update modding guide

docs/Core.rst

@@ -267,7 +267,8 @@ mods might look like this::
 
 Not all mods will have script directories, of course, and those mods will not be
 added to the script search path. Mods are re-scanned whenever a world is loaded
-or unloaded.
+or unloaded. For more information on scripts and mods, check out the
+`modding-guide`.
 
 Custom script paths
 ...................

docs/guides/modding-guide.rst

@@ -9,16 +9,16 @@ What is the difference between a script and a mod?
 --------------------------------------------------
 
 Well, sometimes there is no difference. A mod is anything you add to the game,
-which can be graphics overrides, content in the raws, DFHack scripts, or both.
-There are already resources out there for
+which can be graphics overrides, content in the raws, DFHack scripts, any, or
+all. There are already resources out there for
 `raws modding <https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Modding>`__, so this
 guide will focus more on scripts, both standalone and as an extension to
-raws-based mods. A DFHack script is a Lua file that can be run as a command in
-DFHack. Scripts can do pretty much anything, from displaying information to
-enforcing new game mechanics.
+raws-based mods.
 
-If you don't already know Lua, there's a great primer at
-`lua.org <https://www.lua.org/pil/contents.html>`__.
+A DFHack script is a Lua file that can be run as a command in
+DFHack. Scripts can do pretty much anything, from displaying information to
+enforcing new game mechanics. If you don't already know Lua, there's a great
+primer at `lua.org <https://www.lua.org/pil/contents.html>`__.
 
 Why not just mod the raws?
 --------------------------
@@ -26,13 +26,14 @@ Why not just mod the raws?
 It depends on what you want to do. Some mods *are* better to do in just the
 raws. You don't need DFHack to add a new race or modify attributes. However,
 DFHack scripts can do many things that you just can't do in the raws, like make
-a creature that trails smoke. Some things *could* be done in the raws, but
-writing a script is less hacky, easier to maintain, easier to extend, and is
-not prone to side-effects. A great example is adding a syndrome when a reaction
-is performed. If done in the raws, you have to create an exploding boulder to
-apply the syndrome. DFHack scripts can add the syndrome directly and with much
-more flexibility. In the end, complex mods will likely require a mix of raw
-modding and DFHack scripting.
+a creature that trails smoke or launch a unit into the air when they are hit
+with a certain type of projectile. Some things *could* be done in the raws, but
+a script is better (e.g. easier to maintain, easier to extend, and/or not prone
+to side-effects). A great example is adding a syndrome when a reaction
+is performed. If done in the raws, you have to create an exploding boulder as
+an intermediary to apply the syndrome. DFHack scripts can add the syndrome
+directly and with much more flexibility. In the end, complex mods will likely
+require a mix of raw modding and DFHack scripting.
 
 The structure of a mod
 ----------------------
@@ -40,82 +41,102 @@ The structure of a mod
 For reference, `Tachy Guns <https://www.github.com/wolfboyft/tachy-guns>`__ is a
 full mod that conforms to this guide.
 
-Create a folder for mod projects somewhere outside your Dwarf Fortress
-installation directory (e.g. ``/path/to/mymods/``) and use your mod IDs as the
-names for the mod folders within it. In the example below, we'll use a mod ID of
-``example-mod``. I'm sure your mods will have more creative names! The
-``example-mod`` mod will be developed in the ``/path/to/mymods/example-mod/``
-directory and has a basic structure that looks like this::
+In the example below, we'll use a mod name of ``example-mod``. I'm sure your
+mods will have more creative names! Mods have a basic structure that looks like
+this::
 
-    init.d/example-mod.lua
-    raw/objects/...
-    raw/scripts/example-mod.lua
-    raw/scripts/example-mod/...
-    README.md
+    info.txt
+    graphics/...
+    objects/...
+    scripts_modactive/example-mod.lua
+    scripts_modactive/internal/example-mod/...
+    scripts_modinstalled/...
+    README.md (optional)
 
 Let's go through that line by line.
 
-* A short (one-line) script in ``init.d/`` to initialise your
-  mod when a save is loaded.
-* Modifications to the game raws (potentially with custom raw tokens) go in
-  ``raw/objects/``.
-* A control script in ``scripts/`` that handles enabling and disabling your
-  mod.
-* A subfolder for your mod under ``scripts/`` will contain all the internal
-  scripts and/or modules used by your mod.
+- The :file:`info.txt` file contains metadata about your mod that DF will
+    display in-game. You can read more about this file in the
+    `Official DF Modding Guide <https://bay12games.com/dwarves/modding_guide.html>`__.
+- Modifications to the game raws (potentially with custom raw tokens) go in
+    the :file:`graphics/` and :file:`objects/` folders. You can read more about
+    the files that go in these directories on the :wiki:`Modding` wiki page.
+- A control script in :file:`scripts_modactive/` directory that handles
+    system-level event hooks (e.g. reloading state when a world is loaded),
+    registering `overlays <overlay-dev-guide>`, and
+    `enabling/disabling <script-enable-api>` your mod. You can put other
+    scripts in this directory as well if you want them to appear as runnable
+    DFHack commands when your mod is active for the current world. Lua modules
+    that your main scripts use, but which don't need to be directly runnable by
+    the player, should go in a subdirectory under
+    :file:`scripts_modactive/internal/` so they don't show up in the DFHack
+    `launcher <gui/launcher>` command autocomplete lists.
+- Scripts that you want to be available before a world is loaded (i.e. on the
+    DF title screen) or that you want to be runnable in any world, regardless
+    of whether your mod is active, should go in the
+    :file:`scripts_modinstalled/` folder. You can also have an :file:`internal/`
+    subfolder in here for private modules if you like.
+- Finally, a :file:`README.md` file that has more information about your mod.
+    If you develop your mod using version control (recommended!), that
+    :file:`README.md` file can also serve as your git repository documentation.
+
+These files end up in a subdirectory under :file:`data/installed_mods/` when
+the mod is selected as "active" for the first time.
+
+What if I just want to distribute a simple script?
+--------------------------------------------------
+
+If your mod is just a script with no raws modifications, things get a bit
+simpler. All you need is::
 
-It is a good idea to use a version control system to organize changes to your
-mod code. You can create a separate Git repository for each of your mods. The
-``README.md`` file will be your mod help text when people browse to your online
-repository.
+    info.txt
+    scripts_modinstalled/yourscript.lua
+    README.md (optional)
 
-Unless you want to install your ``raw/`` folder into your DF game folder every
-time you make a change to your scripts, you should add your development scripts
-directory to your script paths in ``dfhack-config/script-paths.txt``::
+Adding your script to the :file:`scripts_modinstalled/` folder will allow
+DFHack to find it and add your mod to the `script-paths`. Your script will be
+runnable from the title screen and in any loaded world, regardless of whether
+your mod is explicitly "active".
 
-    +/path/to/mymods/example-mod/scripts/
+Be sure to remind players to mark your mod as "active" at least once so it gets
+installed to the :file:`data/installed_mods/` folder. They may have to create a
+new world just so they can mark the mod as "active". This is true both for
+players who copied the mod into the :file:`mods/` folder manually and for
+players who subscribed via
+`Steam Workshop <https://steamcommunity.com/app/975370/workshop/>`__.
 
 A mod-maker's development environment
 -------------------------------------
 
-While you're writing your mod, you need a place to store your in-development
-scripts that will:
+Create a folder for development somewhere outside your Dwarf Fortress
+installation directory (e.g. ``/path/to/mymods/``). If you work on multiple
+mods, you might want to make a subdirectory for each mod.
 
-- be directly runnable by DFHack
-- not get lost when you upgrade DFHack
+If you have changes to the raws, you'll have to copy them into DF's ``data/
+installed_mods/`` folder to have them take effect, but you can set things up so
+that scripts are run directly from your dev directory. This way, you can edit
+your scripts and have the changes available in the game immediately: no
+copying, no restarting.
 
-The recommended approach is to create a directory somewhere outside of your DF
-installation (let's call it "/path/to/own-scripts") and do all your script
-development in there.
+How does this magic work? Just add a line like this to your
+``dfhack-config/script-paths.txt`` file::
 
-Inside your DF installation folder, there is a file named
-:file:`dfhack-config/script-paths.txt`. If you add a line like this to that
-file::
-
-    +/path/to/own-scripts
+    +/path/to/mymods/example-mod/scripts_modinstalled
 
 Then that directory will be searched when you run DFHack commands from inside
 the game. The ``+`` at the front of the path means to search that directory
-first, before any other script directory (like :file:`hack/scripts` or
-:file:`raw/scripts`). That way, your latest changes will always be used instead
-of older copies that you may have in mods installed in the DF directory.
-
-For scripts with the same name, the `order of precedence <script-paths>` will
-be:
-
-1. ``own-scripts/``
-2. ``dfhack-config/scripts/``
-3. ``save/*/scripts/``
-4. ``hack/scripts/``
+first, before any other script directory (like :file:`hack/scripts` or other
+versions of your mod in ``data/installed_mods/``).
 
 The structure of the game
 -------------------------
 
-"The game" is in the global variable `df <lua-df>`. The game's memory can be
-found in ``df.global``, containing things like the list of all items, whether to
-reindex pathfinding, et cetera. Also relevant to us in ``df`` are the various
-types found in the game, e.g. ``df.pronoun_type`` which we will be using in this
-guide. We'll explore more of the game structures below.
+"The game" is in the global variable `df <lua-df>`. Most of the information
+relevant to a script is found in ``df.global.world``, which contains things
+like the list of all items, whether to reindex pathfinding, et cetera. Also
+relevant to us are the various data types found in the game, e.g.
+``df.pronoun_type`` which we will be using in this guide. We'll explore more of
+the game structures below.
 
 Your first script
 -----------------
@@ -127,8 +148,8 @@ First line, we get the unit::
 
     local unit = dfhack.gui.getSelectedUnit()
 
-If no unit is selected, an error message will be printed (which can be silenced
-by passing ``true`` to ``getSelectedUnit``) and ``unit`` will be ``nil``.
+If no unit is selected, ``unit`` will be ``nil`` and an error message will be
+printed (which can be silenced by passing ``true`` to ``getSelectedUnit``).
 
 If ``unit`` is ``nil``, we don't want the script to run anymore::
 
@@ -138,33 +159,32 @@ If ``unit`` is ``nil``, we don't want the script to run anymore::
 
 Now, the field ``sex`` in a unit is an integer, but each integer corresponds to
 a string value ("it", "she", or "he"). We get this value by indexing the
-bidirectional map ``df.pronoun_type``. Indexing the other way, incidentally,
-with one of the strings, will yield its corresponding number. So::
+bidirectional map ``df.pronoun_type``. Indexing the other way, with one of the
+strings, will yield its corresponding number. So::
 
     local pronounTypeString = df.pronoun_type[unit.sex]
     print(pronounTypeString)
 
-Simple. Save this as a Lua file in your own scripts directory and run it as
-shown before when a unit is selected in the Dwarf Fortress UI.
+Simple. Save this as a Lua file in your own scripts directory and run it from
+`gui/launcher` when a unit is selected in the Dwarf Fortress UI.
 
-Exploring DF structures
------------------------
+Exploring DF state
+------------------
 
 So how could you have known about the field and type we just used? Well, there
 are two main tools for discovering the various fields in the game's data
 structures. The first is the ``df-structures``
 `repository <https://github.com/DFHack/df-structures>`__ that contains XML files
-describing the contents of the game's structures. These are complete, but
+describing the layouts of the game's structures. These are complete, but
 difficult to read (for a human). The second option is the `gui/gm-editor`
-script, an interactive data explorer. You can run the script while objects like
-units are selected to view the data within them. You can also run
-``gui/gm-editor scr`` to view the data for the current screen. Press :kbd:`?`
-while the script is active to view help.
+interface, an interactive data explorer. You can run the script while objects
+like units are selected to view the data within them. Press :kbd:`?` while the
+script is active to view help.
 
 Familiarising yourself with the many structs of the game will help with ideas
 immensely, and you can always ask for help in the `right places <support>`.
 
-Detecting triggers
+Reacting to events
 ------------------
 
 The common method for injecting new behaviour into the game is to define a
@@ -174,7 +194,7 @@ provides two libraries for this, ``repeat-util`` and `eventful <eventful-api>`.
 frames (paused or unpaused), ticks (unpaused), in-game days, months, or years.
 If you need to be aware the instant something happens, you'll need to run a
 check once a tick. Be careful not to do this gratuitously, though, since
-running that often can slow down the game!
+running callbacks too often can slow down the game!
 
 ``eventful``, on the other hand, is much more performance-friendly since it will
 only call your callback when a relevant event happens, like a reaction or job
@@ -371,7 +391,8 @@ Then, let's make a ``repeat-util`` callback for once a tick::
     repeatUtil.scheduleEvery(modId, 1, "ticks", function()
 
 Let's iterate over every active unit, and for every unit, iterate over their
-worn items to calculate how much we are going to take from their on-foot movement timers::
+worn items to calculate how much we are going to take from their on-foot
+movement timers::
 
     for _, unit in ipairs(df.global.world.units.active) do
         local amount = 0
@@ -385,82 +406,78 @@ worn items to calculate how much we are going to take from their on-foot movemen
         end
         -- Subtract amount from on-foot movement timers if not on ground
         if not unit.flags1.on_ground then
-            dfhack.units.subtractActionTimers(unit, amount, df.unit_action_type_group.MovementFeet)
+            dfhack.units.subtractActionTimers(unit, amount,
+                    df.unit_action_type_group.MovementFeet)
         end
     end
 
-The structure of a full mod
----------------------------
-
-For reference, `Tachy Guns <https://www.github.com/wolfboyft/tachy-guns>`__ is a
-full mod that conforms to this guide.
-
-Create a folder for mod projects somewhere outside your Dwarf Fortress
-installation directory (e.g. ``/path/to/mymods/``) and use your mod IDs as the
-names for the mod folders within it. In the example below, we'll use a mod ID of
-``example-mod``. I'm sure your mods will have more creative names! The
-``example-mod`` mod will be developed in the ``/path/to/mymods/example-mod/``
-directory and has a basic structure that looks like this::
-
-    init.d/example-mod.lua
-    raw/objects/...
-    raw/scripts/example-mod.lua
-    raw/scripts/example-mod/...
-    README.md
+Putting it all together
+-----------------------
 
-Let's go through that line by line.
+Ok, you're all set up! Now, let's take a look at an example
+``scripts_modinstalled/example-mod.lua`` file::
 
-* A short (one-line) script in ``init.d/`` to initialise your
-  mod when a save is loaded.
-* Modifications to the game raws (potentially with custom raw tokens) go in
-  ``raw/objects/``.
-* A control script in ``scripts/`` that handles enabling and disabling your
-  mod.
-* A subfolder for your mod under ``scripts/`` will contain all the internal
-  scripts and/or modules used by your mod.
+    -- main file for example-mod
 
-It is a good idea to use a version control system to organize changes to your
-mod code. You can create a separate Git repository for each of your mods. The
-``README.md`` file will be your mod help text when people browse to your online
-repository.
+    -- these lines indicate that the script supports the "enable" API so you
+    -- can start it by running "enable example-mod" and stop it by running
+    -- "disable example-mod"
+    --@module = true
+    --@enable = true
 
-Unless you want to install your ``raw/`` folder into your DF game folder every
-time you make a change to your scripts, you should add your development scripts
-directory to your script paths in ``dfhack-config/script-paths.txt``::
+    -- this is the help text that will appear in `help` and `gui/launcher`
+    -- Documentation on how to format docs here:
+    -- see possible tags here: https://docs.dfhack.org/en/latest/docs/Tags.html
+    --[====[
+    example-mod
+    ===========
 
-    +/path/to/mymods/example-mod/scripts/
+    Tags: fort | gameplay
 
-Ok, you're all set up! Now, let's take a look at an example
-``scripts/example-mod.lua`` file::
+    Short one-sentence description ...
 
-    -- main setup and teardown for example-mod
-    -- this next line indicates that the script supports the "enable"
-    -- API so you can start it by running "enable example-mod" and stop
-    -- it by running "disable example-mod"
-    --@ enable = true
+    Longer description ...
 
-    local usage = [[
     Usage
     -----
 
         enable example-mod
         disable example-mod
-    ]]
+    ]====]
+
     local repeatUtil = require('repeat-util')
     local eventful = require('plugins.eventful')
 
     -- you can reference global values or functions declared in any of
     -- your internal scripts
-    local moduleA = reqscript('example-mod/module-a')
-    local moduleB = reqscript('example-mod/module-b')
-    local moduleC = reqscript('example-mod/module-c')
-    local moduleD = reqscript('example-mod/module-d')
+    local moduleA = reqscript('internal/example-mod/module-a')
+    local moduleB = reqscript('internal/example-mod/module-b')
+    local moduleC = reqscript('internal/example-mod/module-c')
+    local moduleD = reqscript('internal/example-mod/module-d')
+
+    local GLOBAL_KEY = 'example-mod'
 
     enabled = enabled or false
-    local modId = 'example-mod'
+
+    function isEnabled()
+        return enabled
+    end
+
+    dfhack.onStateChange[GLOBAL_KEY] = function(sc)
+        if sc == SC_MAP_UNLOADED then
+            dfhack.run_command('disable', 'example-mod')
+            return
+        end
+
+        if sc ~= SC_MAP_LOADED or df.global.gamemode ~= df.game_mode.DWARF then
+            return
+        end
+
+        dfhack.run_command('enable', 'example-mod')
+    end
 
     if not dfhack_flags.enable then
-        print(usage)
+        print(dfhack.script_help())
         print()
         print(('Example mod is currently '):format(
                 enabled and 'enabled' or 'disabled'))
@@ -516,23 +533,17 @@ Ok, you're all set up! Now, let's take a look at an example
         enabled = false
     end
 
-You can call ``enable example-mod`` and ``disable example-mod`` yourself while
-developing, but for end users you can start your mod automatically from
-``init.d/example-mod.lua``::
-
-    dfhack.run_command('enable example-mod')
-
-Inside ``raw/scripts/example-mod/module-a.lua`` you could have code like this::
+Inside ``scripts_modinstalled/internal/example-mod/module-a.lua`` you could
+have code like this::
 
     --@ module = true
-    -- The above line is required for reqscript to work
 
     function onLoad() -- global variables are exported
         -- do initialization here
     end
 
-    -- this is an internal function: local functions/variables
-    -- are not exported
+    -- this is a local function: local functions/variables
+    -- are not accessible to other scripts.
     local function usedByOnTick(unit)
         -- ...
     end
@@ -543,6 +554,6 @@ Inside ``raw/scripts/example-mod/module-a.lua`` you could have code like this::
         end
     end
 
-The `reqscript <reqscript>` function reloads scripts that have changed, so you can modify
-your scripts while DF is running and just disable/enable your mod to load the
-changes into your ongoing game!
+The `reqscript <reqscript>` function reloads scripts that have changed, so you
+can modify your scripts while DF is running and just disable/enable your mod to
+load the changes into your ongoing game!