API Only

[kianzarrin]

I created references from TMPE API to TranfficManager Implementations so that other mods will only need to reference TMPE.API.dll

I could not reference TrafficManager from TMPE.API because of the issue of cyclic dependency. So I used reflection instead.

[kianzarrin]

Hot reload is a thing to consider here.

Type.GetType() should resolve to the TrafficManager assembly that was loaded last so I think hotreload will be fine.

[krzychu124]

Awesome, I also thought about similar thing. Maybe add ///<summary> note that returned value should be cached before use because it's reflection call.

Hot reload is a thing to consider here.
Type.GetType() should resolve to the TrafficManager assembly that was loaded last so I think hotreload will be fine.

For hot reload... They need to be notified somehow that instance changed because static field values are "attached" to assembly - after hot reload if you try reading static field using instance from old assembly you may get garbage data.
I've experienced that problem multiple times when I added TM:PE integration to my experimental mod for spawning vehicles -> after every hot reload of TM:PE I've had to ask about all instances I need once again otherwise most of the things didn't work properly

[kianzarrin]

@krzychu124

Awesome, I also thought about similar thing. Maybe add ///<summary> note that returned value should be cached before use because it's reflection call.

Its cached!

static field values are "attached" to assembly

in the old code once TMPE.API is resolved it is also attached to the old assembly so I am not making anythings worse. Improving hot-reload is out of scope of the PR

They need to be notified somehow that instance changed

There is a event for mod state changed. that can be used to reset cache. I already do this in my own mod : https://github.com/kianzarrin/KianCommons/blob/b49f663683804de9d8a9a9349509ee9a26450223/KianCommons/Plugins/AdaptiveRoadsUtil.cs#L12
But this is out of scope of this PR

[kianzarrin]

@krzychu124 note that ??= operator calculates only the first time and then uses the cache in subsequent executions.

[krzychu124]

@krzychu124 note that ??= operator calculates only the first time and then uses the cache in subsequent executions.

Yeah, it looks like I didn't read the code carefully. All clear.

[originalfoo]

👍

[originalfoo]

Is this suitable description for the changelog?

[Mod] External mods can now access managers directly via TMPE.API.dll #1448 (kianzarrin)

If not, what would be better text?

[krzychu124]

Yeah, it's ok IMO

[kianzarrin]

I'd add that referencing TrafficManager.dll is not required anymore.

[kianzarrin]

Note:
<ProduceReferenceAssembly>true</ProduceReferenceAssembly> in TLM.csproj generates ref/TrafficManager.dll which only contains the exported symbols and is very small in size:

Therefore I don't feel this PR is all that important though, I mean what difference does it make if you reference TMPE.API.dll or refs/TrafficManager.dll. I created this PR anyway for the sake of consistency.