Non-generic API

Immerse yourself in the dark magic of the non-generic API. But watch out, it's going to be a wild ride!

Sometimes we don't know the types and generics at runtime... For example, if we do a lot of dynamic programming such as saving/loading or similar cases. Sometimes we simply cannot express everything using generics, but are forced to fall back on types. And that's where this chapter comes in!

So far, you have only learned about the generic API, which is primarily used in all examples. However, for EVERY single generic method there is also a counterpart that is not generic. This variant uses ComponentType and Signature.

The backbone

Generic values are always known at compile time. To make these available at runtime, there is first of all ComponentType. This abstracts a component, i.e. expresses the component and its metadata.

   
Console.WriteLine(componentType);  // See what meta-data exists

This compile-time-static method registers the component and returns its meta data. This happens under the hood.

var componentType = ComponentRegistry.GetComponentType(typeof(Dwarf));

However, it is slower than the generic variant. An alternative to this is the ArrayRegistry, which is also used to access meta data, it uses the ComponentRegistry under the hood.

And we have already received the ComponentType without knowing it at runtime. Practical, isn't it? Well, we're almost there, but there's one more important thing.

Signature

You now know what a ComponentType is. What is a Signature? In the end, a Signature is just a collection of ComponentTypes. It is used in different areas, for example to specify the structure of an Entity without generics.

var signature = new Signature(typeof(Dwarf), typeof(Position), typeof(Velocity));
var dwarf = world.Create(signature);

The generic alternative to this is Component<Dwarf, Position, Velocity>.Signature, which is used in many places under the hood.

A Signature is therefore used in many different places. Among other things, it is also used to define queries.

var queryDesc = new QueryDescription(
    all: new Signature(typeof(Dwarf), typeof(Velocity), typeof(Position));
    any: Signature.Null;
    none: Signature.Null;
);
world.Query(in queryDesc, entity => {});

It's as easy as this. Now you should know roughly what a Signature is good for, shouldn't you?

Changing lives

You should have the basics down now, right? Otherwise there are many other cases where the non-generic API is used.

// Create our beloved dwarf
var signature = new Signature(typeof(Dwarf), typeof(Position), typeof(Velocity));
var dwarf = world.Create(signature);

// Telepor the dwarf
var position = dwarf.Get(typeof(Position));

position.X++;
position.Y++;

// Force him to move on its own
dwarf.Set(typeof(Position), position);

// Give the dwarf a pickaxe and make him sad by taking it away
if(!dwarf.Has(typeof(Pickaxe))) dwarf.Add(typeof(Pickaxe), new Pickaxe());
dwarf.Remove(typeof(Pickaxe));

What more could you want? Now you can manage and command your entities generically and without a generic API, a bright future lies ahead of you!