rhai/doc/src/engine/var.md
2020-11-20 16:52:28 +08:00

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Variable Resolver
=================
{{#include ../links.md}}
By default, Rhai looks up access to variables from the enclosing block scope,
working its way outwards until it reaches the top (global) level, then it
searches the [`Scope`] that is passed into the `Engine::eval` call.
There is a built-in facility for advanced users to _hook_ into the variable
resolution service and to override its default behavior.
To do so, provide a closure to the [`Engine`] via the `Engine::on_var` method:
```rust
let mut engine = Engine::new();
// Register a variable resolver.
engine.on_var(|name, index, context| {
match name {
"MYSTIC_NUMBER" => Ok(Some((42 as INT).into())),
// Override a variable - make it not found even if it exists!
"DO_NOT_USE" => Err(Box::new(
EvalAltResult::ErrorVariableNotFound(name.to_string(), Position::NONE)
)),
// Silently maps 'chameleon' into 'innocent'.
"chameleon" => context.scope.get_value("innocent").map(Some).ok_or_else(|| Box::new(
EvalAltResult::ErrorVariableNotFound(name.to_string(), Position::NONE)
)),
// Return Ok(None) to continue with the normal variable resolution process.
_ => Ok(None)
}
});
```
Returned Values are Constants
----------------------------
Variable values, if any returned, are treated as _constants_ by the script and cannot be assigned to.
This is to avoid needing a mutable reference to the underlying data provider which may not be possible to obtain.
In order to change these variables, it is best to push them into a custom [`Scope`] instead of using
a variable resolver. Then these variables can be assigned to and their updated values read back after
the script is evaluated.
Benefits of Using a Variable Resolver
------------------------------------
1. Avoid having to maintain a custom [`Scope`] with all variables regardless of need (because a script may not use them all).
2. _Short-circuit_ variable access, essentially overriding standard behavior.
3. _Lazy-load_ variables when they are accessed, not up-front. This benefits when the number of variables is very large, when they are timing-dependent, or when they are expensive to load.
4. Rename system variables on a script-by-script basis without having to construct different [`Scope`]'s.
Function Signature
------------------
The function signature passed to `Engine::on_var` takes the following form:
> `Fn(name: &str, index: usize, context: &EvalContext)`
> `-> Result<Option<Dynamic>, Box<EvalAltResult>> + 'static`
where:
| Parameter | Type | Description |
| ----------------------------- | :-----------------------------: | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name` | `&str` | variable name |
| `index` | `usize` | an offset from the bottom of the current [`Scope`] that the variable is supposed to reside.<br/>Offsets start from 1, with 1 meaning the last variable in the current [`Scope`]. Essentially the correct variable is at position `scope.len() - index`.<br/>If `index` is zero, then there is no pre-calculated offset position and a search through the current [`Scope`] must be performed. |
| `context` | `&EvalContext` | reference to the current evaluation _context_ |
| - `context.scope` | `&Scope` | reference to the current [`Scope`] containing all variables up to the current evaluation position |
| - `context.engine()` | `&Engine` | reference to the current [`Engine`] |
| - `context.imports()` | `&Imports` | reference to the current stack of [modules] imported via `import` statements |
| - `context.iter_namespaces()` | `impl Iterator<Item = &Module>` | iterator of the namespaces (as [modules]) containing all script-defined functions |
| - `context.this_ptr()` | `Option<&Dynamic>` | reference to the current bound [`this`] pointer, if any |
| - `context.call_level()` | `usize` | the current nesting level of function calls |
### Return Value
The return value is `Result<Option<Dynamic>, Box<EvalAltResult>>` where:
| Value | Description |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Ok(None)` | normal variable resolution process should continue, i.e. continue searching through the [`Scope`] |
| `Ok(Some(Dynamic))` | value of the variable, treated as a constant |
| `Err(Box<EvalAltResult>)` | error that is reflected back to the [`Engine`].<br/>Normally this is `EvalAltResult::ErrorVariableNotFound(var_name, Position::NONE)` to indicate that the variable does not exist, but it can be any `EvalAltResult`. |