Plain GLua Quick Start

Use this path when your project is a normal Garry's Mod addon or gamemode and does not use Lux.

Install

Copy lua-mgfx/ as your addon root:

garrysmod/addons/mgfx/
  lua/
  materials/
  resource/
  addon.json

From client code, include the public entry point and keep its return value local:

local mgfx = include("mgfx/init.lua")

Do not include cl_mgfx*.lua implementation files directly. The bundled autorun files are a legacy adapter that installs a global table and devtools; new addons and gamemodes should use init.lua.

First Panel

GLua

local mgfx = include("mgfx/init.lua")

function PANEL:Paint(w, h)
    mgfx.StartPanel(self, w, h)

    mgfx.RoundedBoxEx(0, 0, w, h, {
        radius = 10,
        fill = Color(18, 24, 32, 230),
        shadow = {x = 0, y = 6, blur = 14, color = Color(0, 0, 0, 110)},
    })

    mgfx.Text("READY", "DermaDefaultBold", 16, 18, color_white, TEXT_ALIGN_LEFT, TEXT_ALIGN_CENTER)

    mgfx.EndPanel()
end

Lux Equivalent

import * as mgfx from "@lux/mgfx"

fn PANEL:Paint(w, h) {
  local draw = mgfx.api
  draw.startPanel(self, w, h)

  draw.roundedBoxEx(0, 0, w, h, {
    radius = 10,
    fill = Color(18, 24, 32, 230),
    shadow = {x = 0, y = 6, blur = 14, color = Color(0, 0, 0, 110)},
  })

  draw.text("READY", "DermaDefaultBold", 16, 18, color_white, TEXT_ALIGN_LEFT, TEXT_ALIGN_CENTER)

  draw.endPanel();
}

StartPanel makes all following coordinates panel-local. Do not add LocalToScreen offsets yourself.

HUDPaint

hook.Add("HUDPaint", "MyMGFXHud", function()
    mgfx.StartScreen()

    local x, y = 32, ScrH() - 72
    mgfx.ProgressBarEx(x, y, 220, 14, LocalPlayer():Health() / 100, {
        radius = 7,
        padding = 2,
        track = Color(255, 255, 255, 22),
        fill = mgfx.LinearGradient(0, 0, 1, 0, Color(255, 96, 78), Color(255, 190, 66)),
    })

    mgfx.EndScreen()
end)

Use StartScreen only for screen-space HUD and overlay drawing. VGUI panels should use StartPanel.

Names

Plain GLua uses PascalCase names on the returned API table:

Task	GLua
Frame start	mgfx.StartPanel(...)
Shape	mgfx.RoundedBoxEx(...)
Gradient	mgfx.LinearGradient(...)
Image mask	style.mask = {kind = "circle"}
Shared antialiased clip	mgfx.Mask(...) + mgfx.Clip(...)
Text	mgfx.TextEx(...)

Optional Adapters

Install only the layers your integration needs:

include("mgfx/global.lua")("MGFX", mgfx) -- legacy GLua consumers
include("mgfx/devtools.lua")(mgfx)       -- commands and diagnostic cvars

On the server, distribute the core library with include("mgfx/distribute.lua")(). Pass {examples = true} only when the demo files are required; examples are not distributed or loaded by default.

The Lux equivalents use lowerCamelCase under mgfx.api.

Next

• Read Core Concepts for frame scope, Name / NameEx, and style tables.
• Use API Reference when you need exact parameters and fields.
• Use Effects for shadow, outerGlow, backdrop, and patterns.
• Use Masks and Antialiased Clip when several draws share one non-rectangular boundary.