colobot-data/help/cbot/E/build.txt

\b;Instruction \c;build\n;
The instruction \c;build();\n; instructs the bot to build a building of the given \l;category\u cbot\category;. Currently works for \l;Grabbers\u object\botgc;, \l;Me\u object\human; and \l;Tech\u object\tech;.

\b;Basic use
This command is mostly useful in an attempt to build a fully automatised base, where an \l;astronaut\u object\human; does not need to do anything except starting a program and watching bots working. What is more, it makes beating the game by using only programming a possible task (however, it is a challenge rather for experienced gamers, who beat the whole game at least once).

Here is an example of a program that looks for the nearest \l;titanium cube\u object\titan;, goes to the position and builds a \l;bot factory\u object\factory;.
\c;
\s; \l;object\u cbot\object; item = \l;radar\u cbot\radar;(\l;Titanium\u object\titan;);
\s; \l;goto\u cbot\goto;(item.position);
\s; build(\l;BotFactory\u object\factory;);
\n;
\b;For specialists
Syntax:
\s;\c;build ( cat );\n;

Tells the robot to build a building using a titanium cube placed on a flat ground nearby.

\t;cat: \c;\l;int\u cbot\int;\n;
\l;Category\u cbot\category; of a building.

\t;Return value: \c;\l;int\u cbot\int;\n;
Normally an error stops the program. You can prevent the program from stopping on errors by using the \c;\l;errmode\u cbot\errmode;(0)\n; instruction. A value different from zero if an error occurred is then returned by \c;build()\n;.
\c;== 0 \n;Successfully built
\c;!= 0 \n;Impossible to build (for example, the nearest titanium cube is too far away or the specified building is not available in the mission)

\t;See also
\l;canbuild\u cbot\canbuild;, \l;buildingenabled\u cbot\buildingenabled;, \l;programming\u cbot;, \l;types\u cbot\type; and \l;categories\u cbot\category;.