Tool Meta

The ToolGun interacts with the world through specialized meta functions.

This guide lists utilities for object manipulation and ghost entity management.

Overview

Tool meta functions track hovered entities, create ghost previews, and wrap common building operations.

They ensure consistent behavior across custom tools in Lilia.

Create

Purpose

Creates a new tool object with default values.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

table: The newly created tool object.

Example Usage

-- Create a new tool instance and configure it
local tool = ToolGunMeta:Create()
tool.Mode = "lia_dooredit"
tool.SWEP = weapon -- weapon variable from your SWEP
tool.Owner = client -- client that spawned the tool

CreateConVars

Purpose

Creates client and server ConVars for this tool.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

-- Ensure console variables exist for configuration
tool:CreateConVars()

GetServerInfo

Purpose

Returns the server ConVar for the given property.

Parameters

property (string): Property name.

Realm

Shared

Returns

ConVar: The server ConVar object.

Example Usage

-- Check if the server allows using this tool
local allow = tool:GetServerInfo("allow_use"):GetBool()

BuildConVarList

Purpose

Returns a table of client ConVars prefixed by the tool mode.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

table: Table of convars.

Example Usage

-- Get a table of client ConVars for networking
local cvars = tool:BuildConVarList()

GetClientInfo

Purpose

Retrieves a client ConVar value as a string.

Parameters

property (string): ConVar name without mode prefix.

Realm

Shared

Returns

string: The value stored in the ConVar.

Example Usage

-- Get the client's chosen material from a ConVar
local mat = tool:GetClientInfo("material")

GetClientNumber

Purpose

Retrieves a numeric client ConVar value.

Parameters

property (string): ConVar name without mode prefix.
default (number): Value returned if the ConVar doesn't exist.

Realm

Shared

Returns

number: The numeric value of the ConVar.

Example Usage

-- Read the numeric power setting with a fallback
local power = tool:GetClientNumber("power", 10)

Allowed

Purpose

Determines whether this tool is allowed to be used.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

boolean: True if the tool is allowed.

Example Usage

-- Gate tool usage behind an admin check
function TOOL:Allowed()
    return self.AllowedCVar:GetBool() and self:GetOwner():IsAdmin()
end

Init

Purpose

Placeholder for tool initialization.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

function TOOL:Init()
    self.Stage = 1
    self:CreateConVars()
end

GetMode

Purpose

Gets the current tool mode string.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

string: Tool mode name.

Example Usage

-- Retrieve the tool's active mode string
local result = tool:GetMode()

GetSWEP

Purpose

Returns the SWEP associated with this tool.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

SWEP: The tool's weapon entity.

Example Usage

-- Obtain the weapon entity representing this tool
local result = tool:GetSWEP()

GetOwner

Purpose

Returns the player who owns the associated weapon.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

Player: Owner of the tool.

Example Usage

-- Reference the player who deployed the tool
local owner = tool:GetOwner()
print(owner:Name())

GetWeapon

Purpose

Retrieves the weapon entity this tool is attached to.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

Weapon: The weapon object.

Example Usage

-- Access the underlying weapon object
local result = tool:GetWeapon()

LeftClick

Purpose

Handles the left-click action. Override for custom behavior.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

boolean: False by default.

Example Usage

-- Example override performing a build action
function TOOL:LeftClick(trace)
    self:AddPoint(trace.HitPos)
    return true
end

RightClick

Purpose

Handles the right-click action. Override for custom behavior.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

boolean: False by default.

Example Usage

-- Example override for an alternate action
function TOOL:RightClick(trace)
    openContextMenu(trace.Entity)
    return true
end

Reload

Purpose

Clears stored objects when the tool reloads.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

function TOOL:Reload()
    self:ClearObjects()
    self:ReleaseGhostEntity()
end

Deploy

Purpose

Called when the tool is equipped. Releases ghost entity.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

function TOOL:Deploy()
    self:ReleaseGhostEntity()
    self:CreateConVars()
end

Holster

Purpose

Called when the tool is holstered. Releases ghost entity.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

function TOOL:Holster()
    self:ReleaseGhostEntity()
    self:ClearObjects()
end

Think

Purpose

Called every tick; releases ghost entities by default.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

function TOOL:Think()
    self:CheckObjects()
    updateGhost(self:GetOwner(), self.GhostEntity)
end

CheckObjects

Purpose

Validates stored objects and clears them if invalid.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

-- Validate all stored objects each tick
local result = tool:CheckObjects()

ClearObjects

Purpose

Removes all stored objects from the tool.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

-- Remove any objects the tool is storing
local result = tool:ClearObjects()

ReleaseGhostEntity

Purpose

Removes the ghost entity used for previewing placements.

Parameters

None

Realm

Shared

Returns

None: This function does not return a value.

Example Usage

-- Remove the placement preview entity
local result = tool:ReleaseGhostEntity()