Implementing a dialog system for construct2 adventure games

[/code:2wuzpy2g]I understand what you are talking about now. I've been attempting to look into how to access the Plugin Object Type Instances(basically just instances of objects). If you look at the 'Object type' and 'Instances' manual entries under the 'SDK Reference', you'll find useful information regarding the attainment of instances of an Object Type. I'm still researching on how to do this, because I've seen a few other requests like yours. Through Javascript you need to try obtaining the text contents of the Prototypes\Functions\Objects that are assigned to an Instance. Here are a few lines of code that you can put in a Plugin Action that should get you started:
 [code:2wuzpy2g]
		var objectTypesArray = this.runtime.types_by_index;
		var araLength = objectTypesArray.length;
		var instValuesArray = [];
		for (var araIndex = 0; araIndex < araLength;  araIndex++)
		{
				var instObj = this.runtime.createInstance(objectTypesArray[araIndex],this.layer);
				var valueStr = "";
				for(var item in instObj)
				{
					valueStr += item + " : " + instObj[item] + "\n";
				}
				valueStr+= "\n\n\n\n\n";
				instValuesArray[araIndex] = valueStr;
		}
[/code:2wuzpy2g]
You want to most likely set an entire String representation of the instValuesArray to a property of the Plugin you  built(or a test Plugin). Then access that property through an expression at runtime in the Event Sheet, setting an Array Plugin Instances first dimension first element to that property's string. Then use the Array's Download Action to save the Array in a file as JSON. You'll have to use a text editor and what not format the element's text in the JSON file. Basically you have to inspect this String to find out where the Names of the Object Type and the Instance Properties\Variables are in the chain. Then from there figure out how to access them so that you can set for example your SpriteFont's text. I hope this helps somehow.

var objectTypesArray = this.runtime.types_by_index;
var NameTypePairs = {};
var TypeInstNameIndexPairs = {};
for(var araIndex in objectTypesArray)
{
    var objTypeID = objectTypesArray[araIndex];
    var objInst = this.runtime.createInstance(objTypeID, this.layer);
    var instVarNames = objInst.instance_var_names;
    var instVars = inst.instance_vars;
    var InstNameIndexPairs = {};
    for(var instVarIndex in instVarNames)
    {
		var name = instVarNames[instVarIndex];
		var index = instVarIndex;
		InstNameIndexPairs[name] = index;
    }
    var objType = objInst.type;
    this.runtime.DestroyInstance(objInst);
    var objName = objType.name;
    NameTypePairs[objName] = objType;
    TypeInstNameIndexPairs[objName] = InstNameIndexPairs;
}
var dialogboxType = NameTypePairs["dialogbox"];
var dialogboxTypeInstVars = TypeInstNameIndexPairs["dialogbox"];
var nameVarIndex = dialogboxTypeInstVars["name"];
var dialogboxInst = dialogboxType.instances;

for(var instIndex in dialogboxInst)
{
   var inst = dialogboxInst[instIndex];
   if(inst.instance_vars[nameVarIndex] = "Joe")
   {
       var instJoe = inst;
   }
   if(inst.instance_vars[nameVarIndex] = "Jasper")
   {
       var instJasper = inst;
   }
}

instJasper.visible = false;
instJoe.text = ".........";
instJoe.visible = true;
[/code:3goj65s5]
This is assuming that the 'name' Instance Variable of the dialogbox Object Type.

var objInst = this.runtime.createInstance(objTypeID, this.layer);[/code:1dw0g48t]
lt tries to create a new instance of a singleton plugin (like keyboard for example) and throws an exception.

I wanted to filter by the typeName, but apparently you are using your objInst for getting the type name. is there any other way to get the current instances typeNames? do you know any way around this?

type.plugin.singleglobal[/code:1cy5vqaj]
Also here's the revised code snippet:
[code:1cy5vqaj]
		 var objectTypesArray = this.runtime.types_by_index;
		var NameTypePairs = {};
		var TypeInstNameIndexPairs = {};
		for(var araIndex in objectTypesArray)
		{
			var objType = objectTypesArray[araIndex];
			var isSingleGlobal = objType.plugin.singleglobal;
			var objName = objType.name;
			if(!isSingleGlobal)
			{
				var objInst = this.runtime.createInstance(objType, this.layer);
				var instVarNames = objInst.instance_var_names;
				var instVars = objInst.instance_vars;
				var InstNameIndexPairs = {};
				for(var instVarIndex in instVarNames)
				{
				  var name = instVarNames[instVarIndex];
				  var index = instVarIndex;
				  InstNameIndexPairs[name] = index;
				}
				this.runtime.DestroyInstance(objInst);
				TypeInstNameIndexPairs[objName] = InstNameIndexPairs;
			}
			NameTypePairs[objName] = objType;
		}
[/code:1cy5vqaj]

var objInsts = objType.instances [/code:1t1n3x7v]
so I'm just taking the relevant object types and picking their instances.

Thanks for all your help!