User talk:Braindawg: Difference between revisions

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This page includes performance tips and tricks to improve your [[VScript]] performance.  While some of these tricks can be transferred to other supported titles (such as {{l4d2}}), they were all tested in {{tf2}}.  Your mileage may vary in other games.
{{Message
 
| user = Seal Enthusiast
{{Warning|Only optimize your scripts if you need to!  Some of these tips may introduce extra unnecessary complexity to your project.  Premature optimization without knowing where your performance issues actually come from is extremely ill-advised.}}
| time = 18:09, 15 Apr 2024
 
| Hello Braindawg I have moved all content from here, to [[https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/User:Braindawg/performance]] as this page is meant for discussions about users}}
== Folding Functions ==
 
Folding functions in the context of VScript means folding them into the root table.  It is recommended that you do this for functions that are commonly used in expensive operations.
 
=== Benchmark ===
 
{{Note|Benchmark done on tc_hydro}}
 
<source lang=js>
::ROOT <- getroottable()
foreach(k, v in ::NetProps.getclass())
if (k != "IsValid" && !(k in ROOT))
ROOT[k] <- ::NetProps[k].bindenv(::NetProps)
 
foreach(k, v in ::Entities.getclass())
if (k != "IsValid" && !(k in ROOT))
ROOT[k] <- ::Entities[k].bindenv(::Entities)
 
BeginBenchmark()
 
for (local prop; prop = Entities.FindByClassname(prop, "prop_dynamic");)
    NetProps.GetPropString(prop, "m_iName")
 
printf("unfolded took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
 
BeginBenchmark()
 
for (local prop; prop = FindByClassname(prop, "prop_dynamic");)
    GetPropString(prop, "m_iName")
 
printf("folded took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
</source>
 
Result:
 
{| class="standard-table"
! Configuration
! Results
|-
|<code>Unfolded</code>
|<code>0.1439ms</code>
|-
|<code>Folded</code>
|<code>0.0999ms</code>
|-
|}
 
== Constants ==
 
=== Folding Constants ===
 
Similar to folding functions, folding pre-defined Constant values into the constant table (or the root table) makes referencing them less cumbersome, as well as increasing performance.
 
===Benchmark===
 
<source lang=js>
local j = 0
BeginBenchmark()
for (local i = 1; i <= Constants.Server.MAX_EDICTS; i++)
    j++
printf("unfolded constant took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
 
const MAX_EDICTS = 2048
local e = 0
BeginBenchmark()
for (local i = 1; i <= MAX_EDICTS; i++)
    e++
printf("folded constant took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
</source>
 
Result:
 
{| class="standard-table"
! Configuration
! Results
|-
|<code>Unfolded</code>
|<code>0.1127ms</code>
|-
|<code>"Folded"</code>
|<code>0.0423ms</code>
|-
|}
 
=== Root table vs Constant table ===
 
Unlike values inserted into the root table, values inserted into the constant table are cached at the pre-processor level.  What this means is, while accessing them is faster, it may not be feasible to fold your constants into the constant table
 
If you intend to insert values into the constant table, you must do this ''before'' any other scripts are executed, otherwise your script will not be able to read any values from it.
 
=== Benchmark ===
<source lang=js>
::ROOT_VALUE <- 2
const CONST_VALUE = 2
 
BeginBenchmark();
 
for (local i = 0; i <= 10000; i++)
    i += CONST_VALUE
 
printf("CONST took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
 
BeginBenchmark();
 
for (local i = 0; i <= 10000; i++)
    i += ROOT_VALUE
 
printf("ROOT took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
</source>
 
Result:
 
{| class="standard-table"
! Configuration
! Results
|-
|<code>Constant</code>
|<code>0.0767ms</code>
|-
|<code>Root</code>
|<code>0.1037ms</code>
|-
|}
 
== String Formatting ==
 
Squirrel supports two main ways to format strings: Concatenation using the + symbol, and the <code>format()</code> function.
 
<code>format()</code> does not support formatting entity handles and other VScript-specific datatypes, however it does support formatting strings, integers, and floats. It is also significantly faster than concatenation.
 
=== ToKVString ===
 
the <code>TOKVString()</code> VScript function takes a Vector/QAngle and formats the values into a string.  For example, <code>Vector(0, 0, 0).ToKVString()</code> would be <code>"0 0 0"</code>
 
On top of being less cumbersome to write, <code>ToKVString()</code> is marginally faster than <code>format()</code>.  Interestingly though, when formatting multiple <code>ToKVString()</code> outputs into a new string, concatenation may be faster.
 
=== Benchmark ===
 
<source lang=js>
local mins = Vector(-1, -2, -3);
local maxs = Vector(1, 2, 3);
local keyvalues = { responsecontext = "-10 -10 -10 10 10 10" }
 
BeginBenchmark();
for (local i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
    keyvalues.responsecontext <- mins.x.tostring() + "," + mins.y.tostring() + "," + mins.z.tostring() + "," + maxs.x.tostring() + "," + maxs.y.tostring() + "," + maxs.z.tostring()
printf("concat took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
 
BeginBenchmark();
for (local i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
    keyvalues.responsecontext <- format("%g,%g,%g,%g,%g,%g", mins.x, mins.y, mins.z, maxs.x, maxs.y, maxs.z)
printf("format took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());   
 
BeginBenchmark();
   
for (local i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
    keyvalues.responsecontext <- format("%s %s", mins.ToKVString(), maxs.ToKVString())
printf("kvstring took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());   
 
BeginBenchmark();
for (local i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
    keyvalues.responsecontext <- mins.ToKVString() + " " + maxs.ToKVString()
printf("kvstring concat took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
</source>
 
Result:
 
{| class="standard-table"
! Configuration
! Results
|-
|<code>concat</code>
|<code>39.0847ms</code>
|-
|<code>format</code>
|<code>24.0123ms</code>
|-
|<code>ToKVString</code>
|<code> 19.9377ms</code>
|-
|<code>ToKVString + concat</code>
|<code>18.5166ms</code>
|}
 
== Spawning Entities ==
 
in VScript, there are four common ways to spawn entities:
 
- CreateByClassname + DispatchSpawn
 
- SpawnEntityFromTable
 
- SpawnEntityGroupFromTable
 
- point_script_template entity + AddTemplate
 
=== CreateByClassname + DispatchSpawn vs SpawnEntityFromTable ===
 
In general, performance is not a major concern when spawning entities.  In special circumstances though, you may need to spawn and kill a temporary entity in an already expensive function.  A notable example of an entity that would need this is [[trigger_stun]].  This entity will not attempt to re-stun the same player multiple times, so it is not possible to spawn a single entity and repeatedly fire StartTouch/EndTouch on the same target.
 
In situations like this, CreateByClassname + DispatchSpawn is roughly 4x faster in comparison to <code>SpawnEntityFromTable</code>.
 
=== Benchmark ===
 
<source lang=js>
BeginBenchmark();
trigger_stun = SpawnEntityFromTable("trigger_stun",
{
    stun_type = 2,
    stun_effects = true,
    stun_duration = 3,
    move_speed_reduction = 0.1,
    trigger_delay = 0.1,
    spawnflags = 1,
});
printf("table took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
 
BeginBenchmark();
trigger_stun = Entities.CreateByClassname("trigger_stun");
trigger_stun.KeyValueFromInt("stun_type", 2);
trigger_stun.KeyValueFromInt("stun_effects", 1);
trigger_stun.KeyValueFromFloat("stun_duration", 3.0);
trigger_stun.KeyValueFromFloat("move_speed_reduction", 0.1);
trigger_stun.KeyValueFromFloat("trigger_delay", 0.1);
trigger_stun.KeyValueFromInt("spawnflags", 1);
printf("manual took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
</source>
 
Result:
 
{| class="standard-table"
! Configuration
! Results
|-
|<code>SpawnEntityFromTable</code>
|<code>0.0428ms</code>
|-
|<code>CreateByClassname</code>
|<code>0.0156ms</code>
|}
 
=== SpawnEntityGroupFromTable vs point_script_template ===
 
When spawning multiple entities at the same time, it is more efficient to use either SpawnEntityGroupFromTable or a point_script_template entity.  These options also have the added benefit of respecting parent hierarchy, so the <code>parentname</code> keyvalue works as intended.
 
point_script_template is not only more flexible, but significantly faster (more than 7x).  SpawnEntityGroupFromTable has several major limitations in comparison to point_script_template, and is generally not recommended.  See the [[Team_Fortress_2/Scripting/Script_Functions#CPointScriptTemplate|VScript documentation]] for more details on how to use point_script_template.
 
=== Benchmark ===
<source lang=js>
//spawn origins are right outside of bigrock spawn
BeginBenchmark()
 
SpawnEntityGroupFromTable({
    [0] = {
        func_rotating =
        {
            message = "hl1/ambience/labdrone2.wav",
            volume = 8,
            responsecontext = "-1 -1 -1 1 1 1",
            targetname = "crystal_spin",
            spawnflags = 65,
            solidbsp = 0,
            rendermode = 10,
            rendercolor = "255 255 255",
            renderamt = 255,
            maxspeed = 48,
            fanfriction = 20,
            origin = Vector(278.900513, -2033.692993, 516.067200),
        }
    },
    [2] = {
        tf_glow =
        {
            targetname = "crystalglow",
            parentname = "crystal",
            target = "crystal",
            Mode = 2,
            origin = Vector(278.900513, -2033.692993, 516.067200),
            GlowColor = "0 78 255 255"
        }
    },
    [3] = {
        prop_dynamic =
        {
            targetname = "crystal",
            solid = 6,
            renderfx = 15,
            rendercolor = "255 255 255",
            renderamt = 255,
            physdamagescale = 1.0,
            parentname = "crystal_spin",
            modelscale = 1.3,
            model = "models/props_moonbase/moon_gravel_crystal_blue.mdl",
            MinAnimTime = 5,
            MaxAnimTime = 10,
            fadescale = 1.0,
            fademindist = -1.0,
            origin = Vector(278.900513, -2033.692993, 516.067200),
            angles = QAngle(45, 0, 0)
        }
    },
})
printf("SpawnEntityGroupFromTable took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
 
BeginBenchmark()
 
local script_template = Entities.CreateByClassname("point_script_template")
 
script_template.AddTemplate("func_rotating", {
    message = "hl1/ambience/labdrone2.wav",
    volume = 8,
    targetname = "crystal_spin2",
    spawnflags = 65,
    solidbsp = 0,
    rendermode = 10,
    rendercolor = "255 255 255",
    renderamt = 255,
    maxspeed = 48,
    fanfriction = 20,
    origin = Vector(175.907211, -2188.908691, 516.031311),
})
 
script_template.AddTemplate("tf_glow", {
        target = "crystal2",
        Mode = 2,
        origin = Vector(175.907211, -2188.908691, 516.031311),
        GlowColor = "0 78 255 255"
})
 
script_template.AddTemplate("prop_dynamic",{
    targetname = "crystal2",
    solid = 6,
    renderfx = 15,
    rendercolor = "255 255 255",
    renderamt = 255,
    physdamagescale = 1.0,
    parentname = "crystal_spin2",
    modelscale = 1.3,
    model = "models/props_moonbase/moon_gravel_crystal_blue.mdl",
    MinAnimTime = 5,
    MaxAnimTime = 10,
    fadescale = 1.0,
    fademindist = -1.0,
    origin = Vector(175.907211, -2188.908691, 516.031311),
    angles = QAngle(45, 0, 0)
})
 
EntFireByHandle(script_template, "ForceSpawn", "", -1, null, null)
 
printf("point_script_template took %.4f ms\n", EndBenchmark());
</source>
 
 
Result:
 
{| class="standard-table"
! Configuration
! Results
|-
|<code>SpawnEntityGroupFromTable</code>
|<code>0.1752ms</code>
|-
|<code>point_script_template</code>
|<code>0.0197ms</code>
|}

Revision as of 05:36, 15 April 2024

(using Template:Message)  Hello Braindawg I have moved all content from here, to [[1]] as this page is meant for discussions about users --Seal Enthusiast (talk) 18:09, 15 Apr 2024 (UTC)

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