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createSearchLight

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Server-side
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This function creates a searchlight. A searchlight is a spotlight which looks like the one available in the Police Maverick.

Tip

You should only use this function when you are sure that the searchlight will point upwards or downwards . Using them horizontally or almost horizontally will generate visual artifacts in the searchlight.

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Syntax

searchlight createSearchLight ( float startX, float startY, float startZ, float endX, float endY, float endZ, float startRadius, float endRadius, [ bool renderSpot = true ] )
Required Arguments
  • startX: the X coordinate where the searchlight light cone will start.
  • startY: the Y coordinate where the searchlight light cone will start.
  • startZ: the Z coordinate where the searchlight light cone will start.
  • endX: the X coordinate of the direction where the searchlight will point to.
  • endY: the Y coordinate of the direction where the searchlight will point to.
  • endZ: the Z coordinate of the direction where the searchlight will point to.
  • startRadius: the radius of the searchlight's light cone in its beginning.
  • endRadius: the radius of the searchlight's light cone in its end.
Optional Arguments

NOTE: When using optional arguments, you might need to supply all arguments before the one you wish to use.

  • renderSpot (default: true): if true , the searchlight will lighten the surface where it ends.

Returns

  • searchlight: value

If every argument is correct and the limit of 1000 searchlights has not been reached, this function returns a searchlight element . Otherwise, it returns false .

Code Examples

shared

This example allows players to wear a helmet lantern, which can be toggled on or off by pressing O or using/togglelantern. It uses createSearchLight to create the illumination effect.

local helmetLantern


local function updateHelmetLantern()
    -- Calculate light properties
    local helmetPos, playerMatrix = Vector3(getPedBonePosition(localPlayer, 6)), getElementMatrix(localPlayer)
    local targetPos = Vector3(playerMatrix[4][1] + playerMatrix[2][1] * 3, playerMatrix[4][2] + playerMatrix[2][2] * 3, playerMatrix[4][3] + playerMatrix[2][3] * 3)
    -- If the searchlight we use for the effect doesn't exist, create it
    -- If it is already created, then simply update its start and end positions
    if not helmetLantern then
        helmetLantern = createSearchLight(helmetPos, targetPos, 0, 15)
    else
        setSearchLightStartPosition(helmetLantern, helmetPos)
        setSearchLightEndPosition(helmetLantern, targetPos)
    end
end


local function manageHelmetLantern()
    local helmetLanternOff = not helmetLantern
    playSoundFrontEnd(helmetLanternOff and 37 or 38)
    if helmetLanternOff then
        -- Let updateHelmetLantern take care of creating and updating the effect
        addEventHandler("onClientPreRender", root, updateHelmetLantern)
    else
        -- Stop updateHelmetLantern doing its job and clear variables
        removeEventHandler("onClientPreRender", root, updateHelmetLantern)
        destroyElement(helmetLantern)
        helmetLantern = nil
    end
end


-- Allow the player to turn the helmet lantern or on off by using /togglelantern or pressing O
addCommandHandler("togglelantern", manageHelmetLantern)
bindKey("o", "down", manageHelmetLantern)

See Also

Searchlight Functions
Reference