| *luaref.txt* Nvim |
| *luaref* |
|
|
| LUA REFERENCE MANUAL |
|
|
|
|
| Version 0.3.0 |
| August 7th, 2022 |
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| Vimdoc version (c) 2006 by Luis Carvalho |
| <lexcarvalho at gmail dot com> |
|
|
| Adapted from "Lua: 5.1 reference manual" |
| R. Ierusalimschy, L. H. de Figueiredo, W. Celes |
| Copyright (c) 2006 Lua.org, PUC-Rio. |
|
|
|
|
| See |lua-ref-doc| for information on this manual. |
| See |lua-ref-copyright| for copyright and licenses. |
|
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|
|
| Type |gO| to see the table of contents. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 1 INTRODUCTION *luaref-intro* |
|
|
| Lua is an extension programming language designed to support general |
| procedural programming with data description facilities. It also offers good |
| support for object-oriented programming, functional programming, and |
| data-driven programming. Lua is intended to be used as a powerful, |
| light-weight scripting language for any program that needs one. Lua is |
| implemented as a library, written in clean C (that is, in the common subset of |
| ANSI C and C++). |
|
|
| Being an extension language, Lua has no notion of a "main" program: it only |
| works embedded in a host client, called the embedding program or simply the |
| host. This host program can invoke functions to execute a piece of Lua code, |
| can write and read Lua variables, and can register C functions to be called by |
| Lua code. Through the use of C functions, Lua can be augmented to cope with a |
| wide range of different domains, thus creating customized programming |
| languages sharing a syntactical framework. |
|
|
| Lua is free software, and is provided as usual with no guarantees, as stated |
| in its license. The implementation described in this manual is available at |
| Lua's official web site, www.lua.org. |
|
|
| Like any other reference manual, this document is dry in places. For a |
| discussion of the decisions behind the design of Lua, see references at |
| |lua-ref-bibliography|. For a detailed introduction to programming in Lua, see |
| Roberto's book, Programming in Lua. |
|
|
| Lua means "moon" in Portuguese and is pronounced LOO-ah. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2 THE LANGUAGE *lua-language* |
|
|
| This section describes the lexis, the syntax, and the semantics of Lua. In |
| other words, this section describes which tokens are valid, how they can be |
| combined, and what their combinations mean. |
|
|
| The language constructs will be explained using the usual extended BNF |
| notation, in which `{ a }` means 0 or more `a`'s, and `[ a ]` means an optional `a`. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.1 Lexical Conventions *lua-lexical* |
|
|
| *lua-names* *lua-identifiers* |
| Names (also called identifiers) in Lua can be any string of letters, digits, |
| and underscores, not beginning with a digit. This coincides with the |
| definition of identifiers in most languages. (The definition of letter depends |
| on the current locale: any character considered alphabetic by the current |
| locale can be used in an identifier.) Identifiers are used to name variables |
| and table fields. |
|
|
| The following keywords are reserved and cannot be used as names: |
| > |
| and break do else elseif |
| end false for function if |
| in local nil not or |
| repeat return then true until while |
| < |
| Lua is a case-sensitive language: `and` is a reserved word, but `And` and `AND` are |
| two different, valid names. As a convention, names starting with an underscore |
| followed by uppercase letters (such as `_VERSION`) are reserved for internal |
| global variables used by Lua. |
|
|
| The following strings denote other tokens: |
| > |
| + - * / % ^ # |
| == ~= <= >= < > = |
| ( ) { } [ ] |
| ; : , . .. ... |
| < |
| *lua-literal* |
| Literal strings can be delimited by matching single or double quotes, and can |
| contain the following C-like escape sequences: |
|
|
| - `\a` bell |
| - `\b` backspace |
| - `\f` form feed |
| - `\n` newline |
| - `\r` carriage return |
| - `\t` horizontal tab |
| - `\v` vertical tab |
| - `\\` backslash |
| - `\"` quotation mark (double quote) |
| - `\'` apostrophe (single quote) |
|
|
| Moreover, a backslash followed by a real newline results in a newline in the |
| string. A character in a string may also be specified by its numerical value |
| using the escape sequence `\ddd`, where `ddd` is a sequence of up to three |
| decimal digits. (Note that if a numerical escape is to be followed by a digit, |
| it must be expressed using exactly three digits.) Strings in Lua may contain |
| any 8-bit value, including embedded zeros, which can be specified as `\0`. |
|
|
| To put a double (single) quote, a newline, a backslash, or an embedded zero |
| inside a literal string enclosed by double (single) quotes you must use an |
| escape sequence. Any other character may be directly inserted into the |
| literal. (Some control characters may cause problems for the file system, but |
| Lua has no problem with them.) |
|
|
| Literal strings can also be defined using a long format enclosed by long |
| brackets. We define an opening long bracket of level n as an opening square |
| bracket followed by n equal signs followed by another opening square bracket. |
| So, an opening long bracket of level 0 is written as `[[`, an opening long |
| bracket of level 1 is written as `[=[`, and so on. |
| A closing long bracket is defined similarly; for instance, a closing long |
| bracket of level 4 is written as `]====]`. A long string starts with an |
| opening long bracket of any level and ends at the first closing long bracket |
| of the same level. Literals in this bracketed form may run for several lines, |
| do not interpret any escape sequences, and ignore long brackets of any other |
| level. They may contain anything except a closing bracket of the proper level. |
|
|
| For convenience, when the opening long bracket is immediately followed by a |
| newline, the newline is not included in the string. As an example, in a system |
| using ASCII (in which `a` is coded as 97, newline is coded as 10, and `1` is |
| coded as 49), the five literals below denote the same string: |
| >lua |
| a = 'alo\n123"' |
| a = "alo\n123\"" |
| a = '\97lo\10\04923"' |
| a = [[alo |
| 123"]] |
| a = [==[ |
| alo |
| 123"]==] |
| < |
| *lua-numconstant* |
| A numerical constant may be written with an optional decimal part and an |
| optional decimal exponent. Lua also accepts integer hexadecimal constants, by |
| prefixing them with `0x`. Examples of valid numerical constants are |
| > |
| 3 3.0 3.1416 314.16e-2 0.31416E1 0xff 0x56 |
| < |
| *lua-comment* |
| A comment starts with a double hyphen (`--`) anywhere outside a string. If the |
| text immediately after `--` is not an opening long bracket, the comment is a |
| short comment, which runs until the end of the line. Otherwise, it is a long |
| comment, which runs until the corresponding closing long bracket. Long |
| comments are frequently used to disable code temporarily. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.2 Values and Types *lua-values* |
|
|
| Lua is a dynamically typed language. This means that variables do not have |
| types; only values do. There are no type definitions in the language. All |
| values carry their own type. |
|
|
| All values in Lua are first-class values. This means that all values can be |
| stored in variables, passed as arguments to other functions, and returned as |
| results. |
|
|
| *lua-types* *lua-nil* |
| *lua-true* *lua-false* |
| *lua-number* *lua-string* |
| There are eight basic types in Lua: `nil`, `boolean`, `number`, `string`, |
| `function`, `userdata`, `thread`, and `table`. Nil is the type of the value |
| `nil`, whose main property is to be different from any other value; it usually |
| represents the absence of a useful value. Boolean is the type of the values |
| `false` and `true`. Both `nil` and `false` make a condition false; any other |
| value makes it true. Number represents real (double-precision floating-point) |
| numbers. (It is easy to build Lua interpreters that use other internal |
| representations for numbers, such as single-precision float or long integers; |
| see file `luaconf.h`.) String represents arrays of characters. Lua is 8-bit |
| clean: strings may contain any 8-bit character, including embedded zeros |
| (`\0`) (see |lua-literal|). |
|
|
| Lua can call (and manipulate) functions written in Lua and functions written |
| in C (see |lua-function|). |
|
|
| *lua-userdatatype* |
| The type userdata is provided to allow arbitrary C data to be stored in Lua |
| variables. This type corresponds to a block of raw memory and has no |
| pre-defined operations in Lua, except assignment and identity test. However, |
| by using metatables, the programmer can define operations for userdata values |
| (see |lua-metatable|). Userdata values cannot be created or modified in Lua, |
| only through the C API. This guarantees the integrity of data owned by the |
| host program. |
|
|
| *lua-thread* |
| The type `thread` represents independent threads of execution and it is used to |
| implement coroutines (see |lua-coroutine|). Do not confuse Lua threads with |
| operating-system threads. Lua supports coroutines on all systems, even those |
| that do not support threads. |
|
|
| *lua-table* |
| The type `table` implements associative arrays, that is, arrays that can be |
| indexed not only with numbers, but with any value (except `nil`). Tables can |
| be heterogeneous; that is, they can contain values of all types (except |
| `nil`). Tables are the sole data structuring mechanism in Lua; they may be |
| used to represent ordinary arrays, symbol tables, sets, records, graphs, |
| trees, etc. To represent records, Lua uses the field name as an index. The |
| language supports this representation by providing `a.name` as syntactic sugar |
| for `a["name"]`. There are several convenient ways to create tables in Lua |
| (see |lua-tableconstructor|). |
|
|
| Like indices, the value of a table field can be of any type (except `nil`). In |
| particular, because functions are first-class values, table fields may contain |
| functions. Thus tables may also carry methods (see |lua-function-define|). |
|
|
| Tables, functions, threads and (full) userdata values are objects: variables |
| do not actually contain these values, only references to them. Assignment, |
| parameter passing, and function returns always manipulate references to such |
| values; these operations do not imply any kind of copy. |
|
|
| The library function `type` returns a string describing the type of a given |
| value (see |lua-type()|). |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.2.1 Coercion *lua-coercion* |
|
|
| Lua provides automatic conversion between string and number values at run |
| time. Any arithmetic operation applied to a string tries to convert that |
| string to a number, following the usual conversion rules. Conversely, whenever |
| a number is used where a string is expected, the number is converted to a |
| string, in a reasonable format. For complete control of how numbers are |
| converted to strings, use the `format` function from the string library (see |
| |string.format()|). |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.3 Variables *lua-variables* |
|
|
| Variables are places that store values. There are three kinds of variables in |
| Lua: global variables, local variables, and table fields. |
|
|
| A single name can denote a global variable or a local variable (or a |
| function's formal parameter, which is a particular form of local variable): |
| > |
| var ::= Name |
| < |
| Name denotes identifiers, as defined in |lua-lexical|. |
|
|
| Any variable is assumed to be global unless explicitly declared as a local |
| (see |lua-local|). Local variables are lexically scoped: local |
| variables can be freely accessed by functions defined inside their scope (see |
| |lua-visibility|). |
|
|
| Before the first assignment to a variable, its value is `nil`. |
|
|
| Square brackets are used to index a table: |
| > |
| var ::= prefixexp [ exp ] |
| < |
| The first expression (`prefixexp`) should result in a table value; the second |
| expression (`exp`) identifies a specific entry inside that table. The |
| expression denoting the table to be indexed has a restricted syntax; see |
| |lua-expressions| for details. |
|
|
| The syntax `var.NAME` is just syntactic sugar for `var["NAME"]` : |
| > |
| var ::= prefixexp . Name |
| < |
| All global variables live as fields in ordinary Lua tables, called environment |
| tables or simply environments (see |lua-environments|). Each function |
| has its own reference to an environment, so that all global variables in this |
| function will refer to this environment table. When a function is created, it |
| inherits the environment from the function that created it. To get the |
| environment table of a Lua function, you call `getfenv` (see |
| |lua_getfenv()|). To replace it, you call `setfenv` (see |setfenv()|). |
| (You can only manipulate the environment of C functions through the debug |
| library; see |lua-lib-debug|.) |
|
|
| An access to a global variable `x` is equivalent to `_env.x`, which in turn is |
| equivalent to |
| >lua |
| gettable_event(_env, "x") |
| < |
| where `_env` is the environment of the running function. (The `_env` variable is |
| not defined in Lua. We use it here only for explanatory purposes.) |
|
|
| The meaning of accesses to global variables and table fields can be changed |
| via metatables. An access to an indexed variable `t[i]` is equivalent to a |
| call `gettable_event(t,i)`. (See |lua-metatable| for a complete description of |
| the `gettable_event` function. This function is not defined or callable in |
| Lua. We use it here only for explanatory purposes.) |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.4 Statements *lua-statement* |
|
|
| Lua supports an almost conventional set of statements, similar to those in |
| Pascal or C. This set includes assignment, control structures, function |
| calls, and variable declarations. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.1 Chunks *lua-chunk* |
|
|
| The unit of execution of Lua is called a chunk. A chunk is simply a sequence |
| of statements, which are executed sequentially. Each statement can be |
| optionally followed by a semicolon: |
| > |
| chunk ::= {stat [ ; ]} |
| < |
| There are no empty statements and thus `;;` is not legal. |
|
|
| Lua handles a chunk as the body of an anonymous function with a variable |
| number of arguments (see |lua-function-define|). As such, chunks can define |
| local variables, receive arguments, and return values. |
|
|
| A chunk may be stored in a file or in a string inside the host program. When a |
| chunk is executed, first it is pre-compiled into instructions for a virtual |
| machine, and then the compiled code is executed by an interpreter for the |
| virtual machine. |
|
|
| Chunks may also be pre-compiled into binary form; see program `luac` for |
| details. Programs in source and compiled forms are interchangeable; Lua |
| automatically detects the file type and acts accordingly. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.2 Blocks *lua-block* |
|
|
| A block is a list of statements; syntactically, a block is the same as a |
| chunk: |
| > |
| block ::= chunk |
| < |
| *lua-do* *lua-end* |
| A block may be explicitly delimited to produce a single statement: |
| > |
| stat ::= do block end |
| < |
| Explicit blocks are useful to control the scope of variable declarations. |
| Explicit blocks are also sometimes used to add a `return` or `break` statement |
| in the middle of another block (see |lua-control|). |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.3 Assignment *lua-assign* |
|
|
| Lua allows multiple assignment. Therefore, the syntax for assignment defines a |
| list of variables on the left side and a list of expressions on the right |
| side. The elements in both lists are separated by commas: |
| > |
| stat ::= varlist1 = explist1 |
| varlist1 ::= var { , var } |
| explist1 ::= exp { , exp } |
| < |
| Expressions are discussed in |lua-expressions|. |
|
|
| Before the assignment, the list of values is adjusted to the length of the |
| list of variables. If there are more values than needed, the excess values are |
| thrown away. If there are fewer values than needed, the list is extended with |
| as many `nil`s as needed. If the list of expressions ends with a function |
| call, then all values returned by this call enter in the list of values, |
| before the adjustment (except when the call is enclosed in parentheses; see |
| |lua-expressions|). |
|
|
| The assignment statement first evaluates all its expressions and only then are |
| the assignments performed. Thus the code |
| >lua |
| i = 3 |
| i, a[i] = i+1, 20 |
| < |
| sets `a[3]` to 20, without affecting `a[4]` because the `i` in `a[i]` is evaluated (to |
| 3) before it is assigned 4. Similarly, the line |
| >lua |
| x, y = y, x |
| < |
| exchanges the values of `x` and `y`. |
|
|
| The meaning of assignments to global variables and table fields can be changed |
| via metatables. An assignment to an indexed variable `t[i] = val` is |
| equivalent to `settable_event(t,i,val)`. (See |lua-metatable| for a complete |
| description of the `settable_event` function. This function is not defined or |
| callable in Lua. We use it here only for explanatory purposes.) |
|
|
| An assignment to a global variable `x = val` is equivalent to the |
| assignment `_env.x = val`, which in turn is equivalent to |
| >lua |
| settable_event(_env, "x", val) |
| < |
| where `_env` is the environment of the running function. (The `_env` variable is |
| not defined in Lua. We use it here only for explanatory purposes.) |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.4 Control Structures *lua-control* |
|
|
| *lua-if* *lua-then* *lua-else* *lua-elseif* |
| *lua-while* *lua-repeat* *lua-until* |
| The control structures `if`, `while`, and `repeat` have the usual meaning and |
| familiar syntax: |
| > |
| stat ::= while exp do block end |
| stat ::= repeat block until exp |
| stat ::= if exp then block { elseif exp then block } |
| [ else block ] end |
| < |
| Lua also has a `for` statement, in two flavors (see |lua-for|). |
|
|
| The condition expression of a control structure may return any value. |
| Both `false` and `nil` are considered false. All values different |
| from `nil` and `false` are considered true (in particular, the number 0 and the |
| empty string are also true). |
|
|
| In the `repeat-until` loop, the inner block does not end at the `until` keyword, |
| but only after the condition. So, the condition can refer to local variables |
| declared inside the loop block. |
|
|
| *lua-return* |
| The `return` statement is used to return values from a function or a chunk |
| (which is just a function). Functions and chunks may return more than one |
| value, so the syntax for the `return` statement is |
|
|
| `stat ::=` `return` `[explist1]` |
|
|
| *lua-break* |
| The `break` statement is used to terminate the execution of a `while`, `repeat`, |
| or `for` loop, skipping to the next statement after the loop: |
|
|
| `stat ::=` `break` |
|
|
| A `break` ends the innermost enclosing loop. |
|
|
| The `return` and `break` statements can only be written as the `last` |
| statement of a block. If it is really necessary to `return` or `break` in the |
| middle of a block, then an explicit inner block can be used, as in the idioms |
| `do return end` and `do break end`, because now `return` and `break` are |
| the last statements in their (inner) blocks. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.5 For Statement *for* *lua-for* |
|
|
| The `for` statement has two forms: one numeric and one generic. |
|
|
| The numeric `for` loop repeats a block of code while a control variable runs |
| through an arithmetic progression. It has the following syntax: |
| > |
| stat ::= for Name = exp , exp [ , exp ] do block end |
| < |
| The `block` is repeated for `name` starting at the value of the first `exp`, until |
| it passes the second `exp` by steps of the third `exp`. More precisely, |
| a `for` statement like |
|
|
| `for var = e1, e2, e3 do block end` |
|
|
| is equivalent to the code: >lua |
|
|
| do |
| local var, limit, step = tonumber(e1), tonumber(e2), tonumber(e3) |
| if not ( var and limit and step ) then error() end |
| while ( step >0 and var <= limit ) |
| or ( step <=0 and var >= limit ) do |
| block |
| var = var + step |
| end |
| end |
| < |
|
|
| Note the following: |
|
|
| - All three control expressions are evaluated only once, before the loop |
| starts. They must all result in numbers. |
| - `var`, `limit` and `step` are invisible variables. The names are here for |
| explanatory purposes only. |
| - If the third expression (the step) is absent, then a step of 1 is used. |
| - You can use `break` to exit a `for` loop. |
| - The loop variable `var` is local to the loop; you cannot use its value |
| after the `for` ends or is broken. If you need this value, assign it to |
| another variable before breaking or exiting the loop. |
|
|
| *for-in* |
| The generic `for` statement works over functions, called |iterator|s. On each |
| iteration, the iterator function is called to produce a new value, stopping |
| when this new value is `nil`. The generic `for` loop has the following syntax: |
| > |
| stat ::= for namelist in explist1 do block end |
| namelist ::= Name { , Name } |
| < |
| A `for` statement like |
|
|
| `for` `var1, ..., varn` `in` `explist` `do` `block` `end` |
|
|
| is equivalent to the code: >lua |
|
|
| do |
| local f, s, var = explist |
| while true do |
| local var1, ..., varn = f(s, var) |
| var = var1 |
| if var == nil then break end |
| block |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| Note the following: |
|
|
| - `explist` is evaluated only once. Its results are an iterator function, |
| a `state`, and an initial value for the first iterator variable. |
| - `f`, `s`, and `var` are invisible variables. The names are here for |
| explanatory purposes only. |
| - You can use `break` to exit a `for` loop. |
| - The loop variables `var1, ..., varn` are local to the loop; you cannot use |
| their values after the `for` ends. If you need these values, then assign |
| them to other variables before breaking or exiting the loop. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.6 Function Calls as Statements *lua-funcstatement* |
|
|
| To allow possible side-effects, function calls can be executed as statements: |
| > |
| stat ::= functioncall |
| < |
| In this case, all returned values are thrown away. Function calls are |
| explained in |lua-function|. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.4.7 Local Declarations *lua-local* |
|
|
| Local variables may be declared anywhere inside a block. The declaration may |
| include an initial assignment: |
| > |
| stat ::= local namelist [ = explist1 ] |
| namelist ::= Name { , Name } |
| < |
| If present, an initial assignment has the same semantics of a multiple |
| assignment (see |lua-assign|). Otherwise, all variables are initialized |
| with `nil`. |
|
|
| A chunk is also a block (see |lua-chunk|), and so local variables can be |
| declared in a chunk outside any explicit block. The scope of such local |
| variables extends until the end of the chunk. |
|
|
| The visibility rules for local variables are explained in |lua-visibility|. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.5 Expressions *lua-expressions* |
|
|
| The basic expressions in Lua are the following: |
| > |
| exp ::= prefixexp |
| exp ::= nil | false | true |
| exp ::= Number |
| exp ::= String |
| exp ::= function |
| exp ::= tableconstructor |
| exp ::= ... |
| exp ::= exp binop exp |
| exp ::= unop exp |
| prefixexp ::= var | functioncall | ( exp ) |
| < |
| Numbers and literal strings are explained in |lua-lexical|; variables are |
| explained in |lua-variables|; function definitions are explained in |
| |lua-function-define|; function calls are explained in |lua-function|; |
| table constructors are explained in |lua-tableconstructor|. Vararg expressions, |
| denoted by three dots (`...`), can only be used inside vararg functions; |
| they are explained in |lua-function-define|. |
|
|
| Binary operators comprise arithmetic operators (see |lua-arithmetic|), |
| relational operators (see |lua-relational|), logical operators (see |
| |lua-logicalop|), and the concatenation operator (see |lua-concat|). |
| Unary operators comprise the unary minus (see |lua-arithmetic|), the unary |
| `not` (see |lua-logicalop|), and the unary length operator (see |lua-length|). |
|
|
| Both function calls and vararg expressions may result in multiple values. If |
| the expression is used as a statement (see |lua-funcstatement|) |
| (only possible for function calls), then its return list is adjusted to zero |
| elements, thus discarding all returned values. If the expression is used as |
| the last (or the only) element of a list of expressions, then no adjustment is |
| made (unless the call is enclosed in parentheses). In all other contexts, Lua |
| adjusts the result list to one element, discarding all values except the first |
| one. |
|
|
| Here are some examples: |
| >lua |
| f() -- adjusted to 0 results |
| g(f(), x) -- f() is adjusted to 1 result |
| g(x, f()) -- g gets x plus all results from f() |
| a,b,c = f(), x -- f() is adjusted to 1 result (c gets nil) |
| a,b = ... -- a gets the first vararg parameter, b gets |
| -- the second (both a and b may get nil if there |
| -- is no corresponding vararg parameter) |
|
|
| a,b,c = x, f() -- f() is adjusted to 2 results |
| a,b,c = f() -- f() is adjusted to 3 results |
| return f() -- returns all results from f() |
| return ... -- returns all received vararg parameters |
| return x,y,f() -- returns x, y, and all results from f() |
| {f()} -- creates a list with all results from f() |
| {...} -- creates a list with all vararg parameters |
| {f(), nil} -- f() is adjusted to 1 result |
| < |
| An expression enclosed in parentheses always results in only one value. Thus, |
| `(f(x,y,z))` is always a single value, even if `f` returns several values. |
| (The value of `(f(x,y,z))` is the first value returned by `f` or `nil` if `f` does not |
| return any values.) |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.1 Arithmetic Operators *lua-arithmetic* |
|
|
| Lua supports the usual arithmetic operators: the binary `+` (addition), |
| `-` (subtraction), `*` (multiplication), `/` (division), `%` (modulo) |
| and `^` (exponentiation); and unary `-` (negation). If the operands are numbers, |
| or strings that can be converted to numbers (see |lua-coercion|), then all |
| operations have the usual meaning. Exponentiation works for any exponent. For |
| instance, `x^(-0.5)` computes the inverse of the square root of `x`. Modulo is |
| defined as |
| >lua |
| a % b == a - math.floor(a/b)*b |
| < |
| That is, it is the remainder of a division that rounds the quotient towards |
| minus infinity. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.2 Relational Operators *lua-relational* |
|
|
| The relational operators in Lua are |
| > |
| == ~= < > <= >= |
| < |
| These operators always result in `false` or `true`. |
|
|
| Equality (`==`) first compares the type of its operands. If the types are |
| different, then the result is `false`. Otherwise, the values of the operands |
| are compared. Numbers and strings are compared in the usual way. Objects |
| (tables, userdata, threads, and functions) are compared by reference: two |
| objects are considered equal only if they are the same object. Every time you |
| create a new object (a table, userdata, or function), this new object is |
| different from any previously existing object. |
|
|
| You can change the way that Lua compares tables and userdata using the "eq" |
| metamethod (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| The conversion rules of coercion |lua-coercion| do not apply to |
| equality comparisons. Thus, `"0"==0` evaluates to `false`, and `t[0]` and |
| `t["0"]` denote different entries in a table. |
|
|
| The operator `~=` is exactly the negation of equality (`==`). |
|
|
| The order operators work as follows. If both arguments are numbers, then they |
| are compared as such. Otherwise, if both arguments are strings, then their |
| values are compared according to the current locale. Otherwise, Lua tries to |
| call the "lt" or the "le" metamethod (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.3 Logical Operators *lua-logicalop* |
|
|
| The logical operators in Lua are |
| > |
| and or not |
| < |
| Like the control structures (see |lua-control|), all logical operators |
| consider both `false` and `nil` as false and anything else as true. |
|
|
| *lua-not* *lua-and* *lua-or* |
| The negation operator `not` always returns `false` or `true`. The conjunction |
| operator `and` returns its first argument if this value is `false` or `nil`; |
| otherwise, `and` returns its second argument. The disjunction |
| operator `or` returns its first argument if this value is different |
| from `nil` and `false`; otherwise, `or` returns its second argument. |
| Both `and` and `or` use short-cut evaluation, that is, the second operand is |
| evaluated only if necessary. Here are some examples: |
| > |
| 10 or 20 --> 10 |
| 10 or error() --> 10 |
| nil or "a" --> "a" |
| nil and 10 --> nil |
| false and error() --> false |
| false and nil --> false |
| false or nil --> nil |
| 10 and 20 --> 20 |
| < |
| (In this manual, `-->` indicates the result of the preceding expression.) |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.4 Concatenation *lua-concat* |
|
|
| The string concatenation operator in Lua is denoted by two dots (`..`). |
| If both operands are strings or numbers, then they are converted to strings |
| according to the rules mentioned in |lua-coercion|. Otherwise, the |
| "concat" metamethod is called (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.5 The Length Operator *lua-#* *lua-length* |
|
|
| The length operator is denoted by the unary operator `#`. The length of a |
| string is its number of bytes (that is, the usual meaning of string length |
| when each character is one byte). |
|
|
| The length of a table `t` is defined to be any integer index `n` such that `t[n]` is |
| not `nil` and `t[n+1]` is `nil`; moreover, if `t[1]` is `nil`, `n` may be zero. For a |
| regular array, with non-nil values from 1 to a given `n`, its length is exactly |
| that `n`, the index of its last value. If the array has "holes" (that |
| is, `nil` values between other non-nil values), then `#t` may be any of the |
| indices that directly precedes a `nil` value (that is, it may consider any |
| such `nil` value as the end of the array). |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.6 Precedence *lua-precedence* |
|
|
| Operator precedence in Lua follows the table below, from lower to higher |
| priority: |
| > |
| or |
| and |
| < > <= >= ~= == |
| .. |
| + - |
| * / |
| not # - (unary) |
| ^ |
| < |
| As usual, you can use parentheses to change the precedences in an expression. |
| The concatenation (`..`) and exponentiation (`^`) operators are right |
| associative. All other binary operators are left associative. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.7 Table Constructors *lua-tableconstructor* |
|
|
| Table constructors are expressions that create tables. Every time a |
| constructor is evaluated, a new table is created. Constructors can be used to |
| create empty tables, or to create a table and initialize some of its fields. |
| The general syntax for constructors is |
| > |
| tableconstructor ::= { [ fieldlist ] } |
| fieldlist ::= field { fieldsep field } [ fieldsep ] |
| field ::= [ exp ] = exp | Name = exp | exp |
| fieldsep ::= , | ; |
| < |
| Each field of the form `[exp1] = exp2` adds to the new table an entry with |
| key `exp1` and value `exp2`. A field of the form `name = exp` is equivalent to |
| `["name"] = exp`. Finally, fields of the form `exp` are equivalent to |
| `[i] = exp`, where `i` are consecutive numerical integers, starting with 1. |
| Fields in the other formats do not affect this counting. For example, |
| >lua |
| a = { [f(1)] = g; "x", "y"; x = 1, f(x), [30] = 23; 45 } |
| < |
| is equivalent to |
| >lua |
| do |
| local t = {} |
| t[f(1)] = g |
| t[1] = "x" -- 1st exp |
| t[2] = "y" -- 2nd exp |
| t.x = 1 -- temp["x"] = 1 |
| t[3] = f(x) -- 3rd exp |
| t[30] = 23 |
| t[4] = 45 -- 4th exp |
| a = t |
| end |
| < |
| If the last field in the list has the form `exp` and the expression is a |
| function call, then all values returned by the call enter the list |
| consecutively (see |lua-function|). To avoid this, enclose the function |
| call in parentheses (see |lua-expressions|). |
|
|
| The field list may have an optional trailing separator, as a convenience for |
| machine-generated code. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.8 Function Calls *lua-function* |
|
|
| A function call in Lua has the following syntax: |
| > |
| functioncall ::= prefixexp args |
| < |
| In a function call, first `prefixexp` and `args` are evaluated. If the value |
| of `prefixexp` has type `function`, then this function is called with the given |
| arguments. Otherwise, the `prefixexp` "call" metamethod is called, having as |
| first parameter the value of `prefixexp`, followed by the original call |
| arguments (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| The form |
| > |
| functioncall ::= prefixexp : Name args |
| < |
| can be used to call "methods". A call `v:name(` `args` `)` is syntactic sugar |
| for `v.name(v,` `args` `)`, except that `v` is evaluated only once. |
|
|
| Arguments have the following syntax: |
| > |
| args ::= ( [ explist1 ] ) |
| args ::= tableconstructor |
| args ::= String |
| < |
| All argument expressions are evaluated before the call. A call of the |
| form `f{` `fields` `}` is syntactic sugar for `f({` `fields` `})`, that is, the |
| argument list is a single new table. A call of the form `f'` `string` `'` |
| (or `f"` `string` `"` or `f[[` `string` `]]`) is syntactic sugar for |
| `f('` `string` `')`, that is, the argument list is a single literal string. |
|
|
| As an exception to the free-format syntax of Lua, you cannot put a line break |
| before the `(` in a function call. This restriction avoids some ambiguities |
| in the language. If you write |
| >lua |
| a = f |
| (g).x(a) |
| < |
| Lua would see that as a single statement, `a = f(g).x(a)`. So, if you want two |
| statements, you must add a semi-colon between them. If you actually want to |
| call `f`, you must remove the line break before `(g)`. |
|
|
| *lua-tailcall* |
| A call of the form `return` `functioncall` is called a tail call. Lua |
| implements proper tail calls (or proper tail recursion): in a tail call, the |
| called function reuses the stack entry of the calling function. Therefore, |
| there is no limit on the number of nested tail calls that a program can |
| execute. However, a tail call erases any debug information about the calling |
| function. Note that a tail call only happens with a particular syntax, where |
| the `return` has one single function call as argument; this syntax makes the |
| calling function return exactly the returns of the called function. So, none |
| of the following examples are tail calls: |
| >lua |
| return (f(x)) -- results adjusted to 1 |
| return 2 * f(x) |
| return x, f(x) -- additional results |
| f(x); return -- results discarded |
| return x or f(x) -- results adjusted to 1 |
| < |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.5.9 Function Definitions *lua-function-define* |
|
|
| The syntax for function definition is |
| > |
| function ::= function funcbody |
| funcbody ::= ( [ parlist1 ] ) block end |
| < |
| The following syntactic sugar simplifies function definitions: |
| > |
| stat ::= function funcname funcbody |
| stat ::= local function Name funcbody |
| funcname ::= Name { . Name } [ : Name ] |
| < |
| The statement |
|
|
| `function f ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| translates to |
|
|
| `f = function ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| The statement |
|
|
| `function t.a.b.c.f ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| translates to |
|
|
| `t.a.b.c.f = function ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| The statement |
|
|
| `local function f ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| translates to |
|
|
| `local f; f = function f ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| not to |
|
|
| `local f = function f ()` `body` `end` |
|
|
| (This only makes a difference when the body of the function contains |
| references to `f`.) |
|
|
| *lua-closure* |
| A function definition is an executable expression, whose value has type |
| `function`. When Lua pre-compiles a chunk, all its function bodies are |
| pre-compiled too. Then, whenever Lua executes the function definition, the |
| function is instantiated (or closed). This function instance (or closure) is |
| the final value of the expression. Different instances of the same function |
| may refer to different external local variables and may have different |
| environment tables. |
|
|
| Parameters act as local variables that are initialized with the argument |
| values: |
| > |
| parlist1 ::= namelist [ , ... ] | ... |
| < |
| *lua-vararg* |
| When a function is called, the list of arguments is adjusted to the length of |
| the list of parameters, unless the function is a variadic or vararg function, |
| which is indicated by three dots (`...`) at the end of its parameter list. A |
| vararg function does not adjust its argument list; instead, it collects all |
| extra arguments and supplies them to the function through a vararg expression, |
| which is also written as three dots. The value of this expression is a list of |
| all actual extra arguments, similar to a function with multiple results. If a |
| vararg expression is used inside another expression or in the middle of a list |
| of expressions, then its return list is adjusted to one element. If the |
| expression is used as the last element of a list of expressions, then no |
| adjustment is made (unless the call is enclosed in parentheses). |
|
|
| As an example, consider the following definitions: |
| >lua |
| function f(a, b) end |
| function g(a, b, ...) end |
| function r() return 1,2,3 end |
| < |
| Then, we have the following mapping from arguments to parameters and to the |
| vararg expression: |
| > |
| CALL PARAMETERS |
|
|
| f(3) a=3, b=nil |
| f(3, 4) a=3, b=4 |
| f(3, 4, 5) a=3, b=4 |
| f(r(), 10) a=1, b=10 |
| f(r()) a=1, b=2 |
|
|
| g(3) a=3, b=nil, ... --> (nothing) |
| g(3, 4) a=3, b=4, ... --> (nothing) |
| g(3, 4, 5, 8) a=3, b=4, ... --> 5 8 |
| g(5, r()) a=5, b=1, ... --> 2 3 |
| < |
| Results are returned using the `return` statement (see |lua-control|). |
| If control reaches the end of a function without encountering |
| a `return` statement, then the function returns with no results. |
|
|
| *lua-colonsyntax* |
| The colon syntax is used for defining methods, that is, functions that have an |
| implicit extra parameter `self`. Thus, the statement |
|
|
| `function t.a.b.c:f (` `params` `)` `body` `end` |
|
|
| is syntactic sugar for |
|
|
| `t.a.b.c:f = function (` `self`, `params` `)` `body` `end` |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.6 Visibility Rules *lua-visibility* |
|
|
| Lua is a lexically scoped language. The scope of variables begins at the first |
| statement after their declaration and lasts until the end of the innermost |
| block that includes the declaration. Consider the following example: |
| >lua |
| x = 10 -- global variable |
| do -- new block |
| local x = x -- new `x`, with value 10 |
| print(x) --> 10 |
| x = x+1 |
| do -- another block |
| local x = x+1 -- another `x` |
| print(x) --> 12 |
| end |
| print(x) --> 11 |
| end |
| print(x) --> 10 (the global one) |
| < |
| Notice that, in a declaration like `local x = x`, the new `x` being declared is |
| not in scope yet, and so the second `x` refers to the outside variable. |
|
|
| *lua-upvalue* |
| Because of the lexical scoping rules, local variables can be freely accessed |
| by functions defined inside their scope. A local variable used by an inner |
| function is called an upvalue, or external local variable, inside the inner |
| function. |
|
|
| Notice that each execution of a local statement defines new local variables. |
| Consider the following example: |
| >lua |
| a = {} |
| local x = 20 |
| for i=1,10 do |
| local y = 0 |
| a[i] = function () y=y+1; return x+y end |
| end |
| < |
| The loop creates ten closures (that is, ten instances of the anonymous |
| function). Each of these closures uses a different `y` variable, while all of |
| them share the same `x`. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.7 Error Handling *lua-errors* |
|
|
| Because Lua is an embedded extension language, all Lua actions start from |
| C code in the host program calling a function from the Lua library (see |
| |lua_pcall()|). Whenever an error occurs during Lua compilation or |
| execution, control returns to C, which can take appropriate measures (such as |
| print an error message). |
|
|
| Lua code can explicitly generate an error by calling the `error` function (see |
| |error()|). If you need to catch errors in Lua, you can use the `pcall` |
| function (see |pcall()|). |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.8 Metatables *metatable* *lua-metatable* |
|
|
| Every value in Lua may have a metatable. This metatable is an ordinary Lua |
| table that defines the behavior of the original table and userdata under |
| certain special operations. You can change several aspects of the behavior of |
| an object by setting specific fields in its metatable. For instance, when a |
| non-numeric value is the operand of an addition, Lua checks for a function in |
| the field `"__add"` in its metatable. If it finds one, Lua calls that function |
| to perform the addition. |
|
|
| We call the keys in a metatable events and the values metamethods. In the |
| previous example, the event is "add" and the metamethod is the function that |
| performs the addition. |
|
|
| You can query the metatable of any value through the `getmetatable` function |
| (see |getmetatable()|). |
|
|
| You can replace the metatable of tables through the `setmetatable` function (see |
| |setmetatable()|). You cannot change the metatable of other types from Lua |
| (except using the debug library); you must use the C API for that. |
|
|
| Tables and userdata have individual metatables (although multiple tables and |
| userdata can share a same table as their metatable); values of all other types |
| share one single metatable per type. So, there is one single metatable for all |
| numbers, and for all strings, etc. |
|
|
| A metatable may control how an object behaves in arithmetic operations, order |
| comparisons, concatenation, length operation, and indexing. A metatable can |
| also define a function to be called when a userdata is garbage collected. For |
| each of those operations Lua associates a specific key called an event. When |
| Lua performs one of those operations over a value, it checks whether this |
| value has a metatable with the corresponding event. If so, the value |
| associated with that key (the metamethod) controls how Lua will perform the |
| operation. |
|
|
| Metatables control the operations listed next. Each operation is identified by |
| its corresponding name. The key for each operation is a string with its name |
| prefixed by two underscores, `__`; for instance, the key for operation "add" |
| is the string "__add". The semantics of these operations is better explained |
| by a Lua function describing how the interpreter executes that operation. |
|
|
| The code shown here in Lua is only illustrative; the real behavior is hard |
| coded in the interpreter and it is much more efficient than this simulation. |
| All functions used in these descriptions (`rawget`, `tonumber`, etc.) are |
| described in |lua-lib-core|. In particular, to retrieve the metamethod of a |
| given object, we use the expression |
| > |
| metatable(obj)[event] |
| < |
| This should be read as |
| >lua |
| rawget(metatable(obj) or {}, event) |
| < |
| That is, the access to a metamethod does not invoke other metamethods, and the |
| access to objects with no metatables does not fail (it simply results |
| in `nil`). |
|
|
| "add": *__add()* |
| ------ |
| the `+` operation. |
|
|
| The function `getbinhandler` below defines how Lua chooses a handler for a |
| binary operation. First, Lua tries the first operand. If its type does not |
| define a handler for the operation, then Lua tries the second operand. |
| >lua |
| function getbinhandler (op1, op2, event) |
| return metatable(op1)[event] or metatable(op2)[event] |
| end |
| < |
| By using this function, the behavior of the `op1 + op2` is |
| >lua |
| function add_event (op1, op2) |
| local o1, o2 = tonumber(op1), tonumber(op2) |
| if o1 and o2 then -- both operands are numeric? |
| return o1 + o2 -- `+` here is the primitive `add` |
| else -- at least one of the operands is not numeric |
| local h = getbinhandler(op1, op2, "__add") |
| if h then |
| -- call the handler with both operands |
| return h(op1, op2) |
| else -- no handler available: default behavior |
| error(...) |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| "sub": *__sub()* |
| ------ |
| the `-` operation. Behavior similar to the "add" operation. |
|
|
| "mul": *__mul()* |
| ------ |
| the `*` operation. Behavior similar to the "add" operation. |
|
|
| "div": *__div()* |
| ------ |
| the `/` operation. Behavior similar to the "add" operation. |
|
|
| "mod": *__mod()* |
| ------ |
| the `%` operation. Behavior similar to the "add" operation, with the |
| operation `o1 - floor(o1/o2)*o2` as the primitive operation. |
|
|
| "pow": *__pow()* |
| ------ |
| the `^` (exponentiation) operation. Behavior similar to the "add" operation, |
| with the function `pow` (from the C math library) as the primitive operation. |
|
|
| "unm": *__unm()* |
| ------ |
| the unary `-` operation. |
| >lua |
| function unm_event (op) |
| local o = tonumber(op) |
| if o then -- operand is numeric? |
| return -o -- `-` here is the primitive `unm` |
| else -- the operand is not numeric. |
| -- Try to get a handler from the operand |
| local h = metatable(op).__unm |
| if h then |
| -- call the handler with the operand |
| return h(op) |
| else -- no handler available: default behavior |
| error(...) |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| "concat": *__concat()* |
| --------- |
| the `..` (concatenation) operation. |
| >lua |
| function concat_event (op1, op2) |
| if (type(op1) == "string" or type(op1) == "number") and |
| (type(op2) == "string" or type(op2) == "number") then |
| return op1 .. op2 -- primitive string concatenation |
| else |
| local h = getbinhandler(op1, op2, "__concat") |
| if h then |
| return h(op1, op2) |
| else |
| error(...) |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| "len": *__len()* |
| ------ |
| the `#` operation. |
| >lua |
| function len_event (op) |
| if type(op) == "string" then |
| return strlen(op) -- primitive string length |
| elseif type(op) == "table" then |
| return #op -- primitive table length |
| else |
| local h = metatable(op).__len |
| if h then |
| -- call the handler with the operand |
| return h(op) |
| else -- no handler available: default behavior |
| error(...) |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| "eq": *__eq()* |
| ----- |
| the `==` operation. |
|
|
| The function `getcomphandler` defines how Lua chooses a metamethod for |
| comparison operators. A metamethod only is selected when both objects being |
| compared have the same type and the same metamethod for the selected |
| operation. |
| >lua |
| function getcomphandler (op1, op2, event) |
| if type(op1) ~= type(op2) then return nil end |
| local mm1 = metatable(op1)[event] |
| local mm2 = metatable(op2)[event] |
| if mm1 == mm2 then return mm1 else return nil end |
| end |
| < |
| The "eq" event is defined as follows: |
| >lua |
| function eq_event (op1, op2) |
| if type(op1) ~= type(op2) then -- different types? |
| return false -- different objects |
| end |
| if op1 == op2 then -- primitive equal? |
| return true -- objects are equal |
| end |
| -- try metamethod |
| local h = getcomphandler(op1, op2, "__eq") |
| if h then |
| return h(op1, op2) |
| else |
| return false |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| `a ~= b` is equivalent to `not (a == b)`. |
|
|
| "lt": *__lt()* |
| ----- |
| the `<` operation. |
| >lua |
| function lt_event (op1, op2) |
| if type(op1) == "number" and type(op2) == "number" then |
| return op1 < op2 -- numeric comparison |
| elseif type(op1) == "string" and type(op2) == "string" then |
| return op1 < op2 -- lexicographic comparison |
| else |
| local h = getcomphandler(op1, op2, "__lt") |
| if h then |
| return h(op1, op2) |
| else |
| error(...); |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| `a > b` is equivalent to `b < a`. |
|
|
| "le": *__le()* |
| ----- |
| the `<=` operation. |
| >lua |
| function le_event (op1, op2) |
| if type(op1) == "number" and type(op2) == "number" then |
| return op1 <= op2 -- numeric comparison |
| elseif type(op1) == "string" and type(op2) == "string" then |
| return op1 <= op2 -- lexicographic comparison |
| else |
| local h = getcomphandler(op1, op2, "__le") |
| if h then |
| return h(op1, op2) |
| else |
| h = getcomphandler(op1, op2, "__lt") |
| if h then |
| return not h(op2, op1) |
| else |
| error(...); |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| `a >= b` is equivalent to `b <= a`. Note that, in the absence of a "le" |
| metamethod, Lua tries the "lt", assuming that `a <= b` is equivalent |
| to `not (b < a)`. |
|
|
| "index": *__index()* |
| -------- |
| The indexing access `table[key]`. |
| >lua |
| function gettable_event (table, key) |
| local h |
| if type(table) == "table" then |
| local v = rawget(table, key) |
| if v ~= nil then return v end |
| h = metatable(table).__index |
| if h == nil then return nil end |
| else |
| h = metatable(table).__index |
| if h == nil then |
| error(...); |
| end |
| end |
| if type(h) == "function" then |
| return h(table, key) -- call the handler |
| else return h[key] -- or repeat operation on it |
| end |
| < |
| "newindex": *__newindex()* |
| ----------- |
| The indexing assignment `table[key] = value`. |
| >lua |
| function settable_event (table, key, value) |
| local h |
| if type(table) == "table" then |
| local v = rawget(table, key) |
| if v ~= nil then rawset(table, key, value); return end |
| h = metatable(table).__newindex |
| if h == nil then rawset(table, key, value); return end |
| else |
| h = metatable(table).__newindex |
| if h == nil then |
| error(...); |
| end |
| end |
| if type(h) == "function" then |
| return h(table, key,value) -- call the handler |
| else h[key] = value -- or repeat operation on it |
| end |
| < |
| "call": *__call()* |
| ------- |
| called when Lua calls a value. |
| >lua |
| function function_event (func, ...) |
| if type(func) == "function" then |
| return func(...) -- primitive call |
| else |
| local h = metatable(func).__call |
| if h then |
| return h(func, ...) |
| else |
| error(...) |
| end |
| end |
| end |
| < |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.9 Environments *lua-environments* |
|
|
| Besides metatables, objects of types thread, function, and userdata have |
| another table associated with them, called their environment. Like metatables, |
| environments are regular tables and multiple objects can share the same |
| environment. |
|
|
| Environments associated with userdata have no meaning for Lua. It is only a |
| convenience feature for programmers to associate a table to a userdata. |
|
|
| Environments associated with threads are called global environments. They are |
| used as the default environment for their threads and non-nested functions |
| created by the thread (through |loadfile()|, |loadstring()| or |load()|) and |
| can be directly accessed by C code (see |lua-pseudoindex|). |
|
|
| Environments associated with C functions can be directly accessed by C code |
| (see |lua-pseudoindex|). They are used as the default environment for |
| other C functions created by the function. |
|
|
| Environments associated with Lua functions are used to resolve all accesses to |
| global variables within the function (see |lua-variables|). They are |
| used as the default environment for other Lua functions created by the |
| function. |
|
|
| You can change the environment of a Lua function or the running thread by |
| calling `setfenv`. You can get the environment of a Lua function or the |
| running thread by calling `getfenv` (see |lua_getfenv()|). To manipulate the |
| environment of other objects (userdata, C functions, other threads) you must |
| use the C API. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.10 Garbage Collection *lua-gc* |
|
|
| Lua performs automatic memory management. This means that you do not have to |
| worry neither about allocating memory for new objects nor about freeing it |
| when the objects are no longer needed. Lua manages memory automatically by |
| running a garbage collector from time to time to collect all dead objects |
| (that is, these objects that are no longer accessible from Lua). All objects |
| in Lua are subject to automatic management: tables, userdata, functions, |
| threads, and strings. |
|
|
| Lua implements an incremental mark-and-sweep collector. It uses two numbers to |
| control its garbage-collection cycles: the garbage-collector pause and the |
| garbage-collector step multiplier. |
|
|
| The garbage-collector pause controls how long the collector waits before |
| starting a new cycle. Larger values make the collector less aggressive. Values |
| smaller than 1 mean the collector will not wait to start a new cycle. A value |
| of 2 means that the collector waits for the total memory in use to double |
| before starting a new cycle. |
|
|
| The step multiplier controls the relative speed of the collector relative to |
| memory allocation. Larger values make the collector more aggressive but also |
| increase the size of each incremental step. Values smaller than 1 make the |
| collector too slow and may result in the collector never finishing a cycle. |
| The default, 2, means that the collector runs at "twice" the speed of memory |
| allocation. |
|
|
| You can change these numbers by calling `lua_gc` (see |lua_gc()|) in C or |
| `collectgarbage` (see |collectgarbage()|) in Lua. Both get percentage points |
| as arguments (so an argument of 100 means a real value of 1). With these |
| functions you can also control the collector directly (e.g., stop and restart |
| it). |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.10.1 Garbage-Collection Metamethods *lua-gc-meta* |
|
|
| Using the C API, you can set garbage-collector metamethods for userdata (see |
| |lua-metatable|). These metamethods are also called finalizers. |
| Finalizers allow you to coordinate Lua's garbage collection with external |
| resource management (such as closing files, network or database connections, |
| or freeing your own memory). |
|
|
| *__gc* |
| Garbage userdata with a field `__gc` in their metatables are not collected |
| immediately by the garbage collector. Instead, Lua puts them in a list. After |
| the collection, Lua does the equivalent of the following function for each |
| userdata in that list: |
| >lua |
| function gc_event (udata) |
| local h = metatable(udata).__gc |
| if h then |
| h(udata) |
| end |
| end |
| < |
| At the end of each garbage-collection cycle, the finalizers for userdata are |
| called in reverse order of their creation, among these collected in that |
| cycle. That is, the first finalizer to be called is the one associated with |
| the userdata created last in the program. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2.10.2 - Weak Tables *lua-weaktable* |
|
|
| A weak table is a table whose elements are weak references. A weak reference |
| is ignored by the garbage collector. In other words, if the only references to |
| an object are weak references, then the garbage collector will collect this |
| object. |
|
|
| *__mode* |
| A weak table can have weak keys, weak values, or both. A table with weak keys |
| allows the collection of its keys, but prevents the collection of its values. |
| A table with both weak keys and weak values allows the collection of both keys |
| and values. In any case, if either the key or the value is collected, the |
| whole pair is removed from the table. The weakness of a table is controlled by |
| the value of the `__mode` field of its metatable. If the `__mode` field is a |
| string containing the character `k`, the keys in the table are weak. |
| If `__mode` contains `v`, the values in the table are weak. |
|
|
| After you use a table as a metatable, you should not change the value of its |
| field `__mode`. Otherwise, the weak behavior of the tables controlled by this |
| metatable is undefined. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 2.11 Coroutines *lua-coroutine* |
|
|
| Lua supports coroutines, also called collaborative multithreading. A coroutine |
| in Lua represents an independent thread of execution. Unlike threads in |
| multithread systems, however, a coroutine only suspends its execution by |
| explicitly calling a yield function. |
|
|
| You create a coroutine with a call to `coroutine.create` (see |
| |coroutine.create()|). Its sole argument is a function that is the main |
| function of the coroutine. The `create` function only creates a new coroutine |
| and returns a handle to it (an object of type `thread`); it does not start the |
| coroutine execution. |
|
|
| When you first call `coroutine.resume` (see |coroutine.resume()|), |
| passing as its first argument the thread returned by `coroutine.create`, the |
| coroutine starts its execution, at the first line of its main function. Extra |
| arguments passed to `coroutine.resume` are passed on to the coroutine main |
| function. After the coroutine starts running, it runs until it terminates or |
| `yields`. |
|
|
| A coroutine can terminate its execution in two ways: normally, when its main |
| function returns (explicitly or implicitly, after the last instruction); and |
| abnormally, if there is an unprotected error. In the first case, |
| `coroutine.resume` returns `true`, plus any values returned by the coroutine |
| main function. In case of errors, `coroutine.resume` returns `false` plus an |
| error message. |
|
|
| A coroutine yields by calling `coroutine.yield` (see |
| |coroutine.yield()|). When a coroutine yields, the corresponding |
| `coroutine.resume` returns immediately, even if the yield happens inside |
| nested function calls (that is, not in the main function, but in a function |
| directly or indirectly called by the main function). In the case of a yield, |
| `coroutine.resume` also returns `true`, plus any values passed to |
| `coroutine.yield`. The next time you resume the same coroutine, it continues |
| its execution from the point where it yielded, with the call to |
| `coroutine.yield` returning any extra arguments passed to `coroutine.resume`. |
|
|
| Like `coroutine.create`, the `coroutine.wrap` function (see |
| |coroutine.wrap()|) also creates a coroutine, but instead of returning |
| the coroutine itself, it returns a function that, when called, resumes the |
| coroutine. Any arguments passed to this function go as extra arguments to |
| `coroutine.resume`. `coroutine.wrap` returns all the values returned by |
| `coroutine.resume`, except the first one (the boolean error code). Unlike |
| `coroutine.resume`, `coroutine.wrap` does not catch errors; any error is |
| propagated to the caller. |
|
|
| As an example, consider the next code: |
| >lua |
| function foo1 (a) |
| print("foo", a) |
| return coroutine.yield(2*a) |
| end |
|
|
| co = coroutine.create(function (a,b) |
| print("co-body", a, b) |
| local r = foo1(a+1) |
| print("co-body", r) |
| local r, s = coroutine.yield(a+b, a-b) |
| print("co-body", r, s) |
| return b, "end" |
| end) |
|
|
| print("main", coroutine.resume(co, 1, 10)) |
| print("main", coroutine.resume(co, "r")) |
| print("main", coroutine.resume(co, "x", "y")) |
| print("main", coroutine.resume(co, "x", "y")) |
| < |
| When you run it, it produces the following output: |
| > |
| co-body 1 10 |
| foo 2 |
| main true 4 |
| co-body r |
| main true 11 -9 |
| co-body x y |
| main true 10 end |
| main false cannot resume dead coroutine |
| < |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3 THE APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACE *lua-API* |
|
|
| This section describes the C API for Lua, that is, the set of C functions |
| available to the host program to communicate with Lua. All API functions and |
| related types and constants are declared in the header file `lua.h`. |
|
|
| Even when we use the term "function", any facility in the API may be provided |
| as a `macro` instead. All such macros use each of its arguments exactly once |
| (except for the first argument, which is always a Lua state), and so do not |
| generate hidden side-effects. |
|
|
| As in most C libraries, the Lua API functions do not check their arguments for |
| validity or consistency. However, you can change this behavior by compiling |
| Lua with a proper definition for the macro `luai_apicheck`,in file |
| `luaconf.h`. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.1 The Stack *lua-stack* *lua-apiStack* |
|
|
| Lua uses a virtual stack to pass values to and from C. Each element in this |
| stack represents a Lua value (`nil`, number, string, etc.). |
|
|
| Whenever Lua calls C, the called function gets a new stack, which is |
| independent of previous stacks and of stacks of C functions that are still |
| active. This stack initially contains any arguments to the C function and it |
| is where the C function pushes its results to be returned to the caller (see |
| |lua_CFunction|). |
|
|
| *lua-stackindex* |
| For convenience, most query operations in the API do not follow a strict stack |
| discipline. Instead, they can refer to any element in the stack by using an |
| index: a positive index represents an absolute stack position (starting at 1); |
| a negative index represents an offset from the top of the stack. More |
| specifically, if the stack has `n` elements, then index 1 represents the first |
| element (that is, the element that was pushed onto the stack first) and index |
| `n` represents the last element; index `-1` also represents the last element |
| (that is, the element at the top) and index `-n` represents the first element. |
| We say that an index is valid if it lies between 1 and the stack top (that is, |
| if `1 <= abs(index) <= top`). |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.2 Stack Size *lua-apiStackSize* |
|
|
| When you interact with Lua API, you are responsible for ensuring consistency. |
| In particular, you are responsible for controlling stack overflow. You can |
| use the function `lua_checkstack` to grow the stack size (see |
| |lua_checkstack()|). |
|
|
| Whenever Lua calls C, it ensures that at least `LUA_MINSTACK` stack positions |
| are available. `LUA_MINSTACK` is defined as 20, so that usually you do not |
| have to worry about stack space unless your code has loops pushing elements |
| onto the stack. |
|
|
| Most query functions accept as indices any value inside the available stack |
| space, that is, indices up to the maximum stack size you have set through |
| `lua_checkstack`. Such indices are called acceptable indices. More formally, |
| we define an acceptable index as follows: |
| >lua |
| (index < 0 && abs(index) <= top) || (index > 0 && index <= stackspace) |
| < |
| Note that 0 is never an acceptable index. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.3 Pseudo-Indices *lua-pseudoindex* |
|
|
| Unless otherwise noted, any function that accepts valid indices can also be |
| called with pseudo-indices, which represent some Lua values that are |
| accessible to the C code but which are not in the stack. Pseudo-indices are |
| used to access the thread environment, the function environment, the registry, |
| and the upvalues of a C function (see |lua-cclosure|). |
|
|
| The thread environment (where global variables live) is always at pseudo-index |
| `LUA_GLOBALSINDEX`. The environment of the running C function is always at |
| pseudo-index `LUA_ENVIRONINDEX`. |
|
|
| To access and change the value of global variables, you can use regular table |
| operations over an environment table. For instance, to access the value of a |
| global variable, do |
| >c |
| lua_getfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, varname); |
| < |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.4 C Closures *lua-cclosure* |
|
|
| When a C function is created, it is possible to associate some values with it, |
| thus creating a C closure; these values are called upvalues and are accessible |
| to the function whenever it is called (see |lua_pushcclosure()|). |
|
|
| Whenever a C function is called, its upvalues are located at specific |
| pseudo-indices. These pseudo-indices are produced by the macro |
| `lua_upvalueindex`. The first value associated with a function is at position |
| `lua_upvalueindex(1)`, and so on. Any access to `lua_upvalueindex(` `n` `)`, |
| where `n` is greater than the number of upvalues of the current function, |
| produces an acceptable (but invalid) index. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.5 Registry *lua-registry* |
|
|
| Lua provides a registry, a pre-defined table that can be used by any C code to |
| store whatever Lua value it needs to store. This table is always located at |
| pseudo-index `LUA_REGISTRYINDEX`. Any C library can store data into this |
| table, but it should take care to choose keys different from those used by |
| other libraries, to avoid collisions. Typically, you should use as key a |
| string containing your library name or a light userdata with the address of a |
| C object in your code. |
|
|
| The integer keys in the registry are used by the reference mechanism, |
| implemented by the auxiliary library, and therefore should not be used for |
| other purposes. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.6 Error Handling in C *lua-apiError* |
|
|
| Internally, Lua uses the C `longjmp` facility to handle errors. (You can also |
| choose to use exceptions if you use C++; see file `luaconf.h`.) When Lua faces |
| any error (such as memory allocation errors, type errors, syntax errors, and |
| runtime errors) it raises an error; that is, it does a long jump. A protected |
| environment uses `setjmp` to set a recover point; any error jumps to the most |
| recent active recover point. |
|
|
| Almost any function in the API may raise an error, for instance due to a |
| memory allocation error. The following functions run in protected mode (that |
| is, they create a protected environment to run), so they never raise an error: |
| `lua_newstate`, `lua_close`, `lua_load`, `lua_pcall`, and `lua_cpcall` (see |
| |lua_newstate()|, |lua_close()|, |lua_load()|, |
| |lua_pcall()|, and |lua_cpcall()|). |
|
|
| Inside a C function you can raise an error by calling `lua_error` (see |
| |lua_error()|). |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.7 Functions and Types *lua-apiFunctions* |
|
|
| Here we list all functions and types from the C API in alphabetical order. |
|
|
| lua_Alloc *lua_Alloc* |
| >c |
| typedef void * (*lua_Alloc) (void *ud, |
| void *ptr, |
| size_t osize, |
| size_t nsize); |
| < |
| The type of the memory-allocation function used by Lua states. The |
| allocator function must provide a functionality similar to `realloc`, |
| but not exactly the same. Its arguments are `ud`, an opaque pointer |
| passed to `lua_newstate` (see |lua_newstate()|); `ptr`, a pointer |
| to the block being allocated/reallocated/freed; `osize`, the original |
| size of the block; `nsize`, the new size of the block. `ptr` is `NULL` |
| if and only if `osize` is zero. When `nsize` is zero, the allocator |
| must return `NULL`; if `osize` is not zero, it should free the block |
| pointed to by `ptr`. When `nsize` is not zero, the allocator returns |
| `NULL` if and only if it cannot fill the request. When `nsize` is not |
| zero and `osize` is zero, the allocator should behave like `malloc`. |
| When `nsize` and `osize` are not zero, the allocator behaves like |
| `realloc`. Lua assumes that the allocator never fails when `osize >= |
| nsize`. |
|
|
| Here is a simple implementation for the allocator function. It is used |
| in the auxiliary library by `luaL_newstate` (see |
| |luaL_newstate()|). |
| >c |
| static void *l_alloc (void *ud, void *ptr, size_t osize, |
| size_t nsize) { |
| (void)ud; (void)osize; /* not used */ |
| if (nsize == 0) { |
| free(ptr); |
| return NULL; |
| } |
| else |
| return realloc(ptr, nsize); |
| } |
| < |
| This code assumes that `free(NULL)` has no effect and that |
| `realloc(NULL, size)` is equivalent to `malloc(size)`. ANSI C ensures both |
| behaviors. |
|
|
| lua_atpanic *lua_atpanic()* |
| >c |
| lua_CFunction lua_atpanic (lua_State *L, lua_CFunction panicf); |
| < |
| Sets a new panic function and returns the old one. |
|
|
| If an error happens outside any protected environment, Lua calls a |
| `panic` `function` and then calls `exit(EXIT_FAILURE)`, thus exiting |
| the host application. Your panic function may avoid this exit by never |
| returning (e.g., doing a long jump). |
|
|
| The panic function can access the error message at the top of the |
| stack. |
|
|
| lua_call *lua_call()* |
| >c |
| void lua_call (lua_State *L, int nargs, int nresults); |
| < |
| Calls a function. |
|
|
| To call a function you must use the following protocol: first, the |
| function to be called is pushed onto the stack; then, the arguments to |
| the function are pushed in direct order; that is, the first argument |
| is pushed first. Finally you call `lua_call`; `nargs` is the number of |
| arguments that you pushed onto the stack. All arguments and the |
| function value are popped from the stack when the function is called. |
| The function results are pushed onto the stack when the function |
| returns. The number of results is adjusted to `nresults`, unless |
| `nresults` is `LUA_MULTRET`. In this case, `all` results from the |
| function are pushed. Lua takes care that the returned values fit into |
| the stack space. The function results are pushed onto the stack in |
| direct order (the first result is pushed first), so that after the |
| call the last result is on the top of the stack. |
|
|
| Any error inside the called function is propagated upwards (with a |
| `longjmp`). |
|
|
| The following example shows how the host program may do the equivalent |
| to this Lua code: |
| >lua |
| a = f("how", t.x, 14) |
| < |
| Here it is in C: |
| >c |
| lua_getfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, "f"); // function to be called |
| lua_pushstring(L, "how"); // 1st argument |
| lua_getfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, "t"); // table to be indexed |
| lua_getfield(L, -1, "x"); // push result of t.x (2nd arg) |
| lua_remove(L, -2); // remove 't' from the stack |
| lua_pushinteger(L, 14); // 3rd argument |
| lua_call(L, 3, 1); // call 'f' with 3 arguments and 1 result |
| lua_setfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, "a"); // set global 'a' |
| < |
| Note that the code above is "balanced": at its end, the stack is back |
| to its original configuration. This is considered good programming |
| practice. |
|
|
| lua_CFunction *lua-cfunction* *lua_CFunction* |
| >c |
| typedef int (*lua_CFunction) (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Type for C functions. |
|
|
| In order to communicate properly with Lua, a C function must use the |
| following protocol, which defines the way parameters and results are |
| passed: a C function receives its arguments from Lua in its stack in |
| direct order (the first argument is pushed first). So, when the |
| function starts, `lua_gettop(L)` (see |lua_gettop()|) returns the |
| number of arguments received by the function. The first argument (if |
| any) is at index 1 and its last argument is at index `lua_gettop(L)`. |
| To return values to Lua, a C function just pushes them onto the stack, |
| in direct order (the first result is pushed first), and returns the |
| number of results. Any other value in the stack below the results will |
| be properly discarded by Lua. Like a Lua function, a C function called |
| by Lua can also return many results. |
|
|
| *lua-cfunctionexample* |
| As an example, the following function receives a variable number of |
| numerical arguments and returns their average and sum: |
| >c |
| static int foo (lua_State *L) { |
| int n = lua_gettop(L); /* number of arguments */ |
| lua_Number sum = 0; |
| int i; |
| for (i = 1; i <= n; i++) { |
| if (!lua_isnumber(L, i)) { |
| lua_pushstring(L, "incorrect argument"); |
| lua_error(L); |
| } |
| sum += lua_tonumber(L, i); |
| } |
| lua_pushnumber(L, sum/n); /* first result */ |
| lua_pushnumber(L, sum); /* second result */ |
| return 2; /* number of results */ |
| } |
| < |
|
|
| lua_checkstack *lua_checkstack()* |
| >c |
| int lua_checkstack (lua_State *L, int extra); |
| < |
| Ensures that there are at least `extra` free stack slots in the stack. |
| It returns false if it cannot grow the stack to that size. This |
| function never shrinks the stack; if the stack is already larger than |
| the new size, it is left unchanged. |
|
|
| lua_close *lua_close()* |
| >c |
| void lua_close (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Destroys all objects in the given Lua state (calling the corresponding |
| garbage-collection metamethods, if any) and frees all dynamic memory |
| used by this state. On several platforms, you may not need to call |
| this function, because all resources are naturally released when the |
| host program ends. On the other hand, long-running programs, such as a |
| daemon or a web server, might need to release states as soon as they |
| are not needed, to avoid growing too large. |
|
|
| lua_concat *lua_concat()* |
| >c |
| void lua_concat (lua_State *L, int n); |
| < |
| Concatenates the `n` values at the top of the stack, pops them, and |
| leaves the result at the top. If `n` is 1, the result is the single |
| string on the stack (that is, the function does nothing); if `n` is 0, |
| the result is the empty string. Concatenation is done following the |
| usual semantics of Lua (see |lua-concat|). |
|
|
| lua_cpcall *lua_cpcall()* |
| >c |
| int lua_cpcall (lua_State *L, lua_CFunction func, void *ud); |
| < |
| Calls the C function `func` in protected mode. `func` starts with only |
| one element in its stack, a light userdata containing `ud`. In case of |
| errors, `lua_cpcall` returns the same error codes as `lua_pcall` (see |
| |lua_pcall()|), plus the error object on the top of the stack; |
| otherwise, it returns zero, and does not change the stack. All values |
| returned by `func` are discarded. |
|
|
| lua_createtable *lua_createtable()* |
| >c |
| void lua_createtable (lua_State *L, int narr, int nrec); |
| < |
| Creates a new empty table and pushes it onto the stack. The new table |
| has space pre-allocated for `narr` array elements and `nrec` non-array |
| elements. This pre-allocation is useful when you know exactly how many |
| elements the table will have. Otherwise you can use the function |
| `lua_newtable` (see |lua_newtable()|). |
|
|
| lua_dump *lua_dump()* |
| >c |
| int lua_dump (lua_State *L, lua_Writer writer, void *data); |
| < |
| Dumps a function as a binary chunk. Receives a Lua function on the top |
| of the stack and produces a binary chunk that, if loaded again, |
| results in a function equivalent to the one dumped. As it produces |
| parts of the chunk, `lua_dump` calls function `writer` (see |
| |lua_Writer|) with the given `data` to write them. |
|
|
| The value returned is the error code returned by the last call to the |
| writer; 0 means no errors. |
|
|
| This function does not pop the Lua function from the stack. |
|
|
| lua_equal *lua_equal()* |
| >c |
| int lua_equal (lua_State *L, int index1, int index2); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the two values in acceptable indices `index1` and |
| `index2` are equal, following the semantics of the Lua `==` operator |
| (that is, may call metamethods). Otherwise returns 0. Also returns 0 |
| if any of the indices is non valid. |
|
|
| lua_error *lua_error()* |
| >c |
| int lua_error (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Generates a Lua error. The error message (which can actually be a Lua |
| value of any type) must be on the stack top. This function does a long |
| jump, and therefore never returns (see |luaL_error()|). |
|
|
| lua_gc *lua_gc()* |
| >c |
| int lua_gc (lua_State *L, int what, int data); |
| < |
| Controls the garbage collector. |
|
|
| This function performs several tasks, according to the value of the |
| parameter `what`: |
|
|
| - `LUA_GCSTOP` stops the garbage collector. |
| - `LUA_GCRESTART` restarts the garbage collector. |
| - `LUA_GCCOLLECT` performs a full garbage-collection cycle. |
| - `LUA_GCCOUNT` returns the current amount of memory (in Kbytes) in |
| use by Lua. |
| - `LUA_GCCOUNTB` returns the remainder of dividing the current |
| amount of bytes of memory in use by Lua by 1024. |
| - `LUA_GCSTEP` performs an incremental step of garbage collection. |
| The step "size" is controlled by `data` (larger |
| values mean more steps) in a non-specified way. If |
| you want to control the step size you must |
| experimentally tune the value of `data`. The |
| function returns 1 if the step finished a |
| garbage-collection cycle. |
| - `LUA_GCSETPAUSE` sets `data` /100 as the new value for the |
| `pause` of the collector (see |lua-gc|). |
| The function returns the previous value of the |
| pause. |
| - `LUA_GCSETSTEPMUL`sets `data` /100 as the new value for the |
| `step` `multiplier` of the collector (see |
| |lua-gc|). The function returns the |
| previous value of the step multiplier. |
|
|
| lua_getallocf *lua_getallocf()* |
| >c |
| lua_Alloc lua_getallocf (lua_State *L, void **ud); |
| < |
| Returns the memory-allocation function of a given state. If `ud` is |
| not `NULL`, Lua stores in `*ud` the opaque pointer passed to |
| `lua_newstate` (see |lua_newstate()|). |
|
|
| lua_getfenv *lua_getfenv()* |
| >c |
| void lua_getfenv (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the environment table of the value at the given |
| index. |
|
|
| lua_getfield *lua_getfield()* |
| >c |
| void lua_getfield (lua_State *L, int index, const char *k); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the value `t[k]`, where `t` is the value at the |
| given valid index `index`. As in Lua, this function may trigger a |
| metamethod for the "index" event (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| lua_getglobal *lua_getglobal()* |
| >c |
| void lua_getglobal (lua_State *L, const char *name); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the value of the global `name`. It is defined as |
| a macro: |
| >c |
| #define lua_getglobal(L,s) lua_getfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, s) |
| < |
|
|
| lua_getmetatable *lua_getmetatable()* |
| >c |
| int lua_getmetatable (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the metatable of the value at the given |
| acceptable index. If the index is not valid, or if the value does not |
| have a metatable, the function returns 0 and pushes nothing on the |
| stack. |
|
|
| lua_gettable *lua_gettable()* |
| >c |
| void lua_gettable (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the value `t[k]`, where `t` is the value at the |
| given valid index `index` and `k` is the value at the top of the |
| stack. |
|
|
| This function pops the key from the stack (putting the resulting value |
| in its place). As in Lua, this function may trigger a metamethod for |
| the "index" event (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| lua_gettop *lua_gettop()* |
| >c |
| int lua_gettop (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Returns the index of the top element in the stack. Because indices |
| start at 1, this result is equal to the number of elements in the |
| stack (and so |
| 0 means an empty stack). |
|
|
| lua_insert *lua_insert()* |
| >c |
| void lua_insert (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Moves the top element into the given valid index, shifting up the |
| elements above this index to open space. Cannot be called with a |
| pseudo-index, because a pseudo-index is not an actual stack position. |
|
|
| lua_Integer *lua_Integer* |
| >c |
| typedef ptrdiff_t lua_Integer; |
| < |
| The type used by the Lua API to represent integral values. |
|
|
| By default it is a `ptrdiff_t`, which is usually the largest integral |
| type the machine handles "comfortably". |
|
|
| lua_isboolean *lua_isboolean()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isboolean (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index has type boolean, |
| and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_iscfunction *lua_iscfunction()* |
| >c |
| int lua_iscfunction (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a C function, |
| and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_isfunction *lua_isfunction()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isfunction (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a function |
| (either C or Lua), and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_islightuserdata *lua_islightuserdata()* |
| >c |
| int lua_islightuserdata (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a light |
| userdata, and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_isnil *lua_isnil()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isnil (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is `nil`, and 0 |
| otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_isnumber *lua_isnumber()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isnumber (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a number or a |
| string convertible to a number, and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_isstring *lua_isstring()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isstring (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a string or a |
| number (which is always convertible to a string), and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_istable *lua_istable()* |
| >c |
| int lua_istable (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a table, and |
| 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_isthread *lua_isthread()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isthread (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a thread, and |
| 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_isuserdata *lua_isuserdata()* |
| >c |
| int lua_isuserdata (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at the given acceptable index is a userdata |
| (either full or light), and 0 otherwise. |
|
|
| lua_lessthan *lua_lessthan()* |
| >c |
| int lua_lessthan (lua_State *L, int index1, int index2); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the value at acceptable index `index1` is smaller than |
| the value at acceptable index `index2`, following the semantics of the |
| Lua `<` operator (that is, may call metamethods). Otherwise returns 0. |
| Also returns 0 if any of the indices is non valid. |
|
|
| lua_load *lua_load()* |
| >c |
| int lua_load (lua_State *L, |
| lua_Reader reader, |
| void *data, |
| const char *chunkname); |
| < |
| Loads a Lua chunk. If there are no errors, `lua_load` pushes the |
| compiled chunk as a Lua function on top of the stack. Otherwise, it |
| pushes an error message. The return values of `lua_load` are: |
|
|
| - `0`: no errors; |
| - `LUA_ERRSYNTAX` : syntax error during pre-compilation; |
| - `LUA_ERRMEM` : memory allocation error. |
|
|
| This function only loads a chunk; it does not run it. |
|
|
| `lua_load` automatically detects whether the chunk is text or binary, |
| and loads it accordingly (see program `luac`). |
|
|
| The `lua_load` function uses a user-supplied `reader` function to read |
| the chunk (see |lua_Reader|). The `data` argument is an opaque |
| value passed to the reader function. |
|
|
| The `chunkname` argument gives a name to the chunk, which is used for |
| error messages and in debug information (see |lua-apiDebug|). |
|
|
| lua_newstate *lua_newstate()* |
| >c |
| lua_State *lua_newstate (lua_Alloc f, void *ud); |
| < |
| Creates a new, independent state. Returns `NULL` if cannot create the |
| state (due to lack of memory). The argument `f` is the allocator |
| function; Lua does all memory allocation for this state through this |
| function. The second argument, `ud`, is an opaque pointer that Lua |
| simply passes to the allocator in every call. |
|
|
| lua_newtable *lua_newtable()* |
| >c |
| void lua_newtable (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Creates a new empty table and pushes it onto the stack. It is |
| equivalent to `lua_createtable(L, 0, 0)` (see |
| |lua_createtable()|). |
|
|
| lua_newthread *lua_newthread()* |
| >c |
| lua_State *lua_newthread (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Creates a new thread, pushes it on the stack, and returns a pointer to |
| a `lua_State` (see |lua_State|) that represents this new |
| thread. The new state returned by this function shares with the |
| original state all global objects (such as tables), but has an |
| independent execution stack. |
|
|
| There is no explicit function to close or to destroy a thread. Threads |
| are subject to garbage collection, like any Lua object. |
|
|
| lua_newuserdata *lua_newuserdata()* |
| >c |
| void *lua_newuserdata (lua_State *L, size_t size); |
| < |
| This function allocates a new block of memory with the given size, |
| pushes onto the stack a new full userdata with the block address, and |
| returns this address. |
| *userdata* |
| Userdata represents C values in Lua. A full userdata represents a |
| block of memory. It is an object (like a table): you must create it, |
| it can have its own metatable, and you can detect when it is being |
| collected. A full userdata is only equal to itself (under raw |
| equality). |
|
|
| When Lua collects a full userdata with a `gc` metamethod, Lua calls |
| the metamethod and marks the userdata as finalized. When this userdata |
| is collected again then Lua frees its corresponding memory. |
|
|
| lua_next *lua_next()* |
| >c |
| int lua_next (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pops a key from the stack, and pushes a key-value pair from the table |
| at the given index (the "next" pair after the given key). If there are |
| no more elements in the table, then `lua_next` returns 0 (and pushes |
| nothing). |
|
|
| *lua-tabletraversal* |
| A typical traversal looks like this: |
| >c |
| /* table is in the stack at index 't' */ |
| lua_pushnil(L); /* first key */ |
| while (lua_next(L, t) != 0) { |
| /* uses 'key' (at index -2) and 'value' (at index -1) */ |
| printf("%s - %s\n", |
| lua_typename(L, lua_type(L, -2)), |
| lua_typename(L, lua_type(L, -1))); |
| /* removes 'value'; keeps 'key' for next iteration */ |
| lua_pop(L, 1); |
| } |
| < |
| While traversing a table, do not call `lua_tolstring` (see |
| |lua_tolstring()|) directly on a key, unless you know that the |
| key is actually a string. Recall that `lua_tolstring` `changes` the |
| value at the given index; this confuses the next call to `lua_next`. |
|
|
| lua_Number *lua_Number* |
| >c |
| typedef double lua_Number; |
| < |
| The type of numbers in Lua. By default, it is double, but that can be |
| changed in `luaconf.h`. |
|
|
| Through the configuration file you can change Lua to operate with |
| another type for numbers (e.g., float or long). |
|
|
| lua_objlen *lua_objlen()* |
| >c |
| size_t lua_objlen (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns the "length" of the value at the given acceptable index: for |
| strings, this is the string length; for tables, this is the result of |
| the length operator (`#`); for userdata, this is the size of the |
| block of memory allocated for the userdata; for other values, it is 0. |
|
|
| lua_pcall *lua_pcall()* |
| >c |
| lua_pcall (lua_State *L, int nargs, int nresults, int errfunc); |
| < |
| Calls a function in protected mode. |
|
|
| Both `nargs` and `nresults` have the same meaning as in `lua_call` |
| (see |lua_call()|). If there are no errors during the call, |
| `lua_pcall` behaves exactly like `lua_call`. However, if there is any |
| error, `lua_pcall` catches it, pushes a single value on the stack (the |
| error message), and returns an error code. Like `lua_call`, |
| `lua_pcall` always removes the function and its arguments from the |
| stack. |
|
|
| If `errfunc` is 0, then the error message returned on the stack is |
| exactly the original error message. Otherwise, `errfunc` is the stack |
| index of an `error` `handler function`. (In the current |
| implementation, this index cannot be a pseudo-index.) In case of |
| runtime errors, this function will be called with the error message |
| and its return value will be the message returned on the stack by |
| `lua_pcall`. |
|
|
| Typically, the error handler function is used to add more debug |
| information to the error message, such as a stack traceback. Such |
| information cannot be gathered after the return of `lua_pcall`, since |
| by then the stack has unwound. |
|
|
| The `lua_pcall` function returns 0 in case of success or one of the |
| following error codes (defined in `lua.h`): |
|
|
| - `LUA_ERRRUN` a runtime error. |
| - `LUA_ERRMEM` memory allocation error. For such errors, Lua does |
| not call the error handler function. |
| - `LUA_ERRERR` error while running the error handler function. |
|
|
| lua_pop *lua_pop()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pop (lua_State *L, int n); |
| < |
| Pops `n` elements from the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushboolean *lua_pushboolean()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushboolean (lua_State *L, int b); |
| < |
| Pushes a boolean value with value `b` onto the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushcclosure *lua_pushcclosure()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushcclosure (lua_State *L, lua_CFunction fn, int n); |
| < |
| Pushes a new C closure onto the stack. |
|
|
| When a C function is created, it is possible to associate some values |
| with it, thus creating a C closure (see |lua-cclosure|); these |
| values are then accessible to the function whenever it is called. To |
| associate values with a C function, first these values should be |
| pushed onto the stack (when there are multiple values, the first value |
| is pushed first). Then `lua_pushcclosure` is called to create and push |
| the C function onto the stack, with the argument `n` telling how many |
| values should be associated with the function. `lua_pushcclosure` also |
| pops these values from the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushcfunction *lua_pushcfunction()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushcfunction (lua_State *L, lua_CFunction f); |
| < |
| Pushes a C function onto the stack. This function receives a pointer |
| to a C function and pushes onto the stack a Lua value of type |
| `function` that, when called, invokes the corresponding C function. |
|
|
| Any function to be registered in Lua must follow the correct protocol |
| to receive its parameters and return its results (see |
| |lua_CFunction|). |
|
|
| `lua_pushcfunction` is defined as a macro: |
| >c |
| #define lua_pushcfunction(L,f) lua_pushcclosure(L,f,0) |
| < |
|
|
| lua_pushfstring *lua_pushfstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_pushfstring (lua_State *L, const char *fmt, ...); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack a formatted string and returns a pointer to this |
| string. It is similar to the C function `sprintf`, but has some |
| important differences: |
|
|
| - You do not have to allocate space for the result: the result is a |
| Lua string and Lua takes care of memory allocation (and |
| deallocation, through garbage collection). |
| - The conversion specifiers are quite restricted. There are no flags, |
| widths, or precisions. The conversion specifiers can only be `%%` |
| (inserts a `%` in the string), `%s` (inserts a zero-terminated |
| string, with no size restrictions), `%f` (inserts a |
| `lua_Number`), `%p` (inserts a pointer as a hexadecimal numeral), |
| `%d` (inserts an `int`), and `%c` (inserts an `int` as a |
| character). |
|
|
| lua_pushinteger *lua_pushinteger()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushinteger (lua_State *L, lua_Integer n); |
| < |
| Pushes a number with value `n` onto the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushlightuserdata *lua_pushlightuserdata()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushlightuserdata (lua_State *L, void *p); |
| < |
| Pushes a light userdata onto the stack. |
| *lua-lightuserdata* |
| Userdata represents C values in Lua. A light userdata represents a |
| pointer. It is a value (like a number): you do not create it, it has |
| no individual metatable, and it is not collected (as it was never |
| created). A light userdata is equal to "any" light userdata with the |
| same C address. |
|
|
| lua_pushlstring *lua_pushlstring()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushlstring (lua_State *L, const char *s, size_t len); |
| < |
| Pushes the string pointed to by `s` with size `len` onto the stack. |
| Lua makes (or reuses) an internal copy of the given string, so the |
| memory at `s` can be freed or reused immediately after the function |
| returns. The string can contain embedded zeros. |
|
|
| lua_pushnil *lua_pushnil()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushnil (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Pushes a nil value onto the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushnumber *lua_pushnumber()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushnumber (lua_State *L, lua_Number n); |
| < |
| Pushes a number with value `n` onto the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushstring *lua_pushstring()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushstring (lua_State *L, const char *s); |
| < |
| Pushes the zero-terminated string pointed to by `s` onto the stack. |
| Lua makes (or reuses) an internal copy of the given string, so the |
| memory at `s` can be freed or reused immediately after the function |
| returns. The string cannot contain embedded zeros; it is assumed to |
| end at the first zero. |
|
|
| lua_pushthread *lua_pushthread()* |
| >c |
| int lua_pushthread (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Pushes the thread represented by `L` onto the stack. Returns 1 if this |
| thread is the main thread of its state. |
|
|
| lua_pushvalue *lua_pushvalue()* |
| >c |
| void lua_pushvalue (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pushes a copy of the element at the given valid index onto the stack. |
|
|
| lua_pushvfstring *lua_pushvfstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_pushvfstring (lua_State *L, |
| const char *fmt, |
| va_list argp); |
| < |
| Equivalent to `lua_pushfstring` (see |lua_pushfstring()|), except |
| that it receives a `va_list` instead of a variable number of |
| arguments. |
|
|
| lua_rawequal *lua_rawequal()* |
| >c |
| int lua_rawequal (lua_State *L, int index1, int index2); |
| < |
| Returns 1 if the two values in acceptable indices `index1` and |
| `index2` are primitively equal (that is, without calling metamethods). |
| Otherwise returns 0. Also returns 0 if any of the indices are non |
| valid. |
|
|
| lua_rawget *lua_rawget()* |
| >c |
| void lua_rawget (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Similar to `lua_gettable` (see |lua_gettable()|), but does a raw |
| access (i.e., without metamethods). |
|
|
| lua_rawgeti *lua_rawgeti()* |
| >c |
| void lua_rawgeti (lua_State *L, int index, int n); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the value `t[n]`, where `t` is the value at the |
| given valid index `index`. The access is raw; that is, it does not |
| invoke metamethods. |
|
|
| lua_rawset *lua_rawset()* |
| >c |
| void lua_rawset (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Similar to `lua_settable` (see |lua_settable()|), but does a raw |
| assignment (i.e., without metamethods). |
|
|
| lua_rawseti *lua_rawseti()* |
| >c |
| void lua_rawseti (lua_State *L, int index, int n); |
| < |
| Does the equivalent of `t[n] = v`, where `t` is the value at the given |
| valid index `index` and `v` is the value at the top of the stack. |
|
|
| This function pops the value from the stack. The assignment is raw; |
| that is, it does not invoke metamethods. |
|
|
| lua_Reader *lua_Reader* |
| >c |
| typedef const char * (*lua_Reader) (lua_State *L, |
| void *data, |
| size_t *size); |
| < |
| The reader function used by `lua_load` (see |lua_load()|). Every |
| time it needs another piece of the chunk, `lua_load` calls the reader, |
| passing along its `data` parameter. The reader must return a pointer |
| to a block of memory with a new piece of the chunk and set `size` to |
| the block size. The block must exist until the reader function is |
| called again. To signal the end of the chunk, the reader must return |
| `NULL`. The reader function may return pieces of any size greater than |
| zero. |
|
|
| lua_register *lua_register()* |
| >c |
| void lua_register (lua_State *L, |
| const char *name, |
| lua_CFunction f); |
| < |
| Sets the C function `f` as the new value of global `name`. It is |
| defined as a macro: |
| >c |
| #define lua_register(L,n,f) \ |
| (lua_pushcfunction(L, f), lua_setglobal(L, n)) |
| < |
|
|
| lua_remove *lua_remove()* |
| >c |
| void lua_remove (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Removes the element at the given valid index, shifting down the |
| elements above this index to fill the gap. Cannot be called with a |
| pseudo-index, because a pseudo-index is not an actual stack position. |
|
|
| lua_replace *lua_replace()* |
| >c |
| void lua_replace (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Moves the top element into the given position (and pops it), without |
| shifting any element (therefore replacing the value at the given |
| position). |
|
|
| lua_resume *lua_resume()* |
| >c |
| int lua_resume (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Starts and resumes a coroutine in a given thread. |
|
|
| To start a coroutine, you first create a new thread (see |
| |lua_newthread()|); then you push onto its stack the main |
| function plus any arguments; then you call `lua_resume` (see |
| |lua_resume()|) with `narg` being the number of arguments. This |
| call returns when the coroutine suspends or finishes its execution. |
| When it returns, the stack contains all values passed to `lua_yield` |
| (see |lua_yield()|), or all values returned by the body function. |
| `lua_resume` returns `LUA_YIELD` if the coroutine yields, 0 if the |
| coroutine finishes its execution without errors, or an error code in |
| case of errors (see |lua_pcall()|). In case of errors, the stack |
| is not unwound, so you can use the debug API over it. The error |
| message is on the top of the stack. To restart a coroutine, you put on |
| its stack only the values to be passed as results from `lua_yield`, |
| and then call `lua_resume`. |
|
|
| lua_setallocf *lua_setallocf()* |
| >c |
| void lua_setallocf (lua_State *L, lua_Alloc f, void *ud); |
| < |
| Changes the allocator function of a given state to `f` with user data |
| `ud`. |
|
|
| lua_setfenv *lua_setfenv()* |
| >c |
| int lua_setfenv (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pops a table from the stack and sets it as the new environment for the |
| value at the given index. If the value at the given index is neither a |
| function nor a thread nor a userdata, `lua_setfenv` returns 0. |
| Otherwise it returns 1. |
|
|
| lua_setfield *lua_setfield()* |
| >c |
| void lua_setfield (lua_State *L, int index, const char *k); |
| < |
| Does the equivalent to `t[k] = v`, where `t` is the value at the given |
| valid index `index` and `v` is the value at the top of the stack. |
|
|
| This function pops the value from the stack. As in Lua, this function |
| may trigger a metamethod for the "newindex" event (see |
| |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| lua_setglobal *lua_setglobal()* |
| >c |
| void lua_setglobal (lua_State *L, const char *name); |
| < |
| Pops a value from the stack and sets it as the new value of global |
| `name`. It is defined as a macro: |
| >c |
| #define lua_setglobal(L,s) lua_setfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, s) |
| < |
|
|
| lua_setmetatable *lua_setmetatable()* |
| >c |
| int lua_setmetatable (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Pops a table from the stack and sets it as the new metatable for the |
| value at the given acceptable index. |
|
|
| lua_settable *lua_settable()* |
| >c |
| void lua_settable (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Does the equivalent to `t[k] = v`, where `t` is the value at the given |
| valid index `index`, `v` is the value at the top of the stack, and `k` |
| is the value just below the top. |
|
|
| This function pops both the key and the value from the stack. As in |
| Lua, this function may trigger a metamethod for the "newindex" event |
| (see |lua-metatable|). |
|
|
| lua_settop *lua_settop()* |
| >c |
| void lua_settop (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Accepts any acceptable index, or 0, and sets the stack top to this |
| index. If the new top is larger than the old one, then the new |
| elements are filled with `nil`. If `index` is 0, then all stack |
| elements are removed. |
|
|
| lua_State *lua_State* |
| >c |
| typedef struct lua_State lua_State; |
| < |
| Opaque structure that keeps the whole state of a Lua interpreter. The |
| Lua library is fully reentrant: it has no global variables. All |
| information about a state is kept in this structure. |
|
|
| A pointer to this state must be passed as the first argument to every |
| function in the library, except to `lua_newstate` (see |
| |lua_newstate()|), which creates a Lua state from scratch. |
|
|
| lua_status *lua_status()* |
| >c |
| int lua_status (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Returns the status of the thread `L`. |
|
|
| The status can be 0 for a normal thread, an error code if the thread |
| finished its execution with an error, or `LUA_YIELD` if the thread is |
| suspended. |
|
|
| lua_toboolean *lua_toboolean()* |
| >c |
| int lua_toboolean (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Converts the Lua value at the given acceptable index to a C boolean |
| value (0 or 1). Like all tests in Lua, `lua_toboolean` returns 1 for |
| any Lua value different from `false` and `nil`; otherwise it returns |
| 0. It also returns 0 when called with a non-valid index. (If you want |
| to accept only actual boolean values, use `lua_isboolean` |
| |lua_isboolean()| to test the value's type.) |
|
|
| lua_tocfunction *lua_tocfunction()* |
| >c |
| lua_CFunction lua_tocfunction (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Converts a value at the given acceptable index to a C function. That |
| value must be a C function; otherwise it returns `NULL`. |
|
|
| lua_tointeger *lua_tointeger()* |
| >c |
| lua_Integer lua_tointeger (lua_State *L, int idx); |
| < |
| Converts the Lua value at the given acceptable index to the signed |
| integral type `lua_Integer` (see |lua_Integer|). The Lua value |
| must be a number or a string convertible to a number (see |
| |lua-coercion|); otherwise, `lua_tointeger` returns 0. |
|
|
| If the number is not an integer, it is truncated in some non-specified |
| way. |
|
|
| lua_tolstring *lua_tolstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_tolstring (lua_State *L, int index, size_t *len); |
| < |
| Converts the Lua value at the given acceptable index to a C string. If |
| `len` is not `NULL`, it also sets `*len` with the string length. The |
| Lua value must be a string or a number; otherwise, the function |
| returns `NULL`. If the value is a number, then `lua_tolstring` also |
| `changes the actual value in the stack to a` `string`. (This change |
| confuses `lua_next` |lua_next()| when `lua_tolstring` is applied |
| to keys during a table traversal.) |
|
|
| `lua_tolstring` returns a fully aligned pointer to a string inside the |
| Lua state. This string always has a zero (`\0`) after its last |
| character (as in C), but may contain other zeros in its body. Because |
| Lua has garbage collection, there is no guarantee that the pointer |
| returned by `lua_tolstring` will be valid after the corresponding |
| value is removed from the stack. |
|
|
| lua_tonumber *lua_tonumber()* |
| >c |
| lua_Number lua_tonumber (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Converts the Lua value at the given acceptable index to the C type |
| `lua_Number` (see |lua_Number|). The Lua value must be a number |
| or a string convertible to a number (see |lua-coercion|); |
| otherwise, `lua_tonumber` returns 0. |
|
|
| lua_topointer *lua_topointer()* |
| >c |
| const void *lua_topointer (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Converts the value at the given acceptable index to a generic C |
| pointer (`void*`). The value may be a userdata, a table, a thread, or |
| a function; otherwise, `lua_topointer` returns `NULL`. Different |
| objects will give different pointers. There is no way to convert the |
| pointer back to its original value. |
|
|
| Typically this function is used only for debug information. |
|
|
| lua_tostring *lua_tostring()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_tostring (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Equivalent to `lua_tolstring` (see |lua_tolstring()|) with `len` |
| equal to `NULL`. |
|
|
| lua_tothread *lua_tothread()* |
| >c |
| lua_State *lua_tothread (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Converts the value at the given acceptable index to a Lua thread |
| (represented as `lua_State*` |lua_State|). This value must be a |
| thread; otherwise, the function returns `NULL`. |
|
|
| lua_touserdata *lua_touserdata()* |
| >c |
| void *lua_touserdata (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| If the value at the given acceptable index is a full userdata, returns |
| its block address. If the value is a light userdata, returns its |
| pointer. Otherwise, it returns `NULL`. |
|
|
| lua_type *lua_type()* |
| >c |
| int lua_type (lua_State *L, int index); |
| < |
| Returns the type of the value in the given acceptable index, or |
| `LUA_TNONE` for a non-valid index (that is, an index to an "empty" |
| stack position). The types returned by `lua_type` are coded by the |
| following constants defined in `lua.h` : `LUA_TNIL`, `LUA_TNUMBER`, |
| `LUA_TBOOLEAN`, `LUA_TSTRING`, `LUA_TTABLE`, `LUA_TFUNCTION`, |
| `LUA_TUSERDATA`, `LUA_TTHREAD`, and `LUA_TLIGHTUSERDATA`. |
|
|
| lua_typename *lua_typename()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_typename (lua_State *L, int tp); |
| < |
| Returns the name of the type encoded by the value `tp`, which must be |
| one the values returned by `lua_type`. |
|
|
| lua_Writer *lua_Writer* |
| >c |
| typedef int (*lua_Writer) (lua_State *L, |
| const void* p, |
| size_t sz, |
| void* ud); |
| < |
| The writer function used by `lua_dump` (see |lua_dump()|). Every |
| time it produces another piece of chunk, `lua_dump` calls the writer, |
| passing along the buffer to be written (`p`), its size (`sz`), and the |
| `data` parameter supplied to `lua_dump`. |
|
|
| The writer returns an error code: 0 means no errors; any other value |
| means an error and stops `lua_dump` from calling the writer again. |
|
|
| lua_xmove *lua_xmove()* |
| >c |
| void lua_xmove (lua_State *from, lua_State *to, int n); |
| < |
| Exchange values between different threads of the `same` global state. |
|
|
| This function pops `n` values from the stack `from`, and pushes them |
| onto the stack `to`. |
|
|
| lua_yield *lua_yield()* |
| >c |
| int lua_yield (lua_State *L, int nresults); |
| < |
| Yields a coroutine. |
|
|
| This function should only be called as the return expression of a C |
| function, as follows: |
| >c |
| return lua_yield (L, nresults); |
| < |
| When a C function calls `lua_yield` in that way, the running coroutine |
| suspends its execution, and the call to `lua_resume` (see |
| |lua_resume()|) that started this coroutine returns. The |
| parameter `nresults` is the number of values from the stack that are |
| passed as results to `lua_resume`. |
|
|
| *lua-stackexample* |
| As an example of stack manipulation, if the stack starts as |
| `10 20 30 40 50*` (from bottom to top; the `*` marks the top), then |
| > |
| lua_pushvalue(L, 3) --> 10 20 30 40 50 30* |
| lua_pushvalue(L, -1) --> 10 20 30 40 50 30 30* |
| lua_remove(L, -3) --> 10 20 30 40 30 30* |
| lua_remove(L, 6) --> 10 20 30 40 30* |
| lua_insert(L, 1) --> 30 10 20 30 40* |
| lua_insert(L, -1) --> 30 10 20 30 40* (no effect) |
| lua_replace(L, 2) --> 30 40 20 30* |
| lua_settop(L, -3) --> 30 40* |
| lua_settop(L, 6) --> 30 40 nil nil nil nil* |
| < |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 3.8 The Debug Interface *lua-apiDebug* |
|
|
| Lua has no built-in debugging facilities. Instead, it offers a special |
| interface by means of functions and hooks. This interface allows the |
| construction of different kinds of debuggers, profilers, and other tools that |
| need "inside information" from the interpreter. |
|
|
| lua_Debug *lua_Debug* |
|
|
| >c |
| typedef struct lua_Debug { |
| int event; |
| const char *name; /* (n) */ |
| const char *namewhat; /* (n) */ |
| const char *what; /* (S) */ |
| const char *source; /* (S) */ |
| int currentline; /* (l) */ |
| int nups; /* (u) number of upvalues */ |
| int linedefined; /* (S) */ |
| int lastlinedefined; /* (S) */ |
| char short_src[LUA_IDSIZE]; /* (S) */ |
| /* private part */ |
| other fields |
| } lua_Debug; |
| < |
|
|
| A structure used to carry different pieces of information about an active |
| function. `lua_getstack` (see |lua_getstack()|) fills only the private part |
| of this structure, for later use. To fill the other fields of `lua_Debug` with |
| useful information, call `lua_getinfo` (see |lua_getinfo()|). |
|
|
| The fields of `lua_Debug` have the following meaning: |
|
|
| - `source` If the function was defined in a string, then `source` is |
| that string. If the function was defined in a file, then |
| `source` starts with a `@` followed by the file name. |
| - `short_src` a "printable" version of `source`, to be used in error messages. |
| - `linedefined` the line number where the definition of the function starts. |
| - `lastlinedefined` the line number where the definition of the function ends. |
| - `what` the string `"Lua"` if the function is a Lua function, |
| `"C"` if it is a C function, `"main"` if it is the main |
| part of a chunk, and `"tail"` if it was a function that |
| did a tail call. In the latter case, Lua has no other |
| information about the function. |
| - `currentline` the current line where the given function is executing. |
| When no line information is available, `currentline` is |
| set to -1. |
| - `name` a reasonable name for the given function. Because |
| functions in Lua are first-class values, they do not have |
| a fixed name: some functions may be the value of multiple |
| global variables, while others may be stored only in a |
| table field. The `lua_getinfo` function checks how the |
| function was called to find a suitable name. If it cannot |
| find a name, then `name` is set to `NULL`. |
| - `namewhat` explains the `name` field. The value of `namewhat` can be |
| `"global"`, `"local"`, `"method"`, `"field"`, |
| `"upvalue"`, or `""` (the empty string), according to how |
| the function was called. (Lua uses the empty string when |
| no other option seems to apply.) `nups` the number of |
| upvalues of the function. |
|
|
| lua_gethook *lua_gethook()* |
| >c |
| lua_Hook lua_gethook (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Returns the current hook function. |
|
|
| lua_gethookcount *lua_gethookcount()* |
| >c |
| int lua_gethookcount (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Returns the current hook count. |
|
|
| lua_gethookmask *lua_gethookmask()* |
| >c |
| int lua_gethookmask (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Returns the current hook mask. |
|
|
| lua_getinfo *lua_getinfo()* |
| >c |
| int lua_getinfo (lua_State *L, const char *what, lua_Debug *ar); |
| < |
| Returns information about a specific function or function invocation. |
|
|
| To get information about a function invocation, the parameter `ar` |
| must be a valid activation record that was filled by a previous call |
| to `lua_getstack` (see |lua_getstack()|) or given as argument to |
| a hook (see |lua_Hook|). |
|
|
| To get information about a function you push it onto the stack and |
| start the `what` string with the character `>`. (In that case, |
| `lua_getinfo` pops the function in the top of the stack.) For |
| instance, to know in which line a function `f` was defined, you can |
| write the following code: |
| >c |
| lua_Debug ar; |
| lua_getfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, "f"); /* get global 'f' */ |
| lua_getinfo(L, ">S", &ar); |
| printf("%d\n", ar.linedefined); |
| < |
| Each character in the string `what` selects some fields of the |
| structure `ar` to be filled or a value to be pushed on the stack: |
|
|
| `'n'` fills in the field `name` and `namewhat` |
| `'S'` fills in the fields `source`, `short_src`, `linedefined`, |
| `lastlinedefined`, and `what` |
| `'l'` fills in the field `currentline` |
| `'u'` fills in the field `nups` |
| `'f'` pushes onto the stack the function that is running at the |
| given level |
| `'L'` pushes onto the stack a table whose indices are the numbers |
| of the lines that are valid on the function. (A `valid line` is a |
| line with some associated code, that is, a line where you can put |
| a break point. Non-valid lines include empty lines and comments.) |
|
|
| This function returns 0 on error (for instance, an invalid option in |
| `what`). |
|
|
| lua_getlocal *lua_getlocal()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_getlocal (lua_State *L, lua_Debug *ar, int n); |
| < |
| Gets information about a local variable of a given activation record. |
| The parameter `ar` must be a valid activation record that was filled |
| by a previous call to `lua_getstack` (see |lua_getstack()|) or |
| given as argument to a hook (see |lua_Hook|). The index `n` |
| selects which local variable to inspect (1 is the first parameter or |
| active local variable, and so on, until the last active local |
| variable). `lua_getlocal` pushes the variable's value onto the stack |
| and returns its name. |
|
|
| Variable names starting with `(` (open parentheses) represent |
| internal variables (loop control variables, temporaries, and C |
| function locals). |
|
|
| Returns `NULL` (and pushes nothing) when the index is greater than the |
| number of active local variables. |
|
|
| lua_getstack *lua_getstack()* |
| >c |
| int lua_getstack (lua_State *L, int level, lua_Debug *ar); |
| < |
| Gets information about the interpreter runtime stack. |
|
|
| This function fills parts of a `lua_Debug` (see |lua_Debug|) |
| structure with an identification of the `activation record` of the |
| function executing at a given level. Level 0 is the current running |
| function, whereas level `n+1` is the function that has called level |
| `n`. When there are no errors, `lua_getstack` returns 1; when called |
| with a level greater than the stack depth, it returns 0. |
|
|
| lua_getupvalue *lua_getupvalue()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_getupvalue (lua_State *L, int funcindex, int n); |
| < |
| Gets information about a closure's upvalue. (For Lua functions, |
| upvalues are the external local variables that the function uses, and |
| that are consequently included in its closure.) `lua_getupvalue` gets |
| the index `n` of an upvalue, pushes the upvalue's value onto the |
| stack, and returns its name. `funcindex` points to the closure in the |
| stack. (Upvalues have no particular order, as they are active through |
| the whole function. So, they are numbered in an arbitrary order.) |
|
|
| Returns `NULL` (and pushes nothing) when the index is greater than the |
| number of upvalues. For C functions, this function uses the empty |
| string `""` as a name for all upvalues. |
|
|
| lua_Hook *lua_Hook* |
| >c |
| typedef void (*lua_Hook) (lua_State *L, lua_Debug *ar); |
| < |
| Type for debugging hook functions. |
|
|
| Whenever a hook is called, its `ar` argument has its field `event` set |
| to the specific event that triggered the hook. Lua identifies these |
| events with the following constants: `LUA_HOOKCALL`, `LUA_HOOKRET`, |
| `LUA_HOOKTAILRET`, `LUA_HOOKLINE`, and `LUA_HOOKCOUNT`. Moreover, for |
| line events, the field `currentline` is also set. To get the value of |
| any other field in `ar`, the hook must call `lua_getinfo` (see |
| |lua_getinfo()|). For return events, `event` may be |
| `LUA_HOOKRET`, the normal value, or `LUA_HOOKTAILRET`. In the latter |
| case, Lua is simulating a return from a function that did a tail call; |
| in this case, it is useless to call `lua_getinfo`. |
|
|
| While Lua is running a hook, it disables other calls to hooks. |
| Therefore, if a hook calls back Lua to execute a function or a chunk, |
| this execution occurs without any calls to hooks. |
|
|
|
|
| lua_sethook *lua_sethook()* |
| >c |
| int lua_sethook (lua_State *L, lua_Hook f, int mask, int count); |
| < |
| Sets the debugging hook function. |
|
|
| Argument `f` is the hook function. `mask` specifies on which events |
| the hook will be called: it is formed by a bitwise `or` of the |
| constants `LUA_MASKCALL`, `LUA_MASKRET`, `LUA_MASKLINE`, and |
| `LUA_MASKCOUNT`. The `count` argument is only meaningful when the mask |
| includes `LUA_MASKCOUNT`. For each event, the hook is called as |
| explained below: |
|
|
| - `The call hook`: is called when the interpreter calls a function. |
| The hook is called just after Lua enters the new function, before |
| the function gets its arguments. |
| - `The return hook`: is called when the interpreter returns from a |
| function. The hook is called just before Lua leaves the function. |
| You have no access to the values to be returned by the function. |
| - `The line hook`: is called when the interpreter is about to start |
| the execution of a new line of code, or when it jumps back in the |
| code (even to the same line). (This event only happens while Lua is |
| executing a Lua function.) |
| - `The count hook`: is called after the interpreter executes every |
| `count` instructions. (This event only happens while Lua is |
| executing a Lua function.) |
|
|
| A hook is disabled by setting `mask` to zero. |
|
|
| lua_setlocal *lua_setlocal()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_setlocal (lua_State *L, lua_Debug *ar, int n); |
| < |
| Sets the value of a local variable of a given activation record. |
| Parameters `ar` and `n` are as in `lua_getlocal` (see |
| |lua_getlocal()|). `lua_setlocal` assigns the value at the top of |
| the stack to the variable and returns its name. It also pops the value |
| from the stack. |
|
|
| Returns `NULL` (and pops nothing) when the index is greater than the |
| number of active local variables. |
|
|
| lua_setupvalue *lua_setupvalue()* |
| >c |
| const char *lua_setupvalue (lua_State *L, int funcindex, int n); |
| < |
| Sets the value of a closure's upvalue. It assigns the value at the top |
| of the stack to the upvalue and returns its name. It also pops the |
| value from the stack. Parameters `funcindex` and `n` are as in the |
| `lua_getupvalue` (see |lua_getupvalue()|). |
|
|
| Returns `NULL` (and pops nothing) when the index is greater than the |
| number of upvalues. |
|
|
| *lua-debugexample* |
| As an example, the following function lists the names of all local |
| variables and upvalues for a function at a given level of the stack: |
| >c |
| int listvars (lua_State *L, int level) { |
| lua_Debug ar; |
| int i; |
| const char *name; |
| if (lua_getstack(L, level, &ar) == 0) |
| return 0; /* failure: no such level in the stack */ |
| i = 1; |
| while ((name = lua_getlocal(L, &ar, i++)) != NULL) { |
| printf("local %d %s\n", i-1, name); |
| lua_pop(L, 1); /* remove variable value */ |
| } |
| lua_getinfo(L, "f", &ar); /* retrieves function */ |
| i = 1; |
| while ((name = lua_getupvalue(L, -1, i++)) != NULL) { |
| printf("upvalue %d %s\n", i-1, name); |
| lua_pop(L, 1); /* remove upvalue value */ |
| } |
| return 1; |
| } |
| < |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 4 THE AUXILIARY LIBRARY *lua-aux* |
|
|
| The auxiliary library provides several convenient functions to interface C |
| with Lua. While the basic API provides the primitive functions for all |
| interactions between C and Lua, the auxiliary library provides higher-level |
| functions for some common tasks. |
|
|
| All functions from the auxiliary library are defined in header file `lauxlib.h` |
| and have a prefix `luaL_`. |
|
|
| All functions in the auxiliary library are built on top of the basic API, and |
| so they provide nothing that cannot be done with this API. |
|
|
| Several functions in the auxiliary library are used to check C function |
| arguments. Their names are always `luaL_check*` or `luaL_opt*`. All of these |
| functions raise an error if the check is not satisfied. Because the error |
| message is formatted for arguments (e.g., "bad argument #1"), you should not |
| use these functions for other stack values. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 4.1 Functions and Types *lua-auxFunctions* |
|
|
| Here we list all functions and types from the auxiliary library in |
| alphabetical order. |
|
|
| luaL_addchar *luaL_addchar()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_addchar (luaL_Buffer *B, char c); |
| < |
| Adds the character `c` to the buffer `B` (see |luaL_Buffer|). |
|
|
| luaL_addlstring *luaL_addlstring()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_addlstring (luaL_Buffer *B, const char *s, size_t l); |
| < |
| Adds the string pointed to by `s` with length `l` to the buffer `B` |
| (see |luaL_Buffer|). The string may contain embedded zeros. |
|
|
| luaL_addsize *luaL_addsize()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_addsize (luaL_Buffer *B, size_t n); |
| < |
| Adds to the buffer `B` (see |luaL_Buffer|) a string of length |
| `n` previously copied to the buffer area (see |
| |luaL_prepbuffer()|). |
|
|
| luaL_addstring *luaL_addstring()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_addstring (luaL_Buffer *B, const char *s); |
| < |
| Adds the zero-terminated string pointed to by `s` to the buffer `B` |
| (see |luaL_Buffer|). The string may not contain embedded zeros. |
|
|
| luaL_addvalue *luaL_addvalue()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_addvalue (luaL_Buffer *B); |
| < |
| Adds the value at the top of the stack to the buffer `B` (see |
| |luaL_Buffer|). Pops the value. |
|
|
| This is the only function on string buffers that can (and must) be |
| called with an extra element on the stack, which is the value to be |
| added to the buffer. |
|
|
| luaL_argcheck *luaL_argcheck()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_argcheck (lua_State *L, |
| int cond, |
| int narg, |
| const char *extramsg); |
| < |
| Checks whether `cond` is true. If not, raises an error with the |
| following message, where `func` is retrieved from the call stack: |
| > |
| bad argument #<narg> to <func> (<extramsg>) |
| < |
|
|
| luaL_argerror *luaL_argerror()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_argerror (lua_State *L, int narg, const char *extramsg); |
| < |
| Raises an error with the following message, where `func` is retrieved |
| from the call stack: |
| > |
| bad argument #<narg> to <func> (<extramsg>) |
| < |
| This function never returns, but it is an idiom to use it in C |
| functions as `return luaL_argerror(` `args` `)`. |
|
|
| luaL_Buffer *luaL_Buffer* |
| >c |
| typedef struct luaL_Buffer luaL_Buffer; |
| < |
| Type for a `string buffer`. |
|
|
| A string buffer allows C code to build Lua strings piecemeal. Its |
| pattern of use is as follows: |
|
|
| - First you declare a variable `b` of type `luaL_Buffer`. |
| - Then you initialize it with a call `luaL_buffinit(L, &b)` (see |
| |luaL_buffinit()|). |
| - Then you add string pieces to the buffer calling any of the |
| `luaL_add*` functions. |
| - You finish by calling `luaL_pushresult(&b)` (see |
| |luaL_pushresult()|). This call leaves the final string on the |
| top of the stack. |
|
|
| During its normal operation, a string buffer uses a variable number of |
| stack slots. So, while using a buffer, you cannot assume that you know |
| where the top of the stack is. You can use the stack between |
| successive calls to buffer operations as long as that use is balanced; |
| that is, when you call a buffer operation, the stack is at the same |
| level it was immediately after the previous buffer operation. (The |
| only exception to this rule is `luaL_addvalue` |
| |luaL_addvalue()|.) After calling `luaL_pushresult` the stack is |
| back to its level when the buffer was initialized, plus the final |
| string on its top. |
|
|
| luaL_buffinit *luaL_buffinit()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_buffinit (lua_State *L, luaL_Buffer *B); |
| < |
| Initializes a buffer `B`. This function does not allocate any space; |
| the buffer must be declared as a variable (see |luaL_Buffer|). |
|
|
| luaL_callmeta *luaL_callmeta()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_callmeta (lua_State *L, int obj, const char *e); |
| < |
| Calls a metamethod. |
|
|
| If the object at index `obj` has a metatable and this metatable has a |
| field `e`, this function calls this field and passes the object as its |
| only argument. In this case this function returns 1 and pushes onto |
| the stack the value returned by the call. If there is no metatable or |
| no metamethod, this function returns |
| 0 (without pushing any value on the stack). |
|
|
| luaL_checkany *luaL_checkany()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_checkany (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function has an argument of any type (including |
| `nil`) at position `narg`. |
|
|
| luaL_checkint *luaL_checkint()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_checkint (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a number and returns |
| this number cast to an `int`. |
|
|
| luaL_checkinteger *luaL_checkinteger()* |
| >c |
| lua_Integer luaL_checkinteger (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a number and returns |
| this number cast to a `lua_Integer` (see |lua_Integer|). |
|
|
| luaL_checklong *luaL_checklong()* |
| >c |
| long luaL_checklong (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a number and returns |
| this number cast to a `long`. |
|
|
| luaL_checklstring *luaL_checklstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *luaL_checklstring (lua_State *L, int narg, size_t *l); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a string and returns |
| this string; if `l` is not `NULL` fills `*l` with the string's length. |
|
|
| luaL_checknumber *luaL_checknumber()* |
| >c |
| lua_Number luaL_checknumber (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a number and returns |
| this number (see |lua_Number|). |
|
|
| luaL_checkoption *luaL_checkoption()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_checkoption (lua_State *L, |
| int narg, |
| const char *def, |
| const char *const lst[]); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a string and searches |
| for this string in the array `lst` (which must be NULL-terminated). |
| Returns the index in the array where the string was found. Raises an |
| error if the argument is not a string or if the string cannot be |
| found. |
|
|
| If `def` is not `NULL`, the function uses `def` as a default value |
| when there is no argument `narg` or if this argument is `nil`. |
|
|
| This is a useful function for mapping strings to C enums. (The usual |
| convention in Lua libraries is to use strings instead of numbers to |
| select options.) |
|
|
| luaL_checkstack *luaL_checkstack()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_checkstack (lua_State *L, int sz, const char *msg); |
| < |
| Grows the stack size to `top + sz` elements, raising an error if the |
| stack cannot grow to that size. `msg` is an additional text to go into |
| the error message. |
|
|
| luaL_checkstring *luaL_checkstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *luaL_checkstring (lua_State *L, int narg); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a string and returns |
| this string. |
|
|
| luaL_checktype *luaL_checktype()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_checktype (lua_State *L, int narg, int t); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` has type `t` (see |
| |lua_type()|). |
|
|
| luaL_checkudata *luaL_checkudata()* |
| >c |
| void *luaL_checkudata (lua_State *L, int narg, const char *tname); |
| < |
| Checks whether the function argument `narg` is a userdata of the type |
| `tname` (see |luaL_newmetatable()|). |
|
|
| luaL_dofile *luaL_dofile()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_dofile (lua_State *L, const char *filename); |
| < |
| Loads and runs the given file. It is defined as the following macro: |
| >c |
| (luaL_loadfile(L, filename) || lua_pcall(L, 0, LUA_MULTRET, 0)) |
| < |
| It returns 0 if there are no errors or 1 in case of errors. |
|
|
| luaL_dostring *luaL_dostring()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_dostring (lua_State *L, const char *str); |
| < |
| Loads and runs the given string. It is defined as the following macro: |
| >c |
| (luaL_loadstring(L, str) || lua_pcall(L, 0, LUA_MULTRET, 0)) |
| < |
| It returns 0 if there are no errors or 1 in case of errors. |
|
|
| luaL_error *luaL_error()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_error (lua_State *L, const char *fmt, ...); |
| < |
| Raises an error. The error message format is given by `fmt` plus any |
| extra arguments, following the same rules of `lua_pushfstring` (see |
| |lua_pushfstring()|). It also adds at the beginning of the |
| message the file name and the line number where the error occurred, if |
| this information is available. |
|
|
| This function never returns, but it is an idiom to use it in C |
| functions as `return luaL_error(` `args` `)`. |
|
|
| luaL_getmetafield *luaL_getmetafield()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_getmetafield (lua_State *L, int obj, const char *e); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the field `e` from the metatable of the object |
| at index `obj`. If the object does not have a metatable, or if the |
| metatable does not have this field, returns 0 and pushes nothing. |
|
|
| luaL_getmetatable *luaL_getmetatable()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_getmetatable (lua_State *L, const char *tname); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack the metatable associated with name `tname` in |
| the registry (see |luaL_newmetatable()|). |
|
|
| luaL_gsub *luaL_gsub()* |
| >c |
| const char *luaL_gsub (lua_State *L, |
| const char *s, |
| const char *p, |
| const char *r); |
| < |
| Creates a copy of string `s` by replacing any occurrence of the string |
| `p` with the string `r`. Pushes the resulting string on the stack and |
| returns it. |
|
|
| luaL_loadbuffer *luaL_loadbuffer()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_loadbuffer (lua_State *L, |
| const char *buff, |
| size_t sz, |
| const char *name); |
| < |
| Loads a buffer as a Lua chunk. This function uses `lua_load` (see |
| |lua_load()|) to load the chunk in the buffer pointed to by |
| `buff` with size `sz`. |
|
|
| This function returns the same results as `lua_load`. `name` is the |
| chunk name, used for debug information and error messages. |
|
|
| luaL_loadfile *luaL_loadfile()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_loadfile (lua_State *L, const char *filename); |
| < |
| Loads a file as a Lua chunk. This function uses `lua_load` (see |
| |lua_load()|) to load the chunk in the file named `filename`. If |
| `filename` is `NULL`, then it loads from the standard input. The first |
| line in the file is ignored if it starts with a `#`. |
|
|
| This function returns the same results as `lua_load`, but it has an |
| extra error code `LUA_ERRFILE` if it cannot open/read the file. |
|
|
| As `lua_load`, this function only loads the chunk; it does not run it. |
|
|
| luaL_loadstring *luaL_loadstring()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_loadstring (lua_State *L, const char *s); |
| < |
| Loads a string as a Lua chunk. This function uses `lua_load` (see |
| |lua_load()|) to load the chunk in the zero-terminated string |
| `s`. |
|
|
| This function returns the same results as `lua_load`. |
|
|
| Also as `lua_load`, this function only loads the chunk; it does not |
| run it. |
|
|
| luaL_newmetatable *luaL_newmetatable()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_newmetatable (lua_State *L, const char *tname); |
| < |
| If the registry already has the key `tname`, returns 0. Otherwise, |
| creates a new table to be used as a metatable for userdata, adds it to |
| the registry with key `tname`, and returns 1. |
|
|
| In both cases pushes onto the stack the final value associated with |
| `tname` in the registry. |
|
|
| luaL_newstate *luaL_newstate()* |
| >c |
| lua_State *luaL_newstate (void); |
| < |
| Creates a new Lua state. It calls `lua_newstate` (see |
| |lua_newstate()|) with an allocator based on the standard C |
| `realloc` function and then sets a panic function (see |
| |lua_atpanic()|) that prints an error message to the standard |
| error output in case of fatal errors. |
|
|
| Returns the new state, or `NULL` if there is a memory allocation |
| error. |
|
|
| luaL_openlibs *luaL_openlibs()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_openlibs (lua_State *L); |
| < |
| Opens all standard Lua libraries into the given state. See also |
| |lua-openlibs| for details on how to open individual libraries. |
|
|
| luaL_optint *luaL_optint()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_optint (lua_State *L, int narg, int d); |
| < |
| If the function argument `narg` is a number, returns this number cast |
| to an `int`. If this argument is absent or is `nil`, returns `d`. |
| Otherwise, raises an error. |
|
|
| luaL_optinteger *luaL_optinteger()* |
| >c |
| lua_Integer luaL_optinteger (lua_State *L, |
| int narg, |
| lua_Integer d); |
| < |
| If the function argument `narg` is a number, returns this number cast |
| to a `lua_Integer` (see |lua_Integer|). If this argument is |
| absent or is `nil`, returns `d`. Otherwise, raises an error. |
|
|
| luaL_optlong *luaL_optlong()* |
| >c |
| long luaL_optlong (lua_State *L, int narg, long d); |
| < |
| If the function argument `narg` is a number, returns this number cast |
| to a `long`. If this argument is absent or is `nil`, returns `d`. |
| Otherwise, raises an error. |
|
|
| luaL_optlstring *luaL_optlstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *luaL_optlstring (lua_State *L, |
| int narg, |
| const char *d, |
| size_t *l); |
| < |
| If the function argument `narg` is a string, returns this string. If |
| this argument is absent or is `nil`, returns `d`. Otherwise, raises an |
| error. |
|
|
| If `l` is not `NULL`, fills the position `*l` with the results' length. |
|
|
| luaL_optnumber *luaL_optnumber()* |
| >c |
| lua_Number luaL_optnumber (lua_State *L, int narg, lua_Number d); |
| < |
| If the function argument `narg` is a number, returns this number. If |
| this argument is absent or is `nil`, returns `d`. Otherwise, raises an |
| error. |
|
|
| luaL_optstring *luaL_optstring()* |
| >c |
| const char *luaL_optstring (lua_State *L, |
| int narg, |
| const char *d); |
| < |
| If the function argument `narg` is a string, returns this string. If |
| this argument is absent or is `nil`, returns `d`. Otherwise, raises an |
| error. |
|
|
| luaL_prepbuffer *luaL_prepbuffer()* |
| >c |
| char *luaL_prepbuffer (luaL_Buffer *B); |
| < |
| Returns an address to a space of size `LUAL_BUFFERSIZE` where you can |
| copy a string to be added to buffer `B` (see |luaL_Buffer|). |
| After copying the string into this space you must call `luaL_addsize` |
| (see |luaL_addsize()|) with the size of the string to actually |
| add it to the buffer. |
|
|
| luaL_pushresult *luaL_pushresult()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_pushresult (luaL_Buffer *B); |
| < |
| Finishes the use of buffer `B` leaving the final string on the top of |
| the stack. |
|
|
| luaL_ref *luaL_ref()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_ref (lua_State *L, int t); |
| < |
| Creates and returns a `reference`, in the table at index `t`, for the |
| object at the top of the stack (and pops the object). |
|
|
| A reference is a unique integer key. As long as you do not manually |
| add integer keys into table `t`, `luaL_ref` ensures the uniqueness of |
| the key it returns. You can retrieve an object referred by reference |
| `r` by calling `lua_rawgeti(L, t, r)` (see |lua_rawgeti()|). |
| Function `luaL_unref` (see |luaL_unref()|) frees a reference and |
| its associated object. |
|
|
| If the object at the top of the stack is `nil`, `luaL_ref` returns the |
| constant `LUA_REFNIL`. The constant `LUA_NOREF` is guaranteed to be |
| different from any reference returned by `luaL_ref`. |
|
|
| luaL_Reg *luaL_Reg* |
| >c |
| typedef struct luaL_Reg { |
| const char *name; |
| lua_CFunction func; |
| } luaL_Reg; |
| < |
| Type for arrays of functions to be registered by `luaL_register` (see |
| |luaL_register()|). `name` is the function name and `func` is a |
| pointer to the function. Any array of `luaL_Reg` must end with a |
| sentinel entry in which both `name` and `func` are `NULL`. |
|
|
| luaL_register *luaL_register()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_register (lua_State *L, |
| const char *libname, |
| const luaL_Reg *l); |
| < |
| Opens a library. |
|
|
| When called with `libname` equal to `NULL`, it simply registers all |
| functions in the list `l` (see |luaL_Reg|) into the table on |
| the top of the stack. |
|
|
| When called with a non-null `libname`, `luaL_register` creates a new |
| table `t`, sets it as the value of the global variable `libname`, sets |
| it as the value of `package.loaded[libname]`, and registers on it all |
| functions in the list `l`. If there is a table in |
| `package.loaded[libname]` or in variable `libname`, reuses this table |
| instead of creating a new one. |
|
|
| In any case the function leaves the table on the top of the stack. |
|
|
| luaL_typename *luaL_typename()* |
| >c |
| const char *luaL_typename (lua_State *L, int idx); |
| < |
| Returns the name of the type of the value at index `idx`. |
|
|
| luaL_typerror *luaL_typerror()* |
| >c |
| int luaL_typerror (lua_State *L, int narg, const char *tname); |
| < |
| Generates an error with a message like the following: |
|
|
| `location` `: bad argument` `narg` `to` `'func'` `(` `tname` |
| `expected, got` `rt` `)` |
|
|
| where `location` is produced by `luaL_where` (see |
| |luaL_where()|), `func` is the name of the current function, and |
| `rt` is the type name of the actual argument. |
|
|
| luaL_unref *luaL_unref()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_unref (lua_State *L, int t, int ref); |
| < |
| Releases reference `ref` from the table at index `t` (see |
| |luaL_ref()|). The entry is removed from the table, so that the |
| referred object can be collected. The reference `ref` is also freed to |
| be used again. |
|
|
| If `ref` is `LUA_NOREF` or `LUA_REFNIL`, `luaL_unref` does nothing. |
|
|
| luaL_where *luaL_where()* |
| >c |
| void luaL_where (lua_State *L, int lvl); |
| < |
| Pushes onto the stack a string identifying the current position of the |
| control at level `lvl` in the call stack. Typically this string has |
| the following format: |
|
|
| `chunkname:currentline:` |
|
|
| Level 0 is the running function, level 1 is the function that called |
| the running function, etc. |
|
|
| This function is used to build a prefix for error messages. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5 STANDARD LIBRARIES *lua-lib* |
|
|
| The standard libraries provide useful functions that are implemented directly |
| through the C API. Some of these functions provide essential services to the |
| language (e.g., `type` and `getmetatable`); others provide access to "outside" |
| services (e.g., I/O); and others could be implemented in Lua itself, but are |
| quite useful or have critical performance requirements that deserve an |
| implementation in C (e.g., `sort`). |
|
|
| All libraries are implemented through the official C API and are provided as |
| separate C modules. Currently, Lua has the following standard libraries: |
|
|
| - basic library; |
| - package library; |
| - string manipulation; |
| - table manipulation; |
| - mathematical functions (sin, log, etc.); |
| - input and output; |
| - operating system facilities; |
| - debug facilities. |
|
|
| Except for the basic and package libraries, each library provides all its |
| functions as fields of a global table or as methods of its objects. |
|
|
| *lua-openlibs* |
| To have access to these libraries, the C host program should call the |
| `luaL_openlibs` function, which opens all standard libraries (see |
| |luaL_openlibs()|). Alternatively, the host program can open the libraries |
| individually by calling `luaopen_base` (for the basic library), |
| `luaopen_package` (for the package library), `luaopen_string` (for the string |
| library), `luaopen_table` (for the table library), `luaopen_math` (for the |
| mathematical library), `luaopen_io` (for the I/O and the Operating System |
| libraries), and `luaopen_debug` (for the debug library). These functions are |
| declared in `lualib.h` and should not be called directly: you must call them |
| like any other Lua C function, e.g., by using `lua_call` (see |lua_call()|). |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.1 Basic Functions *lua-lib-core* |
|
|
| The basic library provides some core functions to Lua. If you do not include |
| this library in your application, you should check carefully whether you need |
| to provide implementations for some of its facilities. |
|
|
| assert({v} [, {message}]) *assert()* |
| Issues an error when the value of its argument `v` is false (i.e., `nil` or |
| `false`); otherwise, returns all its arguments. `message` is an error message; |
| when absent, it defaults to "assertion failed!" |
|
|
| collectgarbage({opt} [, {arg}]) *collectgarbage()* |
| This function is a generic interface to the garbage collector. It |
| performs different functions according to its first argument, {opt}: |
|
|
| `"stop"` stops the garbage collector. |
| `"restart"` restarts the garbage collector. |
| `"collect"` performs a full garbage-collection cycle. |
| `"count"` returns the total memory in use by Lua (in Kbytes). |
| `"step"` performs a garbage-collection step. The step "size" is |
| controlled by {arg} (larger values mean more steps) in a |
| non-specified way. If you want to control the step size |
| you must experimentally tune the value of {arg}. Returns |
| `true` if the step finished a collection cycle. |
| `"setpause"` sets {arg} /100 as the new value for the `pause` of |
| the collector (see |lua-gc|). |
| `"setstepmul"` sets {arg} /100 as the new value for the `step |
| multiplier` of the collector (see |lua-gc|). |
|
|
| dofile({filename}) *dofile()* |
| Opens the named file and executes its contents as a Lua chunk. When |
| called without arguments, `dofile` executes the contents of the |
| standard input (`stdin`). Returns all values returned by the chunk. In |
| case of errors, `dofile` propagates the error to its caller (that is, |
| `dofile` does not run in protected mode). |
|
|
| error({message} [, {level}]) *error()* |
| Terminates the last protected function called and returns `message` as |
| the error message. Function {error} never returns. |
|
|
| Usually, {error} adds some information about the error position at the |
| beginning of the message. The {level} argument specifies how to get |
| the error position. With level 1 (the default), the error position is |
| where the {error} function was called. Level 2 points the error to |
| where the function that called {error} was called; and so on. Passing |
| a level 0 avoids the addition of error position information to the |
| message. |
|
|
| _G *_G* |
| A global variable (not a function) that holds the global environment |
| (that is, `_G._G = _G`). Lua itself does not use this variable; |
| changing its value does not affect any environment, nor vice-versa. |
| (Use `setfenv` to change environments.) |
|
|
| getfenv({f}) *getfenv()* |
| Returns the current environment in use by the function. {f} can be a |
| Lua function or a number that specifies the function at that stack |
| level: Level 1 is the function calling `getfenv`. If the given |
| function is not a Lua function, or if {f} is 0, `getfenv` returns the |
| global environment. The default for {f} is 1. |
|
|
| getmetatable({object}) *getmetatable()* |
| If {object} does not have a metatable, returns `nil`. Otherwise, if |
| the object's metatable has a `"__metatable"` field, returns the |
| associated value. Otherwise, returns the metatable of the given |
| object. |
|
|
| ipairs({t}) *ipairs()* |
| Returns three values: an |iterator| function, the table {t}, and 0, so |
| that the construction |
|
|
| `for i,v in ipairs(t) do` `body` `end` |
|
|
| will iterate over the pairs (`1,t[1]`), (`2,t[2]`), ..., up to the |
| first integer key absent from the table. |
|
|
| load({func} [, {chunkname}]) *load()* |
| Loads a chunk using function {func} to get its pieces. Each call to |
| {func} must return a string that concatenates with previous results. A |
| return of `nil` (or no value) signals the end of the chunk. |
|
|
| If there are no errors, returns the compiled chunk as a function; |
| otherwise, returns `nil` plus the error message. The environment of |
| the returned function is the global environment. |
|
|
| {chunkname} is used as the chunk name for error messages and debug |
| information. |
|
|
| loadfile([{filename}]) *loadfile()* |
| Similar to `load` (see |load()|), but gets the chunk from file |
| {filename} or from the standard input, if no file name is given. |
|
|
| loadstring({string} [, {chunkname}]) *loadstring()* |
| Similar to `load` (see |load()|), but gets the chunk from the |
| given {string}. |
|
|
| To load and run a given string, use the idiom |
| >lua |
| assert(loadstring(s))() |
| < |
|
|
| next({table} [, {index}]) *next()* |
| Allows a program to traverse all fields of a table. Its first argument |
| is a table and its second argument is an index in this table. `next` |
| returns the next index of the table and its associated value. When |
| called with `nil` as its second argument, `next` returns an initial |
| index and its associated value. When called with the last index, or |
| with `nil` in an empty table, `next` returns `nil`. If the second |
| argument is absent, then it is interpreted as `nil`. In particular, |
| you can use `next(t)` to check whether a table is empty. |
|
|
| The order in which the indices are enumerated is not specified, even |
| for numeric indices. (To traverse a table in numeric order, use a |
| numerical `for` or the |ipairs()| function.) |
|
|
| The behavior of `next` is `undefined` if, during the traversal, you |
| assign any value to a non-existent field in the table. You may however |
| modify existing fields. In particular, you may clear existing fields. |
|
|
| pairs({t}) *pairs()* |
| Returns three values: the |next()| function, the table {t}, and `nil`, |
| so that the construction |
|
|
| `for k,v in pairs(t) do` `body` `end` |
|
|
| will iterate over all key-value pairs of table {t}. |
|
|
| pcall({f}, {arg1}, {...}) *pcall()* |
| Calls function {f} with the given arguments in `protected mode`. This |
| means that any error inside {f} is not propagated; instead, `pcall` |
| catches the error and returns a status code. Its first result is the |
| status code (a boolean), which is `true` if the call succeeds without |
| errors. In such case, `pcall` also returns all results from the call, |
| after this first result. In case of any error, `pcall` returns `false` |
| plus the error message. |
|
|
| print({...}) *print()* |
| Receives any number of arguments, and prints their values to `stdout`, |
| using the `tostring` |tostring()| function to convert them to |
| strings. `print` is not intended for formatted output, but only as a |
| quick way to show a value, typically for debugging. For formatted |
| output, use `string.format` (see |string.format()|). |
|
|
| rawequal({v1}, {v2}) *rawequal()* |
| Checks whether {v1} is equal to {v2}, without invoking any metamethod. |
| Returns a boolean. |
|
|
| rawget({table}, {index}) *rawget()* |
| Gets the real value of `table[index]`, without invoking any |
| metamethod. {table} must be a table; {index} may be any value. |
|
|
| rawset({table}, {index}, {value}) *rawset()* |
| Sets the real value of `table[index]` to {value}, without invoking any |
| metamethod. {table} must be a table, {index} any value different from |
| `nil`, and {value} any Lua value. |
|
|
| This function returns {table}. |
|
|
| select({index}, {...}) *select()* |
| If {index} is a number, returns all arguments after argument number |
| {index}. Otherwise, {index} must be the string `"#"`, and `select` |
| returns the total number of extra arguments it received. |
|
|
| setfenv({f}, {table}) *setfenv()* |
| Sets the environment to be used by the given function. {f} can be a |
| Lua function or a number that specifies the function at that stack |
| level: Level 1 is the function calling `setfenv`. `setfenv` returns |
| the given function. |
|
|
| As a special case, when {f} is 0 `setfenv` changes the environment of |
| the running thread. In this case, `setfenv` returns no values. |
|
|
| setmetatable({table}, {metatable}) *setmetatable()* |
| Sets the metatable for the given table. (You cannot change the |
| metatable of other types from Lua, only from C.) If {metatable} is |
| `nil`, removes the metatable of the given table. If the original |
| metatable has a `"__metatable"` field, raises an error. |
|
|
| This function returns {table}. |
|
|
| tonumber({e} [, {base}]) *tonumber()* |
| Tries to convert its argument to a number. If the argument is already |
| a number or a string convertible to a number, then `tonumber` returns |
| this number; otherwise, it returns `nil`. |
|
|
| An optional argument specifies the base to interpret the numeral. The |
| base may be any integer between 2 and 36, inclusive. In bases above |
| 10, the letter `A` (in either upper or lower case) represents 10, `B` |
| represents 11, and so forth, with `Z'` representing 35. In base 10 |
| (the default), the number may have a decimal part, as well as an |
| optional exponent part (see |lua-lexical|). In other bases, |
| only unsigned integers are accepted. |
|
|
| tostring({e}) *tostring()* |
| Receives an argument of any type and converts it to a string in a |
| reasonable format. For complete control of how numbers are converted, |
| use `string.format` (see |string.format()|). |
|
|
| *__tostring* |
| If the metatable of {e} has a `"__tostring"` field, `tostring` calls |
| the corresponding value with {e} as argument, and uses the result of |
| the call as its result. |
|
|
| type({v}) *lua-type()* |
| Returns the type of its only argument, coded as a string. The possible |
| results of this function are `"nil"` (a string, not the value `nil`), |
| `"number"`, `"string"`, `"boolean`, `"table"`, `"function"`, |
| `"thread"`, and `"userdata"`. |
|
|
| unpack({list} [, {i} [, {j}]]) *unpack()* |
| Returns the elements from the given table. This function is equivalent |
| to |
| >lua |
| return list[i], list[i+1], ..., list[j] |
| < |
| except that the above code can be written only for a fixed number of |
| elements. By default, {i} is 1 and {j} is the length of the list, as |
| defined by the length operator (see |lua-length|). |
|
|
| _VERSION *_VERSION* |
| A global variable (not a function) that holds a string containing the |
| current interpreter version. The current contents of this string is |
| `"Lua 5.1"` . |
|
|
| xpcall({f}, {err}) *xpcall()* |
| This function is similar to `pcall` (see |pcall()|), except that you |
| can set a new error handler. |
|
|
| `xpcall` calls function {f} in protected mode, using {err} as the |
| error handler. Any error inside {f} is not propagated; instead, |
| `xpcall` catches the error, calls the {err} function with the original |
| error object, and returns a status code. Its first result is the |
| status code (a boolean), which is true if the call succeeds without |
| errors. In this case, `xpcall` also returns all results from the call, |
| after this first result. In case of any error, `xpcall` returns |
| `false` plus the result from {err}. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.2 Coroutine Manipulation *lua-lib-coroutine* |
|
|
| The operations related to coroutines comprise a sub-library of the basic |
| library and come inside the table `coroutine`. See |lua-coroutine| for a |
| general description of coroutines. |
|
|
| coroutine.create({f}) *coroutine.create()* |
| Creates a new coroutine, with body {f}. {f} must be a Lua function. |
| Returns this new coroutine, an object with type `"thread"`. |
|
|
| coroutine.resume({co} [, {val1}, {...}]) *coroutine.resume()* |
| Starts or continues the execution of coroutine {co}. The first time |
| you resume a coroutine, it starts running its body. The values {val1}, |
| {...} are passed as arguments to the body function. If the coroutine has |
| yielded, `resume` restarts it; the values {val1}, {...} are passed as |
| the results from the yield. |
|
|
| If the coroutine runs without any errors, `resume` returns `true` plus |
| any values passed to `yield` (if the coroutine yields) or any values |
| returned by the body function(if the coroutine terminates). If there |
| is any error, `resume` returns `false` plus the error message. |
|
|
| coroutine.running() *coroutine.running()* |
| Returns the running coroutine, or `nil` when called by the main |
| thread. |
|
|
| coroutine.status({co}) *coroutine.status()* |
| Returns the status of coroutine {co}, as a string: `"running"`, if the |
| coroutine is running (that is, it called `status`); `"suspended"`, if |
| the coroutine is suspended in a call to `yield`, or if it has not |
| started running yet; `"normal"` if the coroutine is active but not |
| running (that is, it has resumed another coroutine); and `"dead"` if |
| the coroutine has finished its body function, or if it has stopped |
| with an error. |
|
|
| coroutine.wrap({f}) *coroutine.wrap()* |
| Creates a new coroutine, with body {f}. {f} must be a Lua function. |
| Returns a function that resumes the coroutine each time it is called. |
| Any arguments passed to the function behave as the extra arguments to |
| `resume`. Returns the same values returned by `resume`, except the |
| first boolean. In case of error, propagates the error. |
|
|
| coroutine.yield({...}) *coroutine.yield()* |
| Suspends the execution of the calling coroutine. The coroutine cannot |
| be running a C function, a metamethod, or an |iterator|. Any arguments |
| to `yield` are passed as extra results to `resume`. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.3 Modules *lua-modules* |
|
|
| The package library provides basic facilities for loading and building modules |
| in Lua. It exports two of its functions directly in the global environment: |
| `require` and `module` (see |require()| and |module()|). Everything else is |
| exported in a table `package`. |
|
|
| module({name} [, {...}]) *module()* |
| Creates a module. If there is a table in `package.loaded[name]`, this |
| table is the module. Otherwise, if there is a global table `t` with |
| the given name, this table is the module. Otherwise creates a new |
| table `t` and sets it as the value of the global {name} and the value |
| of `package.loaded[name]`. This function also initializes `t._NAME` |
| with the given name, `t._M` with the module (`t` itself), and |
| `t._PACKAGE` with the package name (the full module name minus last |
| component; see below). Finally, `module` sets `t` as the new |
| environment of the current function and the new value of |
| `package.loaded[name]`, so that |require()| returns `t`. |
|
|
| If {name} is a compound name (that is, one with components separated |
| by dots), `module` creates (or reuses, if they already exist) tables |
| for each component. For instance, if {name} is `a.b.c`, then `module` |
| stores the module table in field `c` of field `b` of global `a`. |
|
|
| This function may receive optional `options` after the module name, |
| where each option is a function to be applied over the module. |
|
|
| require({modname}) *require()* |
| Loads the given module. The function starts by looking into the |
| `package.loaded` table to determine whether {modname} is already |
| loaded. If it is, then `require` returns the value stored at |
| `package.loaded[modname]`. Otherwise, it tries to find a `loader` for |
| the module. |
|
|
| To find a loader, first `require` queries `package.preload[modname]`. |
| If it has a value, this value (which should be a function) is the |
| loader. Otherwise `require` searches for a Lua loader using the path |
| stored in `package.path`. If that also fails, it searches for a C |
| loader using the path stored in `package.cpath`. If that also fails, |
| it tries an `all-in-one` loader (see below). |
|
|
| When loading a C library, `require` first uses a dynamic link facility |
| to link the application with the library. Then it tries to find a C |
| function inside this library to be used as the loader. The name of |
| this C function is the string `"luaopen_"` concatenated with a copy of |
| the module name where each dot is replaced by an underscore. Moreover, |
| if the module name has a hyphen, its prefix up to (and including) the |
| first hyphen is removed. For instance, if the module name is |
| `a.v1-b.c`, the function name will be `luaopen_b_c`. |
|
|
| If `require` finds neither a Lua library nor a C library for a module, |
| it calls the `all-in-one loader`. This loader searches the C path for |
| a library for the root name of the given module. For instance, when |
| requiring `a.b.c`, it will search for a C library for `a`. If found, |
| it looks into it for an open function for the submodule; in our |
| example, that would be `luaopen_a_b_c`. With this facility, a package |
| can pack several C submodules into one single library, with each |
| submodule keeping its original open function. |
|
|
| Once a loader is found, `require` calls the loader with a single |
| argument, {modname}. If the loader returns any value, `require` |
| assigns the returned value to `package.loaded[modname]`. If the loader |
| returns no value and has not assigned any value to |
| `package.loaded[modname]`, then `require` assigns `true` to this |
| entry. In any case, `require` returns the final value of |
| `package.loaded[modname]`. |
|
|
| If there is any error loading or running the module, or if it cannot |
| find any loader for the module, then `require` signals an error. |
|
|
| package.cpath *package.cpath* |
| The path used by `require` to search for a C loader. |
|
|
| Lua initializes the C path `package.cpath` in the same way it |
| initializes the Lua path `package.path`, using the environment |
| variable `LUA_CPATH` (plus another default path defined in |
| `luaconf.h`). |
|
|
| package.loaded *package.loaded* |
| A table used by `require` to control which modules are already loaded. |
| When you require a module `modname` and `package.loaded[modname]` is |
| not false, `require` simply returns the value stored there. |
|
|
| package.loadlib({libname}, {funcname}) *package.loadlib()* |
| Dynamically links the host program with the C library {libname}. |
| Inside this library, looks for a function {funcname} and returns this |
| function as a C function. (So, {funcname} must follow the protocol |
| (see |lua_CFunction|)). |
|
|
| This is a low-level function. It completely bypasses the package and |
| module system. Unlike `require`, it does not perform any path |
| searching and does not automatically adds extensions. {libname} must |
| be the complete file name of the C library, including if necessary a |
| path and extension. {funcname} must be the exact name exported by the |
| C library (which may depend on the C compiler and linker used). |
|
|
| This function is not supported by ANSI C. As such, it is only |
| available on some platforms (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, BSD, |
| plus other Unix systems that support the `dlfcn` standard). |
|
|
| package.path *package.path* |
| The path used by `require` to search for a Lua loader. |
|
|
| At start-up, Lua initializes this variable with the value of the |
| environment variable `LUA_PATH` or with a default path defined in |
| `luaconf.h`, if the environment variable is not defined. Any `";;"` in |
| the value of the environment variable is replaced by the default path. |
|
|
| A path is a sequence of `templates` separated by semicolons. For each |
| template, `require` will change each interrogation mark in the |
| template by `filename`, which is `modname` with each dot replaced by a |
| "directory separator" (such as `"/"` in Unix); then it will try to |
| load the resulting file name. So, for instance, if the Lua path is |
| > |
| "./?.lua;./?.lc;/usr/local/?/init.lua" |
| < |
| the search for a Lua loader for module `foo` will try to load the |
| files `./foo.lua`, `./foo.lc`, and `/usr/local/foo/init.lua`, in that |
| order. |
|
|
| package.preload *package.preload()* |
| A table to store loaders for specific modules (see |require()|). |
|
|
| package.seeall({module}) *package.seeall()* |
| Sets a metatable for {module} with its `__index` field referring to |
| the global environment, so that this module inherits values from the |
| global environment. To be used as an option to function {module}. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.4 String Manipulation *lua-lib-string* |
|
|
| This library provides generic functions for string manipulation, such as |
| finding and extracting substrings, and pattern matching. When indexing a |
| string in Lua, the first character is at position 1 (not at 0, as in C). |
| Indices are allowed to be negative and are interpreted as indexing backwards, |
| from the end of the string. Thus, the last character is at position -1, and |
| so on. |
|
|
| The string library provides all its functions inside the table `string`. |
| It also sets a metatable for strings where the `__index` field points to the |
| `string` table. Therefore, you can use the string functions in object-oriented |
| style. For instance, `string.byte(s, i)` can be written as `s:byte(i)`. |
|
|
| string.byte({s} [, {i} [, {j}]]) *string.byte()* |
| Returns the internal numerical codes of the characters `s[i]`, |
| `s[i+1]`,..., `s[j]`. The default value for {i} is 1; the default |
| value for {j} is {i}. |
|
|
| Note that numerical codes are not necessarily portable across |
| platforms. |
|
|
| string.char({...}) *string.char()* |
| Receives zero or more integers. Returns a string with length equal to |
| the number of arguments, in which each character has the internal |
| numerical code equal to its correspondent argument. |
|
|
| Note that numerical codes are not necessarily portable across |
| platforms. |
|
|
| string.dump({function}) *string.dump()* |
| Returns a string containing a binary representation of the given |
| function, so that a later |loadstring()| on this string returns a |
| copy of the function. {function} must be a Lua function without |
| upvalues. |
|
|
| string.find({s}, {pattern} [, {init} [, {plain}]]) *string.find()* |
| Looks for the first match of {pattern} in the string {s}. If it finds |
| a match, then {find} returns the indices of {s} where this occurrence |
| starts and ends; otherwise, it returns `nil`. A third, optional |
| numerical argument {init} specifies where to start the search; its |
| default value is 1 and may be negative. A value of {true} as a fourth, |
| optional argument {plain} turns off the pattern matching facilities, |
| so the function does a plain "find substring" operation, with no |
| characters in {pattern} being considered "magic". Note that if {plain} |
| is given, then {init} must be given as well. |
|
|
| If the pattern has captures, then in a successful match the captured |
| values are also returned, after the two indices. |
|
|
| string.format({formatstring}, {...}) *string.format()* |
| Returns a formatted version of its variable number of arguments |
| following the description given in its first argument (which must be a |
| string). The format string follows the same rules as the `printf` |
| family of standard C functions. The only differences are that the |
| options/modifiers `*`, `l`, `L`, `n`, `p`, and `h` are not supported |
| and that there is an extra option, `q`. The `q` option formats a |
| string in a form suitable to be safely read back by the Lua |
| interpreter: the string is written between double quotes, and all |
| double quotes, newlines, embedded zeros, and backslashes in the string |
| are correctly escaped when written. For instance, the call |
| >lua |
| string.format('%q', 'a string with "quotes" and \n new line') |
| < |
| will produce the string: |
| >lua |
| "a string with \"quotes\" and \ |
| new line" |
| < |
| The options `c`, `d`, `E`, `e`, `f`, `g`, `G`, `i`, `o`, `u`, `X`, and |
| `x` all expect a number as argument, whereas `q` and `s` expect a |
| string. |
|
|
| This function does not accept string values containing embedded zeros. |
|
|
| string.gmatch({s}, {pattern}) *string.gmatch()* |
| Returns an |iterator| function that, each time it is called, returns the |
| next captures from {pattern} over string {s}. |
|
|
| If {pattern} specifies no captures, then the whole match is produced |
| in each call. |
|
|
| As an example, the following loop |
| >lua |
| s = "hello world from Lua" |
| for w in string.gmatch(s, "%a+") do |
| print(w) |
| end |
| < |
| will iterate over all the words from string {s}, printing one per |
| line. The next example collects all pairs `key=value` from the given |
| string into a table: |
| >lua |
| t = {} |
| s = "from=world, to=Lua" |
| for k, v in string.gmatch(s, "(%w+)=(%w+)") do |
| t[k] = v |
| end |
| < |
|
|
| string.gsub({s}, {pattern}, {repl} [, {n}]) *string.gsub()* |
| Returns a copy of {s} in which all occurrences of the {pattern} have |
| been replaced by a replacement string specified by {repl}, which may |
| be a string, a table, or a function. `gsub` also returns, as its |
| second value, the total number of substitutions made. |
|
|
| If {repl} is a string, then its value is used for replacement. The |
| character `%` works as an escape character: any sequence in {repl} of |
| the form `%n`, with {n} between 1 and 9, stands for the value of the |
| {n} -th captured substring (see below). The sequence `%0` stands for |
| the whole match. The sequence `%%` stands for a single `%`. |
|
|
| If {repl} is a table, then the table is queried for every match, using |
| the first capture as the key; if the pattern specifies no captures, |
| then the whole match is used as the key. |
|
|
| If {repl} is a function, then this function is called every time a |
| match occurs, with all captured substrings passed as arguments, in |
| order; if the pattern specifies no captures, then the whole match is |
| passed as a sole argument. |
|
|
| If the value returned by the table query or by the function call is a |
| string or a number, then it is used as the replacement string; |
| otherwise, if it is `false` or `nil`, then there is no replacement |
| (that is, the original match is kept in the string). |
|
|
| The optional last parameter {n} limits the maximum number of |
| substitutions to occur. For instance, when {n} is 1 only the first |
| occurrence of `pattern` is replaced. |
|
|
| Here are some examples: |
| >lua |
| x = string.gsub("hello world", "(%w+)", "%1 %1") |
| --> x="hello hello world world" |
|
|
| x = string.gsub("hello world", "%w+", "%0 %0", 1) |
| --> x="hello hello world" |
|
|
| x = string.gsub("hello world from Lua", "(%w+)%s*(%w+)", "%2 %1") |
| --> x="world hello Lua from" |
|
|
| x = string.gsub("home = $HOME, user = $USER", "%$(%w+)", os.getenv) |
| --> x="home = /home/roberto, user = roberto" |
|
|
| x = string.gsub("4+5 = $return 4+5$", "%$(.-)%$", function (s) |
| return loadstring(s)() |
| end) |
| --> x="4+5 = 9" |
|
|
| local t = {name="lua", version="5.1"} |
| x = string.gsub("$name%-$version.tar.gz", "%$(%w+)", t) |
| --> x="lua-5.1.tar.gz" |
| < |
|
|
| string.len({s}) *string.len()* |
| Receives a string and returns its length. The empty string `""` has |
| length 0. Embedded zeros are counted, so `"a\000b\000c"` has length 5. |
|
|
| string.lower({s}) *string.lower()* |
| Receives a string and returns a copy of this string with all uppercase |
| letters changed to lowercase. All other characters are left unchanged. |
| The definition of what an uppercase letter is depends on the current |
| locale. |
|
|
| string.match({s}, {pattern} [, {init}]) *string.match()* |
| Looks for the first `match` of {pattern} in the string {s}. If it |
| finds one, then `match` returns the captures from the pattern; |
| otherwise it returns `nil`. If {pattern} specifies no captures, then |
| the whole match is returned. A third, optional numerical argument |
| {init} specifies where to start the search; its default value is 1 and |
| may be negative. |
|
|
| string.rep({s}, {n}) *string.rep()* |
| Returns a string that is the concatenation of {n} copies of the string |
| {s}. |
|
|
| string.reverse({s}) *string.reverse()* |
| Returns a string that is the string {s} reversed. |
|
|
| string.sub({s}, {i} [, {j}]) *string.sub()* |
| Returns the substring of {s} that starts at {i} and continues until |
| {j}; {i} and {j} may be negative. If {j} is absent, then it is assumed |
| to be equal to `-1` (which is the same as the string length). In |
| particular, the call `string.sub(s,1,j)` returns a prefix of {s} with |
| length {j}, and `string.sub(s,-i)` returns a suffix of {s} with length |
| {i}. |
|
|
| string.upper({s}) *string.upper()* |
| Receives a string and returns a copy of that string with all lowercase |
| letters changed to uppercase. All other characters are left unchanged. |
| The definition of what a lowercase letter is depends on the current |
| locale. |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 5.4.1 Patterns *lua-pattern* |
|
|
| A character class is used to represent a set of characters. The following |
| combinations are allowed in describing a character class: |
|
|
| - `x` (where `x` is not one of the magic characters `^$()%.[]*+-?`) |
| represents the character `x` itself. |
| - `.` (a dot) represents all characters. |
| - `%a` represents all letters. |
| - `%c` represents all control characters. |
| - `%d` represents all digits. |
| - `%l` represents all lowercase letters. |
| - `%p` represents all punctuation characters. |
| - `%s` represents all space characters. |
| - `%u` represents all uppercase letters. |
| - `%w` represents all alphanumeric characters. |
| - `%x` represents all hexadecimal digits. |
| - `%z` represents the character with representation `0`. |
| - `%x` (where `x` is any non-alphanumeric character) represents the |
| character `x`. This is the standard way to escape the magic |
| characters. Any punctuation character (even the non-magic) can be |
| preceded by a `%` when used to represent itself in a pattern. |
|
|
| - `[set]` represents the class which is the union of all characters in |
| `set`. A range of characters may be specified by separating the end |
| characters of the range with a `-`. All classes `%x` described |
| above may also be used as components in `set`. All other characters |
| in `set` represent themselves. For example, `[%w_]` (or `[_%w]`) |
| represents all alphanumeric characters plus the underscore, `[0-7]` |
| represents the octal digits, and `[0-7%l%-]` represents the octal |
| digits plus the lowercase letters plus the `-` character. |
|
|
| The interaction between ranges and classes is not defined. Therefore, |
| patterns like `[%a-z]` or `[a-%%]` have no meaning. |
|
|
| - `[^set]` represents the complement of `set`, where `set` is interpreted |
| as above. |
|
|
| For all classes represented by single letters (`%a`, `%c`, etc.), the |
| corresponding uppercase letter represents the complement of the class. For |
| instance, `%S` represents all non-space characters. |
|
|
| The definitions of letter, space, and other character groups depend on the |
| current locale. In particular, the class `[a-z]` may not be equivalent to `%l`. |
|
|
| PATTERN ITEM *lua-patternitem* |
|
|
| A pattern item may be |
|
|
| - a single character class, which matches any single character in the |
| class; |
| - a single character class followed by `*`, which matches 0 or more |
| repetitions of characters in the class. These repetition items will |
| always match the longest possible sequence; |
| - a single character class followed by `+`, which matches 1 or more |
| repetitions of characters in the class. These repetition items will |
| always match the longest possible sequence; |
| *lua-nongreedy* |
| - a single character class followed by `-`, which also matches 0 or |
| more repetitions of characters in the class. Unlike `*`, these |
| repetition items will always match the shortest possible sequence; |
| - a single character class followed by `?`, which matches 0 or 1 |
| occurrences of a character in the class; |
| - `%n`, for `n` between 1 and 9; such item matches a substring equal to the |
| `n` -th captured string (see below); |
| - `%bxy`, where `x` and `y` are two distinct characters; such item matches |
| strings that start with `x`, end with `y`, and where the `x` and `y` |
| are balanced. This means that, if one reads the string from left to |
| right, counting `+1` for an `x` and `-1` for a `y`, the ending `y` is the first |
| `y` where the count reaches 0. For instance, the item `%b()` matches |
| expressions with balanced parentheses. |
|
|
| PATTERN |
|
|
| A pattern is a sequence of pattern items. A `^` at the beginning of a pattern |
| anchors the match at the beginning of the subject string. A `$` at the end of |
| a pattern anchors the match at the end of the subject string. At other |
| positions, `^` and `$` have no special meaning and represent themselves. |
|
|
| CAPTURES *lua-capture* |
|
|
| A pattern may contain sub-patterns enclosed in parentheses; they describe |
| captures. When a match succeeds, the substrings of the subject string that |
| match captures are stored (captured) for future use. Captures are numbered |
| according to their left parentheses. For instance, in the pattern |
| `"(a*(.)%w(%s*))"`, the part of the string matching `"a*(.)%w(%s*)"` is stored |
| as the first capture (and therefore has number 1); the character matching `.` |
| is captured with number 2, and the part matching `%s*` has number 3. |
|
|
| As a special case, the empty capture `()` captures the current string position |
| (a number). For instance, if we apply the pattern `"()aa()"` on the |
| string `"flaaap"`, there will be two captures: 3 and 5. |
|
|
| A pattern cannot contain embedded zeros. Use `%z` instead. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.5 Table Manipulation *lua-lib-table* |
|
|
| This library provides generic functions for table manipulation. It provides |
| all its functions inside the table `table`. |
|
|
| Most functions in the table library assume that the table represents an array |
| or a list. For those functions, when we talk about the "length" of a table we |
| mean the result of the length operator. |
|
|
| table.concat({table} [, {sep} [, {i} [, {j}]]]) *table.concat()* |
| Given an array where all elements are strings or numbers, returns |
| `table[i]..sep..table[i+1] ... sep..table[j]`. The default value for |
| {sep} is the empty string, the default for {i} is 1, and the default |
| for {j} is the length of the table. If {i} is greater than {j}, |
| returns the empty string. |
|
|
| table.foreach({table}, {f}) *table.foreach()* |
| Executes the given {f} over all elements of {table}. For each element, |
| {f} is called with the index and respective value as arguments. If {f} |
| returns a non-`nil` value, then the loop is broken, and this value is |
| returned as the final value of `table.foreach`. |
|
|
| See |next()| for extra information about table traversals. |
|
|
| table.foreachi({table}, {f}) *table.foreachi()* |
| Executes the given {f} over the numerical indices of {table}. For each |
| index, {f} is called with the index and respective value as arguments. |
| Indices are visited in sequential order, from 1 to `n`, where `n` is |
| the length of the table. If {f} returns a non-`nil` value, then the |
| loop is broken and this value is returned as the result of |
| `table.foreachi`. |
|
|
| table.insert({table}, [{pos},] {value}) *table.insert()* |
| Inserts element {value} at position {pos} in {table}, shifting up |
| other elements to open space, if necessary. The default value for |
| {pos} is `n+1`, where `n` is the length of the table (see |
| |lua-length|), so that a call `table.insert(t,x)` inserts `x` |
| at the end of table `t`. |
|
|
| table.maxn({table}) *table.maxn()* |
| Returns the largest positive numerical index of the given table, or |
| zero if the table has no positive numerical indices. (To do its job |
| this function does a linear traversal of the whole table.) |
|
|
| table.remove({table} [, {pos}]) *table.remove()* |
| Removes from {table} the element at position {pos}, shifting down |
| other elements to close the space, if necessary. Returns the value of |
| the removed element. The default value for {pos} is `n`, where `n` is |
| the length of the table (see |lua-length|), so that a call |
| `table.remove(t)` removes the last element of table `t`. |
|
|
| table.sort({table} [, {comp}]) *table.sort()* |
| Sorts table elements in a given order, `in-place`, from `table[1]` to |
| `table[n]`, where `n` is the length of the table (see |lua-length|). |
| If {comp} is given, then it must be a function that receives two table |
| elements, and returns true when the first is less than the second (so |
| that `not comp(a[i+1],a[i])` will be true after the sort). If {comp} |
| is not given, then the standard Lua operator `<` is used instead. |
|
|
| The sort algorithm is `not` stable, that is, elements considered equal by the |
| given order may have their relative positions changed by the sort. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.6 Mathematical Functions *lua-lib-math* |
|
|
| This library is an interface to most of the functions of the standard C math |
| library. It provides all its functions inside the table `math`. |
|
|
| math.abs({x}) *math.abs()* |
| Returns the absolute value of {x}. |
|
|
| math.acos({x}) *math.acos()* |
| Returns the arc cosine of {x} (in radians). |
|
|
| math.asin({x}) *math.asin()* |
| Returns the arc sine of {x} (in radians). |
|
|
| math.atan({x}) *math.atan()* |
| Returns the arc tangent of {x} (in radians). |
|
|
| math.atan2({x}, {y}) *math.atan2()* |
| Returns the arc tangent of `x/y` (in radians), but uses the signs of |
| both parameters to find the quadrant of the result. (It also handles |
| correctly the case of {y} being zero.) |
|
|
| math.ceil({x}) *math.ceil()* |
| Returns the smallest integer larger than or equal to {x}. |
|
|
| math.cos({x}) *math.cos()* |
| Returns the cosine of {x} (assumed to be in radians). |
|
|
| math.cosh({x}) *math.cosh()* |
| Returns the hyperbolic cosine of {x}. |
|
|
| math.deg({x}) *math.deg()* |
| Returns the angle {x} (given in radians) in degrees. |
|
|
| math.exp({x}) *math.exp()* |
| Returns the value `e^x`. |
|
|
| math.floor({x}) *math.floor()* |
| Returns the largest integer smaller than or equal to {x}. |
|
|
| math.fmod({x}, {y}) *math.fmod()* |
| Returns the remainder of the division of {x} by {y}. |
|
|
| math.frexp({x}) *math.frexp()* |
| Returns `m` and `e` such that `x = m * 2^e`, `e` is an integer and the |
| absolute value of `m` is in the range `[0.5, 1)` (or zero when {x} is |
| zero). |
|
|
| math.huge *math.huge* |
| The value `HUGE_VAL`, a value larger than or equal to any other |
| numerical value. |
|
|
| math.ldexp({m}, {e}) *math.ldexp()* |
| Returns `m * 2^e` (`e` should be an integer). |
|
|
| math.log({x}) *math.log()* |
| Returns the natural logarithm of {x}. |
|
|
| math.log10({x}) *math.log10()* |
| Returns the base-10 logarithm of {x}. |
|
|
| math.max({x}, {...}) *math.max()* |
| Returns the maximum value among its arguments. |
|
|
| math.min({x}, {...}) *math.min()* |
| Returns the minimum value among its arguments. |
|
|
| math.modf({x}) *math.modf()* |
| Returns two numbers, the integral part of {x} and the fractional part |
| of {x}. |
|
|
| math.pi *math.pi* |
| The value of `pi`. |
|
|
| math.pow({x}, {y}) *math.pow()* |
| Returns `x^y`. (You can also use the expression `x^y` to compute this |
| value.) |
|
|
| math.rad({x}) *math.rad()* |
| Returns the angle {x} (given in degrees) in radians. |
|
|
| math.random([{m} [, {n}]]) *math.random()* |
| This function is an interface to the simple pseudo-random generator |
| function `rand` provided by ANSI C. (No guarantees can be given for |
| its statistical properties.) |
|
|
| When called without arguments, returns a pseudo-random real number in |
| the range `[0,1)`. When called with a number {m}, `math.random` |
| returns a pseudo-random integer in the range `[1, m]`. When called |
| with two numbers {m} and {n}, `math.random` returns a pseudo-random |
| integer in the range `[m, n]`. |
|
|
| math.randomseed({x}) *math.randomseed()* |
| Sets {x} as the "seed" for the pseudo-random generator: equal seeds |
| produce equal sequences of numbers. |
|
|
| math.sin({x}) *math.sin()* |
| Returns the sine of {x} (assumed to be in radians). |
|
|
| math.sinh({x}) *math.sinh()* |
| Returns the hyperbolic sine of {x}. |
|
|
| math.sqrt({x}) *math.sqrt()* |
| Returns the square root of {x}. (You can also use the expression |
| `x^0.5` to compute this value.) |
|
|
| math.tan({x}) *math.tan()* |
| Returns the tangent of {x} (assumed to be in radians). |
|
|
| math.tanh({x}) *math.tanh()* |
| Returns the hyperbolic tangent of {x}. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.6 Input and Output Facilities *lua-lib-io* |
|
|
| The I/O library provides two different styles for file manipulation. The first |
| one uses implicit file descriptors; that is, there are operations to set a |
| default input file and a default output file, and all input/output operations |
| are over these default files. The second style uses explicit file |
| descriptors. |
|
|
| When using implicit file descriptors, all operations are supplied by |
| table `io`. When using explicit file descriptors, the operation `io.open` returns |
| a file descriptor and then all operations are supplied as methods of the file |
| descriptor. |
|
|
| The table `io` also provides three predefined file descriptors with their usual |
| meanings from C: `io.stdin`, `io.stdout`, and `io.stderr`. |
|
|
| Unless otherwise stated, all I/O functions return `nil` on failure (plus an |
| error message as a second result) and some value different from `nil` on |
| success. |
|
|
| io.close([{file}]) *io.close()* |
| Equivalent to `file:close`. Without a {file}, closes the default |
| output file. |
|
|
| io.flush() *io.flush()* |
| Equivalent to `file:flush` over the default output file. |
|
|
| io.input([{file}]) *io.input()* |
| When called with a file name, it opens the named file (in text mode), |
| and sets its handle as the default input file. When called with a file |
| handle, it simply sets this file handle as the default input file. |
| When called without parameters, it returns the current default input |
| file. |
|
|
| In case of errors this function raises the error, instead of returning |
| an error code. |
|
|
| io.lines([{filename}]) *io.lines()* |
| Opens the given file name in read mode and returns an |iterator| |
| function that, each time it is called, returns a new line from the |
| file. Therefore, the construction |
|
|
| `for line in io.lines(filename) do` `body` `end` |
|
|
| will iterate over all lines of the file. When the iterator function |
| detects the end of file, it returns `nil` (to finish the loop) and |
| automatically closes the file. |
|
|
| The call `io.lines()` (without a file name) is equivalent to |
| `io.input():lines()`; that is, it iterates over the lines of the |
| default input file. In this case it does not close the file when the |
| loop ends. |
|
|
| io.open({filename} [, {mode}]) *io.open()* |
| This function opens a file, in the mode specified in the string |
| {mode}. It returns a new file handle, or, in case of errors, `nil` |
| plus an error message. |
|
|
| The {mode} string can be any of the following: |
|
|
| - `"r"` read mode (the default); |
| - `"w"` write mode; |
| - `"a"` append mode; |
| - `"r+"` update mode, all previous data is preserved; |
| - `"w+"` update mode, all previous data is erased; |
| - `"a+"` append update mode, previous data is preserved, writing is |
| only allowed at the end of file. |
|
|
| The {mode} string may also have a `b` at the end, which is needed in |
| some systems to open the file in binary mode. This string is exactly |
| what is used in the standard C function `fopen`. |
|
|
| io.output([{file}]) *io.output()* |
| Similar to `io.input`, but operates over the default output file. |
|
|
| io.popen({prog} [, {mode}]) *io.popen()* |
| Starts program {prog} in a separated process and returns a file handle |
| that you can use to read data from this program (if {mode} is `"r"`, |
| the default) or to write data to this program (if {mode} is `"w"`). |
|
|
| This function is system dependent and is not available on all |
| platforms. |
|
|
| io.read({...}) *io.read()* |
| Equivalent to `io.input():read`. |
|
|
| io.tmpfile() *io.tmpfile()* |
| Returns a handle for a temporary file. This file is opened in update |
| mode and it is automatically removed when the program ends. |
|
|
| io.type({obj}) *io.type()* |
| Checks whether {obj} is a valid file handle. Returns the string |
| `"file"` if {obj} is an open file handle, `"closed file"` if {obj} is |
| a closed file handle, or `nil` if {obj} is not a file handle. |
|
|
| io.write({...}) *io.write()* |
| Equivalent to `io.output():write`. |
|
|
| file:close() *file:close()* |
| Closes `file`. Note that files are automatically closed when their |
| handles are garbage collected, but that takes an unpredictable amount |
| of time to happen. |
|
|
| file:flush() *file:flush()* |
| Saves any written data to `file`. |
|
|
| file:lines() *file:lines()* |
| Returns an |iterator| function that, each time it is called, returns a |
| new line from the file. Therefore, the construction |
|
|
| `for line in file:lines() do` `body` `end` |
|
|
| will iterate over all lines of the file. (Unlike `io.lines`, this |
| function does not close the file when the loop ends.) |
|
|
| file:read({...}) *file:read()* |
| Reads the file `file`, according to the given formats, which specify |
| what to read. For each format, the function returns a string (or a |
| number) with the characters read, or `nil` if it cannot read data with |
| the specified format. When called without formats, it uses a default |
| format that reads the entire next line (see below). |
|
|
| The available formats are |
|
|
| `"*n"` reads a number; this is the only format that returns a |
| number instead of a string. |
| `"*a"` reads the whole file, starting at the current position. On |
| end of file, it returns the empty string. |
| `"*l"` reads the next line (skipping the end of line), returning |
| `nil` on end of file. This is the default format. |
| `number` reads a string with up to that number of characters, |
| returning `nil` on end of file. If number is zero, it reads |
| nothing and returns an empty string, or `nil` on end of file. |
|
|
| file:seek([{whence}] [, {offset}]) *file:seek()* |
| Sets and gets the file position, measured from the beginning of the |
| file, to the position given by {offset} plus a base specified by the |
| string {whence}, as follows: |
|
|
| - `"set"`: base is position 0 (beginning of the file); |
| - `"cur"`: base is current position; |
| - `"end"`: base is end of file; |
|
|
| In case of success, function `seek` returns the final file position, |
| measured in bytes from the beginning of the file. If this function |
| fails, it returns `nil`, plus a string describing the error. |
|
|
| The default value for {whence} is `"cur"`, and for {offset} is 0. |
| Therefore, the call `file:seek()` returns the current file position, |
| without changing it; the call `file:seek("set")` sets the position to |
| the beginning of the file (and returns 0); and the call |
| `file:seek("end")` sets the position to the end of the file, and |
| returns its size. |
|
|
| file:setvbuf({mode} [, {size}]) *file:setvbuf()* |
| Sets the buffering mode for an output file. There are three available |
| modes: |
|
|
| `"no"` no buffering; the result of any output operation appears |
| immediately. |
| `"full"` full buffering; output operation is performed only when |
| the buffer is full (or when you explicitly `flush` the file |
| (see |io.flush()|). |
| `"line"` line buffering; output is buffered until a newline is |
| output or there is any input from some special files (such as |
| a terminal device). |
|
|
| For the last two cases, {size} specifies the size of the buffer, in |
| bytes. The default is an appropriate size. |
|
|
| file:write({...}) *file:write()* |
| Writes the value of each of its arguments to `file`. The arguments |
| must be strings or numbers. To write other values, use `tostring` |
| |tostring()| or `string.format` |string.format()| before |
| `write`. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.8 Operating System Facilities *lua-lib-os* |
|
|
| This library is implemented through table `os`. |
|
|
| os.clock() *os.clock()* |
| Returns an approximation of the amount in seconds of CPU time used by |
| the program. |
|
|
| os.date([{format} [, {time}]]) *os.date()* |
| Returns a string or a table containing date and time, formatted |
| according to the given string {format}. |
|
|
| If the {time} argument is present, this is the time to be formatted |
| (see the `os.time` function |os.time()| for a description of this |
| value). Otherwise, `date` formats the current time. |
|
|
| If {format} starts with `!`, then the date is formatted in |
| Coordinated Universal Time. After this optional character, if {format} |
| is the string `"*t"`, then `date` returns a table with the following |
| fields: `year` (four digits), `month` (1-12), `day` (1-31), `hour` |
| (0-23), `min` (0-59), `sec` (0-61), `wday` (weekday, Sunday is 1), |
| `yday` (day of the year), and `isdst` (daylight saving flag, a |
| boolean). |
|
|
| If {format} is not `"*t"`, then `date` returns the date as a string, |
| formatted according to the same rules as the C function `strftime`. |
|
|
| When called without arguments, `date` returns a reasonable date and |
| time representation that depends on the host system and on the current |
| locale (that is, `os.date()` is equivalent to `os.date("%c")`). |
|
|
| os.difftime({t2}, {t1}) *os.difftime()* |
| Returns the number of seconds from time {t1} to time {t2}. In POSIX, |
| Windows, and some other systems, this value is exactly `t2 - t1` . |
|
|
| os.execute([{command}]) *os.execute()* |
| This function is equivalent to the C function `system`. It passes |
| {command} to be executed by an operating system shell. It returns a |
| status code, which is system-dependent. If {command} is absent, then |
| it returns nonzero if a shell is available and zero otherwise. |
|
|
| os.exit([{code}]) *os.exit()* |
| Calls the C function `exit`, with an optional {code}, to terminate the |
| host program. The default value for {code} is the success code. |
|
|
| os.getenv({varname}) *os.getenv()* |
| Returns the value of the process environment variable {varname}, or |
| `nil` if the variable is not defined. |
|
|
| os.remove({filename}) *os.remove()* |
| Deletes the file with the given name. Directories must be empty to be |
| removed. If this function fails, it returns `nil`, plus a string |
| describing the error. |
|
|
| os.rename({oldname}, {newname}) *os.rename()* |
| Renames file named {oldname} to {newname}. If this function fails, it |
| returns `nil`, plus a string describing the error. |
|
|
| os.setlocale({locale} [, {category}]) *os.setlocale()* |
| Sets the current locale of the program. {locale} is a string |
| specifying a locale; {category} is an optional string describing which |
| category to change: `"all"`, `"collate"`, `"ctype"`, `"monetary"`, |
| `"numeric"`, or `"time"`; the default category is `"all"`. The |
| function returns the name of the new locale, or `nil` if the request |
| cannot be honored. |
|
|
| os.time([{table}]) *os.time()* |
| Returns the current time when called without arguments, or a time |
| representing the date and time specified by the given table. This |
| table must have fields `year`, `month`, and `day`, and may have fields |
| `hour`, `min`, `sec`, and `isdst` (for a description of these fields, |
| see the `os.date` function |os.date()|). |
|
|
| The returned value is a number, whose meaning depends on your system. |
| In POSIX, Windows, and some other systems, this number counts the |
| number of seconds since some given start time (the "epoch"). In other |
| systems, the meaning is not specified, and the number returned by |
| `time` can be used only as an argument to `date` and `difftime`. |
|
|
| os.tmpname() *os.tmpname()* |
| Returns a string with a file name that can be used for a temporary |
| file. The file must be explicitly opened before its use and explicitly |
| removed when no longer needed. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| 5.9 The Debug Library *lua-lib-debug* |
|
|
| This library provides the functionality of the debug interface to Lua |
| programs. You should exert care when using this library. The functions |
| provided here should be used exclusively for debugging and similar tasks, such |
| as profiling. Please resist the temptation to use them as a usual programming |
| tool: they can be very slow. Moreover, several of its functions violate some |
| assumptions about Lua code (e.g., that variables local to a function cannot be |
| accessed from outside or that userdata metatables cannot be changed by Lua |
| code) and therefore can compromise otherwise secure code. |
|
|
| All functions in this library are provided inside the `debug` table. All |
| functions that operate over a thread have an optional first argument which is |
| the thread to operate over. The default is always the current thread. |
|
|
| debug.debug() *debug.debug()* |
| Enters an interactive mode with the user, running each string that the |
| user enters. Using simple commands and other debug facilities, the |
| user can inspect global and local variables, change their values, |
| evaluate expressions, and so on. A line containing only the word |
| `cont` finishes this function, so that the caller continues its |
| execution. |
|
|
| Note that commands for `debug.debug` are not lexically nested within |
| any function, and so have no direct access to local variables. |
|
|
| debug.getfenv(o) *debug.getfenv()* |
| Returns the environment of object {o}. |
|
|
| debug.gethook([{thread}]) *debug.gethook()* |
| Returns the current hook settings of the thread, as three values: the |
| current hook function, the current hook mask, and the current hook |
| count (as set by the `debug.sethook` function). |
|
|
| debug.getinfo([{thread},] {function} [, {what}]) *debug.getinfo()* |
| Returns a table with information about a function. You can give the |
| function directly, or you can give a number as the value of |
| {function}, which means the function running at level {function} of |
| the call stack of the given thread: level 0 is the current function |
| (`getinfo` itself); level 1 is the function that called `getinfo`; and |
| so on. If {function} is a number larger than the number of active |
| functions, then `getinfo` returns `nil`. |
|
|
| The returned table may contain all the fields returned by |
| `lua_getinfo` (see |lua_getinfo()|), with the string {what} |
| describing which fields to fill in. The default for {what} is to get |
| all information available, except the table of valid lines. If |
| present, the option `f` adds a field named `func` with the function |
| itself. If present, the option `L` adds a field named `activelines` |
| with the table of valid lines. |
|
|
| For instance, the expression `debug.getinfo(1,"n").name` returns the |
| name of the current function, if a reasonable name can be found, and |
| `debug.getinfo(print)` returns a table with all available information |
| about the `print` function. |
|
|
| debug.getlocal([{thread},] {level}, {local}) *debug.getlocal()* |
| This function returns the name and the value of the local variable |
| with index {local} of the function at level {level} of the stack. (The |
| first parameter or local variable has index 1, and so on, until the |
| last active local variable.) The function returns `nil` if there is no |
| local variable with the given index, and raises an error when called |
| with a {level} out of range. (You can call `debug.getinfo` |
| |debug.getinfo()| to check whether the level is valid.) |
|
|
| Variable names starting with `(` (open parentheses) represent |
| internal variables (loop control variables, temporaries, and C |
| function locals). |
|
|
| debug.getmetatable({object}) *debug.getmetatable()* |
| Returns the metatable of the given {object} or `nil` if it does not |
| have a metatable. |
|
|
| debug.getregistry() *debug.getregistry()* |
| Returns the registry table (see |lua-registry|). |
|
|
| debug.getupvalue({func}, {up}) *debug.getupvalue()* |
| This function returns the name and the value of the upvalue with index |
| {up} of the function {func}. The function returns `nil` if there is no |
| upvalue with the given index. |
|
|
| debug.setfenv({object}, {table}) *debug.setfenv()* |
| Sets the environment of the given {object} to the given {table}. |
| Returns {object}. |
|
|
| debug.sethook([{thread},] {hook}, {mask} [, {count}]) *debug.sethook()* |
| Sets the given function as a hook. The string {mask} and the number |
| {count} describe when the hook will be called. The string mask may |
| have the following characters, with the given meaning: |
|
|
| - `"c"` : The hook is called every time Lua calls a function; |
| - `"r"` : The hook is called every time Lua returns from a function; |
| - `"l"` : The hook is called every time Lua enters a new line of |
| code. |
|
|
| With a {count} different from zero, the hook is called after every |
| {count} instructions. |
|
|
| When called without arguments, the `debug.sethook` turns off the hook. |
|
|
| When the hook is called, its first parameter is a string describing |
| the event that triggered its call: `"call"`, `"return"` (or `"tail |
| return"`), `"line"`, and `"count"`. For line events, the hook also |
| gets the new line number as its second parameter. Inside a hook, you |
| can call `getinfo` with level 2 to get more information about the |
| running function (level 0 is the `getinfo` function, and level 1 is |
| the hook function), unless the event is `"tail return"`. In this case, |
| Lua is only simulating the return, and a call to `getinfo` will return |
| invalid data. |
|
|
| debug.setlocal([{thread},] {level}, {local}, {value}) *debug.setlocal()* |
| This function assigns the value {value} to the local variable with |
| index {local} of the function at level {level} of the stack. The |
| function returns `nil` if there is no local variable with the given |
| index, and raises an error when called with a {level} out of range. |
| (You can call `getinfo` to check whether the level is valid.) |
| Otherwise, it returns the name of the local variable. |
|
|
| debug.setmetatable({object}, {table}) *debug.setmetatable()* |
| Sets the metatable for the given {object} to the given {table} (which |
| can be `nil`). |
|
|
| debug.setupvalue({func}, {up}, {value}) *debug.setupvalue()* |
| This function assigns the value {value} to the upvalue with index {up} |
| of the function {func}. The function returns `nil` if there is no |
| upvalue with the given index. Otherwise, it returns the name of the |
| upvalue. |
|
|
| debug.traceback([{thread},] [{message} [,{level}]]) *debug.traceback()* |
| Returns a string with a traceback of the call stack. An optional |
| {message} string is appended at the beginning of the traceback. An |
| optional {level} number tells at which level to start the traceback |
| (default is 1, the function calling `traceback`). |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| A BIBLIOGRAPHY *lua-ref-bibliography* |
|
|
| This help file is a minor adaptation from this main reference: |
|
|
| - R. Ierusalimschy, L. H. de Figueiredo, and W. Celes., |
| "Lua: 5.1 reference manual", https://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html |
|
|
| Lua is discussed in these references: |
|
|
| - R. Ierusalimschy, L. H. de Figueiredo, and W. Celes., |
| "Lua --- an extensible extension language". |
| "Software: Practice & Experience" 26, 6 (1996) 635-652. |
|
|
| - L. H. de Figueiredo, R. Ierusalimschy, and W. Celes., |
| "The design and implementation of a language for extending applications". |
| "Proc. of XXI Brazilian Seminar on Software and Hardware" (1994) 273-283. |
|
|
| - L. H. de Figueiredo, R. Ierusalimschy, and W. Celes., |
| "Lua: an extensible embedded language". |
| "Dr. Dobb's Journal" 21, 12 (Dec 1996) 26-33. |
|
|
| - R. Ierusalimschy, L. H. de Figueiredo, and W. Celes., |
| "The evolution of an extension language: a history of Lua". |
| "Proc. of V Brazilian Symposium on Programming Languages" (2001) B-14-B-28. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| B COPYRIGHT AND LICENSES *lua-ref-copyright* |
|
|
| This help file has the same copyright and license as Lua 5.1 and the Lua 5.1 |
| manual: |
|
|
| Copyright (c) 1994-2006 Lua.org, PUC-Rio. |
|
|
| Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy |
| of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal |
| in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights |
| to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell |
| copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is |
| furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: |
|
|
| The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all |
| copies or substantial portions of the Software. |
|
|
| THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR |
| IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, |
| FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE |
| AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER |
| LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, |
| OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE |
| SOFTWARE. |
|
|
| ============================================================================== |
| C LUAREF DOC *lua-ref-doc* |
|
|
| This is a Vim help file containing a reference for Lua 5.1, and it is -- with |
| a few exceptions and adaptations -- a copy of the Lua 5.1 Reference Manual |
| (see |lua-ref-bibliography|). For usage information, refer to |
| |lua-ref-doc|. For copyright information, see |lua-ref-copyright|. |
|
|
| The main ideas and concepts on how to implement this reference were taken from |
| Christian Habermann's CRefVim project |
| (https://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=614). |
|
|
| Adapted for bundled Nvim documentation; the original plugin can be found at |
| https://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=1291 |
|
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| vi:tw=78:ts=4:ft=help:norl:et |
|
|