View source for Global High Scores

:''Although this article focuses on high scores, it contains all the information and encoding processes needed to save user data in a [[project]]. For strictly encoding, see [[#Encoding|this]] section.''

With the new [[Cloud Variables|cloud variable]] feature in [[Scratch 2.0]], '''global high score''' lists can be made within a project. These high score lists, stored inside a cloud [[variable]], can take only seconds to update. This tutorial explains how to code a fully functional global high score list, so users' data can be saved for a particular project.
{{note|Though this focuses on high scores, this information can also be relevant to any user-saved data.}}


==Simple high score==
For a simple one that shows the highest score, two variables can be used:
** <sb>(score)</sb>
** <sb>(☁ High score)</sb>

The following script can then be created:

<scratchblocks>
when gf clicked
forever
if < ( score  ) > ( ☁ High score  ) > then
set [☁ High score v] to (score )
</scratchblocks>


{{note|This script shows only the highest score, not the username of the person who set it.}}

==Requirements==
Since cloud [[list]]s are not released yet, programming this functionality can be quite difficult. Users' data has to be saved in cloud ''variables'', with a limitation: only numbers can be stored. The [[Scratch Team]] currently does not allow letters within cloud variables for security reasons. Therefore, scripts are needed to encode and decode the data into sequences of numbers. This tutorial requires the use of:
* Three lists
** letter
** users
** scores
<!-- wiki doesn't have  :: list  yet -->
* Six variables
** <sb>(score)</sb>
** <sb>(letter#)</sb>
** <sb>(letter detect)</sb>
** <sb>(list item)</sb>
** <sb>(i)</sb>
** <sb>(☁ leaderboard)</sb>

==Encoding==
Encoding is the process by which users and their data are formatted into a sequence of numbers in the cloud variable "{{^}} leaderboard". First, consider the following lists:

[[File:Data Compare.png]]

Each user's data is linked to his or her score. The scores' numerical placement can be accomplished through scripts outside the encoding and decoding. Using this data linkage, the cloud variable encoder can go one-by-one to add each username and score in number format to "{{^}} leaderboard".

During the encoding process, each character or number in a list item is represented by a two-digit number. For example, "a" would be the digit "01" and "b" the digit "02". The list "characters" stores as many as 99 characters to encode. If there were 100 or more characters readable by the global high score system, each character would have to be represented by a three-digit value. The order the characters go in this list does not matter; they just have to be consistent throughout the encoding process.

Therefore, each list item (i.e. a user and his or her score) is separated by "00". Without it, the script could not separate the list items properly, and all the characters would be a large jumble.

After the list is filled out with available computer characters, the cloud variable encoding script can be made. It is a long process encoding the data.


<scratchblocks>
define encode
set [list item v] to [1]
set [☁ leaderboard v] to []
repeat (length of [users v])
    set [letter detect v] to [1]
    set [letter# v] to [1]
    repeat (length of (item (list item) of [users v]))
        set [letter detect v] to [1]
        repeat until <(letter (letter#) of (item (list item) of [users v])) = (item (letter detect) of [letter v])>
            change [letter detect v] by (1)
        end
        if <(letter detect) < [10]> then
            set [☁ leaderboard v] to (join (☁ leaderboard) (join [0] (letter detect)))
        else
            set [☁ leaderboard v] to (join (☁ leaderboard) (letter detect))
        end
        change [letter# v] by (1)
    end
    set [☁ leaderboard v] to (join (☁ leaderboard) [00])
    set [letter detect v] to [1]
    set [letter# v] to [1]
    repeat (length of (item (list item) of [scores v]))
        set [letter detect v] to [1]
        repeat until <(letter (letter#) of (item (list item) of [scores v])) = (item (letter detect) of [letter v])>
            change [letter detect v] by (1)
        end
        if <(letter detect) < [10]> then
            set [☁ leaderboard v] to (join (☁ leaderboard) (join [0] (letter detect)))
        else
            set [☁ leaderboard v] to (join (☁ leaderboard) (letter detect))
        end
        change [letter# v] by (1)
    end
    set [☁ leaderboard v] to (join (☁ leaderboard) [00])
    change [list item v] by (1)
end
</scratchblocks>

==Decoding==
Decoding is the process by which the numerically encoded data is decoded, or taken out of number format and compiled into the two lists again. Decoding checks for the "00" placed between list items during the encoding to determine when to iterate to the next list item. After the process is complete, the lists will be arranged in the manner prior to the encoding.

<scratchblocks>
define decode
set [letter# v] to [0]
set [letter detect v] to [1]
delete (all v) of [users v]
delete (all v) of [scores v]
add [] to [users v]
add [] to [scores v]
repeat until <(letter#) > ((length of (☁ leaderboard)) - (1))>
    repeat until <(join (letter ((letter#) + (1)) of (☁ leaderboard)) (letter ((letter#) + (2)) of (☁ leaderboard))) = [00]>
        set [letter detect v] to [1]
        repeat until <(letter detect) = (join (letter ((letter#) + (1)) of (☁ leaderboard)) (letter ((letter#) + (2)) of (☁ leaderboard)))>
            change [letter detect v] by (1)
            if <(letter detect) < [10]> then
                set [letter detect v] to (join [0] (letter detect))
            end
        end
        if <(letter (1) of (letter detect)) = [0]> then
            set [letter detect v] to (letter (2) of (letter detect))
        end
        replace item (last v) of [users v] with (join (item (last v) of [users v]) (item (letter detect) of [letter v]))
        change [letter# v] by (2)
    end
    change [letter# v] by (2)
    repeat until <(join (letter ((letter#) + (1)) of (☁ leaderboard)) (letter ((letter#) + (2)) of (☁ leaderboard))) = [00]>
        set [letter detect v] to [1]
        repeat until <(letter detect) = (join (letter ((letter#) + (1)) of (☁ leaderboard)) (letter ((letter#) + (2)) of (☁ leaderboard)))>
            change [letter detect v] by (1)
        end
        replace item (last v) of [scores v] with (join (item (last v) of [scores v]) (item (letter detect) of [letter v]))
        change [letter# v] by (2)
    end
    add [] to [users v]
    add [] to [scores v]
    change [letter# v] by (2)
end
delete (last v) of [users v]
delete (last v) of [scores v]
</scratchblocks>

==Adding and Replacing Scores==
When adding and replacing the scores in the lists, a variable is needed to iterate through the
list to the correct numerical placement. If the high score leaderboards (consisting of the list "users" and "scores") does not contain the user running the project, his/her username and score will be added to the lists at the beginning of a project. The following script can replicate this situation:
<scratchblocks>
when gf clicked
decode::custom
if <not <(username) = []>> then //checks if the user is logged in to Scratch
add (username) to [users v]
add [0] to [scores v] //in which "0" is the initial score
encode::custom
end
</scratchblocks>
The example above shows how to add a completely new user to the leaderboards. What if the user is already in the leaderboards but had reached a higher score? To replace a user's current high score with a new one, the current high score must first be deleted. Then, the new high score can be added to the list by iterating down the list with a variable until the score is greater than the one being analyzed. The following script performs this function:
<scratchblocks>
decode::custom
if <[users v] contains (username)> then //checks if the user has been added to the leaderboard already
set [i v] to [1] //begin with the first list item
repeat until <(item (i) of [users v]) = (username)> //the deletion process
change [i v] by (1)
end
delete (i) of [users v]
delete (i) of [scores v]
set [i v] to [1]
repeat until <<(i) > (length of [scores v])> or <(score) > (item (i) of [scores v])>> //the variable "score" is the latest score of the user
change [i v] by (1) //it will end at the proper list location
end
insert (username) at (i) of [users v]
insert (score) at (i) of [scores v]
encode::custom
</scratchblocks>

==Automatically Resetting Scores==
If you want the Global High Score of a game to be reset automatically throughout a period of time so that everyone gets a chance, you can use a script like this one, which resets the score once a day:
<scratchblocks>
when gf clicked
hide variable [☁ Auto Reset v]
forever
if <not <(☁ Auto Reset) = (current [date v])>> then
set [☁ Auto Reset v] to (current [date v])
set [☁ High Score v] to [0]
</scratchblocks>

{{note|You can modify the "date" option to the desired time frame in which you want the scores to be reset. For example, if you want the scores to be reset every "hour" change the option to "hour" }}

==Avoiding Interferences==
When encoding (saving) the data stored in the lists, the cloud [[variable]]s can take about two seconds to update. If multiple people happen to be encoding at the same time, glitches could occur which cause the data to become broken, changed, or deleted. Also, any disrupted data in the encoder can sometimes cause an [[wikipedia:Infinite loop|infinite loop]] in the decoder, though scripts can be used to prevent that. These issues are particularly more likely to occur on a very popular project with tons of data to be encoded. To prevent any such encoding interferences from destroying a leaderboard, saving back-ups of the lists often can be very useful.

A script to prevent that can be made but takes time if it is to have a low margin for error. Create a custom block called 'wait and encode'. Also create another cloud variable.

<sb>(☁ queue)</sb>

<scratchblocks>
define wait and encode
repeat until <(☁ queue) = (0)>
wait until <(☁ queue) = [0]>
wait (pick random (1) to (5)) secs
end
set [☁ queue v] to (1)
encode::custom
set [☁ queue v] to (0)
</scratchblocks>

The higher the second bound of the random wait, the less margin for error there is. What can happen is two computers can still try to encode simultaneously but there is less chance this way.
[[Category:Scripting Tutorials]]

[[fr:Scratch Wiki Accueil/tutos/013 ajouter highscore]]