OXPConfig Doc
Contents
Overview
OXPConfig is more or less only a Interface to give OXPs the possibility to let users change, load and store settings in the game. It does it only for OXPs which are including the necessary data (and if the OXP is in the database for performance reasons). This way it's still up to the OXPers to decide if they want user settings or not. In most cases it's really easy to implement the data and usually only needs a few lines of code.
OXPConfig looks up all worldScripts which are in it's database for a specific object, collects this data and applies stored settings to these OXPs. It runs in two cycles when Oolite gets started or a savedgame is loaded and the flags in OXPs can specify when settings should be applied. The reason is that startUp can be pretty timecostly, specially when OXPs have to be configured as early as possible and if dependency chains are involved. For OXPs which don't need early settings OXPConfig applies them on guiScreenChanged, alertConditionChanged or triggered by the timer. OXPs can also be notified about changes via the Notify flag.
Sometimes you'll find posts that OXPConfig is a Debug-Tool or a tool for OXP-Developers only. This is wrong. It is a Interface between Player and OXPs and completely relies on the provided settings in the OXPs. They can use it to control their own debug features though (e.g. logging or measuring functions, etc.), but this is up to the OXPs.
As OXPConfig is a OXP all rules for OXPs in Oolite apply (inclusive the dynamic loading order and timelimiter!!!).
How to join
If any of your worldScripts should be included in the database send a pm with infos to Svengali or post your request in the OXPConfig thread:
- name of worldScript
- display name, can be different from the scriptname.
The script will get an ID (stored in OXPConfig) that is internally used to relate saved settings to specific OXPs.
Properties
The listed properties are useful for OXP-Developers. Players shouldn't need to change the defaults.
collectAll
- Boolean. En/disables collecting of data from all worldScripts. This can be pretty slow if hundreds of OXPs are installed and in combination with logging enabled it can lead to aborting by Oolites timelimiter in trunk (even if I haven’t seen it yet). It's main purpose is to check if the settings are correctly identified - loading and saving is disabled for OXPs which are not in the database. Default is false.
displayAll
- Boolean. En/disables collecting data from all OXPs which are declaring oxpcSettings. If false OXPConfig will only check OXPs which are in it’s internal database and removes entries which are not declaring the necessary settings. It's main purpose is to check if the settings are correctly identified - loading and saving is disabled for OXPs which are not in the database. Default is false.
logEarly
- Boolean. En/disables the logging of OXPs which have set the EarlyCall flag. If OXPConfig calls the startUp it will log this event. Additionally this switch is for measuring the time OXPConfig needs for it’s own startUp, including collecting data from all OXPs, calling the startUp’s, building it’s search trees and applying settings. The time is quantised in units of maybe 50/60ms or 16 ms or 10ms or ..., depending on system. Default is false.
logging
- Boolean. Switches extended logging on/off and can be configured. This is quite verbose and slows down the whole processing and it’s primary goal is to give developers insight in the internal ongoings and to locate problems. Default is false.
Functions
oxpcNotifyOnChange()
this.oxpcNotifyOnChange = function(n) |
This function is called by OXPConfig when settings are changed and the flag for notifications is set. See oxpcSettings.
Parameters
- n
- Number. 1 - boolean settings changed, 2 - short unsigned integers changed, 4 - unsigned 24Bit integer changed.
Returns
- nothing.
startUp()
this.startUp = function() |
This function is called by Oolite when the application gets started or a savegame was loaded and starts OXPConfigs own handling. Changes to OXPConfigs displayAll and collectAll require a restart to take effect. All switches are false by default. The integer settings are only there as examples and have no real function for OXPConfig itself.
OXPConfig uses two missionVariables
- missionVariables.OXPConfig_Self - used to store OXPConfigs setup.
- missionVariables.OXPConfig_Change - used to store OXP settings.
Parameters
- none.
Returns
- nothing.
Objects
oxpcSettings
This object holds the settings for an OXP. OXPConfig deletes this object after gathering the infos if oxpcSettings.Info.LeaveData flag is not true.
oxpcSettings
- Info
- Object. General infos about an OXP and flags for OXPConfig and is required:
- Info.Name
- String. Name of the worldScript. Required.
- Info.MinVersion
- String. Minimum version. Optional, defaults to “0.0”.
- Info.Display
- String. Name that should be displayed. Optional, defaults to oxpcSettings.Info.Name.
- Info.EarlyCall
- Boolean. Flag if startUp should be called by OXPConfig. Optional, defaults to false. If this flag should be used it is strongly recommended to use the schemata PhantorGorth has developed. See Handling_OXP_Dependencies_with_JavaScript. But keep in mind that this will raise the time OXPConfigs startUp takes.
- Info.EarlySet
- Boolean. Flag if settings should be applied in OXPConfig startUp or later. Optional, defaults to false. If this flag is used, please keep in mind that this will raise the time OXPConfigs startUp takes.
- Info.Notify
- Boolean. Flag if OXP should be notified about applied or changed settings. Optional, defaults to false. If this flag is used, please keep in mind that this will raise the processing-time of OXPConfig. See oxpcNotifyOnChange().
- Info.LeaveData
- Boolean. Flag if OXPConfig should not delete oxpcSettings after gathering the infos. Optional, defaults to false.
- Info.InfoB
- String. Additional text for the boolean screen. Max 240 chars.
- Info.InfoS
- String. Additional text for the short unsigned integer screen. Max 240 chars.
- Info.InfoE
- String. Additional infos for the unsigned 24Bit integer screen. Max 240 chars.
- Bool0
- Object. Infos and settings for a boolean property. Possible are Bool0...Bool3. If used the following settings are required:
- Bool0.Name
- String. Name of the property. E.g. if the script declares this.logging, Name would be “logging”.
- Bool0.Def
- Boolean. Default value of the property. This is used to reset settings when user chooses to load defaults.
- Bool0.Desc
- String. Short description. OXPConfig truncates overlengthie descriptions (~18 em).
- SInt0
- Object. Infos and settings for a short unsigned integer property. Possible are SInt0...SInt3. If used the following settings are required:
- SInt0.Name
- String. Name of the property. E.g. if the script declares this.maxMoons, Name would be “maxMoons”.
- SInt0.Def
- Number. Default value of the property. This is used to reset settings when user chooses to load defaults.
- SInt0.Max
- Number. Maximum value of the property.
- SInt0.Desc
- String. Short description. OXPConfig truncates overlengthie descriptions (~9 em).
- EInt0
- Object. Infos and settings for the unsigned 24Bit integer property. If used the following settings are required:
- EInt0.Name
- String. Name of the property. E.g. if the script declares this.myShips, Name would be “myShips”.
- EInt0.Def
- Number. Default value of the property. This is used to reset settings when user chooses to load defaults.
- EInt0.Max
- Number. Maximum value of the property.
- EInt0.Desc
- Array. Short descriptions for every bit. OXPConfig truncates overlengthie descriptions (~8 em).
Example declaration:
this.oxpcSettings = {
} |
Other checked properties
deactivated
OXPConfig checks a boolean property (this.deactivated) in OXPs. If set to true the handling for this OXP is switched off. Reason is that a script can delete itself (e.g. if it has already done its job and there's no need for it anymore) to free ressources. The flag simply indicates this. OXPConfig checks this flag on every activation.
Specials
User defined colors
Starting with 2.0.8 OXPConfig ships a feature to set 20 colors for scanner colors in supporting OXPs.
It declares a array with 20 elements in the format [ [[c0-color1],[c0-color2]], ... ] and a missionVariable. OXPs can get a instance of this array
this.myColors = worldScripts.OXPConfig.genericUserColors; |
A simple example could look like:
this.startUp = function(){
}; this.shipWillLaunchFromStation = function() {
}; this.shipTargetAcquired = function(newTarget) {
}; |
The example defines a default array which is used if neither array, nor the related mV is available. Then it checks if OXPConfig is installed - if so it delays the access (here shipWillLaunchFromStation) to avoid loading order stuff without the need of a timer and grabs the reference. If a user changes the settings through OXPConfigs GUI the references will be automagically updated as well without any callback/registering or constant checking (associative array). If no OXPConfig is installed (= array unavailable), it tries to get the data from the mV.
OXPConfig itself does a similiar thing. The default array get defined in the script body. On startUp it tries to read in the mV. If not available the mV gets created. If OXPConfig shuts down this property is not deleted (unlike most other properties) to stay available for other OXPs. The mV gets updated on leaving the color settings.
List of color supporting OXPs
- none