getVariable

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Description

Description:

Returns the value of variable in the variable space assigned to various data types. All available data types combinations:

Primary syntax (String)	Alternative syntax (Array)
Namespace getVariable String Object getVariable String Group getVariable String Team_Member getVariable String Task getVariable String Location getVariable String Control getVariable String (since Arma 3 v1.55.133553) Display getVariable String (since Arma 3 v1.55.133553)	Namespace getVariable Array (since Arma 2 OA v1.60) Object getVariable Array Group getVariable Array Team_Member getVariable Array Task getVariable Array (since Arma 3 v1.67) Location getVariable Array (since Arma 3 v1.67) Control getVariable Array (since Arma 3 v1.55.133553)) Display getVariable Array (since Arma 3 v1.55.133553)

⚠

When variable is set on a Task, it is not actually set on the task itself, but on the FSM attached to the task.
If there is no FSM, getVariable will not work.

In the case of Alt Syntax usage in Arma 3, defaultValue will be returned if:

Requested variable is either undefined or nil
Variable namespace is null (objNull, grpNull, etc.)

Groups:

Multiplayer Variables

Syntax

Syntax:: varspace getVariable name
Parameters:: varspace: Namespace, Object, Display, Control, Group, Location, Task, Team Member, Display, Control
: name: String - variable name that was defined in setVariable
Return Value:: Anything or Nothing if the variable doesn't exist

Alternative Syntax

Syntax:: varspace getVariable [name, defaultValue]
Parameters:: varspace: Namespace, Object, Display, Control, Group, Location, Task, Team Member, Display, Control
: name: String - Variable name that was defined in setVariable
: defaultValue: Anything - Value to return if variable doesn't exist
Return Value:: Anything - current value of the variable or defaultValue if the variable doesn't exist.

Examples

Example 1:: private _variable = myTruck getVariable "myVariable"; // returns nil if "myVariable" is not set
Example 2:: private _variable = myTruck getVariable ["myVariable", 50]; // returns 50 if "myVariable" is not set
Example 3:: Set damage of car0..car5 to 0: for "_i" from 0 to 5 do { _car = missionNamespace getVariable ("car" + str _i); _car setDamage 0; };
Example 4:: myMissionVar = 2015; missionNamespace getVariable "myMissionVar"; // returns 2015
Example 5:: WARNING when using dynamic default values as they always get evaluated: missionNamespace getVariable ["var", 123 call fnc_abc]; // fnc_abc is called every getVariable even if "var" is defined
Example 6:: Get current value of a variable and if it is undefined, define it and get the defined value:private _var = missionNamespace getVariable "varName"; if (isNil "_var") then { missionNamespace setVariable ["varName", 123]; _var = 123; }; // _var here will contain current value of the variable varName

Additional Information

See also:: setVariable allVariables getFSMVariable

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

Posted on August 13, 2016 - 17:13 (UTC)
Ebay: NOTE: Arma 2 ONLY! In Arma 3 this will return default value: Warning: the alternative syntax returns undefined when the varspace is an object and that object is null. Example:
_test = objNull getVariable ["test", "0"]; systemChat _test; Errors because _test is undefined. Tested in A2OA 1.63.131129; Posted on August 31, 2017 - 03:29 (UTC)
AgentRev: You can do typechecking using param: private _myVar = [player getVariable "myVar"] param [0, "", [""]]; and params: [player getVariable "myVar"] params [["_myVar", "", [""]]];