API

hCore Message API

hCore provides a messaging API for embedded instances of hCore. You can use the messaging API to edit and set a simulation files and to read the state of a simulation. We'd love your feedback on this feature.

All hCore messages use the postMessage technique for messaging between iFrames. In order to send a message, create a webpage which loads hCore in an iframe, and then send a message to that iframe.

//example

<iframe>.contentWindow.postMessage({
  id: <unique id, string>,
  type: <message type, string>
 },
 "*"
);

updateFile

Update the contents of a simulation file to the contents defined in the message payload.

// updateFile message example

{
  "id": "1625b2ce-441f-4b42-8d44-80ec3bae2495",
  "type": "updateFile",
  "file": "globals.json",
  //stringify the contents and HASH will auto decode.
  "contents": JSON.stringify({"foo": 1})
}

sendState

Request the current state of the simulation. Will return a message with type: "state" and the full state as a dictionary under contents, where the key is the time step and the value an array of agent objects.

// sendState message example

{
 "id": "1625b2ce-441f-4b42-8d44-80ec3bae2495",
 "type": "sendState"
}

initialize

Request that HASH send a message every time a file changes. If you send this to a framed hCore, it will send a message with type: "files" and content: file[] every time changes are made to a source file.

// initialize message example

{
 "id": "1625b2ce-441f-4b42-8d44-80ec3bae2495",
 "type": "initialize"
}

resetAndRun

Trigger hCore to reset the simulation, generate a new simulation run, and start it playing.

// resetAndRun message example
{
  "id": "1625b2ce-441f-4b42-8d44-80ec3bae2495",
  "type": "resetAndRun"
}