getclone + cloneindex = confusion

I'm having trouble using these functions. I've seen posts about them before but none of them made sense to me, so I'll ask it in my own way.
I can get a cloneindex, that's simple enough.
I can assign a command using getclone, that's simple enough.
How can I connect a cloneindex I've gotten (thru a function or collision or array value) to a getclone command?
This doesn't work, but it expresses what I want to do;
arrayname[valuex]=actorname.cloneindex;
getclone(actorname.arrayname[valuex]){etc. etc.}
Can anyone help?
I can get a cloneindex, that's simple enough.
I can assign a command using getclone, that's simple enough.
How can I connect a cloneindex I've gotten (thru a function or collision or array value) to a getclone command?
This doesn't work, but it expresses what I want to do;
arrayname[valuex]=actorname.cloneindex;
getclone(actorname.arrayname[valuex]){etc. etc.}
Can anyone help?