NodeMetaRef

The instance of a node in the world normally only contains the three values mentioned in "Nodes". However, it is possible to insert extra data into a node. It is called "node metadata".

Metadata contains two things:

• A key-value store
• An inventory

Some of the values in the key-value store are handled specially:

• formspec — Defines a right-click inventory menu. See "Formspec".
• infotext — Text shown on the screen when the node is pointed at

Can be gotten via minetest.env:get_meta(pos).

[Storing special data in node metadata] - email question/reply in the old developer wiki (could be written in article form here)

Methods

• set_string(name, value)
• get_string(name)
• set_int(name, value)
• get_int(name)
• set_float(name, value)
• get_float(name)
• [NodeMetaRef]get_inventory() — returns InvRef
• [NodeMetaRef]to_table() — returns nil or {fields = {...}, inventory = {list1 = {}, ...}}
• from_table(nil or {})

Example

local meta = minetest.env:get_meta(pos)
meta:set_string("formspec",
        "invsize[8,9;]"..
        "list[context;main;0,0;8,4;]"..
        "list[current_player;main;0,5;8,4;]")
meta:set_string("infotext", "Chest");
local inv = meta:[NodeMetaRef]get_inventory()
inv:set_size("main", 8*4)
print(dump(meta:[NodeMetaRef]to_table()))
meta:from_table({
    inventory = {
        main = {[1] = "default:dirt", [2] = "", [3] = "", [4] = "", [5] = "", [6] = "", [7] = "", [8] = "", [9] = "", [10] = "", [11] = "", [12] = "", [13] = "", [14] = "default:cobble", [15] = "", [16] = "", [17] = "", [18] = "", [19] = "", [20] = "default:cobble", [21] = "", [22] = "", [23] = "", [24] = "", [25] = "", [26] = "", [27] = "", [28] = "", [29] = "", [30] = "", [31] = "", [32] = ""}
    },
    fields = {
        formspec = "invsize[8,9;]list[context;main;0,0;8,4;]list[current_player;main;0,5;8,4;]",
        infotext = "Chest"
    }
})