Add support for multi-column defines and additional define files/sheets

[nhmkdev]

Please describe your feature request.
Add support for being able to reference a sub-value of a define id.
Add support for including additional define files for a given project / layout (ideally available on both).

Describe the solution you'd like

For referencing columns:

Example:

define id	name	movement	cost
alpha	The Alpha	4	10
beta	The Beta	3	6

An element could reference a sub value with: @[alpha.name] and for complicated nested lookups: @[@[character].name]

The delimiter . will not work with JavaScript so in that context __ (double underscore) is used.

Functionality in Beta Build

• Allow project to reference multiple custom defines files (the old fixed name style is still supported)
• All define files now support fields (completely optional).
  • This is a bit like introducing objects (for those programmers out there)

Work-in-progress build link: v.1.5.0.0-unstable.v.a4

How To Use

Create defines files (slightly new format)

define	name	move	cost
alpha	Alpha Ship	4	25
beta	Beta Barge	2	40

Backwards compatibility: Old style define references like @[alpha] will still refer to the second column (in this case the name column)

Add define references to the project

1. Right-click the Layouts node (or click the Project menu) > Define References...
2. Add define references the project (can mix and match CSV, Google, and Excel)

Use the define fields

Examples:

• @[alpha.name]
• @[alpha.cost]
• @[alpha] (result will still be the second column, so Alpha Ship )

More complicated example

engines.csv

engine	name	move	cost
slow	Slow XL	2	10
turbo	Turbo Fast	5	20

ships.csv

ship	name	engine	cost
alpha	Alpha Ship	slow	25
beta	Beta Barge	turbo	40

Usage

Now you can reference the move of the ship's engine via: @[@[alpha.engine].move]
You could make this even further nested as necessary based on the context. There are a ton of opportunities using this style of object definition.

The Defines window is also helpful to debug/see what was loaded.

Wait wait wait... what's the difference between a defines file and a reference file?

• defines file: defines are ALL accessible ALL the time and you can refer to them by @[defineName.subfield] (or the classic @[defineName] )
• layout reference file: only the current row columns are accessible. There is no sub-field. @[columnName]