Where to get mouse co-ordinates

Questions
#1

Is there a way to get the X and Y of the mouse all the time?

This works

function on_input(self, action_id, action)
	if action_id == hash("click") and action.pressed then
	p=(vmath.vector3(action.x, action.y, 0))
	factory.create("#clickerfactory", p)
	end
end

But this doesn’t

function update(self, dt)
go.set_position(vmath.vector3(action.x, action.y, 0))
end

(basically i need a tiny little collision object constantly following the mouse around in order to do some mouse over stuff for the menus and stuff)

#2

Maybe try something like this. Remember that when you create a variable, you usually want to use local. For example local p = etc. When you just do p=, you could have problems in the global namespace. In this example below, there’s no local variable needed, because I’m storing mpos_vec as part of self instead.


function init(self)
  msg.post(".", "acquire_input_focus")
  self.mpos_vec = vmath.vector3(0, 0, 0)
end

function on_input(self, action_id, action)
  self.mpos_vec.x = action.x
  self.mpos_vec.y = action.y
  
  if action_id == hash("click") and action.pressed then
    factory.create("#clickerfactory", self.mpos_vec)
  end
end

function update(self, dt)
  go.set_position(self.mpos_vec)
end

Alternatively, you could do go.set_position(vmath.vector3(action.x, action.y, 0)) within the on_input function, and not have an update function at all. Then the script would only set the position when the mouse moves, rather than needlessly setting it every update.

#3

I think you didn’t understand my question: I WANT to set the posición every update in order to have a little collision object that collides with stuff.

In any case, this part still returns an error (same error as before)

ERROR:SCRIPT: main/clickerstuff/clicker.script:10: attempt to index global ‘action’ (a nil value)

#4

My best guess would be it’s trying to parse action during a null input event, but according to the docs mouse movement uses action_id nil, so maybe you can wrap the accessing of action.x and .y within this:

function on_input(self, action_id, action)
  if action_id == hash("nil") then
    self.mpos_vec.x = action.x
    self.mpos_vec.y = action.y
  elseif action_id == hash("click") and action.pressed then
    factory.create("#clickerfactory", self.mpos_vec)
  end
end

Also make sure you have

function init(self)
  msg.post(".", "acquire_input_focus")
end

at the top of your script, or it won’t receive action data.

#5

That would be if action_id == nil or even better if not action_id then

#6

Like this (line #24): https://github.com/britzl/publicexamples/blob/examples/click_and_drag/example/cursor.script#L24

That script will move a game object every frame following the mouse/finger.

#7

Wouldn’t the mouse have to be down for that to work? As it is inside the on input función?

#8

No, on_input() will give you any kind of input you’ve bound in your input bindings, not only button press, game pads etc but also mouse/touch movement (and it doesn’t require that a button is pressed).

Create a key binding for MOUSE_BUTTON_1 to activate mouse and touch input, then acquire_input_focus and finally do a pprint(action) in your on_input function and see for yourself!