Command Line Interface (CLI)

Mother's command line interface allows you to interact with your grid. We can pass in arguments to the script to perform different actions. The CLI is available in the programmable block terminal, and you can run it by hitting the Run button.

Command Syntax

<Command> <Argument,> [Option,]

Multple commands together form a routine:

# commmand - set a light color
light/color LandingLight red; 

# routine - set a light color and make it blink
light/color LandingLight red; light/blink LandingLight fast;

Anatomy of a Command

Commands are similar to a traditional command line interface, and consist of 3 terms:

Running a Command

Let's start with an simple example, where a rotate a Hinge block:

hinge/rotate Hinge 45;

We can see the hinge/rotate command targets the block named Hinge, and rotates it to 45 degrees. If we wanted to rotate the hinge at 2 RPM, we can add the speed option:

hinge/rotate Hinge 45 --speed=2;

Targeting Blocks

By Block Name

You can target blocks by their name, via a terminal group, or using a tag. In our main airlock we have two lights. First we will target them specifically by name:

light/color AirlockLightInner red;
light/color AirlockLightOuter red;

By Group Name

Using multiple block names is verbose, so let's create a group with these our blocks called AirlockLights. Now we can run the following command:

light/color "Airlock Lights" red;

By Tag

As you add more connected ships to your grid, you will quickly notice that groups merge, and the terminal window becomes quite busy with block groups. Mother offers a 3rd way to select blocks using tags.

light/color #airlock red;

You'll notice that we don't specify lights in the above command. This is because tags allow us to include multiple block types, and use the command to determine which block should be operated. Similar to above, we can close both airlock doors if we also use the tag #airlock:

door/close #airlock;

Defining a Tag

Tags are defined within a block's Custom Data:

[general]
tags=airlock,airlock-light

Running Multiple Commands

Using the Terminal

Sometimes it is useful to group commands in series to operate a system of blocks. A Routine is simply a group of commands separated by a semi-colon ;. The following example changes the color of our LandingLight, and also initates a blinking effect.

light/color LandingLight red; light/blink LandingLight 0.5 --length=0.5;

The light will blink for 0.25s, every 0.5s (50% duty cycle).

Custom Commands and Routines

The command syntax can get verbose in the terminal, so it is recommended that you define routines in the Commands section of Mother's Custom Data. We can use a multi-line syntax to make it much more readable:

[Commands]

ActivateLandingLight=
| light/color LandingLight red;
| light/blink LandingLight 0.5 --length=0.5;

ExtendArm=piston/distance LandingArm 3;

Now we can run ActivateLandingLight in the terminal to execute the routine, or get clever and set it as an Action in an Event Controller, or a hook on a Sensor.

ActivateLandingLight; ExtendArm;

Delaying Command Execution

Mother comes with a wait command that allow you to delays a command for execution in seconds.

door/open AirlockDoor;
wait 10;
door/close AirlockDoor;

This works remotely as well:

@StealthMissile fcs/start; wait 10; _Arm;

The Terminal Window

The terminal window act as the primary interface for Mother. You can run commands directly in the terminal, and you will receive immediate feedback from the script. The window also shows several indicators as relevant:

Running Commands Automatically

You can run commands via several methods:

1. Programmable Block terminal
2. Cockpit or Control Station toolbar action
3. Button action
4. Event Controller action
5. Timer Block action

Programmable Block Terminal (Mother)

From within your Programmable Block terminal, you can run commands directly. This is the easiest way to interact with Mother and you will receive immediate feedback in the terminal window.

Cockpit/Control Station Toolbar

When you're flying a ship or sitting at a control station, you can add a button to your toolbar that will run a command when pressed. This is useful for quick actions like toggling lights or opening doors. To do this, assign the Programmable Block running Mother to the toolbar, and use the Run action. A window will appear asking you for an argument - type your command here and click Confirm. You can also set a short label for the button to make it easier to identify.

Button

Like a toolbar, you can also assign a command to a button. This is useful for quick actions like toggling lights, or initiating a return-to-base procedure for a wandering grid. To do this, assign the Programmable Block running Mother to the button action, and use the Run action. A window will appear asking you for an argument - type your command here and click Confirm. You can also set a short label for the button.