Serc – User
Basic Config File
ATTENTION! This is far from being valuable information for anyone but contributors.
Syntax
Classes could be compared to folders. There is a folder for every object in ArmA. In every folder there are files which we will call attributes. A class definition with an attribute will look like this:
class name {
attribute = value;
};
There could also be an array of attributes.
class name {
attribute = value;
attributeArray[] = {value1,value2,value3};
};
There can't be two same classnames in a config. For example
class test {
attribute = value;
};
class test {
attribute = value;
};
will NOT work!
Same goes for two definitions of an attribute in one class.
class test {
attribute = value;
attribute = value;
};
Will not work!
Inheritance
With inheritance you can create a dependency of a object to a parent object. This saves you a lot of typing and makes it easier to maintain. A parent class is usually a generalisation. A Stryker for example is an APC and an APC is a ground vehicle.
We can inherit from another class by adding : className to our class. But the class needs to be present in the config. Like here:
class parentClass {
attribute = value;
};
class childClass : parentClass {
anotherAttribue = anotherValue;
};
If it is not present, we can reference it. Note the missing {}.
class parentClass;
class childClass : parentClass {
additionalAttribute = value;
};
Attributes from parent classes can easily be redefined (which is different from overwritten).
class parentClass {
parentAttribute = value;
};
class childClass : parentClass {
parentAttribute = newValue;
};
Commenting
Line Comment
A line comment is initiated by // and lasts until the end of the line. Comments are ignored at runtime, so there can be anything in there, including valid code which should not be used.
//i am a comment
notCommentedAttribute = notCommentedValue; // commented
// commentedAttribute = commentedValue
Block Comment
A block comment is initiated by /* and lasts until the next */. It can comment out multiple lines or less than a line.
/* i an a comment block
and it works over multiple lines
until its over */
notCommentedAttribute = /* commentedValue */ notCommentedValue;
Formatting
The layout and format is a matter of taste. The best formatting is the formatting which suits you best. It is advisable to make it as easily readable as possible by using a lot of whitespaces like linebreaks and indents. The examples 1 and 2 use a lot of whitespace but are easily readable while example 3 is remarkably shorter and much less readable. Especially with multiple attributes this gets confusing.
Example 1
class name {
attribute = value;
};
Example 2
class name
{
attribute = value;
};
Example 3
class name {attribute1 = value;};
Preprocessor Commands
Preprocessor commands are processed before the config has been used.
define
The command define allows you to use variables in a config. Syntax:
#define variableName value
Usage:
#define BASE_COLOR {0,0,0,0}
class button {
backgroundColor[] = BASE_COLOR;
};
include
This command merges another file into the file with this command. Allowed formats are .h and .hpp. Syntax:
#include "path\to\file.hpp";
Example Config
class cfgPatches {
class PBONAME {
requiredVersion = 1.0; // requires Arma 2 version 1.0
};
};
class cfgVehicles {
class SoldierWB; // a basic soldier class in ArmA
class someNewSoldier : SoldierWB {
displayName = "Rambo";
};
};