[FEATURE] Debugging invalid references.

as a framework user I want to log when and where entities are created or destroyed. So that I can debug reference issues.

Criteria (edit after discussion)

• Debug plugin
  • Ability to detect illegal access to components and entities.
  • Ability to report the cause (for example, delete issued in class@linenumber).
  • Ability to log all lifecycle events (optional).
  • Expose all debug information to ECS (via components).
  • Lifecycle naming of entities for easy tracking.
  • Extend/replace logging and naming.
  • Plug and play.
• Lifecycle listener plugin.
  • Intended to augment editors and debuggers.
  • Can be disabled. No performance impact when disabled.
  • Hook into lifecycle events for Entities and Components.
  • Hook into lifecycle events for World (?)
  • Plug and play.

Code example

To log all calls coming from net.mostlyoriginal package.

WorldConfigurationBuilder.with(DebugPlugin.thatLogsErrorsIn("net.mostlyoriginal"))

log output (Proof of concept)

NotableNautilus(1) CREATE @ net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.createLayerEntity(TiledMapManager.java:85)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.load(TiledMapManager.java:73)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.initialize(TiledMapManager.java:62)
NotableNautilus(1) DELETE @ net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.createLayerEntity(TiledMapManager.java:90)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.load(TiledMapManager.java:73)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.initialize(TiledMapManager.java:62)
*********************
NotableNautilus(1) ERROR_ATTEMPT_TO_DELETE_DELETED_ENTITY @ net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.createLayerEntity(TiledMapManager.java:91)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.load(TiledMapManager.java:73)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.initialize(TiledMapManager.java:62)
Cause (Already deleted at):
NotableNautilus(1) DELETE @ net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.createLayerEntity(TiledMapManager.java:90)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.load(TiledMapManager.java:73)
       .. net.mostlyoriginal.game.system.map.TiledMapManager.initialize(TiledMapManager.java:62)
*********************

Background

While attempting to refactor a Jam game into a more best practices example for ECS I’m running into a lot of bugs related to expired id references, even with the help of @EntityId.

[DaanVanYperen]

PoC done! 😃 Just need to pivot subclasses to @Grafts.

[DaanVanYperen]

I’m happy how graftt turned out on contrib. Thanks for that @junkdog! Travis build is passing. This ticket is pretty much done, just waiting for some snapshots to release and then we have a go!