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 entries "path" (relative path to image file), "position" (t_point for sprite offset in case sprite is used in an animation), "transparency", "transpcolor" (transparent color) and "pause" (pause value in msec in case sprite is used in an animation).
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.

Example:

-- let's get the x, y position of an animation ...
animPos = getObject("ActiveAnimations[anim_name]"):getPoint(VAnimationCurrentPosition)

-- let's print it to the log file!
print("current position of x=" .. animPos.x)
print("current position of y=" .. animPos.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.

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:

getSprite(number)

• Arguments

number

The field which specifies a sprite value. The field type must be t_sprite.

• Return Values

table

See t_sprite field type.

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

• Object access

Commands for Visionaire Player only

• Player commands