View source for Functions - SQF

'''Description:'''

While script syntax (see [[exec]]) is line based, functions (see [[call]], [[then]], [[do]]) are based on structured expressions and end-of-line has no special meaning, it is considered to be equivalent to space or semicolon and is therefore required even when ending line.


'''Note:''' Scripts can do some things that are not possible in functions.<br>
Scripts can wait suspended until some condition is met, it can also use goto to change execution point at any time.


Main language contructs used in functions are:
*[[if]]..[[then]]..[[else]]
*[[while]]..[[do]]
*Curled braces
*Multiple commands (including assigment commands) are delimited with a semicolon.


Result of the last expression evaluated is returned as a function result.<br>
This can be nothing when a function returns no value.


<b>Example 1</b> (max.sqf)

comment "Return maximum of first and second argument";<br>
[[private]] {"_a","_b"};<br>
_a = _this [[select]] 0;<br>
_b = _this [[select]] 1;<br>
if (_a>_b) [[then]] {_a} [[else]] {_b}


<b>Example 2</b> (infantrySafe.sqf)

comment "Switch all infantry units to safe mode";<br>
{<br>
[[if]] ([[vehicle]] _x == _x) [[then]]<br>
{<br>
_x [[setBehaviour]] "safe"<br>
}<br>
} [[forEach]] _this


Due to line-based nature of scripts it is not possible to create multiline string constants in them.<br>
To overcome this limitation you can store multiline in separate files and load them using [[loadFile]] or [[preprocessFile]] functions (the second uses C-like preprocessor with // or /* */ comments and #define macros).<br>
Recommended file extension for functions is '''.SQF''' (as opposed to '''.SQS''' used for scripts). 


[[Category: Scripting_Topics ]]