Lua:getAutoAttachList

function getAutoAttachList() : UserData (StringList)

Returns Cheat Engine's global Auto Attach process list as a live StringList object.

• Parameters: <None>
• Returns: A shared StringList object containing process names that Cheat Engine will try to auto-attach to when they start.
  • Ownership: Do not call destroy() on this object. It is owned by Cheat Engine and shared with the UI/settings.

Description

Cheat Engine can automatically attach to a process if its name appears in the Auto Attach list. This function exposes that list to Lua as a StringList, allowing you to:

• Inspect the current auto-attach targets
• Add new process names (e.g., notepad.exe)
• Remove or clear entries
• Reorder items

Changes take effect immediately and are reflected in Cheat Engine's UI.

Function Parameters

None

Returns

A live StringList object. Common members you may use:

• Count — number of items
• Add(text) — append a process name
• Delete(index) — remove by index (0-based)
• IndexOf(text) — find an item's index or return -1 if not found
• Clear() — remove all items
• Strings[index] / [index] — get/set item text

Reminder: This is a shared internal object. Do not destroy it.

Usage Examples

Simple Auto Attach to a Process:

• See Setup Auto Attach Tutorial for more details.

getAutoAttachList().add("mygame.exe")

Print the current auto-attach list:

local list = getAutoAttachList()
for i = 0, list.Count - 1 do
  print(i .. ": " .. list[i])
end

Add a new target (if not already present):

local list = getAutoAttachList()
local name = "notepad.exe"
if list.IndexOf(name) == -1 then
  list.Add(name)
  print("Added: " .. name)
else
  print("Already exists: " .. name)
end

Get the name of the second auto-attach target:

getAutoAttachList().getString(1)

Remove a target by name:

local list = getAutoAttachList()
local name = "oldgame.exe"
local idx = list.IndexOf(name)
if idx ~= -1 then
  list.Delete(idx)
  print("Removed: " .. name)
end

Clear all entries (use with care):

local list = getAutoAttachList()
list.Clear()
print("Auto-attach list cleared. Count = " .. list.Count)

Insert and reorder:

local list = getAutoAttachList()
-- Insert at the top
list.Insert(0, "game.exe")
-- Move first item to the end
if list.Count > 0 then
  local first = list[0]
  list.Delete(0)
  list.Add(first)
end

Notes

• Entries are typically process executable names (e.g., game.exe).
• The list is shared with Cheat Engine's UI; edits here show up in the Auto Attach configuration.
• Don't call destroy() on the returned list. Manage entries via standard StringList methods.

See also

• Lua
• Script engine
• StringList

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