substitutions -- Implementation of special substitution statements on datablock fields.

Engine/source/T3D/debris.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "T3D/debris.h"
 
@@ -269,6 +273,9 @@ void DebrisData::initPersistFields()
    addField("ignoreWater",          TypeBool,                    Offset(ignoreWater,         DebrisData), "If true, this debris object will not collide with water, acting as if the water is not there.");
    endGroup("Behavior");
 
+   // disallow some field substitutions
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("emitters"); // subs resolving to "~~", or "~0" are OK
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("explosion");
    Parent::initPersistFields();
 }
 

Engine/source/T3D/fx/explosion.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "T3D/fx/explosion.h"
 
@@ -412,6 +416,12 @@ void ExplosionData::initPersistFields()
       "Distance (in the explosion normal direction) of the PointLight position "
       "from the explosion center." );
 
+   // disallow some field substitutions
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("debris"); // subs resolving to "~~", or "~0" are OK
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("emitter");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("particleEmitter");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("soundProfile");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("subExplosion");
    Parent::initPersistFields();
 }
 

Engine/source/T3D/fx/particleEmitter.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "T3D/fx/particleEmitter.h"
 
@@ -293,6 +297,9 @@ void ParticleEmitterData::initPersistFields()
 
    endGroup( "ParticleEmitterData" );
 
+   // disallow some field substitutions
+   disableFieldSubstitutions("particles");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("poolData"); // subs resolving to "~~", or "~0" are OK
    Parent::initPersistFields();
 }
 

Engine/source/T3D/projectile.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "T3D/projectile.h"
 
@@ -274,6 +278,13 @@ void ProjectileData::initPersistFields()
       "A value of 1.0 will assume \"normal\" influence upon it.\n"
       "The magnitude of gravity is assumed to be 9.81 m/s/s\n\n"
       "@note ProjectileData::isBallistic must be true for this to have any affect.");
+   // disallow some field substitutions
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("explosion");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("particleEmitter");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("particleWaterEmitter");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("sound");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("splash");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("waterExplosion");
 
    Parent::initPersistFields();
 }

Engine/source/T3D/shapeBase.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "T3D/shapeBase.h"
 
@@ -586,6 +590,10 @@ void ShapeBaseData::initPersistFields()
 
    endGroup( "Reflection" );
 
+   // disallow some field substitutions
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("debris"); // subs resolving to "~~", or "~0" are OK
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("explosion");
+   onlyKeepClearSubstitutions("underwaterExplosion");
    Parent::initPersistFields();
 }
 

Engine/source/console/compiledEval.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "console/console.h"
 
@@ -858,6 +862,7 @@ breakContinue:
                      Con::errorf(ConsoleLogEntry::General, "%s: Unable to instantiate non-datablock class %s.", getFileLine(ip), (const char*)callArgv[1]);
                      // Clean up...
                      delete object;
+                     currentNewObject = NULL;
                      ip = failJump;
                      break;
                   }
@@ -893,6 +898,14 @@ breakContinue:
 
                      currentNewObject->setCopySource( parent );
                      currentNewObject->assignFieldsFrom( parent );
+                     // copy any substitution statements
+                     SimDataBlock* parent_db = dynamic_cast<SimDataBlock*>(parent);
+                     if (parent_db)
+                     {
+                        SimDataBlock* currentNewObject_db = dynamic_cast<SimDataBlock*>(currentNewObject);
+                        if (currentNewObject_db)
+                           currentNewObject_db->copySubstitutionsFrom(parent_db);
+                     }
                   }
                   else
                   {

Engine/source/console/consoleObject.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "console/consoleObject.h"
 
@@ -681,6 +685,39 @@ AbstractClassRep* ConsoleObject::getClassRep() const
    return NULL;
 }
 
+bool ConsoleObject::disableFieldSubstitutions(const char* fieldname)
+{
+   StringTableEntry slotname = StringTable->insert(fieldname);
+
+   for (U32 i = 0; i < sg_tempFieldList.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (sg_tempFieldList[i].pFieldname == slotname)
+      {
+         sg_tempFieldList[i].doNotSubstitute = true;
+         sg_tempFieldList[i].keepClearSubsOnly = false;
+         return true;
+      }
+   }
+
+   return false;
+}
+
+bool ConsoleObject::onlyKeepClearSubstitutions(const char* fieldname)
+{
+   StringTableEntry slotname = StringTable->insert(fieldname);
+
+   for (U32 i = 0; i < sg_tempFieldList.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (sg_tempFieldList[i].pFieldname == slotname)
+      {
+         sg_tempFieldList[i].doNotSubstitute = false;
+         sg_tempFieldList[i].keepClearSubsOnly = true;
+         return true;
+      }
+   }
+
+   return false;
+}
 String ConsoleObject::_getLogMessage(const char* fmt, va_list args) const
 {
    String objClass = "UnknownClass";

Engine/source/console/consoleObject.h

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #ifndef _CONSOLEOBJECT_H_
 #define _CONSOLEOBJECT_H_
 
@@ -492,6 +496,7 @@ public:
             setDataFn( NULL ),
             getDataFn( NULL )
       {
+         doNotSubstitute = keepClearSubsOnly = false;
       }
 
       StringTableEntry pFieldname;    ///< Name of the field.
@@ -509,6 +514,8 @@ public:
       TypeValidator *validator;     ///< Validator, if any.
       SetDataNotify  setDataFn;     ///< Set data notify Fn
       GetDataNotify  getDataFn;     ///< Get data notify Fn
+      bool           doNotSubstitute;
+      bool           keepClearSubsOnly;
       WriteDataNotify writeDataFn;  ///< Function to determine whether data should be written or not.
    };
    typedef Vector<Field> FieldList;
@@ -1054,6 +1061,9 @@ public:
 
    static ConsoleObject* __findObject( const char* ) { return NULL; }
    static const char* __getObjectId( ConsoleObject* ) { return ""; }
+protected:
+   static bool disableFieldSubstitutions(const char* in_pFieldname);
+   static bool onlyKeepClearSubstitutions(const char* in_pFieldname);
 };
 
 #define addNamedField(fieldName,type,className) addField(#fieldName, type, Offset(fieldName,className))

Engine/source/console/simDatablock.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "console/simDatablock.h"
 
@@ -29,6 +33,8 @@
 #include "T3D/gameBase/gameConnectionEvents.h"
 #include "T3D/gameBase/gameConnection.h"
 
+#include "core/stream/bitStream.h"
+#include "console/compiler.h"
 
 IMPLEMENT_CO_DATABLOCK_V1(SimDataBlock);
 SimObjectId SimDataBlock::sNextObjectId = DataBlockObjectIdFirst;
@@ -52,6 +58,260 @@ SimDataBlock::SimDataBlock()
    setModDynamicFields(true);
    setModStaticFields(true);
 }
+// this implements a simple structure for managing substitution statements.
+
+SimDataBlock::SubstitutionStatement::SubstitutionStatement(StringTableEntry slot, S32 idx, const char* value)
+{
+   this->slot = slot;
+   this->idx = idx;
+   this->value = dStrdup(value);
+}
+
+SimDataBlock::SubstitutionStatement::~SubstitutionStatement()
+{
+   dFree(value);
+}
+
+void SimDataBlock::SubstitutionStatement::replaceValue(const char* value)
+{
+   dFree(this->value);
+   this->value = dStrdup(value);
+}
+
+// this is the copy-constructor for creating temp-clones.
+SimDataBlock::SimDataBlock(const SimDataBlock& other, bool temp_clone) : SimObject(other, temp_clone)
+{
+   modifiedKey = other.modifiedKey;
+}
+
+// a destructor is added to SimDataBlock so that we can delete any substitutions.
+SimDataBlock::~SimDataBlock()
+{
+   clear_substitutions();  
+}
+
+void SimDataBlock::clear_substitutions()
+{
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+      delete substitutions[i];
+   substitutions.clear();
+} 
+
+void SimDataBlock::addSubstitution(StringTableEntry slot, S32 idx, const char* subst)
+{
+   AssertFatal(subst != 0 && subst[0] == '$' && subst[1] == '$', "Bad substition statement string added");
+
+   subst += 2;
+   while (dIsspace(*subst))
+      subst++;
+
+   bool empty_subs = (*subst == '\0');
+
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (substitutions[i] && substitutions[i]->slot == slot && substitutions[i]->idx == idx)
+      {
+         if (empty_subs)
+         {
+            delete substitutions[i];
+            substitutions[i] = 0;
+            onRemoveSubstitution(slot, idx);
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            substitutions[i]->replaceValue(subst);
+            onAddSubstitution(slot, idx, subst);
+         }
+         return;
+      }
+   }
+
+   if (!empty_subs)
+   {
+      substitutions.push_back(new SubstitutionStatement(slot, idx, subst));
+      onAddSubstitution(slot, idx, subst);
+   }
+}
+
+const char* SimDataBlock::getSubstitution(StringTableEntry slot, S32 idx)
+{
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (substitutions[i] && substitutions[i]->slot == slot && substitutions[i]->idx == idx)
+         return substitutions[i]->value;
+   }
+
+   return 0;
+}
+
+bool SimDataBlock::fieldHasSubstitution(StringTableEntry slot)
+{
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+      if (substitutions[i] && substitutions[i]->slot == slot)
+         return true;
+   return false;
+}
+
+void SimDataBlock::printSubstitutions()
+{
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+      if (substitutions[i])
+         Con::errorf("SubstitutionStatement[%s] = \"%s\" -- %d", substitutions[i]->slot, substitutions[i]->value, i);
+}
+
+void SimDataBlock::copySubstitutionsFrom(SimDataBlock* other)
+{
+   clear_substitutions();
+   if (!other)
+      return;
+
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < other->substitutions.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (other->substitutions[i])
+      {
+         SubstitutionStatement* subs = other->substitutions[i];
+         substitutions.push_back(new SubstitutionStatement(subs->slot, subs->idx, subs->value));
+      }
+   }
+}
+
+
+// This is the method that evaluates any substitution statements on a datablock and does the
+// actual replacement of substituted datablock fields. 
+//
+// Much of the work is done by passing the statement to Con::evaluate() but first there are
+// some key operations performed on the statement. 
+//   -- Instances of "%%" in the statement are replaced with the id of the <obj> object.
+//   -- Instances of "##" are replaced with the value of <index>.
+// 
+// There are also some return values that get special treatment.
+//   -- An empty result will produce a realtime error message.
+//   -- A result of "~~" will leave the original field value unchanged.
+//   -- A result of "~0" will clear the original field to "" without producing an error message.
+//
+void SimDataBlock::performSubstitutions(SimDataBlock* dblock, const SimObject* obj, S32 index)
+{
+   if (!dblock || !dblock->getClassRep())
+   {
+      // error message
+      return;
+   }
+
+   char obj_str[32];
+   dStrcpy(obj_str, Con::getIntArg(obj->getId()));
+
+   char index_str[32];
+   dStrcpy(index_str, Con::getIntArg(index));
+
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (substitutions[i])
+      {
+         static char buffer[1024];
+         static char* b_oob = &buffer[1024];
+         char* b = buffer;
+
+         // perform special token expansion (%% and ##)
+         const char* v = substitutions[i]->value;
+         while (*v != '\0')
+         {
+            // identify "%%" tokens and replace with <obj> id
+            if (v[0] == '%' && v[1] == '%')
+            {
+               const char* s = obj_str;
+               while (*s != '\0')
+               {
+                  b[0] = s[0];
+                  b++;
+                  s++;
+               }
+               v += 2;
+            }
+            // identify "##" tokens and replace with <index> value
+            else if (v[0] == '#' && v[1] == '#')
+            {
+               const char* s = index_str;
+               while (*s != '\0')
+               {
+                  b[0] = s[0];
+                  b++;
+                  s++;
+               }
+               v += 2;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               b[0] = v[0];
+               b++; 
+               v++;
+            }
+         }
+
+         AssertFatal((uintptr_t)b < (uintptr_t)b_oob, "Substitution buffer overflowed");
+
+         b[0] = '\0';
+
+         // perform the statement evaluation
+         Compiler::gSyntaxError = false;
+         //Con::errorf("EVAL [%s]", avar("return %s;", buffer));
+         const char *result = Con::evaluate(avar("return %s;", buffer), false, 0);
+         if (Compiler::gSyntaxError)
+         {
+            Con::errorf("Field Substitution Failed: field=\"%s\" substitution=\"%s\" -- syntax error", 
+               substitutions[i]->slot, substitutions[i]->value);
+            Compiler::gSyntaxError = false;
+            return;
+         }
+
+         // output a runtime console error when a substitution produces and empty result.
+         if (result == 0 || result[0] == '\0')
+         {
+            Con::errorf("Field Substitution Failed: field=\"%s\" substitution=\"%s\" -- empty result", 
+               substitutions[i]->slot, substitutions[i]->value);
+            return;
+         }
+
+         // handle special return values
+         if (result[0] == '~')
+         {
+            // if value is "~~" then keep the existing value
+            if (result[1] == '~' && result[2] == '\0')
+               continue;
+            // if "~0" then clear it
+            if (result[1] == '0' && result[2] == '\0')
+               result = "";
+         }
+
+         const AbstractClassRep::Field* field = dblock->getClassRep()->findField(substitutions[i]->slot);
+         if (!field)
+         {
+            // this should be very unlikely...
+            Con::errorf("Field Substitution Failed: unknown field, \"%s\".", substitutions[i]->slot);
+            continue;
+         }
+
+         if (field->keepClearSubsOnly && result[0] != '\0')
+         {
+            Con::errorf("Field Substitution Failed: field \"%s\" of datablock %s only allows \"$$ ~~\" (keep) and \"$$ ~0\" (clear) field substitutions. [%s]", 
+               substitutions[i]->slot, this->getClassName(), this->getName());
+            continue;
+         }
+
+         // substitute the field value with its replacement
+         Con::setData(field->type, (void*)(((const char*)(dblock)) + field->offset), substitutions[i]->idx, 1, &result, field->table, field->flag);
+
+         //dStrncpy(buffer, result, 255);
+         //Con::errorf("SUBSTITUTION %s.%s[%d] = %s idx=%s", Con::getIntArg(getId()), substitutions[i]->slot, substitutions[i]->idx, buffer, index_str);
+
+         // notify subclasses of a field modification
+         dblock->onStaticModified(substitutions[i]->slot);
+      }
+   }
+
+   // notify subclasses of substitution operation
+   if (substitutions.size() > 0)
+      dblock->onPerformSubstitutions();
+}
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -96,14 +356,37 @@ void SimDataBlock::onStaticModified(const char* slotName, const char* newValue)
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void SimDataBlock::packData(BitStream*)
+// packData() and unpackData() do nothing in the stock implementation, but here
+// they've been modified to pack and unpack any substitution statements.
+//
+void SimDataBlock::packData(BitStream* stream)
 {
+   for (S32 i = 0; i < substitutions.size(); i++)
+   {
+      if (substitutions[i])
+      {
+         stream->writeFlag(true);
+         stream->writeString(substitutions[i]->slot);
+         stream->write(substitutions[i]->idx);
+         stream->writeString(substitutions[i]->value);
+      }
+   }
+   stream->writeFlag(false);
 }
 
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-void SimDataBlock::unpackData(BitStream*)
+void SimDataBlock::unpackData(BitStream* stream)
 {
+   clear_substitutions();
+   while(stream->readFlag())
+   {
+      char slotName[256];
+      S32 idx;
+      char value[256];
+      stream->readString(slotName);
+      stream->read(&idx);
+      stream->readString(value);
+      substitutions.push_back(new SubstitutionStatement(StringTable->insert(slotName), idx, value));
+   }
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Engine/source/console/simDatablock.h

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #ifndef _SIMDATABLOCK_H_
 #define _SIMDATABLOCK_H_
 
@@ -172,6 +176,32 @@ public:
    /// Used by the console system to automatically tell datablock classes apart
    /// from non-datablock classes.
    static const bool __smIsDatablock = true;
+protected:
+   struct SubstitutionStatement
+   {
+      StringTableEntry  slot;
+      S32               idx;
+      char*             value;
+      SubstitutionStatement(StringTableEntry slot, S32 idx, const char* value);
+      ~SubstitutionStatement();
+      void replaceValue(const char* value);
+   };
+   Vector<SubstitutionStatement*> substitutions;
+   void    clear_substitutions();
+public:
+   /*C*/  SimDataBlock(const SimDataBlock&, bool = false);
+   /*D*/  ~SimDataBlock();
+
+   void   addSubstitution(StringTableEntry field, S32 idx, const char* subst);
+   const char* getSubstitution(StringTableEntry field, S32 idx);
+   S32    getSubstitutionCount() { return substitutions.size(); }
+   void   performSubstitutions(SimDataBlock*, const SimObject*, S32 index=0);
+   void   copySubstitutionsFrom(SimDataBlock* other);
+   void   printSubstitutions();
+   bool   fieldHasSubstitution(StringTableEntry slot);
+   virtual void onAddSubstitution(StringTableEntry, S32 idx, const char* subst) { }
+   virtual void onRemoveSubstitution(StringTableEntry, S32 idx) { }
+   virtual void onPerformSubstitutions() { }
 };
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Engine/source/console/simObject.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "platform/platformMemory.h"
 #include "console/simObject.h"
@@ -915,6 +919,29 @@ void SimObject::setDataField(StringTableEntry slotName, const char *array, const
 
          S32 array1 = array ? dAtoi(array) : 0;
 
+         // Here we check to see if <this> is a datablock and if <value>
+         // starts with "$$". If both true than save value as a runtime substitution.
+         if (dynamic_cast<SimDataBlock*>(this) && value[0] == '$' && value[1] == '$')
+         {
+            if (!this->allowSubstitutions())
+            {
+               Con::errorf("Substitution Error: %s datablocks do not allow \"$$\" field substitutions. [%s]", 
+                  this->getClassName(), this->getName());
+               return;
+            }
+
+            if (fld->doNotSubstitute)
+            {
+               Con::errorf("Substitution Error: field \"%s\" of datablock %s prohibits \"$$\" field substitutions. [%s]", 
+                  slotName, this->getClassName(), this->getName());
+               return;
+            }
+
+            // add the substitution
+            ((SimDataBlock*)this)->addSubstitution(slotName, array1, value);
+            return;
+         }
+		 
          if(array1 >= 0 && array1 < fld->elementCount && fld->elementCount >= 1)
          {
             // If the set data notify callback returns true, then go ahead and
@@ -2612,6 +2639,16 @@ DefineEngineMethod( SimObject, dump, void, ( bool detailed ), ( false ),
       }
    }
 
+   // If the object is a datablock with substitution statements,
+   // they get printed out as part of the dump.
+   if (dynamic_cast<SimDataBlock*>(object))
+   {
+      if (((SimDataBlock*)object)->getSubstitutionCount() > 0)
+      {
+         Con::printf("Substitution Fields:");
+         ((SimDataBlock*)object)->printSubstitutions();
+      }
+   }
    Con::printf( "Dynamic Fields:" );
    if(object->getFieldDictionary())
       object->getFieldDictionary()->printFields(object);

Engine/source/sfx/sfxProfile.cpp

@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 // IN THE SOFTWARE.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
+// Arcane-FX for MIT Licensed Open Source version of Torque 3D from GarageGames
+// Copyright (C) 2015 Faust Logic, Inc.
+//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 
 #include "sfx/sfxProfile.h"
@@ -114,6 +118,9 @@ void SFXProfile::initPersistFields()
       
    endGroup( "Sound" );
 
+   // disallow some field substitutions
+   disableFieldSubstitutions("description");
+
    Parent::initPersistFields();
 }