Helper - AlsoGhostglowDev/Ghost-s-Utilities GitHub Wiki

GhostUtil's backend helper utility used for resolving common problems/tasks.

^{Intended for developer use.}

local helper = require 'ghostutil.backend.helper'

extensions: dictionary<string, module> = { }

throwError: boolean = true

reflect(): module

Returns the current instance of reflect module if exists.

Returns: The reflect module. nil is returned if it's not found.

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legacyAvailable(): boolean

Checks if the legacy version (<0.7) has Psych Engine functions available.
_{(Returns true after onCreate is called)}

Returns: true if Psych Engine functions are available; always returns true on versions above and 0.7.0.

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instanceArg(instance: string, ?class: string): string

Refer to bcompat.instanceArg

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callMethod(method: string, ?args: table<dynamic>): dynamic

Refer to bcompat.callMethod

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callMethodFromClass(class: string, method: string, ?args: table<dynamic>): dynamic

Refer to bcompat.callMethodFromClass

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createInstance(tag: string, className: string, args: table<dynamic>): boolean 

Refer to bcompat.createInstance

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addInstance(instance: string, ?front: boolean): void

Refer to bcompat.addInstance

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setProperty(prop: string, value: dynamic, ?allowMaps: boolean, ?allowInstances: boolean): dynamic

Refer to bcompat.setProperty

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setPropertyFromClass(class: string, prop: string, value: dynamic, ?allowMaps: boolean, ?allowInstances: boolean): dynamic

Refer to bcompat.setPropertyFromClass

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setPropertyFromGroup(group: string, index: string, prop: string, value: dynamic, ?allowMaps: boolean, ?allowInstances: boolean): dynamic

Refer to bcompat.setPropertyFromGroup

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connect(name: string): module

Connects to an existing or create a new instance of a GhostUtil extension if exists. This action adds the module (extension) to helper.extensions.

Parameters:

• name: The extension file name in ghostutil/extensions/.

Returns: The module object.

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getCameraFromString(camera: string): string 

Fetches the camera from the given camera string, also supports custom cameras that's added through createInstance.

Parameters:

• camera: The camera name.
  ^{(Can be shorten like hud, other, etc., except custom cameras)}

Returns: The camera name. camGame is returned by default if camera is not found.

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getType(e: dynamic, ?structOverDict: boolean): string

A more "accurate" Lua's existing type(), being able to detect dictionaries for table types.

Parameters:

• e: The element to check.
• structOverDict (optional): If it should return struct instead of dictionary for dictionary types.

Returns: e's type.

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serialize(value: dynamic, t: string)

Serializes value to the desired type if it were to be written in Haxe. Commonly used for serializing Lua table/dictionary to Haxe's array, anonymous structure or map.

Parameters:

• value: The value to serialize.
• t: The type of value.
  ^{(can be string, array/table, map/dictionary/dict, struct/structure/anonstruct, bool/boolean or function)}

Returns: The serialized value. However, if t is invalid, value is returned unchanged.

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addHaxeLibrary(library: string, ?package: string): void

Does the same thing as Psych's addHaxeLibrary without triggering Psych Engine >1.0.0 deprecation warning.

Parameters:

• library: The library name.
• package (optional): The package the library is from, defaults to an empty string.

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hgetKeys(map: string): table<dynamic>

Fetches a map's keys. The map must be in the variables map or in the current PlayState instance (game) itself.

Parameters:

• map: The map to fetch the keys from.

Returns: map's keys, if exists, fallbacks to an empty table if nil.

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getKeys(dict: dictionary<t, dynamic>): t 

Refer to table.getkeys

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eqAny(val: dynamic, toCheck: table<dynamic>): boolean 

Checks if val is equal to any values of toCheck.

Parameters:

• val: The value to check.
• toCheck: The list of values to match with val.

Returns: true if val equals to one of toCheck's values.

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isInt(number: number): boolean 

Checks if number is an integer.

Parameters:

• number: The number to check.

Returns: true if number is an integer.

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isFloat(number: number): boolean 

Checks if number is a floating-point number. _{(Shortcut to not helper.isInt(number))}

Parameters:

• number: The number to check.

Returns:: true if number is a Float.

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isDict(tbl: table|dictionary): boolean 

Refer to table.isdictionary

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findIndex(tbl: table<dynamic>, el: dynamic): number

Refer to table.indexof

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findKey(dict: dictionary<t, dynamic>, value: dynamic): t 

Refer to table.keyof

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existsFromTable(tbl: table|dictionary, value: dynamic): boolean 

Refer to table.contains

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keyExists(dict: dictionary<t, dynamic>, key: t): boolean 

Refer to table.containskey

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stringSplit(str: string, del: string): string 

Similar to Psych's stringSplit but adds support for legacy Psych (<0.7.0) to use a custom split function before onCreate is called.

Information: Refer to string.split

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ternary(statement: boolean, a: dynamic, b: dynamic): dynamic 

Simple ternary in Lua.

Parameters:

• statement: Either true or false.
• a: The return value if statement is true.
• b: The return value if statement is false

Returns: a is returned if statement is true else, b is returned.

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bound(n: number, min: number, max: number): number

Refer to math.bound

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rawsetDict(t: dictionary, path: string, value: dynamic): void

Refer to table.rawsetdict

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rawgetDict(t: dictionary, path: string): dynamic

Refer to table.rawgetdict

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getDictLength(t: dictionary): number

Refer to table.getdictlength

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pack(value: dynamic, length: number): table<dynamic>

Packs value into a table length times.

Parameters:

• value: The value to pack.
• length: The amount of value should be packed into the table.

Returns: The packed table.

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fillTable(tbl: table<dynamic>, value: dynamic, length: number): table<dynamic>

Refer to table.fill

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resolveNilInTable(tbl: table<dynamic>, fallbackValue: dynamic): table<dynamic>

Resolves nil values in tbl, replacing them with fallbackValue instead.
_{(This is an in-place function directly modifying tbl's structure)}

Parameters:

• tbl: The table to resolve.
• fallbackValue: The value to replace nil values with.

Returns: The resolved table for chaining.

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resizeTable(tbl: table<dynamic>, length: number): table<dynamic>

Refer to table.resize

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arrayComprehension(from: number, to: number, fn: number->dynamic): table<dynamic>

Refer to table.arraycomp

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mapComprehension(keys: table<t1>, fn: t1->t2): dictionary<t1, t2>

Refer to table.dictcomp

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resolveAlt(value: t|table<t>, length: number): table<t>

Resolves an alternative way for an t-or-table<t> argument.

This was previously used in GhostUtil 2.0 when functions like game.doTweenPosition used to take number and table<number> simultaneously as one of it's values, whereas if the argument were to be a number, it'll make a table<number> with two (which is the length) of those given number, else it'll just stay as the passed table<number>.

Parameters:

• value: The passed value. If table<t> is passed, it will remain unchanged, else it'll create a table<t> containing length times the passed value.
• length: The target length, ignored if value is a table.

Returns: The resolved value.

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validate(params: table<dynamic>, types: table<string|table<string>>): boolean

Checks if the given parameters matches with the given types.

This is used to validate multiple arguments that was passed through a function was given with the correct type by the user.

Parameters:

• params: Table containing the parameters to check.
• types: Table containing types that should match to the corresponding parameter. Multiple-types are also supported, use table<string> containing multiple types instead of the normal string.

Returns: true if all parameters matches their corresponding type.

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parseObject(obj: string): string

Parses the object tag to a referenceable object in Haxe. Checks the object in the current PlayState instance (game), the variables map and "modchart" maps (<1.0.0).

Parameters:

• obj: The object name (tag).

Returns: The object reference.
^{(can be game.object, getVar("object") or game.getLuaObject("object"))}

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concat(t1: table, t2: table): table

Refer to table.merge

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concatDict(d1: dictionary, d2: dictionary, ?override: boolean): dictionary

Refer to table.mergedict

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isOfType(value: dynamic, t: string): boolean

Refer to util.isOfType

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resolveDefaultValue(value: dynamic, fallback: dynamic): dynamic

Resolves for nil values that occurs on default values. This function may only be useful when you're working with booleans, but other than that, value or fallback should be safe to use.

Parameters:

• value: The passed value.
• fallback: The default value to use if value is nil.

Returns: fallback if value is nil, else value is returned.

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getTweenEaseByString(ease: string): string

Fetches the tween ease based on the given string.

Parameters:

• ease: The target ease.

Returns: The ease in FlxEase as a string, i.e. 'FlxEase.cubeOut'. Returns FlxEase.linear if the ease not found.
^{(Refer to FlxEase)}

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getTweenType(twnType: string|number): number

Fetches the tween type based on the given value.

Parameters:

• twnType: String of the tween's type or the abstract value (number).

Returns: The tween type in it's abstract value (number). Returns 8 (oneshot) by default if not found.

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objectExists(obj: string): boolean

Checks whether the given object exists in the variables map, as a lua object or in the current PlayState instance.

Parameters:

• obj: The object to check.

Returns: true if the given object passes one of the checks.

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variableExists(var: string): boolean

Checks whether the given variable exists in the variables map.

Parameters:

• var: The variable to check.

Returns: true if the variable exists.

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luaObjectExists(obj: string): boolean

Checks whether the given object exists as a lua object. This function is redundant on Psych Engine 1.0.0 and above as all "modchart" maps has been moved to the variables map instead. Consider using helper.variableExists instead.

Parameters:

• obj: The object to check.

Returns: true if the object exists.

<sub>GhostUtil 3.0.0 • Docs 3.0.0, Revision 1

a Lua Library made by GhostglowDev; for Psych Engine
© 2025 GhostglowDev — Ghost's Utilities
Licensed under the MIT License.</sub>