ReloadTexture ( texture )

Parameters

texture - texture created by LoadTexture or LoadAnimTexture

Description

Reloads a texture from its source file right now. Returns True on success.

ReloadTexture is the manual counterpart to WatchTexture's automatic polling: it re-reads the texture's file immediately, on your say-so. Bind it to a key or an editor's "Reload" button when you want full control over when new art appears - or to force a refresh the moment your tools finish exporting.

The reload is validated and atomic. The file is decoded into temporary storage first and must produce the same frame layout as the original; only after that succeeds are the pixels swapped, so a running game never shows a half-loaded texture. On failure the function returns False, the last-known-good pixels stay exactly as they were, an error is filed in diagnostics and TextureReloadError(texture) carries the reason. On success the error is cleared and every texture sharing that source file shows the new image.

Only file-backed textures qualify: passing a texture not created by LoadTexture or LoadAnimTexture stops the program with a runtime error. The decode happens synchronously, so expect a hitch reloading a huge texture mid-play - fine for development, not something to call every frame.

Requires Extended mode.

See also: WatchTexture, TextureReloadError, LoadTexture, LoadAnimTexture.

Example

; ReloadTexture Example
; ---------------------
; Requires Extended mode.

Graphics3D 640,480,0,2
SetBuffer BackBuffer()

SeedRnd MilliSecs()

camera=CreateCamera()
PositionEntity camera,0,0,-4

light=CreateLight()
RotateEntity light,45,45,0

; Write the texture file this example will reload, then load it
PaintFile 30,70,160
crate=CreateCube()
texture=LoadTexture("reload_demo.bmp")
EntityTexture crate,texture

While Not KeyDown(1)

    ; Space repaints the file on disk - the crate does NOT change yet
    If KeyHit(57) Then PaintFile Rand(0,255),Rand(0,255),Rand(0,255)

    ; R decodes the file again and swaps it in atomically on success
    If KeyHit(19) Then ok=ReloadTexture(texture)

    TurnEntity crate,0.5,1,0

    ; Arrow keys move the camera
    If KeyDown(200) Then MoveEntity camera,0,0,0.1
    If KeyDown(208) Then MoveEntity camera,0,0,-0.1
    If KeyDown(203) Then TurnEntity camera,0,1,0
    If KeyDown(205) Then TurnEntity camera,0,-1,0

    RenderWorld

    Text 0,0,"Space: repaint file   R: ReloadTexture   Arrows: camera   Esc: exit"
    Text 0,20,"Repaint first, then press R to pull the new pixels into the scene"
    If ok Then Text 0,40,"Last ReloadTexture(texture) returned True"

    Flip

Wend

; Remove the file this example created
FreeTexture texture
DeleteFile "reload_demo.bmp"

End

; Draw a coloured pattern and save it as the reloadable file on disk
Function PaintFile(red,green,blue)
    scratch=CreateTexture(64,64)
    SetBuffer TextureBuffer(scratch)
    ClsColor red,green,blue
    Cls
    Color 255-red,255-green,255-blue
    Oval 12,12,40,40,True
    SetBuffer BackBuffer()
    Color 255,255,255
    SaveBuffer TextureBuffer(scratch),"reload_demo.bmp"
    FreeTexture scratch
End Function

Index

Blitz3D+ Command Reference

ReloadTexture ( texture )

Parameters

Description

Example