Added comments and made some small changes

In get_drop_pos(): improved comments, added variation to drop positions and made it handle unloaded blocks in a new way.

technic/tools/chainsaw.lua

@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ end
 -- technic_worldgen defines rubber trees if moretrees isn't installed
 if minetest.get_modpath("technic_worldgen") or
    minetest.get_modpath("moretrees") then
-	timber_nodenames["moretrees:rubber_tree_trunk_empty"] = true
+    timber_nodenames["moretrees:rubber_tree_trunk_empty"] = true
-	timber_nodenames["moretrees:rubber_tree_trunk"]       = true
+    timber_nodenames["moretrees:rubber_tree_trunk"]       = true
-	if chainsaw_leaves then
+    if chainsaw_leaves then
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:rubber_tree_leaves"] = true
-	end
+    end
 end
 
 -- Support moretrees if it is there
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ if( minetest.get_modpath("moretrees") ~= nil ) then
         if chainsaw_leaves then
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:apple_tree_leaves"]        = true
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:oak_leaves"]               = true
-                timber_nodenames["moretrees:sequoia_leaves"]           = true
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:fir_leaves"]               = true
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:fir_leaves_bright"]        = true
+                timber_nodenames["moretrees:sequoia_leaves"]           = true
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:birch_leaves"]             = true
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:birch_leaves"]             = true
                 timber_nodenames["moretrees:palm_leaves"]              = true
@@ -203,32 +203,51 @@ local function recursive_dig(pos, remaining_charge, player)
         return remaining_charge
 end
 
+-- Function to randomize positions for new node drops
 local function get_drop_pos(pos)
-    local p, node
+    local drop_pos, node
+    
     repeat
-        p = {
+        -- Randomize position for a new drop
+        drop_pos = {
                 x = pos.x + math.random(-3, 3),
                 y = pos.y - 1,
                 z = pos.z + math.random(-3, 3)
         }
+        
+        -- Move the newly-randomized position upwards until there's
+        -- no node in it or an unloaded block is found
         repeat
-            p.y = p.y + 1
+            drop_pos.y = drop_pos.y + 1
-            node = minetest.get_node(p).name
+            node = minetest.get_node(drop_pos).name
-        until node == "air" or node == "ignore" -- Make sure drops wont appear inside ground
+            
-    until p.y < pos.y + 5 -- Make sure the drops dont end up on a high ledge or column
+            if node == "ignore" then
-    return p
+                -- On a rare chase where the block above the digging position is not
+                -- loaded yet, simply drop the nodes at the original digging position
+                return pos
+            end
+        until node == "air"
+        
+    -- Make sure the drops will not end up too high on a tall ledge or a column
+    until drop_pos.y < pos.y + 5
+    
+    -- Add some variation to the previously integer-only position
+    drop_pos.x = drop_pos.x + math.random() - .5
+    drop_pos.z = drop_pos.z + math.random() - .5
+    
+    return drop_pos
 end
 
 -- Saw down trees entry point
 local function chainsaw_dig_it(pos, player,current_charge)
-	if minetest.is_protected(pos, player:get_player_name()) then
+    if minetest.is_protected(pos, player:get_player_name()) then
-		minetest.record_protection_violation(pos, player:get_player_name())
+        minetest.record_protection_violation(pos, player:get_player_name())
-		return current_charge
+        return current_charge
-	end
+    end
         local remaining_charge=current_charge
 
         -- Save the currently installed dropping mechanism so we can restore it.
-	local original_handle_node_drops = minetest.handle_node_drops
+    local original_handle_node_drops = minetest.handle_node_drops
 
         -- A bit of trickery here: use a different node drop callback
         -- and restore the original afterwards.
@@ -260,30 +279,30 @@ end
 
 
 minetest.register_tool("technic:chainsaw", {
-	description = S("Chainsaw"),
+    description = S("Chainsaw"),
-	inventory_image = "technic_chainsaw.png",
+    inventory_image = "technic_chainsaw.png",
-	stack_max = 1,
+    stack_max = 1,
-	wear_represents = "technic_RE_charge",
+    wear_represents = "technic_RE_charge",
-	on_refill = technic.refill_RE_charge,
+    on_refill = technic.refill_RE_charge,
-	on_use = function(itemstack, user, pointed_thing)
+    on_use = function(itemstack, user, pointed_thing)
-		if pointed_thing.type ~= "node" then
+        if pointed_thing.type ~= "node" then
-			return itemstack
+            return itemstack
-		end
+        end
-		local meta = minetest.deserialize(itemstack:get_metadata())
+        local meta = minetest.deserialize(itemstack:get_metadata())
-		if not meta or not meta.charge then
+        if not meta or not meta.charge then
-			return
+            return
-		end
+        end
-		-- Send current charge to digging function so that the chainsaw will stop after digging a number of nodes.
+        -- Send current charge to digging function so that the chainsaw will stop after digging a number of nodes.
-		if meta.charge < chainsaw_charge_per_node then
+        if meta.charge < chainsaw_charge_per_node then
-			return
+            return
-		end
+        end
 
-		local pos = minetest.get_pointed_thing_position(pointed_thing, above)
+        local pos = minetest.get_pointed_thing_position(pointed_thing, above)
-		meta.charge = chainsaw_dig_it(pos, user, meta.charge)
+        meta.charge = chainsaw_dig_it(pos, user, meta.charge)
-		technic.set_RE_wear(itemstack, meta.charge, chainsaw_max_charge)
+        technic.set_RE_wear(itemstack, meta.charge, chainsaw_max_charge)
-		itemstack:set_metadata(minetest.serialize(meta))
+        itemstack:set_metadata(minetest.serialize(meta))
-		return itemstack
+        return itemstack
-	end,
+    end,
 })
 
 minetest.register_craft({
@@ -294,4 +313,3 @@ minetest.register_craft({
                 {'',                               '',                             'default:copper_ingot'},
         }
 })
-