Scripts & Syntax Reference

Quick answer

The early Code: Terraform footage confirms a compact starter toolkit: get_component() to access machines, get_value() to read sensors, self for the current machine, if/else for branching, while True for ongoing automation, and basic lists and dictionaries for scan targets and biology recipes. The biggest rule is that hardware actions usually stay on the machine running the script.

Core building blocks

Pattern	Meaning	Starter example
`get_component("name")`	Fetch another machine/component by name	`get_component("clock")`
`self`	The machine whose script slot is currently running	Solar generator calls its own tilt method
Variable	Keep a value for later lines	`sun = clock.get_elevation()`
`if / else`	Choose a branch from a condition	Pressure odd/even repair
`while True`	Keep a script running continuously	Solar tracker loop
List	Ordered values accessed by index	`sites = self.scan()` then `sites[0]`
Dictionary	Values stored by key	Biology recipe reagent quantities

The `self` rule

The biology walkthrough is the clearest example: the collector’s collect action belongs in the collector script, while the biology lab’s analyze/load/extract actions belong in the lab script. A component reference lets one machine pass or receive data without pretending it owns the other machine’s hardware controls.

Three starter patterns worth memorizing

Read → transform → act

Used by the sensor repairs.

raw = sensor.get_value()
fixed = transform(raw)
sensor.calibrate(fixed)

Read state → choose next safe action

Used heavily by the biology loop.

if not self.input:
    self.take_from(collector)
else:
    # inspect the current stage before proceeding
    pass

Continuous control loop

Used by solar tracking.

while True:
    value = clock.get_elevation()
    self.set_tilt_degrees(90 - value)