ScriptENGINE Documentation
Here's the main steps to follow when creating a ScriptENGINE-based application:
- Download/create 3D models, 2d images/textures and sound effects (if required).
- Use the SDK to build/save/test 3D worlds, create GUIs, Skins, Fonts, and edit Options, Language & Keymap data.
- Use the SciTE code-editor to write code & control the ScriptENGINE Runtime Environment.
- Run/test program directly from within SciTE & the SDK 3D World Editor. Or double-click script files from Windows Explorer, Desktop or Start Menu.
- Compile scripts using the SDK to protect IP.
- Distribute compiled scripts, data & the ScriptENGINE Runtime to customers.
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So what's the ScriptENGINE all about?
The ScriptENGINE Runtime:
- Is an application that executes ScriptENGINE scripts (on-demand) to create stunning software applications.
- Is 100% scriptable environment (like Java, Python .Net etc). Development is fast, easy, and requires no software compilers.
- Is simple to install and redistribute to customers (a setup program is included with the SDK).
- Is completely free to distribute.
The ScriptENGINE SDK:
- Is a development kit used to create ScriptENGINE-based applications.
- Is a one-stop shop for all software development needs.
- Is available for purchase at http://scriptengine.capricorn76.com
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What is the ScriptENGINE Runtime?
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime executes ScriptENGINE script-code just like other interpretive environments (eg. Java, Python, .NET etc).
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime has 20+ interfaces containing 1500+ functions.
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime source-code has been entirely developed in C++.
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime is distributed as a Microsoft Windows application, or can be purchased as the entire C++ source-code.
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime is included in the SDK under the Redist folder.
ScriptENGINE-based applications can include:
- 2D/3D graphics
- Graphical user interfaces (eg. buttons, lists etc.)
- Physics, collision detections etc.
- 2D/3D sound
- Networking
- and much more...
About the ScriptENGINE Software Development Kit
What is the ScriptENGINE SDK?
- The ScriptENGINE SDK is a development kit used to create ScriptENGINE-based applications.
What does the ScriptENGINE SDK include?
- A Royalty-free License to create/distribute applications using the ScriptENGINE Runtime.
- Documentation to all ScriptENGINE interfaces.
- Free online technical support.
- A Code Editor to edit script-code. It's pre-installed with all the ScriptENGINE function and callback signatures.
- A 3D World Editor to design/test 3D worlds.
- A GUI Editor to design/test 2D graphical user interfaces.
- A Script Compiler to compile text-based scripts into bytecode.
- A Skin Editor to create GUI skins. Change the look & feel of GUIs.
- Data editors including Options, Language, Keymap editors to edit other data available to applications.
What can be made with the ScriptENGINE SDK? Here's some examples:
- Fully-featured applications to sell/distribute (royalty-free)
- Rapid prototypes, that can evolve into a completed product
- Tools and utility applications
- Games
- Demonstrators
Distributing Products
How to distribute applications to customers:
- Compile scripts using the SDK to protect Intellectual Property (optional).
- The script-code is now converted to bytecode and no longer human-readable.
- Distribute the application's compiled scripts, data (eg. images, 3D models etc) and the ScriptENGINE Runtime to customers.
- We recommend creating a setup application to install the software. It should install the ScriptENGINE Runtime as part of the installation.
- NB: The ScriptENGINE Runtime is included in the SDK under the Redist folder.
- ScriptENGINE scripts are files that you edit to control the ScriptENGINE Runtime Environment.
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime automatically recognises any files with the .e76script, .e76bin or .e76 extensions.
- Saving scripts with these extensions allow the Operating System to associate them with the ScriptENGINE Runtime.
- The .e76script extension is used for uncompiled scripts, while the .e76bin is used for compiled scripts and the .e76 is used for either.
- To run a ScriptENGINE script from Windows Explorer/Desktop/Start Menu, navigate to the file and double-click it.
- To run a ScriptENGINE script from the Windows Command Prompt, type "ScriptENGINEPath/ScriptENGINE.exe scriptFile scriptParams", where
scriptFile is the script to run, scriptParams are parameters to pass to the script, ScriptENGINEPath is the path to the ScriptENGINE Runtime executable.
About the ScriptENGINE Programming Language
What programming language does the ScriptENGINE use?
- The ScriptENGINE Runtime is controlled using the Lua script language.
- It's a well established and powerful language that's comparable to all of today's popular programming languages.
- The ScriptENGINE SDK includes the SciTE code editor to edit script-code.
About the ScriptENGINE Code Editor (SciTE)
The SciTE code editor (included with the SDK) has been pre-installed with all the ScriptENGINE function and callback signatures:
Here's some useful SciTE commands to use when editing ScriptENGINE scripts:
- Edit->Show Calltip
- View a function's calltip
- Edit->Complete Symbol
- View a list of matching function names
- Edit->Insert Abbreviation
- Edit->Complete Word
- View a list of matching words used in the current script
- Tools->Go
- Run a script directly from within SciTE
To debug/trace applications from the SciTE editor, use the ScriptENGINE/Scripts/debugUtility.e76script. More information about this script can be found in the ScriptENGINE/Scripts/debugUtility Readme.txt or via our website articles.
