Node Updates 🔗

Nodes will signal when they have been changed, such as when a neighboring node was placed or dug. This means you can avoid timers and globalsteps in some cases, and generally makes your game more "reactive" than passive.

Common Usage 🔗

For most purposes, add this callback to your node definition:

core.register_node("my_mod:node_name", {
	_on_node_update = function(pos, cause, user, count, payload, last_pos)
		return true or {} or false or nil
	end,
})

Or for example to dig all leaves when punched:

core.register_node("my_mod:leaves", {
	_on_node_update = function(pos, cause, user, count, payload, last_pos)
		-- `dig_node` and similar functions will cause another update which
		-- could lead to infinite updates, so we have to be careful when using it
		if cause == "punch" then -- and not `cause == "dig"`
			core.node_dig(pos, core.get_node(pos), user)
			return true
		end
	end,
})

What it Detects 🔗

dig_node --> "dig"
place_node --> "place"
set_node if flag set (core.set_node(pos, node, true)) --> "place"
liquid transforms (engine limitations might cause this to not be 100% accurate) --> "liquid"
custom node update types

Advanced Usage 🔗

You may also wish to hook into all node updates. This is not completely airtight however; it's not intended to catch all causes. For example it will not pick up set_node by default.

node_update.register_on_node_update(
	function(pos, cause, user, count, payload, last_pos)
		-- function body here
	end
)

You can also cause updates to happen. You can do so manually or using a shortcut:

-- triggers a [cause] node update at this position, mimicking the normal updates
-- especially useful when using `swap_node` or LVM
node_updates.trigger_update(pos, user, cause)

-- updates this node and also always propagate it to adjacent ones
-- if `last_pos` included, it will not update the last_pos node
node_updates.update_node_propagate(pos, cause, user, count, delay, payload, last_pos)

-- updates a single node, and depending on its return value, propagates it to adjacent nodes
-- if included, does not update `last_pos`
node_updates.update_node(pos, cause, user, count, delay, payload, last_pos)

Node Updates 🔗

Common Usage 🔗

What it Detects 🔗

Advanced Usage 🔗

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