Arma 3: Functions Library

Arma 3's Functions Library is the way to declare mission, campaign or addon's Functions. The main difference from older Function Libraries is that it runs automatically and does not require a Functions module.

The advantages of using the Functions Library over e.g execVM an SQF file are as follow:

1. Automatic compilation upon mission start into a global variable - no need to remember direct paths to files.
2. Anti-hack protection using compileFinal (see Recompiling)
3. Listing in the Functions Viewer
4. Advanced debugging options
5. Optional immediate execution upon mission start, without need for manual call
6. Potential performance improvements

⚠

This page is about Arma 3 Functions Library.

• For Arma 2/Arma 2:OA, see Arma 2: Functions Library.
• For Take On Helicopters, see Take On Helicopters: Functions Library.

Function Declaration

Functions are configured within the CfgFunctions class.

Mission and campaign specific functions can be configured in Description.ext/Campaign Description.ext, while addon functions are defined in Config.cpp. Configuration structure is the same in both cases.

ⓘ

The root directory (noted as <ROOT> on this page) is the origin from which the game will try to load function files. It depends on CfgFunctions' location:

• if Description.ext, <ROOT> means the mission's root directory
• if Campaign Description.ext, <ROOT> means the campaign's root directory
• if in config, <ROOT> means the game's root directory. The addon path needs to be set manually.

See a basic example config:

class CfgFunctions
{
	class TAG
	{
		class Category
		{
			class functionName {};
		};
	};
};

• The function's name will be TAG_fnc_functionName
• The function will be loaded:
  • from config: <ROOT>\Category\fn_functionName.sqf
  • from description.ext: <ROOT>\Functions\Category\fn_functionName.sqf

ⓘ

config.cpp only: Anywhere outside of running mission, refer to the functions stored in uiNamespace. e.g: arguments call (uiNamespace getVariable "TAG_fnc_functionName");

Config Levels

A CfgFunctions config is made of three levels: Tag, Category, and Function.

Tag

To prevent duplicates, every author must create a subclass with a unique tag and create functions under it. The tag name will be used when composing a function name (e.g BIS_fnc_spawnGroup).

class CfgFunctions
{
	class TAG
	{
		class Category
		{
			class myFunction {};
		};
	};

	class TAG_WeaponManagement
	{
		tag = "TAG"; // the function will be named TAG_fnc_myOtherFunction
		class Category
		{
			class myOtherFunction {};
		};
	};
};

Attributes

tag

The tag attribute can override the config tag set differently.

Category

The category name changes the function's category in the Functions Viewer. It does not change the function's name, only the loading path.

class CfgFunctions
{
	class TAG
	{
		class Category
		{
			class myFunction {};
		};

		class OtherCategory
		{
			file = "My\Category\Path";
			class myFunction {}; // file path will be <ROOT>\My\Category\Path\fn_myFunction.sqf";
		};

		class DataCategory
		{
			requiredAddons[] = { "A3_Data_F" }; // Optional requirements of CfgPatches classes. If some addons are missing, category functions will not be compiled.
			class myDataFunction {};
		};
	};
};

Attributes

file

The file attribute can override the category's loading path segment.

requiredAddons

The category can skip loading if a required addon is missing by setting its dependency with the requiredAddons attribute.

Function

ⓘ

By convention, the function class should be named in camelCase and not have its first letter capitalised (e.g PascalCase):

• TAG_fnc_myFunction
• TAG_fnc_MyFunction
• TAG_fnc_POWRescue

class CfgFunctions
{
	class TAG
	{
		class Category1
		{
			class myFunction {};
		};

		class Category2
		{
			file = "Path\To\Category";
			class myFunction
			{
				file = "My\Function\Filepath.sqf"; // file path will be <ROOT>\My\Function\Filepath.sqf", ignoring "Path\To\Category"
			};

			class myFSMFunction
			{
				preInit		= 1;
				postInit	= 1;
				ext			= ".fsm";
				preStart	= 1;
				recompile	= 1;
			};
		};
	};
};

Attributes

Attribute	Description	Available in
		Description.ext	config.cpp
file	the file attribute can be used to manually set the file path. ⚠ The file entry overrides Category's set path and ignores it entirely (they are not merged).
preInit	the preInit attribute (formerly known as "forced") can be set to 1 to call the function upon mission start, before objects are initialized. Passed arguments are ["preInit"]. The function is run in an unscheduled environment.
postInit	the postInit attribute can be set to 1 to call the function upon mission start, after objects are initialized. Passed arguments are ["postInit", didJIP]. The function is run in a scheduled environment so suspension is allowed, but any long term suspension will halt the mission loading until suspension is done.
ext	the ext attribute can be used to set function file's type; it can be one of: ".sqf" (default) ".fsm" (see FSM)
preStart	the preStart attribute can be set to 1 to call the function upon game start, before title screen, but after all addons are loaded.
recompile	the recompile attribute can be set to 1 to recompile the function upon mission start (functions in Description.ext are always compiled upon mission (re)start)
headerType	the headerType adds code to the beginning of functions that can: Set up the Meta Variables _fnc_scriptParent and _fnc_scriptName Name the current scope via the command scriptName Adds debug information by saving the current execution order in the Array _fnc_scriptMap. Possible values are: -1: No header - Adds nothing, literally adds a blank String to the beginning of functions. The functions will have no debug or Meta Variables assigned for it and the scope will not be named. Useful to reduce the performance overhead or if custom debug system is used. 0: Default header - The default header changes based on the current Debug Mode 1: System header - Incorporates the Meta Variables _fnc_scriptParent. Also names the current scope. private _fnc_scriptNameParent = if (isNil '_fnc_scriptName') then { '%1' } else { _fnc_scriptName }; scriptName '%1'; See the following section for more information.

⚠

Notes about preInit and postInit defined in config.cpp:

• these attributes will make the function run on each, every and any mission start
• Any scripting error will prevent the mission from being loaded correctly
• Server admins might blacklist the whole addon if they find out the function is used for hacking

Advanced Knowledge

Meta Variables

• _fnc_scriptName: String - Name of the script
• _fnc_scriptNameParent: String - Name of the parent script
• _fnc_scriptMap: Array - List of all parent scripts

Debug Modes

Developers can access several debug modes using BIS_fnc_functionsDebug function. For this to work function recompiling has to be allowed!

Debug Mode 0

default - incorporates the Meta Variables _fnc_scriptParent and _fnc_scriptName and names the current scope.

private _fnc_scriptNameParent = if (isNil '_fnc_scriptName') then {'%1'} else {_fnc_scriptName};
private _fnc_scriptName = '%1';
scriptName _fnc_scriptName;

Debug Mode 1

As per Debug Mode 0 and also saves the current execution order in the Array _fnc_scriptMap.

private _fnc_scriptNameParent = if (isNil '_fnc_scriptName') then { '%1' } else { _fnc_scriptName };
private _fnc_scriptName = '%1';
scriptName _fnc_scriptName;
private _fnc_scriptMap = if (isNil '_fnc_scriptMap') then {[_fnc_scriptName]} else {_fnc_scriptMap + [_fnc_scriptName]};

Debug Mode 2

As per Debug Mode 1 and also outputs execution order using textLogFormat ( textLogFormat is not available in the retail version of Arma3 ) is it available in Diagnostics exe?

private _fnc_scriptNameParent = if (isNil '_fnc_scriptName') then { '%1' } else { _fnc_scriptName };
private _fnc_scriptName = '%1';
scriptName _fnc_scriptName;
private _fnc_scriptMap = if (isNil '_fnc_scriptMap') then { [_fnc_scriptName] } else { _fnc_scriptMap + [_fnc_scriptName] };
textLogFormat ['%1 : %2', _fnc_scriptMap joinString ' >> ', _this];

See Also

• Initialization Order
• Arma 3: Functions Viewer
• Arma 3 Functions
• Writing a Function Tutorial