Expressions for everything

[anescient]

I'm only just starting with lua and these mods, so I don't know the feasability of this.

I'd like to see simple physics objects support expressions as their parameters. For example, instead of thrusters having separate UI thingies for multiplier, min, max, etc., there would just be a textbox with an expression, with some reasonable default, such as:

Thrust = [ clamp(Input * 100, -5000, 5000) ]

Each left-hand-side would be fixed, as appropriate to the object, with available inputs listed. If lua has appropriate object-oriented features and the mod environment allows it, this should be easy. All that's needed is an abstraction of the expression gate's functionality, even a simplified version with only one output and no extra variables allowed.

[-=Fox=-]

Well actually you could use an expression gate to control all of your thrusters for the device you have,

I have an example in Contraptions and Saves called a Battery Powered Buggys, I got one that runs on ONE expression Gate that does everything.

If you need to make a thruster that will go two directions with 5000 & -5000 being the power, a little math and an expression gate will go a LONG ways

Something Similar to:
(Open a plan Ascii File)

N@Two Way Thruster
I@ ButtonA ButtonB
O@Thrust
Thrust = A + B
A = ButtonA + 5000
B = ButtonB - 5000

This is off the top of my head so wait for a couple of replies or try it out to see if it works.

In theory with this is if you press both at the same time it will zero it, and if no buttons are pressed it should add up to 0 so nothing will happen.
So if you an input for ButtonA it should output 5000, and -5000 for ButtonB

An even simpler way to try this out would be to use basic components but sometimes i find that exasperating when i know what i want the output to be.

There maybe be a simpler way to do this.

[EntropyGuardian]

I don't know exactly what the OP is asking, and I really doubt Fox's post addresses it, but in regards to this:

Something Similar to:
(Open a plan Ascii File)

N@Two Way Thruster
I@ ButtonA ButtonB
O@Thrust
Thrust = A + B
A = ButtonA + 5000
B = ButtonB - 5000

This is off the top of my head so wait for a couple of replies or try it out to see if it works.

In theory with this is if you press both at the same time it will zero it, and if no buttons are pressed it should add up to 0 so nothing will happen.
So if you an input for ButtonA it should output 5000, and -5000 for ButtonB

An even simpler way to try this out would be to use basic components but sometimes i find that exasperating when i know what i want the output to be.

There maybe be a simpler way to do this.[/b]

N@Two Way Thruster
I@ButtonA ButtonB
O@Thrust
Thrust = (ButtonA - ButtonB) * 5000

Would do the exact same thing. Although if you are using 5000, then I would just set the multiplier on the thruster to 5000 and use a subtract gate to save a bit of time in the long run.