Lookback Operators

A lookback operator (<1, <2, or <3) written in a regular table header cell reuses the value of a cell to its left — <1 goes back one column, <2 two columns, and <3 three.

Tip

A lookback operator may point at another lookback operator, chaining back until it reaches a real value.

Caution

The examples below focus on multi-column fields, but the mechanism itself is fully general and not specific to them.

Linear Columns

The columns of a multi-column field share a common Name and Type. Merging header cells is the usual approach, but lookback operators offer another way.

Table

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Desc	HP	Stat bonuses	<1	<1
Name	hp	stats	<1	<1
Type	int	[3]int	<1	<1
1	100	10	20	30
2	50	5	10	15

Equivalent

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Desc	HP	Stat bonuses
Name	hp	stats
Type	int	[3]int
1	100	10	20	30
2	50	5	10	15

Resolved

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Desc	HP	Stat bonuses	Stat bonuses	Stat bonuses
Name	hp	stats	stats	stats
Type	int	[3]int	[3]int	[3]int
1	100	10	20	30
2	50	5	10	15

The rightmost <1 points to another <1, and the chain eventually resolves to stats.

Interleaved Columns

Columns belonging to a multi-column field do not need to be adjacent.

In the example below, each reward occupies two columns and the items and counts fields alternate with each other.

Table

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Desc	Reward items	Reward counts	<2	<2
Name	items	counts	<2	<2
Type	[]string	[]int	<2	<2
1	gold	100	gem	5
2	potion	3

Resolved

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Desc	Reward items	Reward counts	Reward items	Reward counts
Name	items	counts	items	counts
Type	[]string	[]int	[]string	[]int
1	gold	100	gem	5
2	potion	3

Using <1 points into the other field, whereas <2 reuses the earlier value of the same field.