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== [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php?title=An_Introduction_to_Squirrel 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. 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. You'll also need to store your .nut files in the appropriate place of whatever game you're using, rather than the tf/scripts/vscripts folder.
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.




== [https://sigwiki.potato.tf/index.php?title=An_Introduction_to_Squirrel 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]
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* [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
 
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>
 
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>.
 
For example: <code>bind 5 "script_execute testing"</code>


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:
Tab out of your game, open your .nut file and type:
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printl("Hello World!");
printl("Hello World!");
</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>
<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.
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!





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