Question

I know how to do a global variable, but whenever I try to define a global variable with a random number function, xcode says “initializer element is not constant.” The compiler doesn’t want to make a variable from a random number because the random number function is not constant.

How do I generate a random number and then use that same value for more than one action? (For example, to define a color and then write that value to a label?)

Code:

#import "Slider_with_IBAppDelegate.h"

float * const hue = ((arc4random() % ((unsigned)100 + 1))/100.0);

//^this is where I get the error: "initializer element is not constant"

@synthesize label

//write value to label
- (IBAction) doButton {
label.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%f", hue];
}

//set background color
- (void)applicationDidBecomeActive:(UIApplication*)application
{
self.label5.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithHue:hue                        
                                             saturation:1.0                                      
                                             brightness:1.0                                       
                                                  alpha:1.0];
}

—-edit——

Thanks for the suggestions. It still doesn’t work for me, though, what am I doing wrong?

New code:

#import "Slider_with_IBAppDelegate.h"

float const hue = ((arc4random() % ((unsigned)100 + 1))/100.0);

//^I still get the error: "initializer element is not constant."

@synthesize label

//write value to label
- (IBAction) doButton {
label.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%f", hue];
}  
//^this is where I get the error "'hue' undeclared (first use of this function)"

//set background color
- (void)applicationDidBecomeActive:(UIApplication*)application
{

hue = ((arc4random() % ((unsigned)1000 + 1))/1000.0);
/*here I get the error "assignment of read-only variable 'hue.'"  
If I insert "float" just before hue, I do not get this error, 
but it still won't compile because of the error above.*/

self.label5.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithHue:hue                        
                                         saturation:1.0                                         
                                         brightness:1.0                                          
                                              alpha:1.0];
}

Answer 1

Make it non-const and initialize it in applicationDidBecomeActive. Is there a reason it must be constant?