Finding an item in a collection of types

Okay here is the issue. I have 5 or 6 checkboxes for the gui i am desigining. And each is a type. Each is assigned a unique name.
However, i want to be able to get the state/value of that checkbox, but simply passing its unique name into a function.
The code below works. But if its called every game loop one function slows the entire game down immensely.

Anyone know a better way to do this?




;==========================================================
;GET THE VALUE OF THE GIVEN CHECK BOX
;=========================================================
Function GUI_GET_CHECKBOX_VAL( CHECKBOXNAMESTR$ )
For TARGET_CHECK.GUI_CHECKBOX_TYPE=Each GUI_CHECKBOX_TYPE
If TARGET_CHECK\NAME$ = CHECKBOXNAMESTR$ Then

Return TARGET_CHECK\Value
End If
Next
End Function

well you could use handles... like have instead of a name the function would return a handle then you could just do
TargetCheck.Gui = Object.Target(handle)
return TargetCheck\Value

5 or 6 types shouldn't slow it down that much!

should it?

DrakeX ,
well, i think it super slow because i was using the function inefficiently in sub loop (dumb mistake). but now i am interested in finding a better way of doing this since it has peaked my interest.

SSS,
Is this an undocumented method or is it standard practice?

Why not check against the gadget handle instead of the name? Just like images, sounds and meshes, gadgets have a handle number.

Type checkbox
    Field hnd
End Type

For i=1 to 5
    chk.checkbox = new checkbox
    chk\hnd = CreateButton(.......)
Next

Function FindChecked.checkbox()
    ; This function returns a chk type reference so you can use it like...
    ; chk.checkbox = FindChecked()

    For chk.checkbox = each checkbox
        If ButtonState(chk\hnd) = 1
            Return chk
        End If
    Next
End Function

The speed of the comparision isnt any faster. The function still needs to iterate through the loop.
I was hoping for something a bit more in the flavor of a native function.

i might use SSS's method dealing with the handles is a good idea, but i need more of a human interface. By this i mean a method that a developer can use tofind a checkbox by using the name, since the developer is not going to know the handle id right off the bat.

Thanks for the help though. Very much appreciated

well the developer could know the handle right off the bat if you did something like this

type Button
    field x,y
    ....
end type


function CreateButton(...)
   b.Button = new Button
   ;set the parameters

   return Handle(b)
end function

function FindButton.Button(hButton)
    b.Button = Object.Button(hButton)
    return b
end function

ahh.. there we go... thanks SSS.