Slow Glass Animation System

Format

New lines are significant, each item must be on a separate line but initial whitespace is ignored. Long lines can be split by ending them with ‘\’ and will be treated as a single line.

Lines starting with a # are ignored, as is all content from // to the end of the line and any content between /* and */.

Directives

scene {scene-name}
end scene - ends current scene
finish - stop processing commands (everything else ignored)
end file - same as above
include {file} - read file as if inserted at this point (TO BE DONE)
(canvas | stage | display) height/width {value} - sets window dimensions
(canvas | stage | display) size {width} {height} - sets window dimensions
display fullscreen - full screen window (TBD)
scale (fit | stretch | none) - how to adapt script scale to display
gravity {integer} - force of gravity in pixels per second
ground {integer} - y coordinate of ground level
script width {integer} - assumed width for this script
script height {integer} - assumed height for this script
script size {integer} {integer} - assumed size for this script

Triggers

setup - runs on scene load (or file load if at top level)
begin - runs after scene load (or file load if at top level)
after {duration} - runs after duration has elapsed from scene start
on key {key} -runs when key is pressed
on click {sprite-name} - runs when named sprite receives a left click
at time {timecode} - runs when time of day matches the timecode
atend - runs when the scene is finished, just prior to deletion
each time {timecode} - runs when time of day matches timecode (including wild cards)
every {duration} - runs after duration has elapsed from scene start and repeats
when (condition) - Evaluated once per second, runs once when the condition becomes true
on call {routine-name} - runs when invoked by the call action

Commands

In most cases unnecessary words can be omitted, the minimum phrasing is shown in bold

System Commands

(log | print) {text…} - write text to console (or page element)
echo (on | off | flip) - log expanded and evaluated commands prior to executing them
finish [{url}] - stop application, pass back suggested URL
list (scenes | all) - basic information on all scenes to console
list (scene | sprites | images | actions) [{scene-name}] - detailed information to console
debug {integer} {text…} - if a top level variable called DEBUGLEVEL exists and is lower than the number given print the text to console
breakpoint (now | group | update) -

Resource Management

from {folder} - take all resources from the named folder
reset from - set folder name to blank
(load | upload) {file} named {resource-name} [split {cols} by {rows}] - load resource of any type
unload {resource-name…} - remove resources from memory

Scene Management

prepare [scene] {scene-name} [named as {active-name}] - load scene into memory, do setup actions
run [scene] {active-name} [with parameters {parameters…}] - start scene executing
start [scene] {scene-name} [named as {active-name}] [with paramters] [{parameters…}] - prepare and run scene, pass information
stop [{active-name}] - stop current scene or named scene (removes all images)
reset scene [{active-name}] - put scene back into the original state
call {routine-name} - execute the actions in the routine, then continue

Sprite Management

reset sprite {sprite-name} - set all sprite aspects back to their original state
sprite create [named {sprite-name}] [in {group-name}] load from {url} - creates a sprite directly from an image
sprite create [named {sprite-name}] [in {group-name}] from {resource-name} [view {x} {y} {w} {h}] - creates a sprite, needs to be placed
replace {sprite-name} [with] {resource-name} - change the sprite image leaving all other aspects unchanged
with {scene-name} - sprite names without a prefix assumed to in the named scene
reset with - sprite names without a prefix assumed to be in the current scene (the default behaviour)

Sprite Placement

place {sprite-name} [(hidden | transparent)] at {x},{y} [depth {z}] [size|scale] [{w},{h}] - place an image on to the screen
put {resource-name} as (background | backdrop | top | bottom | left | right | ground | sky | foreground | frame) [at] [depth {z}] - place an image on to the screen in a fixed location
raise/lower {sprite-name} to {value} - set depth of image on screen to value
raise/lower {sprite-name} by {value} - change depth of image on screen up or down the set of images
show/hide {sprite-name} - reveal or remove images from screens, but still update changes
show/hide {sprite-name} for {duration}- reveal or remove images from screens just for a set length of time (TBD)
remove {sprite-name…} - remove images from the screen

Animated Sprite Management

window {sprite-name} at {ix},{iy},{iw},{ih} - define a window on the source image centered at ix,iy of size iw,ih zoom window {sprite-name} to {iw},{ih} [in {duration}]- set new window size on source image move window of {sprite-name} to {ix},{iy} [in {duration}]- set new window centre on source image scroll window of {sprite-name} up|down|left|right [at {speed}] - move window centre continuously at speed pixels per minute scroll {sprite-name} [at] {x} {y} - move window continuously at x / y pixels per minute DONE animate rate of {sprite-name} to {value} - if image is sprite, update the frame every {value} seconds advance {sprite-name} to {number} - switch sprite to the given frame (set rate to zero to use) advance/reverse {sprite-name} by {number} - advance or reverse sprite by the given number of frames

(Movie image sources can only advance)

Sprite Movement

move {sprite-name} to {x},{y} [in {duration}] - Move sprite to a new location on screen in a given time
move {sprite-name} (horizontally | vertically) to {delta} [in {duration}] - Move sprite along an axis in a given time
move {sprite-name} (horizontally | vertically) by {delta} [in {duration}] - Move sprite along an axis in a given time
move {sprite-name} to {x},{y} [at {speed}] - Move sprite to a new location on screen at a given speed
move {sprite-name} by {x},{y} [in {duration}] - Move sprite relative to current position a given time
move {sprite-name} by {x},{y} [at {speed}] - Move sprite relative to current position at a given speed
move {sprite-name} at {x},{y} - Move sprite at a given speed
speed {sprite-name} to {x-speed} {y-speed} [in {duration}] - set the speed of sprite
accelerate {sprite-name} by {x-rate} {y-rate} [in {duration}] - change the speed of sprite
rotate {sprite-name} to {value} - turn sprite on screen to the given angle (degrees clockwise, 0 at top)
rotate {sprite-name} by {value} - turn sprite on screen by given angle (degrees clockwise)
pause/resume {sprite-name} - pause or resume all current changes to an sprite (does not change visibility) TBD
throw {sprite-name} at {angle} [with speed] {speed} - throw the sprite in the given direction with the given speed
throw {sprite-name} stop - stop thrown motion
drop {sprite-name} - convenience function, same as throw {sprite} at 180, 0
align {sprite-name} (top | bottom | left | right) to {location} - move edge of sprite to the location, x or y

Sprite Sizing

resize {sprite-name} to {w},{h} [in {duration}] - change size of sprite on screen to given dimensions
scale {sprite-name} to {x%},{y%} [in {duration}] - change size of sprite on screen by given proportions of the original sprite size
scale {sprite-name} by {x%},{y%} [in {duration}] - change size of sprite on screen by given proportions of the current sprite size
flip {sprite-name} (horizontally | vertically) - flips sprite around given axis without changing position

Sprite Appearance

fade {sprite-name} (to | by | up | down) {value} [in {duration}] - set sprite transparency (0 = solid, 100 = transparent)
darken {sprite-name} to {value} [in {duration}] - make sprite darker (0 = no change, 100 = solid black)
lighten {sprite-name} to {value} [in {duration}] - make sprite lighter (0 = no change, 100 = solid white) (TBD)
blur {sprite-name} (to | by | up | down) {value} [in {duration}] - make blurry (0 = unchanged, 100 = very blurry)
tint {sprite-name} to {colour} - tint with named colour or hex code

Sprite Effects

flicker {sprite-name} by {amount} [with chance {percentage}] - randomly adjust transparency
flicker {sprite-name} stop
jiggle {sprite-name} by {x-amount} {y-amount} [with chance {percentage}] - randomly adjust position
jiggle {sprite-name} stop
flash {sprite-name} {number-of-times} - show for 1/10 second (hidden when finished)
blink {sprite-name} at {rate} per second [with chance {percentage}] - on/off at given rate
blink {sprite-name} stop
pulse {sprite-name} at {rate} per second from {min-value} to {max-value} - fade up and down
pulse {sprite-name} stop
wave {sprite-name} to {wave-max} in {duration} [with chance {percentage}] - random skew in height
wave {sprite-name} stop
sway {sprite-name} to {sway-max} in {duration} [with chance {percentage}] - random skew in width
sway {sprite-name} stop

Text Commands

text create {text-name} [in {group-name}] {text…} - create a named text item
text font {font-name} - sets font face (no checking)
text size {integer} - sets font size (no checking)
text align (left | centre | right) - sets font alignment
text wrap {integer} - wrap text at this point, 0 to disable
text colour {colour} - sets fill and stroke to named colour or hex code
text fill {colour} - sets fill to named colour or hex code
text stroke {colour} - sets stroke to named colour or hex code

Once created a text item is like a sprite and must be placed to become visible. Colour, font and other aspects of appearance can be changed after the text item has been created.

Graphic Commands

graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as (rect | rectangle) {width} {height} [{corner-radius}]
graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as circle {radius}
graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as line {height} (rotate as required)
graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as star {num-points} {outer-radius} [{inner-radius}]
graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as ellipse {x-radius} {y-radius} (rotate as required)
graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as bubble {height} {width} {radius} {pointers…}
graphic create {graphic-name} [in {group-name}] as grid {x-size} {y-size} (covers whole display)
graphic stroke {graphic-name} {colour} - sets fill to named colour or hex code
graphic fill {graphic-name} {colour} - sets fill to named colour or hex code
graphic stroke {graphic-name} {colour} - sets stroke to named colour or hex code
graphic stroke width {graphic-name} {integer} - sets stroke width

The word ‘shape’ can be used instead of ‘graphic’.

Sounds

play {resource-name} [fade in] [{duration}] [at volume] {level} - play a sound resource
set volume of {resource-name} to {level} [in {duration}] - set volume of sound resource (0-100)

Group Management

group create {group-name} [size {width} {height}] - create a named empty group, needs to be placed
group add {sprite-name} to {group-name} - add named sprites to the group (removes them from scene)

Sprite Aspect Variations

vary {sprite-name} {aspect} [(by | with)] {waveform} {limit} {period} [{extra}]
vary {sprite-name} {aspect} stop

Flow Control

wait for {duration} - do nothing for given time (safe to use, not busy wait)
wait (until | while) {condition} - suspend execution until condition is true/false
for {variable-name} in {values…}
for {variable-name} range {N..M}
(endfor | next) - assign each value to variable in turn
repeat
until {logical-expression} - run actions until expression is false
if {logical-expression}
endif - run actions if the expression is true

Logical Expressions

(false | no | n | none | 0 | 0.0) - are all false, everything else is true
{value1} (is | equals | = | ==) {value2} - Javascript equality test
{value1} (not | != | !==) {value2} - Javascript inequality test
{value1} (> | < | >= | <=) {value2} - Javascript comparison

Mathematical Expressions

Anything in round brackets is assumed to be a mathemtical expression and on use will be replaced by its evaluated result. *Before* evaluation all variables will be expanded to their values.

All the standard operator symbols are supported, including ! and ^ for factorial and power. Brackets can be nested to any depth. ‘Pi’ and ‘e’ are replace by their respective values. The following functions are supported:

sin cos tan asin acos atan sinh cosh tanh asinh acosh atanh - trigonmetric, angles in degrees
Mod log ln - modulus & logarithms (note capitals)

Variable Creation

(let | make) {variable-name} be {value} - set the variable to the given value
assign {variable-names…} as {values…} - set multiple variables at once
choose {variable-name} from {values…} - randomly assign one of the values
match {variable-name} to {search-string} [at (start | end)] from {values…} - set variable to all the values that match
make {variable-name} from** - assign array key / values from following lines
enddata - end of array assignment
increment {variable-name} - if it looks like a number
deccrement {variable-name} - if it looks like a number

String Manipulation

string create {variable-name} from (upper | lower | title) case {text…}
string create {variable-name} from character {position1} to {position2} of {text…}
string create {variable-name} from repeat {text} {number} times
string create {variable-name} by replacing {text1} with {text2} in {text…}

All variables start with $, use braces ‘{}’ to isolate variable names within strings or if the variable name contains a ‘.’ character. Unset variables evaluate to “NONE”.

Variables are local to scenes, to access variables in other scenes use ${scene-name:variable-name}. Variables in the scene named ‘data’ are also global.

Variables in commands are evaluated every time the command is invoked, variables in triggers are expanded when the trigger is tested. Variables can NOT be used in stage directions

Built-in Variables

$SECONDS - current second (0 - 59)
$MINUTES - current minute (0 - 59)
$HOURS - current hour (0 - 23)
$ELAPSED - no. seconds since script started
$MILLIS - millseconds since script started (probably unique)
$DAY - day of month (1-31) (TBD)
$DAYNAME - name of day as a string
$DAYOFWEEK - Sunday = 1, Monday = 2 etc.
$WEEKDAY - yes/no
$WEEKEND - yes/no
$MORNING - yes/no
$AFTERNOON - yes/no
$EVENING - yes/no
$NIGHT - yes/no
$MONTH - month of year (1-12)
$MONTHNAME - name of the month as a string
$YEAR - year as a 4 digit number
$SEASON - season as lower case string (needs $HEMISPHERE set correctly)
$WINTER - yes/no
$SPRING - yes/no
$SUMMER - yes/no
$AUTUMN - yes/no
$WIDTH - width of the display in pixels
$HEIGHT - height of the display in pixels
$SCALEX, $SCALEY - Script scaling factors
$CENTREX, CENTREY - x, y coordinates of the centre of the display
$MOUSEX, $MOUSEY - current x & y coordinates of mouse TBD
$PERCENT - random value from 0 to 100, set on use
$CHANCE - random value from 0.0 to 1.0, set on use
$RANDOMX, $RANDOMY - random values somewhere within the current window
$KEY - key currently being pressed (None if none pressed)
$LASTKEY - last key that was pressed
$SCENENAME - name of the current scene
$PARAMETERS - values passed to this scene on start
${scene-name:SPRITES} - list of all sprite names in named scene
$SPRITES - list of all sprites in current scene
$IMAGES - as above for images
$SCENES - list of all scene names
$VARIABLES - list of all variables in the current scene ONLY
$UNIQUE - incrementing number guaranteed to be unique in this run
$FRAME - 1 based count of frames rendered so far
$GRAVITY - current gravity setting for scene
$GROUND - current ground level setting for scene

Sprite properties

Some sprite properties are available as variables, using the sprite tag as the variable name, followed by a ‘.’ and one of the following:

loc.x, x - current x coordinate
loc.y, y- current y coordinate
size.x, sx - current width
size.y, sy - current height
s - current speed (pixels per second) TBD
click.x, cx - coordinate of last click on this sprite
click.y, cy - coordinate of last click on this sprite
depth, z - current depth
angle - current rotation
visible - true/false visibity
role - if used in a put command, the name of the location
frame - current frame number, 0 if not animated
bounds - for debugging