How to know whether person opens app for the first time.

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

So I want to setup a tutorial to start for when a person first plays my game.

However, while I know how to make the tutorial, I have no idea how to make the event get triggered.

Any ideas?

#2

Hi,

One option would be to write a text file as a flag, and check it when your app opens.

-dev

#3

Thanks for replying!!

What do you mean as flag?

Like I mean how would you set up a text file as a flag?

#4

save a flag in a file after the user opens the app and check for the existence of that file/flag on each launch.

Using SSK, this is easy.

You could put this in main.lua

-- DONE ONCE ONLY IN MAIN.lua require "ssk2.loadSSK" \_G.ssk.init() -- .. any code you want... local settings = table.load( "settings.json" ) or {} if( not settings.showedTutorial ) then settings.showedTutorial = true table.save( settings, "settings.json") showTutorial() -- your function to show tutorial; you need to write it end
#5

please do not do that… 

HUGE FONTS (aka shouting) and odd colors in response are NOT cool.

Just use normal fonts please.

#6

Sorry my bad just having a bit of fun.

Anyways, is settings.json included in SSK or I have to make that?

I got to admit, im not experienced in writing json files.

#7

I thought the code was pretty clear, but let me break it down for you…

-- Load JSON encoded table "settings.json" and store reference in variable 'settings' -- -OR- -- If no file exists (function returns nil), store a blank table in the variable 'settings' local settings = table.load( "settings.json" ) or {} -- If the field 'showedTutorial' is NOT true (i.e. doesn't exist or is set to 'false') -- run this code... if( not settings.showedTutorial ) then -- Set the field/flag 'showedTutorial' to true settings.showedTutorial = true -- Save the table referenced by variable 'settings' as a JSON encoded -- text file settings.json -- IF THE FILE DOES NOT EXIST IT IS CREATED NOW. table.save( settings, "settings.json") -- call a function (you need to write it) to show a tutorial showTutorial() end

The table.save() and table.load() functions are extensions added by SSK and fully documented:

https://roaminggamer.github.io/RGDocs/pages/SSK2/extensions/#saving-loading-tables

The names: 

  • settings
  • showedTutorial
  • settings.json

Can be anything you want and changing them to suit your style of coding will make no difference in functionality.

#8

I understand the code but do i need to make settings.json?

#9

I don’t think you understood the code so I UPDATED the comments in my last post.

#10

Hi,

Using SSK as mentioned above is the simplest method, but you might have a look at this guide as well:

https://docs.coronalabs.com/guide/data/readWriteFiles/index.html

-dev

#11

We have a tutorial for this:  https://docs.coronalabs.com/tutorial/data/jsonSaveLoad/index.html

Rob

#12

Thanks for all your help!

i will definitely look into all of this.

#13

Hi,

One option would be to write a text file as a flag, and check it when your app opens.

-dev

#14

Thanks for replying!!

What do you mean as flag?

Like I mean how would you set up a text file as a flag?

#15

save a flag in a file after the user opens the app and check for the existence of that file/flag on each launch.

Using SSK, this is easy.

You could put this in main.lua

-- DONE ONCE ONLY IN MAIN.lua require "ssk2.loadSSK" \_G.ssk.init() -- .. any code you want... local settings = table.load( "settings.json" ) or {} if( not settings.showedTutorial ) then settings.showedTutorial = true table.save( settings, "settings.json") showTutorial() -- your function to show tutorial; you need to write it end
#16

please do not do that… 

HUGE FONTS (aka shouting) and odd colors in response are NOT cool.

Just use normal fonts please.

#17

Sorry my bad just having a bit of fun.

Anyways, is settings.json included in SSK or I have to make that?

I got to admit, im not experienced in writing json files.

#18

I thought the code was pretty clear, but let me break it down for you…

-- Load JSON encoded table "settings.json" and store reference in variable 'settings' -- -OR- -- If no file exists (function returns nil), store a blank table in the variable 'settings' local settings = table.load( "settings.json" ) or {} -- If the field 'showedTutorial' is NOT true (i.e. doesn't exist or is set to 'false') -- run this code... if( not settings.showedTutorial ) then -- Set the field/flag 'showedTutorial' to true settings.showedTutorial = true -- Save the table referenced by variable 'settings' as a JSON encoded -- text file settings.json -- IF THE FILE DOES NOT EXIST IT IS CREATED NOW. table.save( settings, "settings.json") -- call a function (you need to write it) to show a tutorial showTutorial() end

The table.save() and table.load() functions are extensions added by SSK and fully documented:

https://roaminggamer.github.io/RGDocs/pages/SSK2/extensions/#saving-loading-tables

The names: 

  • settings
  • showedTutorial
  • settings.json

Can be anything you want and changing them to suit your style of coding will make no difference in functionality.

#19

I understand the code but do i need to make settings.json?

#20

I don’t think you understood the code so I UPDATED the comments in my last post.