Drafts, compilation, and active programs

Editing code changes the draft. Playing runs the active successful build. These can differ.

Compile a draft

1. Finish the relevant block configurations and method/class declarations.
2. Run /plot compile with Dev access.
3. Read the result. Resolve missing arguments, incompatible types, inaccessible members, or incomplete returns.
4. Enter Play to test the activated build.

A successful compilation is saved before activation. Failure to validate or save leaves the previous successful build available. Editing a draft cannot silently replace that successful build.

Loading and restarting

A loaded plot activates its last successful build. Newer uncompiled edits remain drafts. Cached-program recovery uses the successful build’s own saved source rather than substituting newer edits. You do not need to understand the storage format to use this behavior.

Enable Autocompile if you want loading/Play entry to attempt the latest draft. Keep it off when you want to edit an unfinished draft while retaining a stable game.

Lifecycle

Plot Start runs when the program activates. Plot Stop participates in shutdown. Async tasks belong to their plot and stop with it. Recompiling also cleans up temporary player presentation owned by the previous running program.

Use /plot diagnostics to inspect active work. Error reports identify the build revision; /plot diagnostics error in Dev locates the corresponding current draft node if it still exists. A changed or deleted node can prevent exact navigation.

A useful workflow

Change one behavior, compile, test its trigger, then move on. If a compile fails, fix the reported cause rather than interpreting the still-running old behavior as a successful update. See diagnostics for stalled tasks and runtime errors.