_ren.py Files - Ren'Py in Python — Ren'Py Documentation

# _ren.py Files - Ren'Py in Python

In more complicated games, it's possible to have files that consist of mostly Python, with a small number of Ren'Py statements, like `init python:`, to introduce the Python code to Ren'Py. Ren'Py has an alternative way to write these Python-heavy files. Files with a name ending in `_ren.py` can be written in Python syntax, which is then transformed to Ren'Py script and processed.

There are two main reasons to take advantage of this:

- Using the _ren.py syntax removes an extra layer of indentation that needs to be placed before every line of Python.

- Editors can open _ren.py files using tools that are specialized for Python, allowing the editor to perform code analysis and refactoring operations that aren't available for Python-in-Ren'Py.

Ren'Py in Python files have names that end with _ren.py, for example, `actions_ren.py`. These files are processed in the same unicode order that .rpy files are processed, so `actions_ren.py` is processed at the same place that `actions.rpy` would have been. It's an error to have both a _ren.py and a .rpy file with the same root - for example, `actions.rpy` and `actions_ren.py` conflict, and will cause an error if both exist in the same directory.

## Syntax and Transformation

Ren'Py in Python files contain three types of sections.

- A single ignored section starts the file. This can be used for Python imports and other constructs that will help the editors and other tools, but aren't part of the game and will not be executed by Ren'Py.

- One or more Ren'Py sections, which contain Ren'Py script. Ren'Py script is generally used to introduce Python sections, and also sets the indentation of that Python.

  A Ren'Py section is introduced with `"""renpy` on a line by itself, and is terminated with `"""` on a line by itself. Both the start and the end need to be placed at the start of a line, without any indentation before it. If either is indented, the file will not be processed correctly.

- One or more Python sections. Python sections occur after Ren'Py sections, and are indented to the indentation level of the last non-whitespace, non-comment line in the Ren'Py section. If that line ends with a colon (:), the Python is indented by 4 more spaces.

This transformation is used to create the equivalent of a .rpy file in memory, and this file is compiled in the usual way. Notably, Ren'Py in Python runs in the Ren'Py store (rather than in an isolated module), and the Python code is subject to the transformations that enable rollback and save/load to work - see Python Statements and Rollback.

## Example

Here's an example of a _ren.py file:

    # This is not included in the game. It's here so that an editor knows
    # the type of strength.
    strength = 100

    """renpy
    init python:
    """

    class BoostStrength(Action):
        """
        Boosts the strength of the player by 10.
        """

        def __call__(self):
            global strength
            strength += 10
            renpy.restart_interaction()

This file is transformed into (with some blank lines removed):

    init python:

        class BoostStrength(Action):
            """
            Boosts the strength of the player by 10.
            """

            def __call__(self):
                global strength
                strength += 10
                renpy.restart_interaction()