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{{Command|= Comments
{{RV|type=command
____________________________________________________________________________________________


| ofp |= Game name
|game1= ofp
|version1= 1.00


|1.00|= Game version
|game2= ofpe
|version2= 1.00


|arg= local |= Arguments in MP
|game3= arma1
|version3= 1.00


|eff= local |= Effects in MP
|game4= arma2
____________________________________________________________________________________________
|version4= 1.00


| Outputs a multi-line hint message in the left upper corner of the screen (in the right upper corner in Arma). This version of hint is supposed to play a sound when hint is shown, but this varies between games and versions. Use [[hintSilent]] for soundless hint.
|game5= arma2oa
|version5= 1.50


The effect of this command is [[local]], i.e. the hint will only show on the computer command was executed.
|game6= tkoh
|version6= 1.00


|= Description
|game7= arma3
____________________________________________________________________________________________
|version7= 0.50


| '''hint''' text |= Syntax
|eff= local


|p1= text: [[String]] or [[Structured Text]] - the message to write on the screen may consist of any characters. \n indicates a line break. |= Parameter 1
|gr1= Interaction


| [[Nothing]] |= Return value
|gr2= Structured Text
____________________________________________________________________________________________
 
|x1= <pre>hint "Press W to move forward. \nPress S to move backwards."</pre>


outputs the following message:
|gr3= Strings


<pre>Press W to move forward.
|descr= Outputs a hint message to the right of the screen (left of the screen in {{ofp}}) with a sound (except in {{arma1}}).
Press S to move backwards.</pre>
To split message in multiple lines either use [[Structured Text]] or {{hl|\n}} (in lower case).


Known Problems: Avoid hint messages that exceed the screen, as this may lead to crashes. |= Example 1
{{Feature|arma1|{{arma1}} hints are silent. For later titles, see [[hintSilent]].}}
____________________________________________________________________________________________


| [[hintC]], [[hintCadet]], [[hintC array]], [[hintC structuredText]], [[hintC text]], [[hintSilent]] |= See also
|pr= {{GVI|ofp|1.00}} {{GVI|arma1|1.00}} {{GVI|arma2|1.00}} Hint messages that exceed the screen may lead to crashes.<br>
{{GVI|arma3|1.00}} The game would not crash but suffer FPS drop / temporary freezing.


|s1= [[hint]] message
|p1= message: [[String]] or [[Structured Text]] - the message to display.
|r1= [[Nothing]]
|x1= <sqf>
// outputs the following:
// Press W to move forward.
// Press S to move backwards.
hint "Press W to move forward.\nPress S to move backwards."
</sqf>
|x2= <sqf>hint format ["Hello, %1!", name player];</sqf>
|x3= <sqf>
hint str count allPlayers;
sleep 10;
hintSilent ""; // hides the previous hint display
</sqf>
|x4= <sqf>hint parseText "<t size='2.0'>Large text</t>"; // displays text twice as large as the default one</sqf>
|seealso= [[hintC]] [[hintCadet]] [[hintSilent]] [[diag_log]]
}}
}}


<h3 style="display:none">Notes</h3>
{{Note
<dl class="command_description">
|user= DreadedEntity
<!-- Note Section BEGIN -->
|timestamp= 20141020192700
<dt class="note">'''[[User:ArmAtec|ArmAtec]]'''<dd class="note">
|text= Be careful when using hints to visualize the effects of commands using the Debug Console. Hint can accept an undefined variable and neither the error nor the hint is shown, the command simply fails. Also notice how the hint command should be <sqf inline>hint str _i;</sqf>:
Hint can be used with formatting like this:
<sqf>
<code>[[hint]] [[format]] ["Hello %1",[[player]] ]</code>
for "_i" from 0 to 50 do
<dt class="note">'''[[User:pyro05x|pyro05x]]'''
{
<dd class="note">To remove the hint box from the screen, pass a null string (<tt>""</tt>) to the command.
hint _i;
<code>[[hint]] ""</code>
};
<dt class="note">'''[[User:Worldeater|Worldeater]]'''
</sqf>
<dd class="note">''hint'' happily accepts [[Structured_Text|structured text]]:
'''tested in A3 1.32.127785'''<br>
<pre>_starL  = "<img image='\ca\ui\data\debr_star.paa' align='left'/>";
<br>
_starL  = _starL + _starL + _starL;
In a script, an "undefined variable" error will be shown as expected.
_starR  = "<img image='\ca\ui\data\debr_star.paa' align='right'/>";
}}
_starR  = _starR + _starR + _starR;
 
_title  = "<t color='#ff0000' size='1.2' shadow='1' shadowColor='#000000' align='center'>TITLE</t><br/><br/>";
{{Note
_text  = "Bla bla bla bla bla...";
|user= DreadedEntity
[[hint]] [[parseText]] (_starL + _starR + _title + _text);
|timestamp= 20141021230700
</pre>
|text= Contrary to previous games, Arma 3 will happily display hints that far exceed screen space.<br>
(Tested with 1.14, 1.15 beta and 1.16 beta)
However, as hints get longer, FPS suffers tremendously.<br>
<!-- Note Section END -->
'''tested in Debug Console, A3 1.32.127785 with the following:'''
</dl>
<sqf>
hint str ((nearestObjects [player, ["BUILDING"],  100]) - [player]); 0 spawn { sleep 5; systemChat str diag_fps; };
sleep 10;
hint str ((nearestObjects [player, ["BUILDING"], 1000]) - [player]); 0 spawn { sleep 5; systemChat str diag_fps; };
</sqf>
Results were: '''59.7015''' and '''5.17297''', respectively. Drawing a hint even longer than this, such as [[nearestObjects]] with a radius of 10,000 or 100,000 reduces your FPS so much Arma 3 '''appears''' to crash, though it doesn't.<br>
<br>
Unrelated: Hints will stay on screen for 30 seconds, then fade away over the course of 5 seconds. '''Tested with: A3 1.32.127785'''
}}
 
{{Note
|user= DreadedEntity
|timestamp= 20150217231400
|text= An open dialog will pause the 30-second hint fade timer.
'''(A3 1.38.128937)'''
}}


<h3 style="display:none">Bottom Section</h3>
{{Note
[[Category:Scripting Commands|HINT]]
|user= Feint
[[Category:Scripting Commands OFP 1.96|HINT]]
|timestamp= 20170325204700
[[Category:Scripting Commands OFP 1.46|HINT]]
|text= The [[hint]] sound is audible only when you have the music volume turned up above 0 in the audio settings.
[[Category:Scripting Commands ArmA|HINT]]
Otherwise, it seems to act the same as [[hintSilent]].<br>
[[Category:Scripting Commands ArmA2|{{uc:{{PAGENAME}}}}]]
<br>
[[Category:Scripting Commands Arma 3|{{uc:{{PAGENAME}}}}]]
This is important because if you are running a [[hint]] that fires at 30 fps or more, the [[hint]] will slow down machines that have the music volume turned up but won't slow down machines that have the music volume turned off.<br>
[[Category:Scripting_Commands_Take_On_Helicopters|{{uc:{{PAGENAME}}}}]]
<br>
[[Category:Command_Group:_Interaction|{{uc:{{PAGENAME}}}}]]
Best practice is to use [[hint]] for an alert to the player and use [[hintSilent]] for a makeshift display of data to the player that is updated fairly often.
}}

Latest revision as of 21:24, 2 September 2024

Hover & click on the images for description

Description

Description:
Outputs a hint message to the right of the screen (left of the screen in Operation Flashpoint) with a sound (except in Armed Assault). To split message in multiple lines either use Structured Text or \n (in lower case).
Armed Assault
Armed Assault hints are silent. For later titles, see hintSilent.
Problems:
Logo A0.png1.00 Logo A1 black.png1.00 Logo A2.png1.00 Hint messages that exceed the screen may lead to crashes.
Arma 3 logo black.png1.00 The game would not crash but suffer FPS drop / temporary freezing.
Groups:
InteractionStructured TextStrings

Syntax

Syntax:
hint message
Parameters:
message: String or Structured Text - the message to display.
Return Value:
Nothing

Examples

Example 1:
// outputs the following: // Press W to move forward. // Press S to move backwards. hint "Press W to move forward.\nPress S to move backwards."
Example 2:
hint format ["Hello, %1!", name player];
Example 3:
hint str count allPlayers; sleep 10; hintSilent ""; // hides the previous hint display
Example 4:
hint parseText "<t size='2.0'>Large text</t>"; // displays text twice as large as the default one

Additional Information

See also:
hintC hintCadet hintSilent diag_log

Notes

Report bugs on the Feedback Tracker and/or discuss them on the Arma Discord or on the Forums.
Only post proven facts here! Add Note
DreadedEntity - c
Posted on Oct 20, 2014 - 19:27 (UTC)
Be careful when using hints to visualize the effects of commands using the Debug Console. Hint can accept an undefined variable and neither the error nor the hint is shown, the command simply fails. Also notice how the hint command should be hint str _i;:
for "_i" from 0 to 50 do { hint _i; };
tested in A3 1.32.127785

In a script, an "undefined variable" error will be shown as expected.
DreadedEntity - c
Posted on Oct 21, 2014 - 23:07 (UTC)
Contrary to previous games, Arma 3 will happily display hints that far exceed screen space.
However, as hints get longer, FPS suffers tremendously.
tested in Debug Console, A3 1.32.127785 with the following:
hint str ((nearestObjects [player, ["BUILDING"], 100]) - [player]); 0 spawn { sleep 5; systemChat str diag_fps; }; sleep 10; hint str ((nearestObjects [player, ["BUILDING"], 1000]) - [player]); 0 spawn { sleep 5; systemChat str diag_fps; };
Results were: 59.7015 and 5.17297, respectively. Drawing a hint even longer than this, such as nearestObjects with a radius of 10,000 or 100,000 reduces your FPS so much Arma 3 appears to crash, though it doesn't.

Unrelated: Hints will stay on screen for 30 seconds, then fade away over the course of 5 seconds. Tested with: A3 1.32.127785
DreadedEntity - c
Posted on Feb 17, 2015 - 23:14 (UTC)
An open dialog will pause the 30-second hint fade timer. (A3 1.38.128937)
Feint - c
Posted on Mar 25, 2017 - 20:47 (UTC)
The hint sound is audible only when you have the music volume turned up above 0 in the audio settings. Otherwise, it seems to act the same as hintSilent.

This is important because if you are running a hint that fires at 30 fps or more, the hint will slow down machines that have the music volume turned up but won't slow down machines that have the music volume turned off.

Best practice is to use hint for an alert to the player and use hintSilent for a makeshift display of data to the player that is updated fairly often.