SkeletonReflect

NOTE: SkeletonReflect is still WIP software

SkeletonReflect is a highly programmable reflection tool for C++ codebases. It utilizes "decorators" and employs a rudimentary C++ header parser in order to generate headers and sources for reflection data to be available to programmers at runtime.

Objectives & Intentions

SkeletonReflect's main objective is to provide flexible reflection tooling and systems for C++ codebases to integrate directly into their existing build pipeline. Beyond this main objective, SkeletonReflect aims to provide the following features:

• Sane defaults for generating reflection code (in this case, very UE4-like).
• Solid, reliable C++ header parsing.
• Scriptable pipeline programming.
• Ability to write in your favorite scripting language with integrated Scripting Engines.

As part of being a tool to use during build time, SkeletonReflect aims to also provide a minimal API for accessing reflected classes, properties and functions.

The aim is to also make all of these programmable via any number of scripting languages.

Intended default usage summary

NOTE: This is the final desired default usage, the software is still WIP

You write your header files like normal, except you you "decorators" in the form of C macros to direct generated output code:

#include "MyBoringClass.generated.h"

SKCLASS(DisplayName = "MyAwesomeClass")
class MyBoringClass : public Object
{
    SK_GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    SKFUNCTION(ScriptCallable, AutoBind)
    void Foo();

    SKPROPERTY(Replicated, CustomMeta = { ShowInDebug = true })
    int myCustomPropertyl = 0;
};

You invoke the tool during your pre-build step with a command:

srg --inputdir include --outputdir intermediate/debug/Win64/generated

Adjust your CMake scripts:

add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_SOURCES} ${SKR_SOURCES})
include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} ${SKR_INCLUDE_DIR})

Magic occurs, and you have reflection with the ability to query classes, class names, list properties and functions on classes, etc.

Tasks

• Finish core features.
  • Wren script engine basics.
  • Scanning lexer.
  • Script engine access for custom keywords.
  • Code generation.
  • Script engine access for code generation.
• Documentation.
• DLL supported scripting engine.
• LUA scripting engine.