Sprite / map data is overwritten each time the output is generated. about tic-bundle

[chronoDave]

@lenaschimmel @Kyratech New version (3.3.0) has been published with asset support.

You can now declare files as assets by adding assets: [] to your configuration, similar to files: []. Assets will only have their asset data copied over (all code information is stripped) and files will only have their code information copied.

For example, a file like this:

--script: lua

test = 'tic-bundle'

-- test
-- <TILES>
-- 000:0100000010100000010000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
-- </TILES>

-- <SPRITES>
-- 000:8000000080000000800000008000000080000000800000000000000000000000
-- </SPRITES>

-- <PALETTE>
-- 000:301c00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000009900000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
-- </PALETTE>

Would only have

--script: lua

test = 'tic-bundle'

-- test

copied over if it was declared a file and only

-- <TILES>
-- 000:0100000010100000010000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
-- </TILES>

-- <SPRITES>
-- 000:8000000080000000800000008000000080000000800000000000000000000000
-- </SPRITES>

-- <PALETTE>
-- 000:301c00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000009900000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
-- </PALETTE>

if it is declared as an asset. I hope that helps!

[lenaschimmel]

Thanks for the quick reaction, @chronoDave!

And thank you @Kyratech for describing a possible workflow. That seems doable, but is not nearly as easy and elegant as I had hoped.

Oh, you just published a version while I was still writing :D I will probably give your solution a shot in a day or two. If it's not what I need, I will probably try to make a quick fork and PR at some time, but currently can't tell when that is going to happen…

[Kyratech]

Hi @chronoDave
Thanks for the quick update! The change is really useful already - hopefully Lena finds it works for her too.

[chronoDave]

Thank you for the very detailed issue description!

I downloaded your repo and tried to understand the issue you're describing. If I'm correct, you're taking these steps:

1. Create source files in src
2. Bundle these files into your output file, dyke.lua
3. Editing the output file
4. Losing your changes when you edit your source files

If so, then yes, tic-bundle assumes your output file is always generated, never edited. I noticed your sprites are defined in src/main.lua so you'd load that into TIC-80 and change the sprites there if you want to see them in your bundled file.

I hope this answers your question, if not, please let me know.

[Kyratech]

I use tic-bundle for my project and this is my workflow for working with this behaviour:

1. In my source files, I created a new file metadata.lua.
2. I added metadata.lua to the end of the files list in .ticbundle.json.
3. When I edit any assets in my project, I save it as a separate file from build.lua, called meta.lua.
4. I copy the asset comments from meta.lua into metadata.lua.
5. tic-bundle notices one of the source files has updated, so a rebuild is triggered and the new metadata is incorporated into the new version of build.lua.
6. I re-load build.lua in TIC-80.

Now that I've established this workflow, I find that it's pretty usable.

I would be in favour of an optional feature that prevents overwriting the metadata though, because it would skip all the manual copying and pasting.

[chronoDave]

I use tic-bundle for my project and this is my workflow for working with this behaviour:

1. In my source files, I created a new file `metadata.lua`.

2. I added `metadata.lua` to the end of the files list in `.ticbundle.json`.

3. When I edit any assets in my project, I save it as a separate file from `build.lua`, called `meta.lua`.

4. I copy the asset comments from `meta.lua` into `metadata.lua`.

5. tic-bundle notices one of the source files has updated, so a rebuild is triggered and the new metadata is incorporated into the new version of `build.lua`.

6. I re-load `build.lua` in TIC-80.

Now that I've established this workflow, I find that it's pretty usable.

I would be in favour of an optional feature that prevents overwriting the metadata though, because it would skip all the manual copying and pasting.

I've been playing around in TIC-80 and see the problem you're facing. It's possible to create a blank cart and create graphics, but a loadable file must contain a valid script tag (which gets copied over as well of course). I'll add support and documentation for asset cart (such as graphics and sound) support.