Lua Script API: Reflection Functions

Note

When importing said class from the className parameter. The said classes that can be imported can be either from Psych Engine's source folder or from HaxeFlixel itself. Both each containing their own classes, accompanying its corresponding library package (i.e. the path to the class), for instance: backend.ClientPrefs, objects.CheckboxThingie, psychlua.LuaUtils, etc. In Psych Engine version 0.6.3 and below, the need of including library package when importing classes isn't necessary to add. Because all of Psych Engine's classes doesn't contain a folder to each classes.

Property Instances

createInstance(objectName:String, className:String, ?args:Array<Dynamic> = null):Any

Creates a class instance (object) from the utilize class. Each argument from this function is derived from the classes' constructor method, if the argument(s) exists.

• objectName - The name of the class instance to inherit from the specified class.
• className - The specified class to be utilize with.
• args - An optional parameter, the argument(s) to be passed on, if the argument(s) exists.

Example:

Creates an extra character using girlfriend, by utilizing the Character class derived from the objects library package. At the bottom is the Haxe equivalent of the Lua example above as a reference.

createInstance('epicGF', 'objects.Character', {0, 0, 'gf', false})

var epicGF:Character = new Character(0, 0, 'gf', false);

addInstance(objectName:String, ?inFront:Bool = false):Void

Adds the class instance (object) from the utilize class to the game.

• objectName - The name of the class instance to add to the game.
• inFront - An optional parameter, whether the class instance will be in-front of all objects or not; Default value: false.

Example:

Adds the extra character using girlfriend in the game.

createInstance('epicGF', 'objects.Character', {0, 0, 'gf', false})
addInstance('epicGF', true)

instanceArg(instanceName:String, ?className:String = null):String

Utilizes a class instance (object) from the derived class. It encrypts the class instance to prevent the code from thinking it's a string data type, preventing errors and stuff.

Important

When using this function on property setter functions, i.e. setProperty() function. The allowInstances parameter must be set to true to allow the usage of the class instance.

• instanceName - The specified class instance name to utilize.
• className - An optional parameter, The specified class to utilize the class instance on. If the argument is left blank, it will default to the Playstate class.

Examples:

Uses the class instance epicGF to set it its visibility to false.

createInstance('epicGF', 'objects.Character', {0, 0, 'gf', false})
setProperty(instanceArg('epicGF.visible'), false, true)
addInstance('epicGF', true)

Removes entirely the notes from the game, but you still die lmao.

function onCreatePost()
     callMethod('noteGroup.remove', {instanceArg('notes')})
end

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Property Functions

Setters

setProperty(variable:String, value:Dynamic, ?allowMaps:Bool = false, ?allowInstances:Bool = false):Void

Sets the specified Playstate's instance variable, stored variable, or the object's properties with a new value. The object refers to any sprite, text, and inserted storage variables.

• variable - The Playstate's instance variable, object, or object properties to set a new value to.
• value - The new value to set to.
• allowMaps - An optional parameter, allows the ability to set the maps key-value pair elements; Default value: false.
• allowInstances - An optional parameter, allows the ability to utilize a class instance; Default value: false.

Examples:

Sets the instance variable health value to $2$, making you having full health.

setProperty('health', 2)

Sets the girlfriend character visibility to false.

setProperty('gf.visible', false)

setPropertyFromClass(className:String, variable:String, value:Dynamic, ?allowMaps:Bool = false, ?allowInstances:Bool = false):Void

Sets the specified instance variable from the given class with a new value.

• className - The specified class to utilize the instance variable.
• variable - The classes' instance variable to set a new value to.
• value - The new value to set to.
• allowMaps - An optional parameter, allows the ability to set the maps key-value pair elements; Default value: false.
• allowInstances - An optional parameter, allows the ability to utilize a class instance; Default value: false.

Examples:

Uses the ClientPrefs class from the backend library package (folder), to disable ghost tapping during gameplay.

setPropertyFromClass('backend.ClientPrefs', 'data.ghostTapping', false)

Uses the FlxG class from the flixel library package (folder), to enable fullscreen.

setPropertyFromClass('flixel.FlxG', 'fullscreen', true)

setPropertyFromGroup(group:String, index:Int, variable:Dynamic, value:Dynamic, ?allowMaps:Bool = false, ?allowInstances:Bool = false):Void

Sets the specified group instance variable by each of its members with a new value. The group instance variable utilizes classes from the flixel.group library package. Particularly both the FlxTypedGroup and FlxSpriteGroup classes. It also includes special array variables that contain classes, particularly both the Note & EventNote classes.

• group - The group instance variable to set its members a new value to.
• index - The specified index position of the member to set a new value to.
• variable - The classes' instance variable to set a new value to.
• value - The new value to set to.
• allowMaps - An optional parameter, allows the ability to set the maps key-value pair elements; Default value: false.
• allowInstances - An optional parameter, allows the ability to use the classes' instance variable; Default value: false.

Example:

Iterates a for loop at the unspawnNotes instance group variable, so each unspawned note will have a low health (0.1) when hitting and missing notes.

function onCreatePost()
     for members = 0, getProperty('unspawnNotes.length') - 1 do
          setPropertyFromGroup('unspawnNotes', members, 'hitHealth',  0.1)
          setPropertyFromGroup('unspawnNotes', members, 'missHealth', 0.1)
     end
end

Getters

getProperty(variable:String, ?allowMaps:Bool = false):Any

Gets the specified Playstate's instance variable, stored variable, or the object's properties current value. The object refers to any sprite, text, and inserted storage variables.

• variable - The Playstate's instance variable, object, or object properties to get the current value from.
• allowMaps - An optional parameter, allows the ability to get the maps key-value pair elements; Default value: false.

Examples:

Checks if it's using botplay, if true it will print this amazing text.

if getProperty('cpuControlled') == true then
     debugPrint('Skill Issue!!!', 'ff0000')
end

Sets the boyfriend character's angle value by getting its current angle value and adds it by $\pi$, don't ask why.

function onUpdate(elapsed)
     setProperty('boyfriend.angle', getProperty('boyfriend.angle') + math.pi)
end

getPropertyFromClass(classVar:String, variable:String, ?allowMaps:Bool = false):Any

Gets the specified instance variable from the given class current value.

• className - The specified class to utilize the instance variable.
• variable - The classes' instance variable to get the current value from.
• allowMaps - An optional parameter, allows the ability to set the maps key-value pair elements; Default value: false.

Example:

Uses the ClientPrefs class from the backend library package (folder), to check if the gameplay setting enables instakill when missing a note. Thus causing this stupid message.

if getPropertyFromClass('backend.ClientPrefs', 'data.gameplaySettings').instakill == true then
     debugPrint('Gaming 100%', '00ff00')
end

getPropertyFromGroup(group:String, index:Int, variable:Dynamic, ?allowMaps:Bool = false):Any

Gets the specified group instance variable by each of its members current value. The group instance variable utilizes classes from the flixel.group library package. Particularly both the FlxTypedGroup and FlxSpriteGroup classes. It also includes special array variables that contain classes, particularly both the Note & EventNote classes.

• group - The group instance variable to set its members to get the current value from.
• index - The specified index position of the member to get the current value from.
• variable - The classes' instance variable to get the current value from.
• allowMaps - An optional parameter, allows the ability to set the maps key-value pair elements; Default value: false.

Example:

Iterates a for loop at the unspawnNotes instance group variable (again), to change both the player and opponent note skins. By checking if the instance variable mustPress is true or not.

local playerSkin   = 'noteSkins/NOTE_assets-INSERT_SKIN_HERE'
local playerSplash = 'noteSplashes/noteSplashes-INSERT_SKIN_HERE'
local opponentSkin = 'noteSkins/NOTE_assets-INSERT_SKIN_HERE'
function onCreatePost()
     for members = 0, getProperty('unspawnNotes.length') - 1 do
          if getPropertyFromGroup('unspawnNotes', members, 'mustPress') == true then
               setPropertyFromGroup('unspawnNotes', members, 'texture', playerSkin)
               setPropertyFromGroup('unspawnNotes', members, 'noteSplashData.texture', playerSplash)
          else
               setPropertyFromGroup('unspawnNotes', members, 'texture', opponentSkin)
          end
     end
end

Calling Methods

callMethod(method:String, ?args:Array<Dynamic> = null):Any

Calls an instance method from the Playstate class.

• method - The Playstate's instance method to call from.
• args - An optional parameter, The arguments from the Playstate's instance method, if the argument(s) exists.

Examples:

Calls the Playstates instance method openPauseMenu(), when the song starts after the countdown.

function onSongStart()
     callMethod('openPauseMenu')
end

Switches the health bar placements from both the player and the opponent. By switching the health bar directions, changing their icons from their respective places, and changing the health bar color to match their respective places.

The instance variables mentioned here are attached to their corresponding classes. Allowing them to call instance methods from that class. For example, the healthBar instance variable holds the Bar class from the objects library class.

function onCreatePost()
     callMethod('healthBar.set_leftToRight', {true})
     callMethod('iconP1.changeIcon', {'dad'})
     callMethod('iconP2.changeIcon', {'bf'})
     setHealthBarColors('31b1d1', 'af66ce')
end

callMethodFromClass(className:String, method:String, ?args:Array<Dynamic> = null):Any

Calls an instance method from the given class.

• className - The specified class to utilize the instance method.
• method - The Playstate's instance method to call from.
• args - An optional parameter, The arguments from the Playstate's instance method, if the argument(s) exists.

Examples:

Recreates the rating percent by calling the floorDecimal() instance method. From the CoolUtil class through the backend library package, it uses two arguments. The first argument rounds down the value, while the second argument specifies how many fractions of the number to display.

function onUpdatePost(elapsed)
     local ratingPercent = getProperty('ratingPercent') * 100
     local rating = callMethodFromClass('backend.CoolUtil', 'floorDecimal', {ratingPercent, 2})
     debugPrint(rating)
end

Parses the JSON, converting it to a table. It calls the parse() instance method from the TJSON class using the tjson library package. Very useful if you want to do JSON stuff.

local iconGetJSON = [[{
     "icons": {
          "bf":  { "image": "bf",  "color": [49, 177, 209]  },
          "dad": { "image": "dad", "color": [175, 102, 206] },
          "gf":  { "image": "gf",  "color": [165, 0, 77]    }
     }
}]]

local iconJSON = callMethodFromClass('tjson.TJSON', 'parse', {iconGetJSON})
debugPrint(iconJSON.bf)          --> [image => bf, color => [49, 177, 209]]
debugPrint(iconJSON.bf.image)    --> bf
debugPrint(iconJSON.gf.color[1]) --> 165

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Group Properties

Note

If each index parameter from these functions are left blank (no value). It will default to adding the inserted object to the current index position order of the group.

addToGroup(group:String, tag:String, ?index:Int = -1):Void

Adds a new object to the specified group instance variable.

• group - The group instance variable to add a new object.
• tag - The object's tag to add to the group instance variable.
• index - An optional parameter, the specified index position order for the added to object; Default value: -1.

removeFromGroup(group:String, ?index:Int = -1, ?tag:String = null, ?destroy:Bool = true):Void

Removes the current object to the specified group instance variable.

• group - The group instance variable to remove the current object.
• index - An optional parameter, the specified index position order for the added to object; Default value: -1.
• tag - An optional parameter, the object's tag to remove from the group instance variable.
• destroy - An optional parameter, whether the object from the group instance variable will be destroyed permanently or not; Default value: true.

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Property Object Attributes

Here listed are the most common property attributes for objects to utilize in property functions like setProperty() function. This list doesn't contain the full list of attributes, if you want to the full list. Just go to the FlxObject for object attributes, FlxGraphic for graphic attributes, and FlxBasic for any basic attributes.

Attributes	Description	Type	Settable
x	The x position value of an object.	Float	Yes
y	The y position value of an object.	Float	Yes
width	The width value of an object.	Float	Yes
height	The height value of an object.	Float	Yes
angle	The angle position value of an object.	Float	Yes
alpha	The alpha (opacity) value of an object.	Float	Yes
color	The hexadecimal color value of an object.	Int	Yes
camera	The game camera of an object to display at.	String	Yes
visible	The visibility of an object to display.	Boolean	Yes
antialiasing	The anti-aliasing of an object to display.	Boolean	Yes
flipX	Whether the object is flipped by the x-axis.	Boolean	Yes
flipY	Whether the object is flipped by the y-axis.	Boolean	Yes
scale.x	The graphic size by pixels in x value of the object.	Float	Yes
scale.y	The graphic size by pixels in y value of the object.	Float	Yes
offset.x	The offsets in x value of the object.	Float	Yes
offset.y	The offsets in y value of the object.	Float	Yes
velocity.x	The speed in pixels per second in x value of the object.	Float	Yes
velocity.y	The speed in pixels per second in y value of the object.	Float	Yes
scrollFactor.x	The camera strolling in the x-axis affecting the object.	Float	Yes
scrollFactor.y	The camera strolling in the y-axis affecting the object.	Float	Yes
graphics.key	The image inherit from the object.	String	No
graphics.useCount	The amount of usage of the same multiple image from other objects.	Int	No

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See Also

• Deprecated & Removed Functions