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== Overview ==
== [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php?title=An_Introduction_to_Squirrel Overview] ==
This is a relatively brief beginner's guide to the Squirrel language (v3.2) aimed at people with no programming experience interested in trying their hand at [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/VScript VScript]. The only prerequisite knowledge you are expected to have is basic knowledge of the Source engine (entities, I/O system, etc). While in theory this guide is not technically specific to any Source game in particular, it is for version 3.2 which is unique as TF2's version of Squirrel. L4D2, Portal, and other Source games run on older versions, so in practice this guide is directed at TF2 players. If you're following this guide for another Source game that's perfectly fine, just be aware that some features may not function, or they might behave differently in your game's version of Squirrel.
This is a relatively brief beginner's guide to the Squirrel language (v3.2) aimed at people with little to no programming experience. While this guide is intended to be used by people wanting to learn VScript for TF2, it doesn't cover anything regarding how to use VScript itself.


If you already have experience with C-like languages or programming in general I would recommend you visit the [http://squirrel-lang.org/squirreldoc/reference/index.html Squirrel Reference Manual] for a more expedient learning experience more aimed at developers.
If you already have experience with C-like languages or programming in general I would recommend you visit the [http://squirrel-lang.org/squirreldoc/reference/index.html Squirrel Reference Manual] for a more expedient learning experience aimed at developers.




== Getting Started ==
== [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php?title=An_Introduction_to_Squirrel Getting Started] ==
While it's possible to compile the Squirrel source code into binaries with which you can test your code outside of a Source game, simply launching a game and executing your script is much simpler and allows us to test game specific code, so that's what we'll do for the duration of the guide. For guides on VScript itself, the VDC has an excellent collection:
While it's possible to compile the Squirrel source code into binaries with which you can test your code outside of a Source game, simply launching a game and executing your script is much simpler and allows you to start tinkering with Squirrel quicker, so that's what we'll do for the duration of the guide. For guides on VScript itself, the VDC has an excellent collection:
* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/VScript_Fundamentals VScript Fundamentals]
* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/VScript_Fundamentals VScript Fundamentals]
* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Entity_Scripts Entity Scripts]
* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Entity_Scripts Entity Scripts]
Line 13: Line 13:
* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Team_Fortress_2/Scripting/VScript_Examples/en VScript Examples]
* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Team_Fortress_2/Scripting/VScript_Examples/en VScript Examples]


To get set up, navigate to your /tf directory and add a scripts/vscripts folder if it doesn't already exist and create a file with any name with the extension .nut.
To get set up, navigate to your tf/ directory and add a scripts/vscripts folder if it doesn't already exist and create a file with any name with the extension .nut. (Mine will be named testing.nut)
You should have a location something like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\scripts\vscripts\testing.nut


Go ahead and launch your favorite Source game which supports VScript and load into any map on a local server, then bind any key to "script_execute testing".
You should have a location something like this: <pre>C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\scripts\vscripts\testing.nut</pre>
For example: bind 5 "script_execute testing"


Tab out of your game, open your .nut file and type: printl("Hello World!"); then save the file. Go back in game and press your bind, you should see your text in console!
Go ahead and launch your favorite Source game which supports VScript and load into any map on a local server, then bind any key to <code>"script_execute testing"</code>.


== Keywords and Identifiers ==
For example: <code>bind 5 "script_execute testing"</code>


== Constants ==


== Comments ==
Tab out of your game, open your .nut file and type:


== Data Types ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="c#" line="1" start="1" style="font-weight:bold;>
printl("Hello World!");
</syntaxhighlight>


== Literals and Operators ==
<code>'''printl'''</code> is a function that prints to the developer console, we'll go over what functions are and the syntax for it later in the guide, for now just follow along. After saving the file and pressing our script button in-game, you'll see <code>Hello World!</code> in console.


== Expressions ==
You just made your first program in VScript! To get started with the guide, choose a chapter in the table below. Make sure to tinker with the examples in the guide to see first hand how Squirrel works!


== Intro to Functions ==
Good luck!


== Intro to Objects ==


== Scope ==
<hr>


== Control Flow ==


== Exceptions ==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0;"
 
|-
== Enums ==
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
 
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
== Arrays ==
! colspan="1" style="padding: 25px; background-color: #303030; color: white; border: 2px solid black" | Chapters
 
|-
== Tables ==
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
 
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
== Functions ==
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Variables Variables]
 
|}
== Generators ==
|-
 
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
== Delegation ==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
 
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Comments Comments]
== Weak References ==
|}
 
|-
== Classes ==
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
 
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
== Inheritance ==
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Data_Types Data Types]
 
|}
== Metamethods ==
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Operators Operators]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Expressions Expressions]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Intro_to_Functions Intro to Functions]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Intro_to_Objects Into to Objects]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Scopes Scopes]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Control_Flow Control Flow]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Exceptions Exceptions]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Enums Enums]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Arrays Arrays]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Tables Tables]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Functions Functions]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Generators Generators]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Delegation Delegation]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Weak_References Weak References]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Classes Classes]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Inheritance Inheritance]
|}
|-
| colspan="1" style="padding: 0; margin: 0; width: 100%;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; padding: 0; border: none;"
! colspan="1" style="border: 1px solid black; padding-right:64px; background-color: #606060; color: #111111; height: 35px;" | [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php/Squirrel_Metamethods Metamethods]
|}
|}
|}

Latest revision as of 21:25, 22 January 2024

Overview[edit | edit source]

This is a relatively brief beginner's guide to the Squirrel language (v3.2) aimed at people with little to no programming experience. While this guide is intended to be used by people wanting to learn VScript for TF2, it doesn't cover anything regarding how to use VScript itself.

If you already have experience with C-like languages or programming in general I would recommend you visit the Squirrel Reference Manual for a more expedient learning experience aimed at developers.


Getting Started[edit | edit source]

While it's possible to compile the Squirrel source code into binaries with which you can test your code outside of a Source game, simply launching a game and executing your script is much simpler and allows you to start tinkering with Squirrel quicker, so that's what we'll do for the duration of the guide. For guides on VScript itself, the VDC has an excellent collection:

To get set up, navigate to your tf/ directory and add a scripts/vscripts folder if it doesn't already exist and create a file with any name with the extension .nut. (Mine will be named testing.nut)

You should have a location something like this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\scripts\vscripts\testing.nut

Go ahead and launch your favorite Source game which supports VScript and load into any map on a local server, then bind any key to "script_execute testing".

For example: bind 5 "script_execute testing"


Tab out of your game, open your .nut file and type:

printl("Hello World!");

printl is a function that prints to the developer console, we'll go over what functions are and the syntax for it later in the guide, for now just follow along. After saving the file and pressing our script button in-game, you'll see Hello World! in console.

You just made your first program in VScript! To get started with the guide, choose a chapter in the table below. Make sure to tinker with the examples in the guide to see first hand how Squirrel works!

Good luck!




Chapters
Variables
Comments
Data Types
Operators
Expressions
Intro to Functions
Into to Objects
Scopes
Control Flow
Exceptions
Enums
Arrays
Tables
Functions
Generators
Delegation
Weak References
Classes
Inheritance
Metamethods