# paint

An alternative method of creating visuals & graphics on higher level access.
Instead of using in-game drawing systems, this uses an external version on a separated thread.

When you perform drawing objects, its good practice to localize & reuse data.
Try to minimize object creation if you can, paint.point.* may be harder to localize.
This is due to the idea of dynamically changing vectors, which can be a problem but do-able.

paint.add("example", function(w, h)
    -- don't do this, you are creating a new object every time
    local color = paint.color.rgba(255, 255, 255, 255)
end)

-- instead do this
local white = paint.color.rgba(255, 255, 255, 255)
paint.add("example", function(w, h)
    -- access white here, its now an upvalue
end)

-- if you need to change it at runtime
local dynamic = paint.color.rgba(255, 255, 255, 255)
paint.add("example", function(w, h)
    dynamic.r = (os.clock() % 1) * 255
    -- in here we are just changing the color object's "R" stat
end)

Paint works everywhere no matter where you call it.
An example of this is by using linker's ability to attach to certain events.
This allows you to have a unique way of inline calls for accurate points.

linker.hook.add("Think", "paint!", function()
    -- perform paint operations here as well
end)

Paint uses two different vector types.
Both types are recognized by their index characteristics.
Which means using internal game-software mechanics like "Vector", would also work.

• Creates a 2D vector for paint to recognize

• Creates a 3D vector for paint to recognize

Paint also uses its own color system due to the fact of interop with other frameworks.

• Creates an RGB based color

• Creates an RGBA based color

• Creates an RGBA based color from hex strings
• Accepts format #RRGGBBAA or #RRGGBB

• Creates an RGBA based color from HSV

• Creates an RGBA based color from HSL

• Creates a line between points A and B

• Creates a circle around a center point that is filled

• Creates a circle around a center point that is hollow

• Creates a triangle from three points that is filled

• Creates a triangle from three points that is hollow

• Creates a rectangle that is filled

• Creates a rectangle that is hollow

• Creates a rectangle that is filled with rounding

• Creates a rectangle that is hollow with rounding

• Creates a rectangle using a gradient of colors

• Creates a rectangle that is filled with rotation in degrees
• These rectangles are centered

• Creates a rectangle that is hollow with rotation in degrees
• These rectangles are centered

• Creates a quadrilateral that is filled

• Creates a quadrilateral that is hollow

• Creates text thats aligned to the left

• Creates text thats aligned to the center

• Creates text thats aligned to the right

• Bakes a font into memory, so that you can use it
• Fonts already created under a name will simply return true as existing

local proggy_data = fs.read("proggy_clean.ttf")
if not paint.text.bake("Proggy", proggy_data, 14) then
    error("Couldn't load proggy font!")
end

local point = paint.point.vector2(40, 40)
local white = paint.color.rgb(255, 255, 255)
paint.add("example", function(w, h)
    paint.text.font("Proggy")
    paint.text.left(point, "hello world", white)
end)

• De-allocates a font from memory, effectively unloading it

• Check if a font has been added

• Makes all future text renderers use a specific font
• Returns the current font being used currently

• Bakes an image into memory, so that you can use it
• Images are managed by reference, so if its no longer used in lua, it will eventually de-allocate

local data = fs.read("sample.jpg")
local image = paint.image.bake(data)
if not image then
    error("Couldn't load image!")
end

local point = paint.point.vector2(50, 50)
local size = paint.point.vector2(128, 128)
local white = paint.color.rgb(255, 255, 255)
paint.add("example", function(w, h)
    paint.image.normal(image, point, size, white)
end)

• Creates a rectangle image

• Creates a rectangle image with rounding

Paint uses a slightly different type of Signal
You don't have to provide a name, instead its just an identifier.

-- instead of:
paint.listener.add("paint", "identity", function(w, h) end)
-- its:
paint.add("identity", function(w, h) end)

This is to make it simpler since paint really only has one event handler.