Common functions: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 23:45, 28 December 2011

Built-In Functions

There are many pre-made functions in the Object Browser, but this page will be going through the most-used ones. Most of these functions either use a pre-existing brick or delay something from happening. A final note before you start, all built-in functions start with a ":" and end with a "()".

The "delay()" Function

The delay function waits a certain amount of seconds and then executes a function on a new thread.

Example
print("Hi!")
delay(3, function()
	print("Bye!")
end)


The "wait()" Function

The wait function will delay, or wait, by seconds. Unlike other functions, this one can both be with or without a ":".

Example
print("Hi!")
wait(3)
print("Bye!")


In the output, this prints the word "Hi!", waits three seconds, then prints the word "Bye!".

See this page for more details on these functions.

The ":Clone()" Method

What this function does it what it says, clones. When the object is cloned, it will have no parent, so the clone won't exist until you name its new parent. Here's how you do it.

Example
game.Workspace.Brick:Clone().Parent = game.Workspace

If you are creating a script that makes Part that has a decal on it, the easier thing to do is to clone the brick, define it's parent, and then it's postion (Warning: The default posion is 0,0,0. If you do not define a cloned part's postion, it will be there!).

The ":FindFirstChild()" Method

What this function does is find the first object it finds with the name noted in the parentheses. This is very useful in finding if something is there or not.

Example
bin = script.Parent

function onTouched(part)
	local h = part.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
	if h~=nil then
		print("Hi There!")
	end
end

bin.Touched:connect(onTouched)


If I were to look for the Humanoid in part.Parent without using the FindFirstChild method, I would come out with an error because the object isn't there. But with FindFirstChild, you can ask if the object is nil or not, noted in the script. The rest of the script you should already know. If you are trying to find something by name, it is advised to FindFirstChild to avoid possible errors.

The ":GetChildren()" Method

This function gets a table of the object's children. It is mostly used for iterating through all the objects inside of an object.

Example
bricks = 0
local c = game.Workspace:GetChildren()
for i=1, #c do
	if c[i].className == "Part" then
		bricks = bricks + 1
	end
end
print(bricks)


The ":Remove()" Method

The Remove function changes the Parent of an object to nil, and also calls Remove on all of its children. This method should not be used any more, since there are better alternatives, whatever you want to do. If you want to temporarily take the object out of the game's hierarchy, use ".Parent = nil" to put the object in nil so you can get it back later. If you want to completely take it out of your game, use the Destroy method.

Example:

Example
game.Workspace.Brick:Remove()


The ":Destroy()" Method

Unlike the Remove function, the Destroy function completely removes an object. Destroy removes all connections, and locks the object so that it can't be put back into your game. This method is better then :Remove() because it permanently takes the object out of your game.

Example
 game.Workspace.Brick:Destroy()


The ":MakeJoints()" Function

MakeJoints forms a bond (a joint) between bricks if they have the required surfaces types:

SurfaceType Weld Universal Studs Inlet Glue Smooth
Weld Weld Weld Weld Weld Weld Weld
Universal Weld Snap Snap Snap Glue No Joint
Studs Weld Snap No Joint Snap Glue No Joint
Inlet Weld Snap Snap No Joint Glue No Joint
Glue Weld Glue Glue Glue Glue Glue
Smooth Weld No Joint No Joint No Joint Glue No Joint
Example

Brick Form:

brick = game.Workspace.Brick
brick:MakeJoints()

Model Form:

model = game.Workspace.Model
model:MakeJoints()


The ":BreakJoints()" Method

This function breaks all joints already made. Running this on a building all grouped into a model might cause it to crumble, although bricks stacked on each other will be unaffected until another force acts on them.

Example
--Brick Form
brick = game.Workspace.Brick
brick:BreakJoints()

--Model Form
model = game.Workspace.Model
model:BreakJoints()

The model form is the same as doing so:

model = game.Workspace.Model
for _, v in pairs(model:GetChildren()) do
	if (v:IsA("BasePart")) then
		v:BreakJoints()
	end
end


Although the model form is much simpler.

The ":GetMass()" Method

So, ever wondered how heavy a brick is in ROBLOX? The GetMass() function is just for that! It is the same as multiplying all the components of the size of the brick together. NOTE: Editing mass is not possible, as it is a returned value from a function.

Example
brick = game.Workspace.Brick
print(brick:GetMass())

This is the same as...

brick = game.Workspace.Brick
print(brick.Size.X * brick.Size.Y * brick.Size.Z)


If density existed in ROBLOX, GetMass() would multiply the size components and the density. For the time being, all parts in ROBLOX have a density of 1.

The ":MoveTo()" Method

The MoveTo() function has two different uses. The first is usable on a Model or any type of Part (see BasePart.)

Example
--Used on a model...
model = game.Workspace.Model
model:MoveTo(Vector3.new(0, 0, 10))

--Used on a Part...
brick = game.Workspace.Brick
brick:MoveTo(Vector3.new(0, 0, 10))


The second use of MoveTo() is to force a Humanoid to walk to a location to the best of its ability. The Humanoid will continue to walk in that direction until it reaches the destination.

This version of MoveTo() requires three arguments, the first is given by the : operator, and is the Humanoid. The second is the target location, and finally, the third is the BasePart the Humanoid is walking on to get to the destination.

Example
Character = game.Workspace.SomePlayer.Humanoid
Base = game.Workspace.Base --Assuming your baseplate is named "Base"
Character:MoveTo(Vector3.new(15, 0, 10), Base) --Tell Character to talk to (15, 0, 10) on Base.


The ":GetPlayerFromCharacter()" Method

Ever needed to find out what player(not character) touched your brick in you button script? The ":GetPlayerFromCharacter()" Function makes it easier than actually searching the players with the previous ":FindFirstChild()" and ":GetChildren()" functions. What it does is automatically search an area for a the player that represents the character. If an Instance's "Controller" is "Player", you can use this function.

Example
DB=false
function onTouched(hit)
	if DB==true then return end --if debounce is active then end the function
	DB=true
	if hit.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")~= nil then --If touched by a player then
		if game.Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(hit.Parent)~= nil then --If there is a player that goes with the character then
			local player = game.Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(hit.Parent)
			player.LocalStats.Cash=player.LocalStats.Cash + 5 --add 5 more cash
		end
	end
	wait(1)
	DB=false
end

script.Parent.Touched:connect(onTouched)


That script will change give 5 cash to the local stat of cash if you touch it.

The "lookVector" Property

There actually is a CFrame function to find which way you are looking. What this function does is find exactly which way your front is facing. The "lookVector" function can be used for several different situations, e.g., tools, planes, robots, cars, etc.

Example
while true do
	wait()
--[[ print(game.Workspace.Player.Torso.Velocity) If you want to print the velocity of your player as you go
 along, use this.  Change "Player" to your username. --]]

--[[ print(game.Workspace.Player.Torso.CFrame.lookVector) If you want to see the lookvector of your player 
printed out as you go along, use this.  Change "Player" to your username. --]]

	game.Workspace.Player.Torso.Velocity = game.Workspace.Player.Torso.CFrame.lookVector * 60 --[[Change "Player" 
to your username --]]

end


First is 'while true do' loop. Then is the 'wait()' function. The script finds 'game.Workspace.Player,' (or game.Workspace.(yourusername), then it finds my Torso and sets its velocity to the way my Torso is looking by sixty. This means this character will go at the speed of 60 units per second by the way it is facing.

See Also

Function Dump