Lobbychatqueue

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-08

Overview

LobbyChatQueue is a UI widget responsible for rendering and managing a scrollable queue of chat messages from the lobby screen. It integrates with the global ChatHistory system to populate and maintain chat display, dynamically creates LobbyChatLine widgets for individual messages, and handles scrolling, focus redirection, and control input. It inherits from Widget and is typically added as a child of the lobby UI container.

Usage example

local lobby_chat_queue = LobbyChatQueue(chatbox, on_receive_new_message, next_widget)
ui_root:AddChild(lobby_chat_queue)
-- Messages are automatically rendered when ChatHistory fires events via its registered listener.

Dependencies & tags

Components used: None (pure UI widget with no entity component dependencies). Tags: None identified.

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
chatbox	Widget?	nil	Optional reference to the chat input widget; used to redirect focus for accepting messages.
new_message_fn	function?	nil	Callback invoked on receipt of a new non-silent message.
nextWidget	Widget?	nil	Widget to receive focus when navigating right from this queue.
list_widgets	table	{}	Internal list of LobbyChatLine and continuation widgets.
message_count	number	0	Total number of real (non-continuation) messages currently displayed.
chat_font	string	CHATFONT	Font used for rendering chat text.
chat_size	number	20	Font size for chat text.
chat_listener	function	see constructor	Listener function bound to ChatHistory events.
scroll_list	ScrollableList?	nil	The underlying scrollable list container for messages.

Main functions

Rebuild()

• Description: Clears and re-populates the chat queue by fetching all messages from ChatHistory in reverse chronological order and pushing them via PushMessage.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

Kill()

• Description: Tears down the widget, unsubscribing from ChatHistory events and calling the parent Kill() method.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

PushMessage(chat_message, silent)

• Description: Creates a new LobbyChatLine widget from chat_message, adds it to the scrollable list, and manages message count limits. If silent is false, triggers the new_message_fn callback. Handles multiline continuation lines automatically.
• Parameters:
  • chat_message (table) - a chat record with fields type, message, m_colour, sender, s_colour, icondata, icondatabg.
  • silent (boolean, optional) - if true, suppresses the new_message_fn callback. Default is false.
• Returns: Nothing.

DoFocusHookups()

• Description: Configures focus navigation: sets the scroll list as the default focus target and wires rightward navigation to nextWidget.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnControl(control, down)

• Description: Handles input control routing for scrolling and chat activation. Forwards CONTROL_ACCEPT to the chatbox (if present and valid), and delegates scroll/wheel controls to the scroll list.
• Parameters:
  • control (number) - The CONTROL_* constant for the input action.
  • down (boolean) - true if the control is being pressed; false on release.
• Returns: true if the control was handled; false otherwise.

GetHelpText()

• Description: Returns a localized help string summarizing available controls (scrolling and chat activation), depending on scroll bar visibility and presence of chatbox.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: string - concatenated localized help text.

Events & listeners

• Listens to: ChatHistory events via ChatHistory:AddChatHistoryListener(self.chat_listener) — the listener invokes PushMessage.
• Pushes: None (does not fire custom events).