Documentation Docs/en/reference/prototype-format/syntax.md

Prototype File Syntax

Generated reference. Do not edit directly. Update BuildTools/PrototypeFormatInterface.json or the owning engine metadata, then run python BuildTools/docs_prototype_format.py --write.

Index

Syntax

Baking.ProtoFileExtensions selects input files. Engine defaults: fopro. An embedding project may add extensions without changing how sections are parsed.

Each pack emits <pack>.fopro-bin-<side> for server, client, mapper. Every top-level [ProtoMap] anchor contributes a Map prototype; nested map-placement sections are skipped.

Section forms

Stable ID	Syntax	Resolution	Meaning
`prototype-format.section.proto-entity`	`[Proto<Type>]`	Entity metadata type <Type> with HasProtos	Declares a prototype for a built-in or project-authored entity type whose metadata enables prototypes.
`prototype-format.section.fixed-type`	`[<FixedType>]`	A metadata type declared with ///@ FixedType	Declares a prototype-like fixed value defined by embedding-project metadata.
`prototype-format.section.fomap-proto-map`	`[ProtoMap]`	Map	Each top-level ProtoMap anchor declares a Map prototype. Nested $Name/Item and $Name/Critter placement sections are skipped by ProtoBaker and consumed by MapBaker.

Control directives

Stable ID	Syntax	Default	Meaning
`prototype-format.directive.name`	`$Name = <PrototypeId>`	source file name without its extension	Sets the prototype identity within its resolved type. The identity is migration-resolved before duplicate detection.
`prototype-format.directive.parent`	`$Parent = <ParentId> [<ParentId> ...]`	no parents	Lists same-type parent prototypes separated by spaces. Parents are merged left to right and the child is applied last.

Minimal example

[ProtoItem]
$Name = BaseItem

[ProtoItem]
$Name = DerivedItem
$Parent = BaseItem

The section selects the type. The extension and directory do not. Values use the shared configuration parser, including # comments, a trailing backslash preceded by space or tab for continuation, and key += value append syntax.