Editing Wiki/Guides/Lua

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{{Wiki_Page/subpages|Learning Lua as a beginner|Learning Lua as a programer|Exploring the Stormworks Lua API|Special Advice for Lua|||||||||||}}

Lua is used in script components. It can read and write composite data, so it can do the same stuff other logic components can do, but in a programatic way.

It can also draw stuff on a monitor or over a camera feed.



If you need more assistance or have more questions, you can always join the [https://discord.gg/qvZwnym Official Stormworks Discord] and ask your questions in the #lua channel.

'''Please choose which kind of user you are'''

* You have no experience in programing?   go to [[Wiki/Guides/Lua/Learning_Lua_as_a_beginner | Learning Lua as a beginner]]
* You have experience in another language?   go to [[Wiki/Guides/Lua/Learning_Lua_as_a_programer | Learning Lua as a programer]]
* You have experience in Lua?   go to [[Wiki/Guides/Lua/Exploring_the_Stormworks_Lua_API | Exploring the Stormworks Lua API]]
* You have experience in Lua in Stormworks?   go to [[Wiki/Guides/Lua/Special_Advice_for_Lua | Special advice and little known facts]]



==Tools to program Lua scripts==

===PonyIDE===
In case you already know a little bit, or watched one of those tutorials, you can use this website to program scripts.
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https://lua.flaffipony.rocks
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Advantages compared to the original editor in game
* undo/redo function
* autocompletion
* debug scripts with print()
* zooming
* simulate inputs and properties
* minifier
* UI Builder
* share scripts with other people

===VSCode Extension===
For those who wish to take their Lua further, an extension has been created for VSCode - a professional development environment.

You can use this to develop lua scripts on '''Windows''' ''(Note, Mac and Linux are not yet supported)''

Download here, or search "Stormworks" in VSCode:  
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=NameousChangey.lifeboatapi

Advantages over the ingame editor, and online editing tools:
* Full debugger support with breakpoints
* Full intellisense/code-hinting
* Ability to organise code into libraries and re-use functions across multiple scripts
* More powerful Stormworks Minifier
* More accurate Stormworks Simulator
* Multi-screen & Multi-MC simulation support
* As a desktop tool:
** Can more easily store code on github
** Can more easily chain build processes with other tools
* EmmyLua type hinting
* Redundancy Remover syntax
* Access to built-in utilities library, including Vector math library

See the quick feature rundown here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oroLYoOV_Q

==Lua Video Tutorial==
{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv5NTZtQe9Q&list=PLFRedzlVFwBACmmpHMmsU_E8vc-TpwVVZ}}


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