Roblox Instance Exploration

When using roblox_eval to explore instance trees, use these token-efficient patterns.

Principles

1. Return tables, not prints - return x not print(x)
2. Use short variable names - local r={} not local results={}
3. One-liners when possible - Avoid verbose loops
4. GetDescendants > recursive - Built-in is faster
5. GetFullName for paths - Easy to trace back

---

Quick Patterns

List Children

-- Short: list names
return {game.Workspace:GetChildren()}

-- With class info
local r={}for _,v in game.Workspace:GetChildren()do r[v.Name]=v.ClassName end return r

Find by Class

-- All scripts in game
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v:IsA("Script")then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

-- All RemoteEvents
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v:IsA("RemoteEvent")then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

-- Generic pattern
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v:IsA("CLASS")then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

Find by Name Pattern

-- Contains "Spawn"
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v.Name:find("Spawn")then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

-- Starts with "NPC"
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v.Name:sub(1,3)=="NPC"then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

Get Script Source

return game.ServerScriptService.GameManager.Source

-- First 500 chars (preview)
return game.ServerScriptService.GameManager.Source:sub(1,500)

Get Properties

-- Specific properties
local p=workspace.SpawnPoint return{Pos=p.Position,Size=p.Size,Anchored=p.Anchored}

-- All attributes
return workspace.SpawnPoint:GetAttributes()

-- All tags
local CS=game:GetService("CollectionService")return CS:GetTags(workspace.SpawnPoint)

Tree Structure (Depth Limited)

-- 2-level tree
local function t(i,d)if d<1 then return"..."end local r={}for _,c in i:GetChildren()do r[c.Name.."("..c.ClassName..")"]=t(c,d-1)end return r end return t(game.ReplicatedStorage,2)

---

Search Patterns

Grep in Scripts

-- Find "FireServer" in all scripts
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do
if v:IsA("LuaSourceContainer")and v.Source:find("FireServer")then
r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

Find References to Module

-- Who requires "Utilities"?
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do
if v:IsA("LuaSourceContainer")and v.Source:find('require.-Utilities')then
r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

Find RemoteEvent Handlers

-- Find OnServerEvent connections
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do
if v:IsA("Script")and v.Source:find("OnServerEvent")then
r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

---

Service Shortcuts

local WS=game.Workspace
local SSS=game:GetService("ServerScriptService")
local SS=game:GetService("ServerStorage")
local RS=game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local SP=game:GetService("StarterPlayer")
local SG=game:GetService("StarterGui")
local PS=game:GetService("Players")

---

Output Formats

Compact List

return table.concat(results, "\n")

Name → Class Map

local r={}for _,v in parent:GetChildren()do r[v.Name]=v.ClassName end return r

Path List

-- GetFullName() gives "Workspace.Map.Building.Part"
r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()

Count Only

local n=0 for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v:IsA("Part")then n=n+1 end end return n

---

Exploration Strategy

1. Start broad - List services, count descendants

   local r={}for _,s in{"Workspace","ServerScriptService","ReplicatedStorage","ServerStorage"}do
   r[s]=#game:GetService(s):GetDescendants()end return r
   

2. Narrow down - Find entry points

   -- Server scripts (entry points)
   local r={}for _,v in game.ServerScriptService:GetDescendants()do
   if v:IsA("Script")then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r
   

3. Trace connections - Find RemoteEvents, requires

   -- What remotes exist?
   local r={}for _,v in game.ReplicatedStorage:GetDescendants()do
   if v:IsA("RemoteEvent")or v:IsA("RemoteFunction")then r[#r+1]=v.Name end end return r
   

4. Read specific scripts - Once you know what to look at

   return game.ServerScriptService.GameManager.Source
   

---

Common Mistakes

Too Verbose

-- BAD: 50+ tokens
local results = {}
for _, instance in ipairs(game:GetDescendants()) do
    if instance:IsA("Script") then
        table.insert(results, instance:GetFullName())
    end
end
return results

-- GOOD: 25 tokens
local r={}for _,v in game:GetDescendants()do if v:IsA("Script")then r[#r+1]=v:GetFullName()end end return r

Forgetting Return

-- BAD: prints to Studio console, returns nil
for _,v in game:GetChildren()do print(v.Name)end

-- GOOD: returns data
return {game:GetChildren()}

Too Deep Recursion

-- BAD: manual recursion (slow, can stackoverflow)
local function recurse(i)...recurse(c)...end

-- GOOD: use built-in
game:GetDescendants()  -- already recursive