The Elements API contains methods and constants for modifying and creating elements. If you want to add an update function or graphics function, use Update and Graphics properties. See the properties section for an example.

Methods

elements.allocate

number elements.allocate(string group, string name)

Use this function to create a new element. This function will return the id of your element, and create a unique identifier that can be used to modify the properties later. The identifier is in the form GROUP_PT_NAME, where group is the name of the mod or script (or just anything unique, like your username), and name is the name of the element. For example, elements.allocate("mymod", "virus") would create the identifier MYMOD_PT_VIRUS.

The identifier is added as a constant in the elements table, so elements.MYMOD_PT_VIRUS would be equivalent to the new element's id, and can be used as the elementID argument to any of the functions below.

The new element is created with all the default properties, and won't be visible until you modify it to show up in the menu.

Returns -1 on failure (there are no free spaces to create a new element).

elements.free

elements.free(number elementID)

Free a previously allocated element, so it will disappear from the game. The element id will be freed and can be used later by another script. elementID must be an element previously added by elements.allocate (e.g. you cannot free WATR's id)

elements.exists

elements.exists(number elementID)

Returns true if an element under this ID exists and is Enabled, otherwise returns false

elements.loadDefault

elements.loadDefault()

Resets all elements to the original state. This will also erase any elements created with any scripts, only the default elements will be available.

elements.loadDefault(number elementID)

Reset an element to its original state before it was modified

elements.element

table elements.element(number elementID)

Returns a table containing all of an element's properties (Name, Description, etc)

elements.element(number elementID, table properties)

Sets the properties from the given table onto the element.

These two functions are useful for copying or templating from already present elements, for example

local myNewElement = elements.allocate("wiki", "expl")
elements.element(myNewElement, elements.element(elements.DEFAULT_PT_WATR))
elements.property(myNewElement, "Name", "EXPL")
elements.property(myNewElement, "Description", "This is an example element from the Wiki")

In this example, the element properties for our new element (EXPL) are copied from WATR

local star = elements.allocate("ELEMENT", "STAR")
elements.element(star, elements.element(elements.DEFAULT_PT_DMND))
elements.property(star, "Name", "STAR")
elements.property(star, "Description", "STAR. Enough Pressure Makes It Explode Into LAVA.")
elements.property(star, "Colour", 0xFFFFFF)
elements.property(star, "MenuSection", elem.SC_SOLIDS)
elements.property(star, "HotAir", -0.009)
elements.property(star, "Weight", 333)
elements.property(star, "Temperature", 4556)
elements.property(star, "HighPressure", 200)
elements.property(star, "HighPressureTransition", elements.DEFAULT_PT_LAVA)
local function graphics1(i, colr, colg, colb) 
    return 1,ren.FIRE_ADD,255,100,155,210,255,255,255,255
end
elements.property(star, "Graphics", graphics1)

Another Example, from an actual script. For more info on graphics functions, see the legacy api page

elements.property

object elements.property(number elementID, string property)

Gets the value of an element property

elements.property(number elementID, string property, object value)

Sets the value of an element property

Properties

After creating an element, you can modify many properties. Be sure to at a minimum set set Name, Description, Color, MenuVisible, and MenuSection.

For more information on what properties there are to use in elements.property, and how to use them, see this page: Element_Properties

"Update" and "Graphics" are special properties, these can be used to set the update functions or graphics functions. Use a function as the value of the property to set. They are not included in the tables created with elements.element, and the functions can't be returned with elements.property either. This means copying all of an elements properties using elements.element will not set these two for the new element. For help on creating these, see Element_Properties#Callback_functions.

Here are some examples:

 local function funcUpdate(i,x,y,s,nt)
     for r in sim.neighbors(x,y,1,1) do
        if sim.partProperty(r, "type") == elem.DEFAULT_PT_COAL then
            sim.partChangeType(r, elem.DEFAULT_PT_GOLD)
        end
    end
 end
 
 local function funcGraphics(i, colr, colg, colb)
    return 1,ren.FIRE_ADD,255,colr,colg,colb,255,100,0,255
 end
 
 elements.property(ELEM, "Update", funcUpdate) 
 elements.property(ELEM, "Graphics", funcGraphics)

Constants

Any of these constants can be accessed with elements.<constant name here>

Element identifiers

All of the default element identifiers are prefixed with DEFAULT_PT_, for example, the identifier for WATR is DEFAULT_PT_WATR. Do not assume all elements identifiers are the same as their names, TNT has the identifier BANG, for example. To find an elements identifier, you can check the source file for any given element in src/simulation/elements/.

Properties

More info on the properties can be found here: Element_Properties

TYPE_PART

TYPE_LIQUID

TYPE_GAS

TYPE_SOLID

TYPE_ENERGY

PROP_CONDUCTS

PROP_BLACK

PROP_NEUTPENETRATE

PROP_NEUTABSORB

PROP_NEUTPASS

PROP_DEADLY

PROP_HOT_GLOW

PROP_LIFE

PROP_RADIOACTIVE

PROP_LIFE_DEC

PROP_LIFE_KILL

PROP_LIFE_KILL_DEC

PROP_SPARKSETTLE

PROP_NOAMBHEAT

PROP_DRAWONCTYPE

PROP_NOCTYPEDRAW

Menu sections

These are used for the menusection property

SC_WALL

SC_ELEC

SC_POWERED

SC_SENSOR

SC_FORCE

SC_EXPLOSIVE

SC_GAS

SC_LIQUID

SC_POWDERS

SC_SOLIDS

SC_NUCLEAR

SC_SPECIAL

SC_LIFE

SC_TOOL

SC_DECO

SC_CRACKER and SC_CRACKER2 are not accessible from lua or in the game, but have id numbers of 15 and 16

Flags

set in parts[i].flags

FLAG_STAGNANT

Used by liquids and powders to speed up simulation by moving them less

FLAG_SKIPMOVE

Given to PHOT by PCLN and PBCN to fix gaps in lasers, only useable by energy particles

FLAG_WATEREQUAL

Used internally for water equalization

FLAG_MOVABLE

Can be used to re-enable moving sponge

FLAG_PHOTDECO

Re-enables deco on photons for compatibility. Defined as the same value as FLAG_MOVABLE (they only apply to different elements)