Attention: Here be dragons

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ResourceFormatLoader

Inherits: RefCounted < Object

Loads a specific resource type from a file.

Description

Godot loads resources in the editor or in exported games using ResourceFormatLoaders. They are queried automatically via the ResourceLoader singleton, or when a resource with internal dependencies is loaded. Each file type may load as a different resource type, so multiple ResourceFormatLoaders are registered in the engine.

Extending this class allows you to define your own loader. Be sure to respect the documented return types and values. You should give it a global class name with class_name for it to be registered. Like built-in ResourceFormatLoaders, it will be called automatically when loading resources of its handled type(s). You may also implement a ResourceFormatSaver.

Note: You can also extend EditorImportPlugin if the resource type you need exists but Godot is unable to load its format. Choosing one way over another depends on if the format is suitable or not for the final exported game. For example, it's better to import .png textures as .ctex (CompressedTexture2D) first, so they can be loaded with better efficiency on the graphics card.

Methods

bool

_exists(path: String) virtual const

PackedStringArray

_get_classes_used(path: String) virtual const

PackedStringArray

_get_dependencies(path: String, add_types: bool) virtual const

PackedStringArray

_get_recognized_extensions() virtual const

String

_get_resource_script_class(path: String) virtual const

String

_get_resource_type(path: String) virtual const

int

_get_resource_uid(path: String) virtual const

bool

_handles_type(type: StringName) virtual const

Variant

_load(path: String, original_path: String, use_sub_threads: bool, cache_mode: int) virtual const

bool

_recognize_path(path: String, type: StringName) virtual const

Error

_rename_dependencies(path: String, renames: Dictionary) virtual const


Enumerations

enum CacheMode:

CacheMode CACHE_MODE_IGNORE = 0

Neither the main resource (the one requested to be loaded) nor any of its subresources are retrieved from cache nor stored into it. Dependencies (external resources) are loaded with CACHE_MODE_REUSE.

CacheMode CACHE_MODE_REUSE = 1

The main resource (the one requested to be loaded), its subresources, and its dependencies (external resources) are retrieved from cache if present, instead of loaded. Those not cached are loaded and then stored into the cache. The same rules are propagated recursively down the tree of dependencies (external resources).

CacheMode CACHE_MODE_REPLACE = 2

Like CACHE_MODE_REUSE, but the cache is checked for the main resource (the one requested to be loaded) as well as for each of its subresources. Those already in the cache, as long as the loaded and cached types match, have their data refreshed from storage into the already existing instances. Otherwise, they are recreated as completely new objects.

CacheMode CACHE_MODE_IGNORE_DEEP = 3

Like CACHE_MODE_IGNORE, but propagated recursively down the tree of dependencies (external resources).

CacheMode CACHE_MODE_REPLACE_DEEP = 4

Like CACHE_MODE_REPLACE, but propagated recursively down the tree of dependencies (external resources).


Method Descriptions

bool _exists(path: String) virtual const

There is currently no description for this method. Please help us by contributing one!


PackedStringArray _get_classes_used(path: String) virtual const

There is currently no description for this method. Please help us by contributing one!


PackedStringArray _get_dependencies(path: String, add_types: bool) virtual const

If implemented, gets the dependencies of a given resource. If add_types is true, paths should be appended ::TypeName, where TypeName is the class name of the dependency.

Note: Custom resource types defined by scripts aren't known by the ClassDB, so you might just return "Resource" for them.


PackedStringArray _get_recognized_extensions() virtual const

Gets the list of extensions for files this loader is able to read.


String _get_resource_script_class(path: String) virtual const

Returns the script class name associated with the Resource under the given path. If the resource has no script or the script isn't a named class, it should return "".


String _get_resource_type(path: String) virtual const

Gets the class name of the resource associated with the given path. If the loader cannot handle it, it should return "".

Note: Custom resource types defined by scripts aren't known by the ClassDB, so you might just return "Resource" for them.


int _get_resource_uid(path: String) virtual const

There is currently no description for this method. Please help us by contributing one!


bool _handles_type(type: StringName) virtual const

Tells which resource class this loader can load.

Note: Custom resource types defined by scripts aren't known by the ClassDB, so you might just handle "Resource" for them.


Variant _load(path: String, original_path: String, use_sub_threads: bool, cache_mode: int) virtual const

Loads a resource when the engine finds this loader to be compatible. If the loaded resource is the result of an import, original_path will target the source file. Returns a Resource object on success, or an Error constant in case of failure.

The cache_mode property defines whether and how the cache should be used or updated when loading the resource. See CacheMode for details.


bool _recognize_path(path: String, type: StringName) virtual const

Tells whether or not this loader should load a resource from its resource path for a given type.

If it is not implemented, the default behavior returns whether the path's extension is within the ones provided by _get_recognized_extensions, and if the type is within the ones provided by _get_resource_type.


Error _rename_dependencies(path: String, renames: Dictionary) virtual const

If implemented, renames dependencies within the given resource and saves it. renames is a dictionary { String => String } mapping old dependency paths to new paths.

Returns @GlobalScope.OK on success, or an Error constant in case of failure.


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