Special Values

Special values are compile-time tokens replaced with actual values during processing. They use the @ prefix followed by a keyword.

Only processed in .ss files, not in .gml files.

Expressions inside comments are not expanded (JSDoc comments are preserved).

Reference

@now

Current UTC datetime in ISO 8601 format, without double quotes.

Syntax

@now

Example

index.ss

var current_datetime = "@now";

Result

index.ss

var current_datetime = "@now";
var current_datetime = "2025-03-15T12:34:56Z";

---

@today

Current UTC date only, without double quotes.

Syntax

@today

Example

index.ss

var current_datetime = "@today";

Result

index.ss

var current_datetime = "@today";
var current_datetime = "2025-03-15";

---

@version

The version field from ScaffScript’s own package.json, without double quotes.

Syntax

@version

Example

index.ss

var scaffscript_version = "@version";

Result

index.ss

var scaffscript_version = "@version";
var scaffscript_version = "0.1.6";

---

@file

Name of the current file, without the .ss extension and without double quotes.

Syntax

@file

Example

index.ss

var current_file = "@file";

Result

index.ss

var current_file = "@file";
var current_file = "index";

---

@line

Line number (1-based) of the line where @line appears.

Syntax

@line

Example

index.ss

// --- snip ---
var current_line = @line;

Result

index.ss

// --- snip ---
 var current_line = @line;
 var current_line = 10;

---

@counter

Current counter value, then increments by 1. Starts at counterStart from config (default: 1). Counter is global across all files in a run.

Caution

@counter is processed at compile time, so it’s not affected by any runtime conditions (like, when you’re running your game). So, it only produces a constant value.

Syntax

@counter

Example

index.ss

show_debug_message("Current count: " + "@counter");

var next_count = @counter;
var multiply = 10 * @counter;

Result

index.ss

show_debug_message("Current count: " + "@counter");
show_debug_message("Current count: " + "1");

var next_count = @counter;
var multiply = 10 * @counter;
var next_count = 2;
var multiply = 10 * 3;

---

Example

index.ss

#[main]
/**
 * ScaffScript Version: @version
 * Created at @today.
 * Line: @line. File: @file. Counter: @counter.
 */
show_debug_message("hello");

Output:

index.gml

/**
 * ScaffScript Version: @version
 * Created at @today.
 * Line: @line. File: @file. Counter: @counter.
 * ScaffScript Version: 0.1.6
 * Created at 2025-03-15.
 * Line: 4. File: "index". Counter: 1.
 */
show_debug_message("hello");