Common functions

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()" Function

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()" Function

What this function does is find the first object it finds with the name noted in the parantheses. 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 do this without the ":FindFirstChild()", I would come out with a Syntax 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 use quotation marks.

The ":GetChildren()" Function

This function gets a read-only table of the object's children. It is not really needed unless 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()" Function

All the Remove function does is change its parent status to nil. A possible alternative is "object.Parent = nil" instead. But using this method is typically 'better', due to the object orientated programming rule that if you can use a method to change a variable, use it instead. Example:

Example

game.Workspace.Brick:Remove()

It is better to use :Destroy()

The ":Destroy()" Function

Unlike the Remove function, the Destroy function totally annihilates an object. Destroy removes all connections, and it is immediately removed from the games memory. This method is better then :Remove() or parenting an instance too nil because it immediately reduce the amount of memory used by ROBLOX, reducing lag.

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()" Function

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()" Function

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()" Function

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()" Function

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" Function

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