nodes - Uberi/MineTest-API GitHub Wiki

Nodes

Nodes are the bulk data of the world: cubes and other things that take the space of a cube. Huge amounts of them are handled efficiently, but they are quite static.

The definition of a node is stored and can be accessed by name in minetest.registered_nodes[node.name] See 'registry')); ?>.

Nodes are passed by value between Lua and the engine. They are represented by a table: {name="name", param1=num, param2=num}

param1 and param2 are 8 bit integers. The engine uses them for certain automated functions. If you don't use these functions, you can use them to store arbitrary values.

The functions of param1 and param2 are determined by certain fields in the node definition.

param1 is reserved for the engine when paramtype != "none":

paramtype = "light" The value stores light with and without sun in it's upper and lower 4 bits.

param2 is reserved for the engine when any of these are used:

liquidtype == "flowing" The level and some flags of the liquid is stored in param2
drawtype == "flowingliquid" The drawn liquid level is read from param2
drawtype == "torchlike"
drawtype == "signlike"
paramtype2 == "wallmounted" The rotation of the node is stored in param2. You can make this value by using [minetest.dir_to_wallmounted](minetest.dir_to_wallmounted)().
paramtype2 == "facedir" The rotation of the node is stored in param2. Furnaces and chests are rotated this way. Can be made by using [minetest.dir_to_facedir](minetest.dir_to_facedir)().

Node Metadata

The instance of a node in the world normally only contains the values mentioned in "Nodes". However, it is possible to insert extra data into a node. It is called "node metadata".

Metadata contains two things:

A key-value store
An inventory

Some of the values in the key-value store are handled specially:

formspec Defines a right-click inventory menu. See "Formspec".
infotext Text shown on the screen when the node is pointed at

Example stuff:

local meta = minetest.env:get_meta(pos)
meta:set_string("formspec",
	"invsize[8,9;]"..
	"list[context;main;0,0;8,4;]"..
	"list[current_player;main;0,5;8,4;]")
meta:set_string("infotext", "Chest");
local inv = meta:get_inventory()
inv:set_size("main", 8*4)
print([dump](dump)(meta:to_table()))
meta:from_table({
	inventory = {
		main = {[1] = "default:dirt", [2] = "", [3] = "", [4] = "", [5] = "", [6] = "", [7] = "", [8] = "", [9] = "", [10] = "", [11] = "", [12] = "", [13] = "", [14] = "default:cobble", [15] = "", [16] = "", [17] = "", [18] = "", [19] = "", [20] = "default:cobble", [21] = "", [22] = "", [23] = "", [24] = "", [25] = "", [26] = "", [27] = "", [28] = "", [29] = "", [30] = "", [31] = "", [32] = ""}
	},
	fields = {
		formspec = "invsize[8,9;]list[context;main;0,0;8,4;]list[current_player;main;0,5;8,4;]",
		infotext = "Chest"
	}
})

Node drawtypes

normal
airlike
liquid
flowingliquid
glasslike
allfaces
allfaces_optional
torchlike
signlike
plantlike
fencelike
raillike
nodebox -- See below

Node boxes

Node selection boxes are defined using "node boxes"

The "nodebox" node drawtype allows defining visual of nodes consisting of arbitrary number of boxes. It allows defining stuff like stairs. Only the fixed box type is supported for these.

A nodebox is defined as any of:

{
	-- A normal cube; the default in most things
	type = "regular"
}

{
	-- A fixed box (facedir param2 is used, if applicable)
	type = "fixed",
	fixed = box OR {box1, box2, ...}
}

{
	-- A box like the selection box for torches
	-- (wallmounted param2 is used, if applicable)
	type = "wallmounted",
	wall_top = box,
	wall_bottom = box,
	wall_side = box
}

A box is defined as {x1, y1, z1, x2, y2, z2}. A box of a regular node would look like {-0.5, -0.5, -0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5}.

Afterword

Minetest Links

Lua Links

We're Social

Chat with us

There are developers, modders, themers, server admins and players on IRC at freenode on the channel #minetest (chatlogs)

Webchat