Newbie lua question

[Thomja]

Ok so tried the bawx but nobody seemed to know lua in there so heres my thread instead.

counter = {
count = 0
}
function counter:get()
return self.count
end
function counter:inc()
self.count = self.count + 1
end

This code is roughly equivalent to the following definition:

counter = {
count = 0
}
function counter.get(self)
return self.count
end
function counter.inc(self)
self.count = self.count + 1
end

Test this new version with the following code:
> print(counter:get())
0
> counter:inc()
> counter:inc()
> print(counter:get())
2

Ok so I know that the counter:get() auto adds the self argument. But how does it know what the self argument is when you call it without giving the self argument a name?

When I call counter.get(counter) it makes sense. However when I call counter:get() without giving it the argument counter it somehow has to know that the invisible self argument is called counter :S

[nhjelle]

There's a hidden aspect of using the colon operator in lua. It effectively adds a parameter to the function definition and adds an argument to the function call - both of which are self.
counter is being used as a pointer in both the inc and get functions so self refers to counter.

[Haroon525]

I have also try it but there is no any solid result found by me.