lua refresh/replace array2d - arrays

Question

i have some problem in my array2d. i actually want plan to have refresh command.
my data on data.txt
test1:30:1
test2:40:2
So whenever i call function ReadData. It will send to my Array2d something like this :
line_data = {{"test1", "30", "1"},
{"test2", "40", "2"}}
But the problem is every i call the function. it will always adding same data, i would like to just do refresh or replace maybe, when i do some event.
my code
line_data = {}
function ReadData()
local file = io.open("data.txt", "r")
for line in file:lines() do
line_data[#line_data+1] = { line:match('([^:]+):(%d+):(%d+)') }
end
end
maybe you guys can help me with this situation ?

Answer 1

If I've right understand, you'll overwrite the line_data after re-reading the file. So I think the best way is to get the array from the reading function itself and replace the old one. Here my example:
function ReadData(_path)
local tmp = {}
local file = io.open(_path, "r")
for line in file:lines() do
tmp[#tmp+1] = { line:match('([^:]+):(%d+):(%d+)') }
end
file:close()
return tmp
end
function Array2dAsStr(_array)
local function cutRight(_s, _i)
_i = _i or 1
return _s:sub(1, (_s:len())-1*_i)
end
local sOut = '{'
for _, v in pairs(_array) do
sOut = sOut..'{'
for _, v1 in pairs(v) do
sOut = sOut..v1..','
end
sOut = cutRight(sOut)..'},'
end
return cutRight(sOut)..'}'
end
line_data = ReadData("data.txt")
print(Array2dAsStr(line_data))
-- if you read again the file, the old stuff from line_data will overwritten
line_data = ReadData("data.txt")
print(Array2dAsStr(line_data))

Answer 2

If you want to fill existing lines with new data, then you need some id. If that id is just the name, i.e. first part of string, then change line where you append data to array:
-- old code
-- line_data[#line_data+1] = { line:match('([^:]+):(%d+):(%d+)') }
-- new code
local name, score1, score2 = line:match('([^:]+):(%d+):(%d+)')
line_data[name] = {score1, score2}