Guild of Writers

Revision as of 12:13, 15 May 2008

Boolean SDL state

If it is simply a state you want to save then you do not have to add anything in Blender. It is just Python and SDL. The SDL file for an on/off state would look something like this.

STATEDESC MyAge
{
    VERSION 1 
    VAR BOOL    MyState[1]   DEFAULT=0
}

DEFAULT=0 will set the variable to 0 when the age is visited for the first time. Note: "MyAge" should be changed to match the name of your age. Also, the SDL file should be named MyAge.sdl and placed in the SDL folder; use PlasmaShop to create and edit SDL files.

Reading an SDL with Python:

           ageSDL = PtGetAgeSDL()
           getSDL = ageSDL['MyState'][0]

Changing an SDL with Python:

           ageSDL = PtGetAgeSDL()
           ageSDL['MyState'] = (1,)

To allow your Python object (or plModifier) to be notified upon any changes in the SDL, you'll need to first initialize the SDL variable within the OnServerInitComplete() method:

           sdl = PtGetAgeSDL()
           sdl.setFlags('MyState', 1, 1)
           sdl.sendToClients('MyState')
           sdl.setNotify(self.key, 'MyState', 0.0)

Then the plModifier's OnSDLNotify() method will be triggered when the variable changes. Here's some sample code to detect a change:

   def OnSDLNotify(self, VARname, SDLname, playerID, tag):
       if (SDLname != "MyAge"):
           print 'SDLname =',SDLname,', not MyAge'
           pass
       elif (VARname == "MyState"):
           ageSDL = PtGetAgeSDL()
           getSDL = ageSDL[VARname][0]

Conditional Objects

This is a special type of SDL which automatically shows or hides an object as your age loads. If the SDL state changes the visibility of the object will immediately conform to it. And the best thing is that you don't have to program anything but the SDL change.

AlcScript

MyObject: 
    quickscript: 
        sdl: 
            type: boolshowhide

SDL variable

The Alcscript will automatically create a reference to an SDL variable <object name>Vis. So for the above example your SDL file would look like this.

#==============================================================
# READ:	When modifying an SDL record, do *not* modify the
#	existing record. You must copy and paste a new version
#	below the current one and make your changes there.
#==============================================================

#
# State Description Language for MyAge

STATEDESC MyAge
{
    VERSION 1
	
    VAR BOOL    MyObjectVis[1]    DEFAULT=1 DEFAULTOPTION=VAULT

}

Random Conditional Objects

Remember that random Yeesha page in the Neighborhoods? Or the elusive Bahro stone by the Ferry Terminal? Here is how to make random objects like those.

Alcscript

MyObject:
    quickscript:
        sdl:
            type: randombool
            region: MyRegion

Replace MyObject with the name of your object and replace MyRegion with the name of your region.

Why do we need a region for this? In a multiplayer environment the object could show up right under the nose of another player. A strategically placed region prevents that. As long as there is a player in the region the visibility state of the object will not change.

SDL variables

STATEDESC MyAge
{
   VERSION 1

# Random object
    VAR BOOL    MyObjectVis[1]       DEFAULT=1  DEFAULTOPTION=VAULT
    VAR BOOL    MyObjectEnabled[1]   DEFAULT=1  DEFAULTOPTION=VAULT
    VAR BYTE    MyObjectChance[1]    DEFAULT=50 DEFAULTOPTION=VAULT
    VAR BOOL    MyObjectProximity[1] DEFAULT=0  DEFAULTOPTION=VAULT
}

Again replace MyObject with the name of your object. You can set the chance variable to any number between 0 and 100.

That is all. There is no need to program any Python script since Cyan has already done that for us.