Script Surface Lights Inside Multiple Parts

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:21am

I have a surface light inside multiple parts all grouped in one folder. I want to save time and scripts by using a single script to be able to interact with all of them at once. Specifically, I want to be able to enable them on when they are off, edit the brightness, etc.

The problem is that I don’t have the experience to make it happen. I am able to make the first SurfaceLight in my workspace in the folder where this script is to work, but every other one below ti doesn’t.

What I have tried though, is using GetChildren and attempted to use a table but that didn’t result in anything happening.

local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight")

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
if val == 0 then
l.Enabled = false
l.Brightness = 0 * val
else
	
l.Enabled = true	
l.Brightness = 10 * val
end		

print(val)
end

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 12:18pm

Do you mean, In a single button all of the Surface Light will do something?

If so, you can use a for loop to do that.

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 12:22pm

Yeah, I thought so. Unfortunately I struggle with loops and I don’t know how to even use a loop for this? I thought loops were to literally loop something to happen?

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 12:26pm

It would be like this:

local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight") -- From what I can see the b is the folder

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
if val == 0 then
    for _, lights in pairs(b:GetChildren()) do
        if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
            l.Enabled = false
            l.Brightness = 0 * val
        end
    end
else
    for _, lights in pairs(b:GetChildren()) do
        if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
            l.Enabled = true	
            l.Brightness = 10 * val
        end
    end
end		

print(val)
end

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 12:33pm

Ahh, nvm! Sorry, even with what you gave me it still only targets the first surface light?

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 3:33pm

Can I see the heirarchy of the folder?

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 9:49pm

Here it is! Sorry for the late reply btw!

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 11:17pm

Sorry for my late response, (We might have different time zones)

So here is the solution:

-- By using :GetDescendants() it will take the all objects inside of a selected parent.

local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight") -- From what I can see the b is the folder

local function setLights(switchType)
    if switchType == true then --Open lights
        for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
            if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
                l.Enabled = false
                l.Brightness = 0 * val
            end
        end
    elseif switchType == false then --Close lights
        for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
            if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
                l.Enabled = false
                l.Brightness = 0 * val
            end
        end
    end
end

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
if val == 0 then
    setLights(false)
else
    setLights(true)
end		

print(val)
end

I put it on a function so the modifying is easier for you and it can be re-useable for some times.

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:25pm

If you’re for higher please let me know when you’re free! Lol. I tried using this and it didn’t work but I am not sure if I pasted it in the right place or if there’s something else wrong.

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 11:27pm

is there any error in the console? Because I don’t actually know if you given me the full script of the code. (I can’t see the assigned value of b)

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:29pm

Here is the full script. The SurfaceLights are inside the “Lens1A”,“Lens2A”, etc.

local b = script.Parent:WaitForChild("NeonLighting"):WaitForChild("Lens1A","Lens2A","Lens3A","Lens4A","Lens5A","Lens6A")
local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight") -- From what I can see the b is the folder
local function setLights(switchType)
	if switchType == true then --Open lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				l.Enabled = false
				l.Brightness = 0 * val
			end
		end
	elseif switchType == false then --Close lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				l.Enabled = false
				l.Brightness = 0 * val
			end
		end
	end
end

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
	if val == 0 then
		setLights(false)
	else
		setLights(true)
	end		

	print(val)
end

And in the Script Analysis it shows this.

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 11:31pm

It seems I forgot to pass the val value in the function’s parameter thats why it doesn’t work. My bad.

Here it is:

local b = script.Parent:WaitForChild("NeonLighting"):WaitForChild("Lens1A","Lens2A","Lens3A","Lens4A","Lens5A","Lens6A")
local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight") -- From what I can see the b is the folder
local function setLights(switchType, theValue)
	if switchType == true then --Open lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				l.Enabled = false
				l.Brightness = 10 * theValue
			end
		end
	elseif switchType == false then --Close lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				l.Enabled = false
				l.Brightness = 0 * theValue
			end
		end
	end
end

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
	if val == 0 then
		setLights(false, val)
	else
		setLights(true, val)
	end		

	print(val)
end

Let me know if it works (or not)

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:38pm

So I got no errors but now none of the surface lights become enabled. :c
With my initial script I would get the very first surface light in the workspace to turn on, now not even the first one turns on.

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 11:40pm

Check my code again because I edited some of the values.

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:43pm

Yeah I double checked, still nothing

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 11:44pm

My bad again (I forgot to edit the l into lights):

local b = script.Parent:WaitForChild("NeonLighting"):WaitForChild("Lens1A","Lens2A","Lens3A","Lens4A","Lens5A","Lens6A")
local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight") -- From what I can see the b is the folder
local function setLights(switchType, theValue)
	if switchType == true then --Open lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				lights.Enabled = false
				lights.Brightness = 10 * theValue
			end
		end
	elseif switchType == false then --Close lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				lights.Enabled = false
				lights.Brightness = 0 * theValue
			end
		end
	end
end

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
	if val == 0 then
		setLights(false, val)
	else
		setLights(true, val)
	end		

	print(val)
end

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:51pm

It didn’t work either but I changed the true and false parts like this and it worked but again only on the first surface light

local l = b:WaitForChild("SurfaceLight") -- From what I can see the b is the folder
local function setLights(switchType, theValue)
	if switchType == true then --Open lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				lights.Enabled = true
				lights.Brightness = 10 * theValue
			end
		end
	elseif switchType == false then --Close lights
		for _, lights in pairs(b:GetDescendants()) do
			if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") then
				lights.Enabled = false
				lights.Brightness = 0 * theValue
			end
		end
	end
end

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
	if val == 0 then
		setLights(false, val)
	else
		setLights(true, val)
	end		

	print(val)
end

Sorbious · February 10, 2021, 11:56pm

From what I can see on the heirarchy of the model there are some SpotLights. Thats why only the SurfaceLight are detected in a for loop.

By adding another statement will fixed it:

if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") or lights:IsA("SpotLight") then

SisterSlaytina · February 10, 2021, 11:58pm

Ah sorry! I had changed those to SurfaceLights and forgot to mention it. All of them are SurfaceLights now, i double checked to make sure.

Sorbious · February 11, 2021, 12:12am

Also, If you are trying to get all of the Children of something, I suggest not to do this because only the first parameter will be used (for me):

local variable = parent:WaitForChild("Item1","Item2","Item3") --I dont really see any code being like this thats why only the item1 is being changed.

Overhauled the script:

local b = script.Parent:WaitForChild("NeonLighting"):GetChildren() --This will become a table of childrens {Lens1A, Lens2A, ~AndSoOn}

local function setLights(switchType, theValue)
	if switchType == true then --Open lights
		for _, lensPart in pairs(b) do
			if lensPart:IsA("Part") then 
		        for _, lights in pairs(lensPart:GetChildren()) do
		           if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") or lights:IsA("SpotLight") then
		              lights.Enabled = true
		              lights.Brightness = 10 * theValue
		           end
		        end
 		    end
		end
	elseif switchType == false then --Close lights
		for _, lensPart in pairs(b) do
			if lensPart:IsA("Part") then 
		        for _, lights in pairs(lensPart:GetChildren()) do
		           if lights:IsA("SurfaceLight") or lights:IsA("SpotLight") then
		              lights.Enabled = false
		              lights.Brightness = 0 * theValue
		           end
		        end
 		    end
		end
	end
end

script:WaitForChild("Dimmer").OnInvoke = function(val)
	if val == 0 then
		setLights(false, val)
	else
		setLights(true, val)
	end

	print(val)
end