info_placement_helper

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An info_placement_helper on a wall. If the keyvalue Use helper's angles is set to No, then its orientation doesn't matter. Otherwise, the red arrow must be perfectly perpendicular to the surface pointing away from it and the blue one (the angle's roll value to be precise) determines the portal's top and bottom. If placed like this, it does what you expect.
Note that the blue arrows of the default arrow prop in the editor have two different tips, one of which is only visible from one side.

info_placement_helper is a point entity available in Portal 2 Portal 2.

It snaps portals to a position: If a player fires a portal within this entity's radius, the portal will automatically be repositioned at this entity's origin. After that, the portal may still be pushed away by other open portals. Map-placed prop_portal entities are unaffected by this entity.

Each placement helper does this at most once every 3.5 seconds by default. This way, the player is free to accept or deny the placement helper. However, if the keyvalue Force Placement is set to Yes, there is no such "cooldown" and a portal will always snap such that the player has no choice.

Note.pngNote:Players may be confused or frustrated as to why they can't freely place portals on a specific surface, especially if they are unaware that placement helpers even exist.

This entity needn't be placed in a perfect distance to a surface but 0-8 units are good practice. Pay attention that a placement helper doesn't interfere with a different one.

If the keyvalue Use helper's angles is set to No, this entity's orientation doesn't matter. Otherwise, refer to the images on the right. This entity allows for the placement of funkily rotated portals which are normally impossible.

Tip.pngTip:TeamSpen210's Hammer Addons include a custom model for this entity, accurately showing the portal's size and orientation.
Tip.pngTip:Since this entity is invisible in-game, it helps a lot if you use a portal indicator texture or decal along with this entity.

Keyvalues

Radius <float>
Radius in which to influence placement.
Proxy Entity Name <targetname>
Name of the entity we want to use for our real placement position.
Attach Entity Name <string>
Name of the entity we want force our attachment to. Used to combine objects.
Use helper's angles <boolean>
Placed portals will snap to the angles of the placement helper.
Force Placement <boolean>
Disable the "cooldown" period after the placement helper is used, preventing the player from offsetting portals.
Note.pngNote:Despite this keyvalue's description in the default FGD, it does not allow bypassing portal placement rules. Enabling it is also not required for the helper to work, despite common misconception.

Targetname:
Name (targetname) <string>
The targetname that other entities refer to this entity by.

Parentname:
Parent (parentname) <targetname>
Specifies a movement parent. An entity will maintain its initial offset from its parent. An attachment point can be added to the end of the name, separated by a comma.

Angles:
Pitch Yaw Roll (Y Z X) (angles) <angle>
This entity's orientation in the world. Pitch is rotation around the Y axis, yaw is the rotation around the Z axis, roll is the rotation around the X axis.

EnableDisable:

Start Disabled (StartDisabled) <boolean>
Stay dormant until activated (with theEnableinput).

Inputs


Base:
AddContext <string>
Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. See Context.
AddOutput <string>
Assigns a new keyvalue/output on this entity. For keyvalues, some rely on extra necessary code to be ran and won't work if its simply just changed through this input. There is a strict format that must be followed:
// Format of changing KeyValues: "AddOutput [key] [value]"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,targetname new_name"

// Format of adding an Output: "AddOutput {targetname}:{inputname}:{parameter}:{delay}:{max times to fire, -1 means infinite}"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:SetParent:!activator:0.0:-1"
// Arguments can be left blank, but the empty blank should still be contained.
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:ClearParent::0.0:-1"
ClearContext
Removes all contexts from this entity's list.
ClearParent
Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.
FireUser1 to FireUser4
Fires the respectiveOnUseroutputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.
Kill
Removes this entity and any entities parented to it from the world.
KillHierarchy
Functions the same as Kill, although this entity and any entities parented to it are killed on the same frame, being marginally faster thanKillinput.
RemoveContext <string>
Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.
SetParent <string>
Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).
SetParentAttachment <string>
Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.
SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset <string>
As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.
Use  !FGD
Same as a player invoking +use; no effect in most cases.
DispatchResponse <string> !FGD
Dispatches a response to the entity. See Response and Concept.
DispatchEffect <string> (removed since Left 4 Dead) !FGD
Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin; See also List of Client Effects. Replaced by the particle system since Left 4 Dead.
RunScriptFile <script> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Execute a VScript file from disk, without file extension. The script contents are merged with the script scope of the receiving entity.
RunScriptCode <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2)
Execute a string of VScript source code in the scope of the entity receiving the input. String quotation may be needed when fired via console.
Icon-Bug.pngBug:In Hammer, using string arguments will corrupt the VMF file's structure, making the file unviewable for the next Hammer session.
Note.pngFix:Remove the string argument manually with a text editor.
Note.pngNote:Team Fortress 2 Backtick characters ` are replaced with quotation marks at runtime, allowing quotation marks to be used when normally not possible.
CallScriptFunction <string> (in all games since Left 4 Dead 2) (also in Team Fortress 2) !FGD
Calls a VScript function defined in the scope of the receiving entity.
TerminateScriptScope  (only in Team Fortress 2) !FGD
Destroys the script scope of the receving entity.
SetLocalOrigin <coordinates> (in all games since Alien Swarm) !FGD
Send this entity to a spot in the map. If the entity is parented to something, it will be offset from the parent by this amount.
SetLocalAngles <angles> (in all games since Alien Swarm) !FGD
Set this entity's angles.

Parentname:
SetParent <string>
Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).
SetParentAttachment <string>
Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.
SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset <string>
As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.
ClearParent
Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.

EnableDisable:

Enable
Disable
Enable/disable this entity from performing its task. It might also disappear from view.

Outputs

OnObjectPlaced
An object has been successfully placed using us as a guide.
OnObjectPlacedSize <integer>
When an object is successfully placed, this sends the scale level as an out value

Targetname:
OnUser1 to OnUser4
These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered FireUser1 to FireUser4 Input; see User Inputs and Outputs.
OnKilled  (only in Left 4 Dead)
This output fires when the entity is killed and removed from the game.