Godot-proposals: Add shorthand `expr$NodePath` for `expr.get_node("NodePath")`

[dalexeev]

Describe the project you are working on:
A game

Describe the problem or limitation you are having in your project:
When I want to create onready variables for nested nodes, I have to repeat the path prefix:

onready var item1 = $Scroll/Grid/Item1
onready var item2 = $Scroll/Grid/Item2
onready var item3 = $Scroll/Grid/Item3

Obviously, this is not good. For example, the path to the Grid node may change and must be changed in all variables.

I can replace this with

onready var grid = $Scroll/Grid
onready var item1 = grid.get_node("Item1")
onready var item2 = grid.get_node("Item2")
onready var item3 = grid.get_node("Item3")

But I would like to use a more compact syntax.

Describe the feature / enhancement and how it helps to overcome the problem or limitation:
Add shorthand expr$NodePath for expr.get_node("NodePath"). Then we can do this:

onready var grid = $Scroll/Grid
onready var item1 = grid$Item1
onready var item2 = grid$Item2
onready var item3 = grid$Item3

Describe how your proposal will work, with code, pseudocode, mockups, and/or diagrams:
I haven't looked at how this is implemented, so I don't know.

If this enhancement will not be used often, can it be worked around with a few lines of script?:
It is possible to attach the script directly to the Grid node, but this option is not always acceptable.

Is there a reason why this should be core and not an add-on in the asset library?:
This cannot be done with an add-on, because it affects the GDScript syntax.

[pycbouh]

Not sure if that's the best possible syntax, but I agree with this being a problem.

[Calinou]

If we were to allow this, I think grid.$Item1 (with a .) would make more sense. That said, I can imagine this being difficult to parse.

[KoBeWi]

Obviously, this is not good. For example, the path to the Grid node may change and must be changed in all variables.

This is a matter of using Replace All, so it's not really a big problem.

[dalexeev]

it's not really a big problem

Yes, you're right, this is just syntactic sugar. But this is a logical continuation of the $NodePath syntax, which is also syntactic sugar.

[Tyrannosaurus1234]

You can do $"parentNode/childNode" to provide the $ operator with a nodePath that includes slashes. Doing $parentNode/childNode, to me, sounds like asking for trouble from a syntax standpoint. To reduce boilerplate and increase portability in your paths, you can, theoretically, do something like:

onready var gridPath = "thisNode/grid"
onready var item1 = $gridPath+"/item1"
onready var item1 = $gridPath+"/item2"
onready var item1 = $gridPath+"/item3"

[dalexeev]

You can do $"parentNode/childNode" to provide the $ operator with a nodePath that includes slashes.

@Tyrannosaurus1234 You may not have known this, but it is not necessary, it even works without the quotes.

var x = "path/to/node"

# In 3.2 these options are equivalent:
$path/to/node
$"path/to/node"
get_node(x)

# In an alternate reality:
$"path/to/node"
$x
$(x)
$("path/to/" + "node")

Basically, I like the option with parentheses because it doesn't break anything.

var grid_path = "Scroll/Grid/"
onready var item1 = $(grid_path + "Item1")

But my option is still more concise:

onready var grid = $Scroll/Grid
onready var item1 = grid$Item1

[Calinou]

For reference, quotes with $ are only required for relative paths that use .. or absolute paths:

$"../Player"
$"/root/Game/Level"