Where can i learn about AddOutput and the @ prefix?

Avatar
GreyHound
57 Posts
Posted Aug 27, 2011
Hi,
i've seen those 2 things quite a bit so far but i somehow don't get it.

I've tried understanding the developers wiki page about AddOutput but i doubt it even contains any information that is suitable for one that is relativly new to the subject. And finding out about the @ prefix is also quite hard since google doesn't crawl the symbol. I've spend quite some time looking for anything helpful but failed so far.

I would appreciate a lot if anyone was able to bring some light in my darkness.

Advertisement
Registered users don’t see ads! Register now!
Avatar
Vordwann
767 Posts
Posted Aug 27, 2011
Replied 5 hours later
@ can be used for a couple different things. First of all, if you have the instance for glados generic actor or wheatley, you can tell them to do things by making the output target @glados, etc. Also, if you have the global_ents instance in your map, and it's named global_ents, you can have outputs that say: <Condition> => @autosave => Save to make a checkpoint in your map.
Avatar
Skotty
671 Posts
Posted Aug 27, 2011
Replied 1 hour later
AddOutput allows to add a already existing objects adding a new output or change one of the keyvalues (for example it's name or it's parentname).
Avatar
GreyHound
57 Posts
Posted Aug 27, 2011
Replied 46 minutes later

Skotty wrote:
AddOutput allows to add a already existing objects adding a new output or change one of the keyvalues (for example it's name or it's parentname).

I have the feeling that the concept is quite simple bit i still don't get it. So i can add an Output to any entity? Let's say i have a counter or something similar i could add a OnHit4 output and then use it as inoput for something else? Is it that easy?

Avatar
ChickenMobile
2,460 Posts
Posted Aug 27, 2011
Replied 1 hour later
To find out what inputs you can use for an 'addoutput' output, just unclick the SmartEdit button inside the object's properties.

An output using the AddOutput input would look something like this:

Output -> "OnTrigger" | MyEntityNamed -> "env_smokestack" | Target Input -> "AddOutput" | Parameter -> "twist 20" | Delay -> 0

Also look on the VDC on what possible values you can change. Make sure you also read what it does before creating outputs 'willy nilly'.

Avatar
GreyHound
57 Posts
Posted Aug 27, 2011
Replied 21 minutes later
I'll hit the sack now and try to comprehend that tomorrow. But i guess i still don't get it. I have the feeling that i'm missing a tiny kick to the back of my head to get what the whole thing is supposed to do. For example, i tried to examine the timer logic of the counter you released today/yesterday but i didn't really understand how that (i believe it was "addoutput refiretimer" does)

I must admit, i'm quite tired by now, almost half past 4 in the morning ... don't bother ... i'll wreck my brain tomorrow a little bit more and see if i can get any clues out of this ... mayb i can see the logic once i woke up ;D

thanks

Avatar
ChickenMobile
2,460 Posts
Posted Aug 28, 2011
Replied 4 hours later

GreyHound wrote:
i tried to examine the timer logic of the counter you released today/yesterday but i didn't really understand how that (i believe it was "addoutput refiretimer" does)

It was 'RefireTime' and that is the value of how long the timer takes to fire (e.g. 30 would take the timer 30 seconds to fire).
In the hammer editor with SmartEdit enabled, it is called "RefireInterval". Using this input I used it to change how long I need the timer to count using an output from the button. Seeing as the instance has to be 'robust' this would be the easiest solution without too many replace variables.

In General: AddOutput is the 'master' output which can change any value, even if it doesn't have a main output that uses it. e.g. (using an output from a logic_timer to a prop_dynamic)
img
is the same as
img

====================================================================

Another example using an output from a logic_timer to a prop_portal:
img
is the same as
img

Advertisement
Registered users don’t see ads! Register now!
Avatar
GreyHound
57 Posts
Posted Aug 28, 2011
Replied 6 hours later
Oh thanks chickenmobile, now it all makes sense. Weird how such an easy thing can be so complicated without an example.

Thanks for all your efford on the post.