetRandomLyric function,nothing seems to happen, and it just returns "undefined"..

Edit: Looks like I was missing a line of code, my bad.. testing it out now..

quote:

---

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by CookieRevised
Actualy foaly's method is not going to work
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It works perfectly fine for generating the random number without repetition until 10 others have been selected.

---

quote:

---

Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 10
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 10
ArrLyrics - Test 1,Test 2,Test 3,Test 4,Test 5,Test 6,Test 7,Test 8,Test 9,Test 11,Test 12
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 8
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 8
ArrLyrics - Test 1,Test 2,Test 3,Test 4,Test 5,Test 6,Test 7,Test 9,Test 11,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 9
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 9
ArrLyrics - Test 1,Test 2,Test 3,Test 4,Test 5,Test 6,Test 7,Test 11,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 5
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 5
ArrLyrics - Test 1,Test 2,Test 3,Test 4,Test 6,Test 7,Test 11,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 11
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 11
ArrLyrics - Test 1,Test 2,Test 3,Test 4,Test 6,Test 7,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 2
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 2
ArrLyrics - Test 1,Test 3,Test 4,Test 6,Test 7,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 1
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 1
ArrLyrics - Test 3,Test 4,Test 6,Test 7,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 4
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 4
ArrLyrics - Test 3,Test 6,Test 7,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 7
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 7
ArrLyrics - Test 3,Test 6,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 3
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 3
ArrLyrics - Test 6,Test 12
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 12
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 12
ArrLyrics - Test 6
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message - Test 6
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,Test 6
ArrLyrics -
Timer = 15000
Started Personal Message
Printed personal message -
ArrPrevious - ,,,,,,,,
ArrLyrics -
Timer = 15000

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Volv

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised
Actualy foaly's method is not going to work

---

It works perfectly fine for generating the random number without repetition until 10 others have been selected.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Volv
I already said this in the edit about 8 hours ago =/

---

quote:

---

(though I didn't posted this yet because I was at work all day)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Volv
you shouldn't be dissing people's suggestions without first understanding them

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
Ok, true enough, if I want to take the extra time to change that now, and each future one as I add it.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
Ok, so I got it to display a lyric. when the lyric is chosen, it is removed from the array, and added into arrPrevious (but it only seems to stay there for one lyric, see debuging). After 10 lyrics though, they dont get added back into the original array. Here is what the script debugger shows.. As you can see, my Text array consists of 12 Tests..

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
I tried his method as well, but could not get that to work. If you think it can, that would be great if you could think of a way for me to figure it out, always better to know more than one method..

---

code:

---

var arrLyrics = Array('A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F', 'G', 'H', 'I', 'J', 'K', 'L', 'M', 'N', 'O', 'P', 'Q', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'U', 'V', 'W', 'X', 'Y', 'Z');

var count = 0;
var arrUsedLyrics = new Array();
function GetIndex(arrArray, intRepeatAfter) {
    var i = Math.round(Math.random()*arrArray.length);
   
    for(var j=0;j<arrUsedLyrics.length;j++){
          if(i==arrUsedLyrics[j]){
            return GetIndex(arrArray,intRepeatAfter);
          }
    }
   
    arrUsedLyrics[count]=i;
    count++;
    count=count%(intRepeatAfter-1);
    return i;
}

---

Thanks Volv for the (foaly's) code, I'll try that out as well once I get Cookie's code working
___________________________________

quote:

---

You've not copied the code exactly as I put it (or you changed stuff too much or in the wrong way)...

---

code:

---

var Text=new Array();

var num=0;

Text[num++] = "Test 1";

Text[num++] = "Test 2";

Text[num++] = "Test 3";

Text[num++] = "Test 4";

Text[num++] = "Test 5";

Text[num++] = "Test 6";

Text[num++] = "Test 7";

Text[num++] = "Test 8";

Text[num++] = "Test 9";

Text[num++] = "Test 10";

Text[num++] = "Test 11";

Text[num++] = "Test 12";


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//                    Script Starts here
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

var arrLyrics = new Array();
var arrPrevious = new Array();
var nUniqueness = 10;


function GetAllLyrics() {
arrPrevious = new Array();
return Text
}

function GetRandomLyric() {
// get a random lyric line from the 'possible lyrics' array
var rndLyric = Math.floor(Math.random() * arrLyrics.length);
// step 1: add new line to 'used lyrics' array and remove it from the 'possible lyrics' array
arrPrevious[nUniqueness-1] = arrLyrics.splice(rndLyric, 1);
// step 2: add last lyric line from the 'used lyrics' array back to the 'possible lyrics' array
if (arrPrevious[0] !== undefined) arrLyrics.push(arrPrevious[0]);
// step 3: remove last lyric line from the 'used lyrics' array
arrPrevious.shift();
// you're done: return the new lyric line
return arrPrevious[nUniqueness-2]
Debug.Trace(arrPrevious);
}


function personalMessage()
{
Debug.Trace ("Started Personal Message");
    //reading the timer value from the registry
    try{
        timer = WShell.RegRead(MsgPlus.ScriptRegPath+Messenger.MyUserId+"\\JeremysRandomSongLyricTimer");
    }
    catch{}

    try{
        randomlyric = WshShell.RegRead(MsgPlus.ScriptRegPath+Messenger.MyUserId+"\\JeremysRandomSongLyric");
    }
    catch{}
    if (randomlyric==1)
    {

       
        arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();

        var rndLyric = GetRandomLyric();
        //Messenger.MyPersonalMessage = "( 8)" + rndLyric;
        MsgPlus.DisplayToast("New Random Lyric", "( 8)" + rndLyric, null, 'OnToastClick', null);
        MsgPlus.AddTimer('randomtext', timer);
        Debug.Trace ("Printed personal message - " + rndLyric);
        Debug.Trace ("ArrPrevious - " + arrPrevious);
        Debug.Trace ("ArrLyrics - " + arrLyrics);
       
}

---

remove

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();

---

Removing that line prevents a lyric from being displayed though, even when changing the array Text to ArrLyrics.. all I get then is undefined.
I realize that debug line will not be executed, but the debug lines that I have added inside the personalMessage function now display nothing for arrPrevious, and still show the array entries for arrLyrics

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
Removing that line prevents a lyric from being displayed though, even when changing the array Text to ArrLyrics..

---

lol, ok, so lets see if I get this right.. I should remove

code:

---

arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
lol, ok, so lets see if I get this right.. I should remove

code:

---

arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();

---

from my personalMessage function, but add it in where the script is first initialized from..

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quote:

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Originally posted by stu
So that should be put in OnEvent_Signin(Email), and OnEvent_Initialize(MessengerStart).

Edit: I think I would need to add it to the toggle function, that switches between on and off, as well

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code:

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function OnEvent_Initialize() {
        if (Messenger.MyStatus > 0) OnEvent_Signin();
}

function OnEvent_Signin() {
        GetUserSettings()
}

function OnEvent_SignOut() {
        SaveUserSettings();
        Toggle(false);
}

function GetUserSettings() {
        <read the user settings from the registry here, eg: should the stuff be enabled or not (= boolean value bEnabled below)>
        Toggle(bEnable);
}

function SaveUserSettings() {
        <write the user settings to the registry here>
}

function Toggle(bEnable) {
        if (bEnable) {
            arrLyrics = GetAllLyrics();
            <do some other stuff here, like starting timers or whatever>
        } else {
            <disable timers, etc>
        }
}

function personalMessage() {
        <...>
}

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Ok, thanks a lot for the help Glad to finally get this working. I will work on optimizing my code further.. probably would explain why I couldnt get this working trying it myself, my array kept on getting erased, now I see why.

As for only having that line of code in one place, I believe I need to keep it in the 3 places, unless I cut out one of the two functions that do the same thing. Those two are setup totally different then the toggle function by reading the registry at the start to check if the script is turned on, and toggle switches between on and off.

Again, thanks for the help

Glad you got it to work...
If you're still going to try using "my" code (still can't believe I've got my own code .)
Be careful that you don't try to random a number lower then the repeating value.
This will cause an infinite loop and will crash your messenger...
(You're right cookie that the loop thingy is a big disadvantage...)
The best thing to do is sticking to cookies code  

foaly, I just finished trying your code, it did seem to be working at first, but then it gave me an error in the script debugger

quote:

---

Error: Out of stack space (code: -2146828260)
       File: test.js. Line: 68.

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code:

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return GetIndex(Text,intRepeatAfter);

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stu
foaly, I just finished trying your code, it did seem to be working at first, but then it gave me an error in the script debugger

code:

---

Error: Out of stack space (code: -2146828260)
       File: test.js. Line: 68.

---

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code:

---

// when you call the next funcion with its parameter set to True, it will constantly call itself and never end.
// And after a very short while you will run out of stack space.
function DoSomething(bEnable) {
        var myString = "Hello World";
        if (bEnabled === true) {
                DoSomething(true) // let's call ourself again
        }
        Debug.Trace('the end');
}

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