View source for SQS Syntax

{{tool-disclaimer
| <center>Disclaimer: SQS script syntax is considered deprecated</center>
| <center>When creating scripts for [[Armed Assault]] or newer products, use [[SQF syntax]] where possible.</center>
}}

'''SQS syntax''' was the main [[Syntax|syntax]] in [[Operation Flashpoint]] and is still available in [[Armed Assault]]. It can only be used for [[Script (File)|scripts]], but not for [[Function|functions]], in the [[Mission Editor]] or in addon config files. The alternative syntax is [[SQF syntax]].

== Rules ==

Binding rules:

* [[Statement|Statements]] are seperated by '''line breaks''' ''and'' '''semicolons''' (;) ''and'' '''commas''' (,). This means that a statement ''must not'' span over multiple lines.
* Curled braces ({ }) group code to '''blocks'''. A block is considered a single statement, thus may not span over multiple lines.

Example:

 STATEMENT 1
 STATEMENT 2; STATEMENT 3, STATEMENT 4
 
 BLOCK { STATEMENT 5; STATEMENT 6 }

== Comments ==

A line beginning with a '''semicolon''' (;) is considered a comment and ignored by the game engine.

Example:

 ; this is my comment

== Language Constructs ==

The control structures listed in the article [[Control Structures]] may also be used in SQS syntax. Note that they must be written '''within a single line''' due to the above rules.

Example:

 [[if]] (_value==1) [[then]] {[[hint]] "Value is 1"} [[else]] {[[hint]] "Value is not 1"}

There exist also special structures limited to SQS syntax.

=== Label ===

You may define labels in the code by beginning a line with <tt>#</tt>, followed by the name of the label (without spaces). You may use the command [[goto]] at any point of the [[Script (File)|script]] to jump to this label.

 #Label1
 
 CODE
 
 goto "Label1"

=== Conditional ===

You may query a [[Boolean]] condition and define code, that is executed ''only'' when the condition is <tt>true</tt>. Note that there is no equivalent for "else". A conditional line must start with <tt>?</tt>, followed by the condition and <tt>:</tt>, followed by one or more commands. Multiple commands  are seperated by commas (,) or semicolons (;). The conditional statement ends with the end of the line.

 ? CONDITION : STATEMENT 1; STATEMENT 2

== Notes ==

Due to line-based nature of [[sqs syntax|Sqs scripts]] it is not possible to create multiline string constants in them. To overcome this limitation you can store multiline in separate SQF [[Function|function]] files and load them using [[loadFile]] or [[preprocessFile]] (the second uses C-like preprocessor with // or /* */ comments and #define macros).

== See also ==

* [[SQF syntax]]
* [[Script (File)]]
* [[Statement]]
* [[Block]]

[[Category: Scripting_Topics ]]
[[Category: ArmA: Scripting]]