Magic Variables

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Revision as of 23:29, 20 April 2023 by Lou Montana (talk | contribs) (Add _forEachIndex version)
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Magic variables are engine-maintained variables that serve a specific purpose within a given scope and are often used by the engine to push data to a given script or code fragment.
They are usually no longer present after leaving the scope (e.g. after code execution or after a forEach statement).


_this

Is used to make arguments of a script call (call, exec, execVM, spawn) visible and accessible to the script, also used in Event Handlers to pass appropriate params.


_x

Represents the current element during a loop with: apply, count, configClasses, configProperties, findIf, forEach, select.


_y

Iterating over a HashMap with forEach will return the key as _x and the value as _y.


_exception

Exception handling using a try-catch statement declares this variable which contains details about the thrown exception in the try block.


_forEachIndex

Represents the (zero-based) index of a forEach/forEachReversed _x element.


_thisArgs

Additional Event Handler arguments available with addMissionEventHandler


_thisEventHandler

The index for Event Handlers added with addEventHandler, addMPEventHandler, addMissionEventHandler or addUserActionEventHandler.


_thisScriptedEventHandler

The index for Scripted Event Handlers added with BIS_fnc_addScriptedEventHandler.


_thisEvent

The name of the Event added with addEventHandler, addMPEventHandler, addMissionEventHandler or addUserActionEventHandler, as well as for config types EHs.


_thisFSM

The FSM id for FSMs executed with execFSM.


_thisScript

The execVMed, called or spawned script handle from within itself.


_time

SQS ONLY. The time elapsed since the script started running.


_fnc_scriptName

not engine-maintained, but added by functions_f/initFunctions.sqf script – see scriptName

From within a Function, the TAG_fnc_functionName function name as string (e.g. "myTag_fnc_myFunction")


_fnc_scriptNameParent

not engine-maintained, but added by functions_f/initFunctions.sqf script – see scriptName

From within a Function, name of the function that called the current one (_fnc_scriptName used when not defined)


this

  • In Addons' config files (e.g. UserActions, onInit, etc.): The object to which the entry belongs
  • In Dialogs: The player unit that activated control (e.g. via mouseEnter). false if non-activated
  • In Object's "Init" line: The object to which the init line belongs
  • In Triggers
    • "Condition" line: The Boolean return value of the trigger's conditions (e.g. "East Not Present" etc)
    • "On Activation/Deactivation" line: Seems to always return false
  • In Waypoints
    • "Condition" or "On Activation/Deactivation" line: The group leader that completed the respective waypoint (or driver, if waypoint is assigned to a vehicle)


thisList

Variable defined by Triggers and Waypoints:

  • Triggers:
    • accessible within the Condition, On Activation or On Deactivation script
    • defines an array of objects that have been detected by the trigger (same as what is returned by the list command)
    • thisList in a trigger's On Deactivation field seems to be undefined, and should not be used. It will either return an empty array, or possibly the contents of a different trigger.
  • Waypoints:
    • accessible within the Condition or On Activation script
    • defines an array containing all group members that completed the respective waypoint


thisTrigger

Refers to the trigger object itself - accessible within the Condition, On Activation or On Deactivation script.