Accessing math_counters from SP

[iPlayer]

I invite everybody to continue this old discussion on math_counter's, but now in terms of accessing these entities from inside of Source.Python.

The issue me, Ayuto and Absolute discovered is that logic entities like logic_branch, math_counter etc don't get networked. The only thing I did not understand is why we still can't get access to them from server-side plugin even though they don't get networked to clients.

To setup some testing environment

So. I've just created a sample map. It basically consists of func_button, math_counter, light and prop_dynamic.
es_math_counters.bsp | es_math_counters.vmf
Soon as player presses func_button 3 times (math_counter is responsible for counting), light will turn on and prop_dynamic will change its skin.

Here it is in Hammer:


Everything works in-game:

Now let's load the following script

Syntax: Select all

from filters.entities import EntityIter


def dump_entity(classname):
    print("Number of '{0}' entities on the map: {1}".format(classname, len(EntityIter(classname))))


def load():
    dump_entity("func_button")
    dump_entity("prop_dynamic")
    dump_entity("math_counter")

Once we load it, we get:

Code: Select all

sp load math_counters
Number of 'func_button' entities on the map: 1
Number of 'prop_dynamic' entities on the map: 1
Number of 'math_counter' entities on the map: 0


So. I need to work with logic_ entities. For now I'm bound to using ent_fire, fortunately I only need to fire inputs on them. But still, isn't there any possibility to gain access to them?

[satoon101]

Try using BaseEntityIter instead of EntityIter.

[iPlayer]

Code: Select all

sp load math_counters
Number of 'func_button' entities on the map: 1
Number of 'prop_dynamic' entities on the map: 1
Number of 'math_counter' entities on the map: 1


Thanks! That worked, SP found math_counter. Though I'm still unable to use .call_input, .get_input on it because all these useful methods are only implemented for Entity, not BaseEntity. Any suggestions?

Oh, their index is -1. I guess there's not much we can do.

[satoon101]

You can do what Entity does internally. Most of the Entity class does not necessarily require the index, so we could create a new class that does all of the stuff accessible by the BaseEntity objects themselves that Entity can sub-class to do the rest. Maybe the new class could take an Edict object or something.

[iPlayer]

This is the furthest I got:

Syntax: Select all

from entities.classes import server_classes
from entities.datamaps import FieldType
from memory import make_object


_input_types = {
    FieldType.BOOLEAN: bool,
    FieldType.FLOAT: float,
    FieldType.INTEGER: int,
    FieldType.STRING: str,
    FieldType.VOID: None,
}


def get_input(target, input_name):
    """Build an input function based on target's edict."""
    for server_class in server_classes.get_entity_server_classes(target):
        if input_name in server_class.inputs:
            return getattr(
                        make_object(server_class._inputs, target.pointer), input_name)
    
    return None


def call_input(target, input_name, parameter, caller, activator):
    """Call an input function"""
    # We are not sure if the entity actually supports this input
    input_function = get_input(target, input_name)
    
    # If not, we don't work with this entity
    if input_function is None:
        return
    
    caller_index = None if caller is None else caller.index
    activator_index = None if activator is None else activator.index
    
    # Check if type is unsupported, but we actually support all types that can possibly
    # be passed as a string to input: int, float, bool, str
    if input_function._argument_type not in _input_types:
        return
    
    type_ = _input_types[input_function._argument_type]
    
    # Case: input does not require parameter
    if type_ is None:
        parameter = None
    
    # Case: input does require parameter
    else:
        # Try to cast the parameter to the given type
        try:
            parameter = type_(parameter)
        
        # We don't give up the target if the value can't be casted;
        # Instead, we fire its input with a default value just like ent_fire does
        except ValueError:
            parameter = type_()
    
    # Fire an input
    input_function(parameter, caller_index, activator_index)

server_class on line 17 seems to be fine (<class 'memory.manager.CLogicBranch'>), for example server_class.inputs contains SetValueTest but doesn't contain DummyInput. And the input function gets built correctly. And it's fired with no exceptions raised.
The problem is that nothing happens, input doesn't work.

EDIT: Got ninja'd here. Yes, all this time I actually was trying to recreate what Entity does internally.

[Ayuto]

Yes, math_counter is a non-networked entity. That means that it doesn't have an index (and edict).

Instead of creating another class we would ideally move the shared code to the BaseEntity class.

[iPlayer]

I take it back. It actually works. Problem on my side.

Big thank you. I almost (again) switched to using ent_fire.

The issue I ran into is that I forgot that my parameter is a string, and when casting to boolean, '0' would cast to True. So my input always fired with True argument and it didn't actually do anything on my screen in my case.
So, re-creating some of the internal Entity functionality (get_input) works. I hope you will move get_input and call_input to BaseEntity.