ArmA: Armed Assault: Event Handlers

Event handlers are attached to objects, and allow you to automatically execute custom code upon particular events being triggered by that object.

These event handlers are added to objects using the addEventHandler command, or in the object's configuration file (see below).

General MP Note

As opposed to OFP EHs, in ArmA a respawned unit still has the EHs it had before, so it is no longer required to re-add EHs after respawning.

Event Handlers in Config.cpp

Scripting can be used to add an event handler to specific object in-game. However, for custom created content, you can add event handlers to all objects of a given type by placing them in the object's config. Example:

class CfgVehicles
{
	//...
	//(other config code)
	//...

	class myVehicle: car
	{
		//...
		//(other config code)
		//...

		class EventHandlers
		{
			init = "_this execVM 'myscript.sqf'";
			fired = "_this execVM 'otherscript.sqf'";
		};
	};
};

ⓘ

Event handlers added in the config can not be removed using the removeEventHandler command.

Other Event-Based Scripts

See User_Interface_Event_Handlers for event handlers used in displays/dialogs.

Also see Event Scripts for special scripts that are triggered under certain global events.

Event Handler List

AnimChanged

Trigerred everytime a new animation is started.

Global.

Passed array: [unit, anim]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
• anim: String - Name of the anim that started

AnimDone

Trigerred everytime an animation is finished.

Unknown MP behaviour. Probably local.

Passed array: [unit, anim]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
• anim: String - Name of the anim that has been finished

Dammaged

Triggered when the unit is damaged. In ArmA works with all vehicles not only men like in OFP.
(Does not fire if damage is set via setDammage.) (If simultaneous damage occured (e.g. via grenade) EH might be triggered several times.)

Global.

Passed array: [unit, selectionName, damage]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
• selectionName: String - Name of the selection where the unit was damaged
• damage: Number - Resulting level of damage

Engine

Triggered when the engine of the unit is turned on/off.

Global.

Passed array: [vehicle, engineState]

• vehicle: Object - Vehicle the event handler is assigned to
  
• engineState: Boolean - True when the engine is turned on, false when turned off

Fired

Triggered when the unit fires a weapon.
This EH will not trigger if a unit fires out of a vehicle. For those cases an EH has to be attached to that particular vehicle.

Global.

Passed array: [unit, weapon, muzzle, mode, ammo]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
  
• weapon: String - Fired weapon
  
• muzzle: String - Muzzle that was used
  
• mode: String - Current mode of the fired weapon
  
• ammo: String - Ammo used

Fuel

Triggered when the unit's fuel status changes between completely empty / not empty (only useful if the event handler is assigned to a vehicle).

Global.

Passed array: [vehicle, fuelState]

• vehicle: Object - Vehicle the event handler is assigned to
  
• fuelState: Boolean - false when no fuel, true when the fuel tank is full

Gear

Triggered when the unit lowers/retracts the landing gear (only useful if the event handler is assigned to is a member of the class "Plane").

Global.

Passed array: [vehicle, gearState]

• vehicle: Object - Vehicle the event handler is assigned to
  
• gearState: Boolean - True when the gear is lowered, false when retracted

GetIn

Triggered when a unit enters the object (only useful when the event handler is assigned to a vehicle). It does not trigger upon a change of positions within the same vehicle. It also is not triggered by the moveInX commands.

Global.

Passed array: [vehicle, position, unit]

• vehicle: Object - Vehicle the event handler is assigned to
• position: String - Can be either "driver", "gunner", "commander" or "cargo"
• unit: Object - Unit that entered the vehicle

GetOut

Triggered when a unit gets out from the object, works the same way as GetIn.

Global.

Hit

Triggered when the unit is hit/damaged.

Is not always triggered when unit is killed by a hit.
Most of the time only the killed event handler is triggered when a unit dies from a hit.
The hit EH will not necessarily fire if only minor damage occurred (e.g. firing a bullet at a tank), even though the damage increased.

Local.

Passed array: [unit, causedBy, damage]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
  
• causedBy: Object - Object that caused the damage.
  Contains the unit itself in case of collisions.
  
• damage: Number - Level of damage caused by the hit

Init

Triggered on mission start or when a vehicle is created on the fly using createVehicle.

Global.

Passed array: [unit]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to

IncomingMissile

Triggered when a guided missile locked on the target or unguided missile or rocket aimed by AI at the target was fired.

Global.

Passed array: [unit, ammo, whoFired]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
  
• ammo: String - Ammo type that was fired on the unit
  
• whoFired: Object - Object that fired the weapon

Killed

Triggered when the unit is killed.

Local.

Passed array: [unit, killer]

• unit: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
  
• killer: Object - Object that killed the unit
  Contains the unit itself in case of collisions.
  

LandedTouchDown

Triggered when a plane (AI or player) touches the ground.

Local.

Passed array: [plane, airportID]

• plane: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
  
• airportID: Number - ID of the airport (-1 for anything else).
  

LandedStopped

Triggered when an AI pilot would get out usually. Not executed for player.

Local.

Passed array: [plane, airportID]

• plane: Object - Object the event handler is assigned to
  
• airportID: Number - ID of the airport (-1 for anything else).