Scripting
General
Visionaire Studio comes with a Scripting language which is a combination of Lua (http://www.lua.org) and a Visionaire Object Model. The object model is used to access the Visionaire data structure in a convenient way. Almost every instance in Visionaire is represented as an object (e.g. scene, character, interface, ...) which can be manipulated through the scripting language.
Online documentation about scripting Language:
- Programming in Lua: http://www.lua.org/pil/index.html
- Reference Manual: http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1
- AFRLme's Guide to Lua Script: Basic Lua
Visionaire Object Model
All objects can be accessed and manipulated through the scripting language. All objects of the same type (e.g. scene or button) are stored in one table. The properties of an object can be accessed by defined fields for the specific table. All objects and its fields are documented in the data structure page.
The field types of the data structure are mapped to Lua types in the following way:
Field Type | Description |
---|---|
t_link |
userdata (VisionaireObject) or string which describes the object path. See object access for description of the object path. |
t_links |
table (array) with Visionaire Objects (userdata or string, see t_link above) entries, each entry referencing one Visionaire Object. |
t_int |
number (integer) |
t_float |
number |
t_bool |
boolean |
t_point |
table (with entries "x" and "y") |
t_rect |
table (with entries "x", "y", "width" and "height") |
t_string |
string |
t_text |
table with entries "text", "sound" (relative path to sound file for speech output) and "language" (language id). |
t_path |
string |
t_sprite |
table (with entry "path" and optional entries "x", "y", "cutting" (t_rect) and "transparent" (t_point)) |
t_vint |
table with number (integer) entries |
t_vfloat |
table with number (float) entries |
t_vpoint |
table with t_point entries |
t_vrect |
table with t_rect entries |
t_vstring |
table with string entries |
t_vtext |
table with t_text entries |
t_vpath |
table with t_path entries |
t_vsprite |
table with t_sprite entries |
Exported objects
The following objects are exported to the Lua scripting environment:
- currentAction: a visionaire object which represents the action where the current script was called from.
- emptyObject: an empty visionaire object.
- game: the game object. This is the same as calling getObject("Game") but faster and easier to use.
Exported constants
The following contants are exported to the Lua scripting environment:
- all fields which are used to reference attributes of visionaire objects. The fields are all listed in the Visionaire Data Structure documentation. To reference a field use a 'V' and the field name. E.g. VDialogPartAvailable to reference the field DialogPartAvailable.
- all visionaire tables. These constants start with an 'e' and then the plural table name. E.g. for the table Action the constant is eActions.
- DIVIDING_POINT: a table with entries x and y which specifies a point which is used to separate multiple polygons. Usually a point list (t_vpoint field) can contain multiple polygons (e.g. ObjectPolygon which is used for the object boundaries). In this point list a point which is equal to DIVIDING_POINT marks the end of the current polygon.
- localAppDir: directory where the savegames (in the sub directory savegames), the messages.log file and possible dumps are written to. This directory is also used for the config.ini in case the project file is given as command line parameter for the player.
VisionaireObject
Every instance of an object of the visionaire data structure is a VisionaireObject. With this object it is possible to read and manipulate the attributes of all objects.
The following methods are supported on a VisionaireObject (in alphabetical order):
clearLink
Removes a link from the visionaire object. This is only a convenient method and has the same effect as calling setValue with emptyObject as value.
Lua Syntax:
clearLink(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a link to be cleared. The field type must be t_link.
getBool
Lua Syntax:
getBool(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a boolean value. The field type must be t_bool.
- Return Values
- boolean
Current value of specified field.
Example:
local allowSkipText = game:getBool(VGameAlwaysAllowSkipText)
getFloat
Lua Syntax:
getFloat(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a number value. The field type must be t_float.
- Return Values
- number
Current value of specified field.
getFloats
Lua Syntax:
getFloats(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a number list. The field type must be t_vfloat.
- Return Values
- table
Table with t_float entries representing the specified field.
getId
Lua Syntax:
getId()
- Return Values
- table
A table with the fields tableId and id returning the table id and object id of the VisionaireObject.
Example:
-- writes to the log file if the animation with the name 'animname' (must be set before)
-- is a character animation
local anim = getObject("Animations[" .. animname .. "]")
if anim:getParent():getId().tableId == eOutfits then
print(animname .. " is a character animation")
else
print(animname .. " is not a character animation")
end
getInt
Lua Syntax:
getInt(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a number value. The field type must be t_int.
- Return Values
- number
Current value of specified field.
Example:
local direction = getObject("Characters[Mother]"):getInt(VCharacterDirection)
getInts
Lua Syntax:
getInts(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a number list. The field type must be t_vint.
- Return Values
- table
Table with t_int entries representing the specified field.
getLink
Lua Syntax:
getLink(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a link. The field type must be t_link.
- Return Values
- userdata (VisionaireObject)
The linked object or an empty object if no object is linked for this field.
getLinks
Lua Syntax:
getLinks(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a link list. The field type must be t_links.
- Return Values
- table (list of VisionaireObject)
Table containing all linked visionaire objects.
getName
Lua Syntax:
getName()
- Return Values
- string
The internal name of the visionaire object. This is the name which is used to access the object and also shown in the editor. This name is not shown to the user in the game - therefor always a language dependent text is used.
getObject
Lua Syntax:
getObject(string)
- Arguments
- string
Path to a Visionaire Object. The path has to start with a dot '.' and then a field name (field type must either be t_link or t_links). For t_links fields you must specify an object name in brackets ('[',']'). For t_link fields there are no brackets. The path is relative to this object. See object access for description of the object path.
- Return Values
- userdata (VisionaireObject)
The found visionaire object or an empty object if no object was found. Example:
local scene = getObject("Scenes[Bedroom]")
local deskCond = scene:getObject(".SceneObjects[Desk].ObjectCondition")
getParent
Lua Syntax:
getParent()
- Return Values
- VisionaireObject
The parent object for this object. An object has always a parent which contains it - only the game object has no parent.
getPath
Lua Syntax:
getPath(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a path value. The field type must be t_path.
- Return Values
- string
Current value of specified field. The path will be returned in unix format ('/' for directories) and relative to the .ved file.
getPaths
Lua Syntax:
getPaths(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a path list. The field type must be t_vpath.
- Return Values
- table
Table with t_path entries representing the specified field.
getPoint
Lua Syntax:
getPoint(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a point value. The field type must be t_point.
- Return Values
- table
A table representing the value of the specified field. The table contains the entries x and y.
getPoints
Lua Syntax:
getPoints(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a point list. The field type must be t_vpoint.
- Return Values
- table
Table with t_point entries representing the specified field.
Example:
-- let's get the x, y position of an animation ...
getAnimPos = getObject("ActiveAnimations[anim_name]"):getPoints(VAnimationCurrentPosition)
-- let's print it to the log file!
print("current position of x=" .. getAnimPos.x)
print("current position of y=" .. getAnimPos.y)
getRect
Lua Syntax:
getRect(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a rectangle value. The field type must be t_rect.
- Return Values
- table
A table representing the value of the specified field. The table contains the entries x, y, width and height.
getRects
Lua Syntax:
getRects(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a rectangle list. The field type must be t_vrect.
- Return Values
- table (list of table with x, y, width and height entries)
Table with t_rect entries representing the specified field.
getSprite
Lua Syntax:
getStr(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a sprite value. The field type must be t_sprite.
- Return Values
- table
A table representing the value of the specified field. The table contains the entries path, x, y, cutting (t_rect) and transparency.
getSprites
Lua Syntax:
getSprites(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a sprite list. The field type must be t_vsprite.
- Return Values
- table
Table with t_sprite entries representing the specified field.
getStr
Lua Syntax:
getStr(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a string value. The field type must be t_string.
- Return Values
- string
Current value of specified field.
getTexts
Lua Syntax:
getTexts(number)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a text languages value. The field type must be t_vtext.
- Return Values
- table
Table with t_text entries representing the specified field.
getTextStr
Lua Syntax:
getTextStr(number, <languageId>)
- Arguments
- number
The field which specifies a text languages value. The field type must be t_link to Text.
- languageId (optional)
The text will be returned for the language with this id. If parameter is missing then the text will be returned in the currently active language.
- Return Values
- string
Text string in given language.
- Example:
local button = getObject("Buttons[Talk]")
local langEn = getObject("Languages[English]")
local langDe = getObject("Languages[German]")
-- print name of talk command in current language
print(button:getTextStr(VButtonName))
-- print English name of talk command
print(button:getTextStr(VButtonName, langEn:getId().id))
-- print German name of talk command
print(button:getTextStr(VButtonName, langDe:getId().id))
isAnyObject
Lua Syntax:
isAnyObject()
- Return Values
- boolean
true if the object represents any object (isEmpty would return true because the object does not represent an object of the data structure). This is needed for actions where the user can set "[Any item]" for actions which should be executed in case an item was used.
isEmpty
Lua Syntax:
isEmpty()
- Return Values
- boolean
true if the object is empty, i.e. the VisionaireObject does not reference an object of the visionaire data structure.
setName
Sets the internal name of the visionaire object.
Lua Syntax:
setName(string)
- Arguments
- string
The new internal name.
setValue
Sets a field of the visionaire object. Note that only fields which are marked as 'Scriptable' in the Visionaire Data Structure documentation should be modified. If the field is not marked as scriptable then changes to this field are often not recognized (or sometimes not immediately). Further changes to these fields will usually not be stored in savegames for performance reasons.
Lua Syntax:
setValue(number, VARIANT, {flags=1, index = number})
- Arguments
- number
Data field which will be set.
- VARIANT
Value to set. The type of the value must match the type of the field. E.g. if the field type is t_int then the value type must be a number (int). If the field type is t_rect then the value type must be a table with the entries "x", "y", "width" and "height".
- Flags
- index
If specified then an existing list element at the given index will be modified. In this case the field type must be of a list-type (t_vint, t_links, ...).
Examples:
-- set character "Tom" to position x(100), y(300)
local tom = getObject("Characters[Tom]")
tom:setValue(VCharacterPosition, {x=100,y=300})
-- set condition "TV is on" to true
local cond = getObject("Conditions[TV is on]")
cond:setValue(VConditionValue, true)
-- let the "dog" follow the current character
local dog = getObject("Characters[dog]")
local currentCharacter = getObject("Game.GameCurrentCharacter")
dog:setValue(VCharacterFollowCharacter, currentCharacter)
Accessing an object
Use the getObject command to access a visionaire object. Pass an object path to the command to get the visionaire object.
Examples:
local mother = getObject("Characters[Mother]")
local cond = getObject("Scenes[Forest].SceneObjects[Tree].ObjectCondition")
Whenever an object path is needed you can specify it the following way:
1. start with a Table (as is shown in the table column of the Visionaire Data Structure).
2. if this table is not "Game" (this table has only one object) then you have to write the name of the object inside bracktes ('[' and ']').
3. either goto 7. or continue with 4.
4. write a dot '.' and then a fieldname of this object (the field type must either be t_link or t_links).
5. if the field type is t_links then goto 2., else goto 6.
6. either goto 7. or goto 4. (access another link)
7. done. A valid object is specified.
Examples:
Game.CharacterLinks[Tom]
Scenes[Room].SceneObjects[start].SceneConditions[game started?]
Characters[Tom].CharacterInterfaces[Tom-MI3]
Alternatively, you can also access an object by its table-id and object-id. It can be specified by a tuple:
(table-id,object-id)
Example:
(0,6)
Selects the object with id 6 from table 0 (characters).
Commands
Commands for Visionaire Player only
Contents
- 1 General
- 2 Visionaire Object Model
- 3 Exported objects
- 4 Exported constants
- 5 VisionaireObject
- 5.1 clearLink
- 5.2 getBool
- 5.3 getFloat
- 5.4 getFloats
- 5.5 getId
- 5.6 getInt
- 5.7 getInts
- 5.8 getLink
- 5.9 getLinks
- 5.10 getName
- 5.11 getObject
- 5.12 getParent
- 5.13 getPath
- 5.14 getPaths
- 5.15 getPoint
- 5.16 getPoints
- 5.17 getRect
- 5.18 getRects
- 5.19 getSprite
- 5.20 getSprites
- 5.21 getStr
- 5.22 getTexts
- 5.23 getTextStr
- 5.24 isAnyObject
- 5.25 isEmpty
- 5.26 setName
- 5.27 setValue
- 6 Accessing an object
- 7 Commands