-u is no longer available as a global, only within the running actor code; enable passing args to use

CLAUDE.md

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Prosperon is an actor-based game engine inspired by Douglas Crockford's Misty sy
 
 ### Core Systems
 1. **Actor System** (scripts/core/engine.js)
-   - Message passing via `$_.send()`, `$_.receive()`
+   - Message passing via `send()`, `$_.receive()`
    - Actor spawning/management
    - Register-based component system (update, draw, gui, etc.)
    
@@ -267,12 +267,12 @@ Portals must reply with an actor object, not application data:
 ```javascript
 // CORRECT: Portal replies with actor
 $_.portal(e => {
-  $_.send(e, $_);  // Reply with server actor
+  send(e, $_);  // Reply with server actor
 }, 5678);
 
 // WRONG: Portal sends application data  
 $_.portal(e => {
-  $_.send(e, {type: 'game_start'});  // This breaks the pattern
+  send(e, {type: 'game_start'});  // This breaks the pattern
 }, 5678);
 ```
 
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ Messages contain `__HEADER__` information that can cause issues:
 $_.receiver(e => {
   if (e.type === 'join_game') {
     var opponent = e.__HEADER__.replycc;  // Clean actor reference
-    $_.send(opponent, {type: 'game_start'});
+    send(opponent, {type: 'game_start'});
   }
 });
 
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ Actor objects must be completely opaque black boxes that work identically regard
 // - Network communication (uses ENet)
 
 // The actor shouldn't know or care about the transport mechanism
-$_.send(opponent, {type: 'move', from: [0,0], to: [1,1]});
+send(opponent, {type: 'move', from: [0,0], to: [1,1]});
 ```
 
 **Key Implementation Details:**
@@ -343,14 +343,14 @@ $_.send(opponent, {type: 'move', from: [0,0], to: [1,1]});
 ```javascript
 // Server: Portal setup
 $_.portal(e => {
-  $_.send(e, $_);  // Just reply with actor
+  send(e, $_);  // Just reply with actor
 }, 5678);
 
 // Client: Two-phase connection
 $_.contact((actor, reason) => {
   if (actor) {
     opponent = actor;
-    $_.send(opponent, {type: 'join_game'});  // Phase 2: app messaging
+    send(opponent, {type: 'join_game'});  // Phase 2: app messaging
   }
 }, {address: "localhost", port: 5678});
 
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ $_.contact((actor, reason) => {
 $_.receiver(e => {
   if (e.type === 'join_game') {
     opponent = e.__HEADER__.replycc;
-    $_.send(opponent, {type: 'game_start', your_color: 'black'});
+    send(opponent, {type: 'game_start', your_color: 'black'});
   }
 });
 ```

examples/chess/main.js

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* main.js – runs the demo with your prototype-based grid */
 
-var moth = use('moth')
+var moth = use('moth', $_.delay)
 var json = use('json')
 
 var res = 160
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ prosperon.on('mouse_button_down', function(e) {
     holdingPiece = true;
     // Send pickup notification to opponent
     if (opponent) {
-      $_.send(opponent, {
+      send(opponent, {
         type: 'piece_pickup',
         pos: c
       });
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ prosperon.on('mouse_button_up', function(e) {
     console.log("Made move from", selectPos, "to", c);
     // Send move to opponent
     console.log("Sending move to opponent:", opponent);
-    $_.send(opponent, {
+    send(opponent, {
       type: 'move',
       from: selectPos,
       to: c
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ prosperon.on('mouse_button_up', function(e) {
   
   // Send piece drop notification to opponent
   if (opponent) {
-    $_.send(opponent, {
+    send(opponent, {
       type: 'piece_drop'
     });
   }
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ prosperon.on('mouse_motion', function(e) {
   
   // Send mouse position to opponent in real-time
   if (opponent && gameState === 'connected') {
-    $_.send(opponent, {
+    send(opponent, {
       type: 'mouse_move',
       pos: c,
       holding: holdingPiece,
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ function startServer() {
     console.log("Portal received contact message");
     // Reply with this actor to establish connection
     console.log (json.encode($_))
-    $_.send(e, $_);
+    send(e, $_);
     console.log("Portal replied with server actor");
   }, 5678);
 }
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ function joinServer() {
       console.log("Connection established with server, sending join request");
       
       // Send a greet message with our actor object
-      $_.send(opponent, {
+      send(opponent, {
         type: 'greet',
         client_actor: $_
       });
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ var ioguy = {
   }
 };
 
-$_.send(ioguy, {
+send(ioguy, {
   type: "subscribe",
   actor: $_
 });
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ $_.receiver(e => {
     
     // Send game_start to the client
     console.log("Sending game_start to client");
-    $_.send(opponent, {
+    send(opponent, {
       type: 'game_start',
       your_color: 'black'
     });

scripts/core/engine.js

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ prosperon.PATH = [
 ]
 
 // path is the path of a module or script to resolve
-var script_fn = function script_fn(path) {
+var script_fn = function script_fn(path, args) {
   var parsed = {}
   var file = resources.find_script(path)
   
@@ -108,16 +108,19 @@ var script_fn = function script_fn(path) {
   parsed.module_ret ??= {}
 
   if (parsed.module) {
-    var mod_script = `(function setup_${module_name}_module(){ var self = this; var $ = this; var exports = {}; var module = {exports: exports}; var define = undefined; ${parsed.module}})`
+    // Create a context object with args
+    var context = Object.create(parsed.module_ret)
+    context.__args__ = args || []
+    var mod_script = `(function setup_${module_name}_module(){ var self = this; var $ = this; var exports = {}; var module = {exports: exports}; var define = undefined; var arg = this.__args__; ${parsed.module}})`
     var module_fn = js.eval(file, mod_script)
-    parsed.module_ret = module_fn.call(parsed.module_ret)
+    parsed.module_ret = module_fn.call(context)
     if (parsed.module_ret === undefined || parsed.module_ret === null)
       throw new Error(`Module ${module_name} must return a value`)
     parsed.module_fn = module_fn
   }
   
   parsed.program ??= ""
-  var prog_script = `(function use_${module_name}() { var self = this; var $ = this.__proto__; ${parsed.program}})`
+  var prog_script = `(function use_${module_name}($_) { var self = this; var $ = this.__proto__; ${parsed.program}})`
   parsed.prog_fn = js.eval(file, prog_script)
 
   return parsed
@@ -297,7 +300,7 @@ var use_cache = {}
 var inProgress = {}
 var loadingStack = []
 
-globalThis.use = function use(file) {
+globalThis.use = function use(file, ...args) {
   // If we've already begun loading this file in this chain, show the cycle
   if (loadingStack.includes(file)) {
     // Find where in the stack this file first appeared
@@ -328,8 +331,8 @@ globalThis.use = function use(file) {
   // Push onto loading stack for chain tracking
   loadingStack.push(file)
 
-  // Actually load the module
-  var mod = script_fn(file)
+  // Actually load the module with arguments
+  var mod = script_fn(file, args)
 
   // Done loading, remove from the chain and mark as loaded
   loadingStack.pop()
@@ -468,7 +471,7 @@ function cant_kill() {
 
 actor.toString = function() { return this[FILE] }
 
-actor.spawn = function spawn(script, config) {
+actor.spawn = function spawn(script, config, actor_context) {
   if (this[DEAD]) throw new Error("Attempting to spawn on a dead actor")
   var prog
   if (!script) {
@@ -488,6 +491,15 @@ actor.spawn = function spawn(script, config) {
   underling[TIMERS] = []
   underling[UNDERLINGS] = new Set()
 
+  // Make $_ available to the actor (either passed context or the engine's $_)
+  var actor_dollar = actor_context || $_
+  Object.defineProperty(underling, '$_', {
+    value: actor_dollar,
+    writable:false,
+    enumerable:false,
+    configurable:false
+  })
+
   Object.defineProperty(underling, 'overling', {
     get() { return this[OVERLING] },
     enumerable:true,
@@ -501,7 +513,9 @@ actor.spawn = function spawn(script, config) {
   })
 
   Object.defineProperty(underling, 'spawn', {
-    value: actor.spawn,
+    value: function(script, config) {
+      return actor.spawn.call(this, script, config, actor_dollar)
+    },
     writable:false,
     enumerable:true,
     configurable:false
@@ -522,7 +536,8 @@ actor.spawn = function spawn(script, config) {
   })
 
   try {
-    prog.prog_fn.call(underling)
+    // Pass $_ as a parameter to actor scripts
+    prog.prog_fn.call(underling, actor_dollar)
   } catch(e) { throw e; }
 
   if (underling[DEAD]) return undefined;
@@ -542,8 +557,6 @@ actor.spawn = function spawn(script, config) {
   return underling
 }
 
-
-
 actor.clear = function actor_clear() {
   this[UNDERLINGS].forEach(p => {
     p.kill()
@@ -577,8 +590,6 @@ actor.delay = function(fn, seconds) {
 }
 actor.delay.doc = `Call 'fn' after 'seconds' with 'this' set to the actor.`
 
-
-
 var act = use('actor')
 actor[UNDERLINGS] = new Set()
 
@@ -639,12 +650,12 @@ var underlings = new Set()
 var overling = undefined
 var root = undefined
 
-globalThis.$_ = $_
+// Don't make $_ global - it should only be available to actor scripts
 
 var receive_fn = undefined
 var greeters = {}
 
-$_.is_actor = function(actor) {
+function is_actor(actor) {
   return actor.__ACTORDATA__
 }
 
@@ -748,7 +759,7 @@ function handle_host(e) {
 
 var contactor = undefined
 $_.contact = function(callback, record) {
-  $_.send(create_actor(record), record, callback)
+  send(create_actor(record), record, callback)
 }
 
 $_.contact[prosperon.DOC] = `The contact function sends a message to a portal on another machine to obtain an actor object.
@@ -779,7 +790,7 @@ $_.stop = function(actor) {
     destroyself()
     return
   }
-  if (!$_.is_actor(actor))
+  if (!is_actor(actor))
     throw new Error('Can only call stop on an actor.')
   if (!underlings.has(actor.__ACTORDATA__.id))
     throw new Error('Can only call stop on an underling or self.')
@@ -811,7 +822,7 @@ function actor_prep(actor, send) {
 }
 
 function actor_send(actor, message) {
-  if (!$_.is_actor(actor)) throw new Error(`Must send to an actor object. Attempted send to ${json.encode(actor)}`)
+  if (!is_actor(actor)) throw new Error(`Must send to an actor object. Attempted send to ${json.encode(actor)}`)
   if (typeof message !== 'object') throw new Error('Must send an object record.')
 
   if (actor.__ACTORDATA__.id === prosperon.id) {
@@ -865,14 +876,14 @@ function send_messages() {
 
 var replies = {}
 
-$_.send = function(actor, message, reply) {
+function _send(actor, message, reply) {
   if (typeof message !== 'object')
     throw new Error('Message must be an object')
   var send = {type:"user", data: message}
 
   if (actor[HEADER] && actor[HEADER].replycc) {
     var header = actor[HEADER]
-    if (!header.replycc || !$_.is_actor(header.replycc))
+    if (!header.replycc || !is_actor(header.replycc))
       throw new Error(`Supplied actor had a return, but it's not a valid actor! ${json.encode(actor[HEADER])}`)
 
     actor = header.replycc
@@ -883,15 +894,19 @@ $_.send = function(actor, message, reply) {
     var id = util.guid()
     replies[id] = reply
     send.reply = id
-    send.replycc = $_
+    send.replycc = $_ // This still references the engine's internal $_
   }
 
   // Instead of sending immediately, queue it
   actor_prep(actor,send);
 }
-$_.send[prosperon.DOC] = "sends a message to another actor..."
 
-$_.blast = $_.send;
+Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'send', {
+  value: _send,
+  writable: false,
+  configurable: false,
+  enumerable: true
+});
 
 var cmd = use('cmd')
 cmd.process(prosperon.argv.slice())
@@ -924,7 +939,8 @@ if (!prosperon.args.program)
 if (typeof prosperon.args.program !== 'string')
   prosperon.args.program = 'main.js';
   
-actor.spawn(prosperon.args.program)
+// Spawn the root actor with access to $_
+actor.spawn.call({[UNDERLINGS]: new Set()}, prosperon.args.program, undefined)
 
 function destroyself() {
   console.log(`Got the message to destroy self.`)

scripts/core/io.js

@@ -160,5 +160,5 @@ $_.receiver(e => {
   }
   
   for (var a of subscribers)
-    $_.send(a, e);
+    send(a, e);
 });

scripts/modules/moth.js

@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
  * Moth Game Framework
  * Higher-level game development framework built on top of Prosperon
  */
+ 
+// Check if we received the required delay function
+if (!arg || arg.length === 0 || typeof arg[0] !== 'function') {
+  throw new Error("moth module requires $_.delay function as first argument. Usage: use('moth', $_.delay)");
+}
+
+// Verify it's actually a delay function by checking if it has the expected behavior
+var delay = arg[0];
+if (!delay.name || (delay.name !== 'delay' && !delay.name.includes('delay'))) {
+  console.warn("Warning: The function passed to moth module may not be $_.delay");
+}
 
 var os = use('os');
 var io = use('io');
@@ -89,7 +100,7 @@ function startGameLoop() {
     }
     
     // Schedule next frame
-    $_.delay(loop, Math.max(0, targetFrameTime - (os.now() - now)));
+    delay(loop, Math.max(0, targetFrameTime - (os.now() - now)));
   }
   
   loop();

tests/comments.js

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ $_.receiver(tree => {
   for (child of tree.children) {
     requestors.push(cb => {
       var child_actor = $_.start(undefined, "tests/comments.js")
-      $_.send(child_actor, child, cb)
+      send(child_actor, child, cb)
     })
   }
   
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ $_.receiver(tree => {
         id: tree.id,
         children: children_results
       }
-      $_.send(tree, full_comment)
+      send(tree, full_comment)
     } else {
-      $_.send(tree, reason);
+      send(tree, reason);
     }
   })
 })

tests/contact.js

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ function contact_fn(actor,reason) {
   if (actor) {
     console.log(`Got an actor: ${json.encode(actor)}`)
 
-    $_.send(actor, {greet: "Hello!"}, e => {
+    send(actor, {greet: "Hello!"}, e => {
       console.log(`Got the response ${json.encode(e)}. Goodbye!`);
       $_.stop()
     })

tests/overling.js

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ $_.start(e => {
       console.log(json.encode(e))
       $_.connection(e => console.log(json.encode(e)), e.actor) // get connection info
 
-      $_.send(e.actor, {message: "Hello!"})
+      send(e.actor, {message: "Hello!"})
       
       $_.couple(e.actor)
 

tests/parseq.js

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ var tree = {
 
 var actor = $_.start(undefined, "tests/comments.js")
 
-$_.send(actor, tree, (result, reason) => {
+send(actor, tree, (result, reason) => {
   if (reason)
     console.log(reason)
   else

tests/portal.js

@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ var password = "abc123"
 
 $_.portal(e => {
   if (e.password !== password)
-    $_.send(e, {reason:"Password does not match."});
+    send(e, {reason:"Password does not match."});
   else
-    $_.send(e, $_)
+    send(e, $_)
 }, 5678);
 
 $_.receiver(e => {
   console.log(`Got message: ${json.encode(e)}`)
-  $_.send(e, {greet: "Hello back!"})
+  send(e, {greet: "Hello back!"})
   $_.delay(_ => $_.stop(), 0.2)
 })

tests/qr_drag.js

@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ var qr_img = graphics.from_surface("qr", bsurf)
 
 img = frame_img
 
-$_.send(ioguy, {
+send(ioguy, {
   type: "subscribe",
   actor: $_
 })

tests/reply.js

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ var os = use('os')
 $_.receiver(e => {
   console.log(`Got a message: ${json.encode(e)}`)
 
-  $_.send(e, {
+  send(e, {
     message: "Good to go."
   })
 })

tests/send.js

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ var os = use('os')
 
 $_.start(e => {
   console.log(json.encode(e.actor))
-  $_.send(e.actor, { message: "Hello! Good to go?" }, msg => {
+  send(e.actor, { message: "Hello! Good to go?" }, msg => {
     console.log(`Original sender got message back: ${json.encode(msg)}. Stopping!`)
     $_.stop()
   })

tests/test_actor_access.js

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Test that actors have access to $_
+console.log("Testing actor access to $_:");
+
+// In an actor script, $_ should be available
+if (typeof $_ !== 'undefined') {
+  console.log("✓ Actor has access to $_");
+  console.log("  $_.random is a", typeof $_.random);
+  console.log("  $_.clock is a", typeof $_.clock);
+  
+  // Test spawning another actor
+  var child = this.spawn('test_child_actor.js');
+  
+  // Test using a module
+  var testModule = use('test_module');
+  console.log("✓ Module loaded, result:", testModule.test());
+} else {
+  console.error("✗ Actor does NOT have access to $_");
+}

tests/test_args.js

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Test module to verify argument passing
+
+console.log("Test args module loaded");
+console.log("Number of arguments:", arg.length);
+console.log("Arguments received:", arg);
+
+function createMessage(prefix) {
+  prefix = prefix || "default";
+  return prefix + ": " + arg.join(", ");
+}
+
+return {
+  args: arg,
+  message: createMessage(arg[0]),
+  allArgs: function() {
+    return "All arguments: " + arg.join(", ");
+  }
+};

tests/test_child_actor.js

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// Child actor test
+console.log("Child actor spawned");
+
+if (typeof $_ !== 'undefined') {
+  console.log("✓ Child actor has access to $_");
+} else {
+  console.error("✗ Child actor does NOT have access to $_");
+}

tests/test_module.js

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// Test module - should NOT have access to $_
+
+function test() {
+  if (typeof $_ !== 'undefined') {
+    console.error("✗ Module incorrectly has access to $_!");
+    return "ERROR: Module has $_ access";
+  } else {
+    console.log("✓ Module correctly does NOT have access to $_");
+    return "Module loaded without $_ access";
+  }
+}
+
+return {
+  test: test
+};

tests/test_use_args.js

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Test script to verify use() with arguments
+
+console.log("Testing use() with arguments:");
+
+// Test 1: Load module without arguments
+var module1 = use('test_args');
+console.log("Module 1 message:", module1.message);
+console.log("Module 1 args:", module1.args);
+
+// Test 2: Load module with arguments
+var module2 = use('test_args', 'hello', 'world', 123);
+console.log("Module 2 message:", module2.message);
+console.log("Module 2 all args:", module2.allArgs());
+
+// Test 3: Verify modules are cached (should return same as module1)
+var module3 = use('test_args');
+console.log("Module 3 (cached) message:", module3.message);
+console.log("Are module1 and module3 the same?", module1 === module3);

tests/window.js

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ var ioguy = {
   }
 }
 
-$_.send(ioguy, {
+send(ioguy, {
   type: "subscribe",
   actor: $_
 })