Concord/docs/classes/Entity.html

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<h1>Concord</h1>


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<li><a href="#Fields">Fields</a></li>
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  <li><strong>Entity</strong></li>
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<h1>Class <code>Entity</code></h1>
<p>An object that exists in a world.</p>
<p> An entity
 contains components which are processed by systems.</p>


<h2><a href="#Fields">Fields</a></h2>
<table class="function_list">
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity.SERIALIZE_BY_DEFAULT">entity.SERIALIZE_BY_DEFAULT</a></td>
	<td class="summary">If true, new Entities are given a "serializable" Component.</td>
	</tr>
</table>
<h2><a href="#Methods">Methods</a></h2>
<table class="function_list">
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:new">entity:new ([world])</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Creates a new Entity.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:give">entity:give (name, ...)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Gives an Entity a Component.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:ensure">entity:ensure (name, ...)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Ensures an Entity has a Component.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:remove">entity:remove (name)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Removes a Component from an Entity.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:assemble">entity:assemble (assemblage, ...)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Assembles an Entity.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:destroy">entity:destroy ()</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Destroys the Entity.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:has">entity:has (name)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Returns true if the Entity has a Component.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:get">entity:get (name)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Gets a Component from the Entity.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:getComponents">entity:getComponents ([output])</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Returns a shallow copy of the Entity's fields, excluding __world and __isEntity.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:inWorld">entity:inWorld ()</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Returns true if the Entity has been assigned a World.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:getWorld">entity:getWorld ()</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Returns the World the Entity is in.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:serialize">entity:serialize ([ignoreKey])</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Serializes the Entity's Components.</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
	<td class="name" nowrap><a href="#entity:deserialize">entity:deserialize (data)</a></td>
	<td class="summary">Deserializes Components onto the Entity.</td>
	</tr>
</table>

<br/>
<br/>


    <h2 class="section-header "><a name="Fields"></a>Fields</h2>

    <dl class="function">
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity.SERIALIZE_BY_DEFAULT"></a>
    <strong>entity.SERIALIZE_BY_DEFAULT</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    If true, new Entities are given a "serializable" Component.







</dd>
</dl>
    <h2 class="section-header "><a name="Methods"></a>Methods</h2>

    <dl class="function">
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:new"></a>
    <strong>entity:new ([world])</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Creates a new Entity.  Optionally queues it to be added to a World.
 If Entity.SERIALIZE<em>BY</em>DEFAULT is true, the Entity is given a "serializable" Component.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">world</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/World.html#">World</a></span>
         World to add the entity to
         (<em>optional</em>)
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Entity.html#">Entity</a></span>
        A new Entity
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:give"></a>
    <strong>entity:give (name, ...)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Gives an Entity a Component.
 If the Component already exists, it's overridden by this new Component.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">name</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.4">string</a> or <a class="type" href="../classes/Component.html#">Component</a></span>
         Name of the ComponentClass, or a Component instance to copy onto the Entity
        </li>
        <li><span class="parameter">...</span>
         additional arguments to pass to the Component's populate function (ignored when copying a Component)
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Entity.html#">Entity</a></span>
        self
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:ensure"></a>
    <strong>entity:ensure (name, ...)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Ensures an Entity has a Component.
 If the Component already exists, no action is taken.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">name</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.4">string</a> or <a class="type" href="../classes/Component.html#">Component</a></span>
         Name of the ComponentClass, or a Component instance to copy onto the Entity
        </li>
        <li><span class="parameter">...</span>
         additional arguments to pass to the Component's populate function (ignored when copying a Component)
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Entity.html#">Entity</a></span>
        self
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:remove"></a>
    <strong>entity:remove (name)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Removes a Component from an Entity.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">name</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.4">string</a></span>
         Name of the ComponentClass to remove
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Entity.html#">Entity</a></span>
        self
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:assemble"></a>
    <strong>entity:assemble (assemblage, ...)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Assembles an Entity.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">assemblage</span>
            <span class="types"><span class="type">function</span></span>
         Function that will assemble an entity
        </li>
        <li><span class="parameter">...</span>
         additional arguments to pass to the assemblage function.
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Entity.html#">Entity</a></span>
        self
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:destroy"></a>
    <strong>entity:destroy ()</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Destroys the Entity.
 Queues removal from its World if it's in one. The Entity stays in the World until the next flush.



    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Entity.html#">Entity</a></span>
        self
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:has"></a>
    <strong>entity:has (name)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Returns true if the Entity has a Component.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">name</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.4">string</a></span>
         Name of the ComponentClass to check
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><span class="type">boolean</span></span>



    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:get"></a>
    <strong>entity:get (name)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Gets a Component from the Entity.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">name</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.4">string</a></span>
         Name of the ComponentClass to get
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/Component.html#">Component</a> or <span class="type">nil</span></span>
        The Component, or nil if the Entity does not have it
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:getComponents"></a>
    <strong>entity:getComponents ([output])</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Returns a shallow copy of the Entity's fields, excluding __world and __isEntity.
 This is primarily the Entity's Components. Extra non-component fields are also copied.
 Mutating a copied Component still mutates the Entity's Component.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">output</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.6">table</a></span>
         Table to copy into. A new table is created if omitted.
         (<em>optional</em>)
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.6">table</a></span>



    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:inWorld"></a>
    <strong>entity:inWorld ()</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Returns true if the Entity has been assigned a World.
 True as soon as addition is queued, and remains true until removal is flushed.



    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><span class="type">boolean</span></span>



    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:getWorld"></a>
    <strong>entity:getWorld ()</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Returns the World the Entity is in.



    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="../classes/World.html#">World</a></span>



    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:serialize"></a>
    <strong>entity:serialize ([ignoreKey])</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Serializes the Entity's Components.
 Components that return nil from serialize are omitted.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">ignoreKey</span>
            <span class="types"><span class="type">boolean</span></span>
         If true, the key Component is omitted
         (<em>optional</em>)
        </li>
    </ul>

    <h3>Returns:</h3>
    <ol>

           <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.6">table</a></span>
        Serialized Entity data
    </ol>




</dd>
    <dt>
    <a name = "entity:deserialize"></a>
    <strong>entity:deserialize (data)</strong>
    </dt>
    <dd>
    Deserializes Components onto the Entity.


    <h3>Parameters:</h3>
    <ul>
        <li><span class="parameter">data</span>
            <span class="types"><a class="type" href="https://www.lua.org/manual/5.4/manual.html#6.6">table</a></span>
         Serialized Entity data
        </li>
    </ul>





</dd>
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