making sure I can reasonably use logging here

src/lib/log.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+-- USAGE:
+--   -- set arbitrary log levels to be printed immediately
+--   log{ info = true, warning = true, ducksauce = true, }
+--   -- disable storage of messages depending on log level
+--   log{ error = false, verbose = false, }
+--   -- send anything (except nil) to a log level
+--   log("bacom", true, "text", 5, function() end, {})
+--   -- print all messages saved at a particular log level
+--   log("error")
+--   -- toggle ALL logging on and off with a boolean
+--   log(false) -- this deletes all stored messages
+--   -- set a maximum number of stored messages per log level
+--   log(50) -- warning: reaching large limits makes logging expensive
+--   -- check if a log level is being displayed
+--   if log.arbitrary_exit then log("arbitrary_exit") os.exit(1) end
+--   -- do anything to the stored messages (this example deletes them all)
+--   log(function(messages) return {} end)
+
+local microlog = {} -- display_levels are stored directly here
+local stored_messages = {}
+local enable_logging = true
+local message_limit = math.huge
+
+return setmetatable(microlog, {
+  __call = function(self, options, ...)
+    local options_type = type(options)
+
+    if (options_type == "string") and enable_logging then
+      if microlog[options] == false then return end
+      if not stored_messages[options] then stored_messages[options] = {} end
+      local message_table = stored_messages[options]
+
+      -- turn log message into text
+      local tab = {...}
+      for i = 1, #tab do
+        tab[i] = tostring(tab[i])
+      end
+      local current_message = table.concat(tab, "\t")
+
+      if #current_message == 0 then
+        -- print all stored_messages of specified level
+        for i = 1, #message_table do
+          print(message_table[i])
+        end
+
+      else
+        -- store message (and print if in display_levels)
+        message_table[#message_table + 1] = current_message
+        if #message_table > message_limit then table.remove(message_table, 1) end
+        if microlog[options] then print(current_message) end
+      end
+
+    -- set display_levels
+    elseif options_type == "table" then
+      for k,v in pairs(options) do
+        microlog[k] = v
+      end
+
+    elseif options_type == "number" then
+      message_limit = options
+      for k,v in pairs(stored_messages) do
+        while #v > message_limit do
+          table.remove(v, 1)
+        end
+      end
+
+    -- turn all logging off and delete stored messages; or turn it on
+    elseif options_type == "boolean" then
+      if options then
+        enable_logging = true
+      else
+        enable_logging = false
+        stored_messages = {}
+      end
+
+    -- arbitrary access :D
+    elseif options_type == "function" then
+      local result = options(stored_messages)
+      if type(result) == "table" then stored_messages = result end
+    end
+  end
+})

src/main.lua

@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
+local log = require "lib.log"
 local progress_bar = require "lib.progress_bar"
 local timer = require "lib.timer"
 local utility = require "lib.utility"
 
+log{
+  lol = true,
+}
+
 -- test progress_bar
 local window_width, window_height = love.graphics.getDimensions()
 local progress_bar_height = 30 -- TODO should not be hardcoded
@@ -9,7 +14,7 @@ local test_bar = progress_bar(0, window_height - progress_bar_height, window_wid
 test_bar:set_text("This is a test text string of significant length. It exists to test printing over a progress bar.")
 -- test:set_progress(math.random())
 
-local test_timer = timer.every(1, function() end) -- TODO consider making timer not need a function; cause I don't here!
+local test_timer = timer.every(1, function() log("lol", "The timer completed.") end) -- TODO consider making timer not need a function; cause I don't here!
 
 love.update = function(dt)
   timer.update(dt)