Matrix Games Forums

Posted: **Fri Jun 03, 2016 9:51 am**

Another useful LUA feature is the ability to keep track of external information which is kept as part of the save.
For example, say you have a condition that is triggered, and you need to check how often the condition occurs at some later time. Or you need to 'teleport' units.

The command set is "ScenEdit_SetKeyValue()/ScenEdit_GetKeyValue()".

In a recent case, I used this to keep track of how many times I created a particular unit. The things I needed to keep track of were the name of the unit, the database type, maximum number to create and how many have already been created. So when the scenario is first started, I ran the following script to initialize it:

Code: Select all

ScenEdit_SetKeyValue("CanberraAir", "dbid=673, maxNum=10, curNum=0");

When an event is triggered that needs to create a unit, I recall the key and use the values. If I have not yet added the maximum number of units, I create a new unit with the call sign and current number. Update the key with a new curNum and save it.

Code: Select all

 -- get the current settings and decode the values
 local drop = ScenEdit_GetKeyValue("CanberraAir");print(drop);
 local t = {}
 for k, v in string.gmatch(drop, "(%w+)=(%w+)") 
 do
  t[k] = v
 end
 -- deploy one unit
 local lastN = tonumber(t['curNum']);
 if  lastN == nil then
   lastN = 0;
 end
  lastN = lastN +1;
 if lastN > tonumber(t['maxNum']) then
  ScenEdit_MsgBox('All troops landed',0)
  return
 end
 
 local veh =ScenEdit_AddUnit({type = 'Facility', name = 'Assault #' .. lastN, 
   heading = 0, dbid = t['dbid'], side = 'RAN', Lat=new.lat, Lon=new.lon});print(veh)
 -- create string with new value to store
 local b="curNum="..tostring(lastN)
 -- replace the existing string
 local a=string.gsub(drop,"curNum=%d", b)
 ScenEdit_SetKeyValue("CanberraAir", a);

I have a Steam Workshop scenario under michaelm75 that demonstrates this.

Hope this is helpful.

Posted: **Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:31 am**

It is. Thanks for this Mike!

Mike

Posted: **Fri Jun 03, 2016 12:41 pm**

If anyone is interested, I wrote a library that abstracts over all of the stringy business, available here.

It can handle everything except functions. To give an example using the above scenario, it would allow the above initialization code to be simplified to

KeyStore.CanberraAir = {dbid=673, maxNum=10, curNum=0}

And the usage to be simplified to

Code: Select all

 local t = KeyStore.CanberraAir
 -- deploy one unit
 local lastN = t.curNum;
 if  lastN == nil then
   lastN = 0;
 end
  lastN = lastN +1;
 if lastN > t.maxNum then
  ScenEdit_MsgBox('All troops landed',0)
  return
 end
 
 local veh =ScenEdit_AddUnit({type = 'Facility', name = 'Assault #' .. lastN, 
   heading = 0, dbid = t.dbid, side = 'RAN', Lat=new.lat, Lon=new.lon});print(veh)
 
 t.curNum = lastN
 KeyStore.CanberraAir = t

Posted: **Fri Jun 03, 2016 2:30 pm**

Guys

Am showing my programing numpty-ism here but I think you're solving a problem that I currently have.

Requirement:

Deploying a USMC Regiment in an amphibious operation

Current solution:

Naming and placing all the platoon sized elements on a different 'blind' side
Teleport linked to specific helo or boat names to specific named units
change the side of that unit
Sluff off all the return trips the carrier units would do a supply runs

I did this for two companies in 'NF 10.5 Sweep up' and it is awkward. Doing it for an RCT is daunting

I think the script your explaining here will gradually build the units as the carriers trigger the base event. Is that so?

Thanks

B

Posted: **Sat Jun 04, 2016 12:39 am**

Correct. Here is my sandbox.
It also shows how to handle one of the delivering units being killed and possibly also killing the unit being delivered.

Posted: **Sat Jun 04, 2016 12:45 am**

ORIGINAL: ckfinite

If anyone is interested, I wrote a library that abstracts over all of the stringy business, available here.

It can handle everything except functions. To give an example using the above scenario, it would allow the above initialization code to be simplified to

KeyStore.CanberraAir = {dbid=673, maxNum=10, curNum=0}

And the usage to be simplified to
Code: Select all
 local t = KeyStore.CanberraAir
 -- deploy one unit
 local lastN = t.curNum;
 if  lastN == nil then
   lastN = 0;
 end
  lastN = lastN +1;
 if lastN > t.maxNum then
  ScenEdit_MsgBox('All troops landed',0)
  return
 end
 
 local veh =ScenEdit_AddUnit({type = 'Facility', name = 'Assault #' .. lastN, 
   heading = 0, dbid = t.dbid, side = 'RAN', Lat=new.lat, Lon=new.lon});print(veh)
 
 t.curNum = lastN
 KeyStore.CanberraAir = t
 

My initial goal was to demonstrate the ease of using LUA to perform the old 'teleporting' action.

I forgot about your libraries. Which is strange as I recall looking them up a few weeks ago.[:o]

Posted: **Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:19 am**

I also wrote one that lets you store values directly on the unit object, though it's a bit hacky. It's here, lines 233 through 282

For example, if you have an amphibious unit called (for the sake of argument) HMAS Canberra on the side named RAN, then you could (to initialize it) write

Code: Select all

 local unit = ScenEdit_GetUnit({side="RAN", name="HMAS Canberra"})
 unit.embarked = {2396, 2396}

Then, when the unit entered the AOE, you can have

Code: Select all

 local unit = ScenEdit_UnitX()
 if unit.embarked ~= nil and #(unit.embarked) > 0 then
  for _,embarked in pairs(unit.embarked) do
    ScenEdit_AddUnit({side="RAN", name="Something or other", dbid=embarked, latitude = unit.latitude, longitude=unit.longitude})
  end
 end

At the moment, I'm trying to make this more modular with a behaviour system that's still kind of half-formed.

Posted: **Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:38 am**

Nice.
This would make the carrying unit being destroyed much cleaner as you know what unit it is carrying, to 'kill' off.[:D]
At the moment, I have same types being carried so I just up the current count to represent it has been 'killed' so it wont be deployed.

Interesting. I'll definitely will be looking at this!![;)]

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LUA - Use of KeyValue to track settings in scenario

LUA - Use of KeyValue to track settings in scenario

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RE: LUA - Use of KeyValue to track settings in scenario

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RE: LUA - Use of KeyValue to track settings in scenario

RE: LUA - Use of KeyValue to track settings in scenario

RE: LUA - Use of KeyValue to track settings in scenario

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