Reloading Files during Runtime

[pilleman]

Hello everybody,

in the moment i'm trying to build a little labyrinth game and I've been thinking about a "Reload-Function" to edit the game settings while the game is running.
So is it possible, to press a "refresh-button" during the game and reload updated files that are included in the main.lua (for example the config.lua), to change the movement of the player or the structure of the labyrinth?

I know i just could restart the Programm after editing the files, but I really want to try it this way.

Maybe someone of you has already dealt with a problem like this?
I would be very greatful for any help!


Regards

[micha]

I haven't tried it but, you can open and execute code with

Code: Select all

love.filesystem.load(filename)()

The file has to be in the save directory for this, so this is probably most useful in development.

In this file you would probably redefine a function or change values of important variables.

[bartbes]

The file has to be in the save directory for this, so this is probably most useful in development.

That is not true.

[raidho36]

Code: Select all

local module = require ( "module" )
-- some work here
module = require ( "updated_module" )

[pilleman]

I haven't tried it but, you can open and execute code with

Code: Select all

love.filesystem.load(filename)()

yeah but can i do that with the config.lua during the runtime?
i mean i don't want to load a file, i want to reload it after i've edited it.

Code: Select all

local module = require ( "module" )
-- some work here
module = require ( "updated_module" )

sorry but i'm not that used to lua yet and i'm having some problems understanding your idea
i'm really sorry, could you maybe explain it a litte bit more detailed for me?

[bartbes]

yeah but can i do that with the config.lua during the runtime?
i mean i don't want to load a file, i want to reload it after i've edited it.

There is no reloading without loading . (Seriously though, just loading it again means you're reloading.)

Code: Select all

local module = require ( "module" )
-- some work here
module = require ( "updated_module" )

Unless you're suggesting he changes the filename every single time, this won't work.

[pilleman]

ok so this it what i've done so far:

Code: Select all

function love.keypressed(key)
   .
   .
   .
   elseif key == "x" then
	love.filesystem.load(conf.lua)
    end
end

but i get the following error code when i press x on the keyboard:

Code: Select all

Error

main.lua:85: attempt to index global 'conf' (a nil value)

Traceback

...

[micha]

Try this:

Code: Select all

love.filesystem.load('conf.lua')()

Two things: The filename is a string. And after the love.filesystem.load you have to put two brackets, the first one to load the chunk and the second one to run it.

[raidho36]

Unless you're suggesting he changes the filename every single time, this won't work.

You guys have some serious problems with reading pseudocode and using your imagination.

[Plu]

Which part is the pseudo-code? Because the require statement doesn't work like that. It will not load the same file twice.

As Bartbes said; the only way you can use require to reload the file is if you keep changing the name, otherwise the call will be ignored. Which sounds like reasonable advice to give. Unless you meant the require function was also pseudo-code, anyway. Which wasn't really clear from your post.