Input category

Description

This category contains nodes that you can use to access data values that are set outside of your graph: in other Flow graphs, or in Lua scripts.

When you use this node in a unit Flow graph, in a Flow graph that you assign to an entity, or in a Flow subroutine, a new input data connection becomes available on the Flow node that represents this unit, entity or subroutine in other Flow graphs. Whenever your Flow graph reads the data value from this external input node, the value it receives is the last value passed by one of those other Flow graphs to that new data connection.

For example, the following image shows a Unit Flow graph that contains an External Input String node named Custom variable. When a Data > Level Unit node for this unit is used in a Level Flow graph, it automatically offers an input connection with the same name, that accepts string values. When the Unit Flow graph tries to read that external string value, it gets whatever value the Level Flow graph last passed in to that string input connection -- in this case, the text "A string value!".

In addition, you can set external input variables from Lua by calling stingray.Unit.set_flow_variable(), or stingray.FlowComponent.set_flow_variable().

When you use this node in a level Flow graph, you can only set the input variable from Lua, by calling stingray.Level.set_flow_variable().

Related help topics

Creating Gameplay > Communicating between Flow and Lua

Nodes

External Input Actor Gets an actor that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Actor		actor	The actor passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external actor input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Boolean Gets a Boolean value that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Boolean		boolean	The Boolean value passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external Boolean input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Camera Gets a camera that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Camera		camera	The camera passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external camera input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Entity Gets an entity that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Entity		entity	The entity passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external entity input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Id Gets an ID that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Id Value		id	The ID passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external ID input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Light Gets a light that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Light		light	The light passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external light input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Material Gets a material that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Material		material	The material passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external material input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Mesh Gets a mesh that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Mesh		mesh	The mesh passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external mesh input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Mover Gets a mover that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Mover		mover	The mover passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external mover input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Numeric Gets a numeric value that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Numeric		float	The numeric value passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external numeric input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Quaternion Gets a quaternion that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Quaternion		quaternion	The quaternion passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external quaternion input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input String Gets a string that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		String		string	The string passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external string input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Unit Gets a unit that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Unit		unit	The unit passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external unit input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.

External Input Vector 3 Gets a vector3 that is passed in to this flow graph from a different flow graph, or from Lua.

Outputs
		Vector 3		vector3	The vector3 passed in by the external Flow graph.
Variables
		Name		string	The name of the external vector3 input variable you want to retrieve.

Available in Unit Flow Editor, Level Flow Editor, and External Flow Editor.