phent_settype

phent_settype ( ENTITY*, var type, var hull );

Registers / unregisters an entity with the physics system. After registering, starting with the current frame the entity will be under control of the physics system (if the group bitmask is set appropriately by ph_selectgroup). After unregistering, the entity is reversed to a 'standard' Gamestudio entity and is no longer controlled by physics.

Parameters:

ENTITY*	Entity pointer to be registered / unregistered.
type	PH_RIGID to register the entity as a rigid body. PH_WAVE P to register terrain as dynamic water surface. 0 for unregistering the entity from the physics system.
hull	Collision hull of this object, PH_BOX, PH_SPHERE, PH_CYLINDER or PH_POLY.

Returns:

1 if successful, 0 otherwise.

Remarks:

This function has to be called before executing any other phent_ functions.
The first time a specific entity is registered, this instruction is slow because some calculations need to be done. Thus it makes sense to register all potential physical entity types at level load time and then unregistering them again. During gameplay the registration will then be a lot quicker for all entities of that type.
While you can continue to read a registered entities' position and orientation, you can no longer directly change its position (x,y,z), orientation (pan, tilt, roll), or scale. Use phent_addforce to impart forces on the entity instead. If you need to directly change position or orientation, you can temporarily disable the entity using phent_enable.
Do not use PH_POLY or PH_CYLINDER hulls for moving entities. Use PH_SPHERE for the wheels of a vehicle.
PH_WAVE converts a terrain entity to a dynamic water surface. The resolution and smoothness depends on the underlying terrain's vertex grid. The more vertices the smoother and slower the simulation will be. Some functions are available for controlling water surfaces: phent_setdamping, phent_addforcelocal and phent_addobstruction.
The A6 Commercial Edition C allows to register only one entity with the physics system. For registering another, the first one must be unregistered first. This restriction does not apply to A7 or lite-C.

Speed:

Slow / Medium

Edition:

A6 C P
A7 P for PH_WAVE

Example:

ENTITY* myCrate;
// ...
// on startup
myCrate = ent_create( "crate.mdl", nullvector, any_function );
phent_settype( myCrate, PH_RIGID, 0 ); 
phent_settype( myCrate, 0, 0 );
// ...
// during gameplay let's have fun with a crate:
var position;
phent_settype( myCrate, PH_RIGID, PH_BOX );
position= myCrate.x; // this will give you an approximate position
//myCrate.x = position + 10; // this won't work!
phent_settype( myCrate, 0, 0 );
myCrate.x = position + 10; // unregistered - now we can change the position
phent_settype( myCrate, PH_RIGID, PH_BOX ); // restart from new position