comparing sprites in Libgdx

Question

This is my code:

    private Sprite sprGuy;

    sprGuy  = atlas.createSprite("guy");

    Sprite a = new Sprite(sprGuy);
    Sprite b = new Sprite(sprGuy);

    if (a.equals(b)) {
        System.out.println("a is equal to b");
    }

According to Libgdx documentation: new Sprite(Sprite sprite) ... "Creates a sprite that is a copy in every way of the specified sprite."

But if 'a' is a copy of sprGuy and 'b' is a copy of sprGuy , why a.equals(b) is false?

How should I check if sprites are from the same "father"?

Answer 1

As you can see in the libGDX Sprite.java source file, the equals() method hasn't been implemented for Sprite .

So you're calling the default equals() method of the Java Object class which just compares the references, which are different for the two objects in your code.

Answer 2

if it is for something simple and have control over the assignment of texture in the sprite, you can use this example:

private Sprite sprGuy;

sprGuy  = atlas.createSprite("guy");

Sprite a = new Sprite(sprGuy);
Sprite b = new Sprite(sprGuy);

if (a.getTexture().equals(b.getTexture())) {
    System.out.println("a is equal to b");
}

Answer 3

This is my new approach:

First, I created this new class:

public class SpriteAux {

    public String name;
    public Sprite sprite;

    public SpriteAux(Sprite sprite, String name) {
        this.sprite = sprite;
        this.name = name;       
    }

}

So, creating new objects containing sprite and name, we can get and compare the names:

private Sprite sprGuy;
private Sprite sprBoss;

sprGuy  = atlas.createSprite("guy");
sprBoss  = atlas.createSprite("boss");

SpriteAux a = new SpriteAux(sprGuy, "guy");
SpriteAux b = new SpriteAux(sprGuy, "guy");
SpriteAux c = new SpriteAux(sprBoss, "boss");

if (a.name.equals(b.name)) {                  //This is true!
    System.out.println("a is equal to b");
}

if (a.name.equals(c.name)) {                  //This is false!
    System.out.println("a is equal to c");
}