When you use the menu() function, you supply another Lua function to call when that menu option is selected. Make sure to define the function higher up in the file before referencing it in a menu() call. If you don't explicitly set a SayDialog or MenuDialog object to use default ones are created automatically.
This example Lua script demonstrates some of the Say and Menu dialog functions. To try it out, add a Lua object to the scene (Tools > %Fungus > Create > Lua) and copy this script into the Lua Script text box. You may also need to add an EventSystem object in the scene (GameObject > UI > Event System) so that the menu buttons will respond to user input.
Note: The curly braces syntax means that the list of options is passed as a single table parameter to the choose() function. It's a shortcut for writing this:
2. Select the Lua object in the hierarchy and find the LuaBindings component.
3. Add a binding to the SayDialog game object, and select the SayDialog component. N.B. Make sure to select the correct component!
4. In Lua script, you can now activate this SayDialog using the setsaydialog() function, by passing the key of the SayDialog binding.
To change the behaviour of the say() function, e.g. to not wait for input when done, do this:
```lua
sayoptions.waitforinput = false
```
You can bind Character objects in a similar fashion, and set the speaking character using the setcharacter() function.
This is the list of available functions for controlling SayDialogs.
```lua
-- Options for configuring Say Dialog behaviour
sayoptions.clearprevious = true | false
sayoptions.waitforinput = true | false
sayoptions.fadewhendone = true | false
sayoptions.stopvoiceover = true | false
-- Set the active saydialog to use with the say function
-- saydialog: A binding to a SayDialog component
setsaydialog(saydialog)
-- Gets the active say dialog, or creates one if none exists yet
getsaydialog()
-- Set the active character on the Say Dialog
-- character: A Fungus.Character component
-- portrait: The name of a sprite in the character's portrait list
setcharacter(character, portrait)
-- Write text to the active Say Dialog
-- text: A string to write to the say dialog
-- voice: A voiceover audioclip to play
say(text, voiceclip)
```
# Menu Dialog functions
You setup custom MenuDialogs in the same manner as SayDialogs, use the setmenudialog() function to set the active MenuDialog.
The easiest way to display a list of options is using the choose() function. Remember that in Lua array indices start at 1 instead of 0 like in most other languages.
You can set an option to be displayed but not selectable by prepending it with the ~ character.
A useful pattern is to use choose() together with Lua's goto statement and labels. This can be handy for 'flattening out' nested menu options. The [goto statement] doesn't support jumping into the scope of a local variable, but it's easy to work around this by declaring the local variable in the outer scope. You could also use a global variable (by not using the local keyword).
The menu() and menutimer() functions provide an alternative way to use the MenuDialog. These functions return immediately, and a callback function is called when the player selects an option from the menu.
This is the list of available MenuDialog functions.
```lua
-- Set the active menudialog to use with the menu function
setmenudialog(menudialog)
-- Gets the active menu dialog, or creates one if none exists yet
getmenudialog()
-- Display a list of menu options and wait for user to choose one.
-- When an option starts with the ~ character it will be displayed but not be selectable.
-- Returns the index of the selected option.
-- Returns 0 if options list is empty. Note: Lua array indices start at 1, not 0).
-- options: an array of option strings. e.g. { "Option 1", "Option 2" }
choose(options)
-- Display a list of menu options and wait for user to choose one, or for a timer to expire.
-- When an option starts with the ~ character it will be displayed but not be selectable.
-- Returns the index of the selected option, or the defaultoption if the timer expires.
-- Returns 0 if options list is empty. Note: Lua array indices start at 1, not 0).
-- options: an array of option strings. e.g. { "Option 1", "Option 2" }
-- duration: Time player has to pick an option.
-- defaultoption: Option index to return if the timer expires.
choosetimer(options, duration, defaultoption)
-- Display a menu button
-- text: text to display on the button
-- callback: function to call when this option is selected
-- interactive (optional): if false, displays the option as disabled
menu(text, callback, interactive)
-- Display a timer during which the player has to choose an option.
-- duration: The length of time to display the timer.
-- callback: Function to call if the timer expires before an option is selected.
menutimer(duration, callback)
-- Clear all currently displayed menu options
clearmenu()
```
# Portrait functions
Stage portraits can be controlled by using the stage.
First, add your characters and stage to the LuaBindings list.
The conversation() function allows you to perform long dialogue exchanges with a single function call. Lua's multiline string syntax [[ ]] is handy here. As the conversation() function takes a single string parameter you can also omit the usual function parentheses.
We've added special functions for say() and menu() because these are so common in %Fungus games. To execute any other commands in %Fungus from Lua, you must do it in conjunction with a Flowchart & Block, like this:
