SQF Syntax
SQF syntax (where SQF stands for Status Quo Function) was introduced in OFP: Resistance and is the common syntax since Armed Assault. An alternative syntax is the SQS syntax (deprecated since Armed Assault).
Rules
Binding rules:
- Curled braces ({ }) group code to blocks
- Statements (thus also blocks) are followed by semicolons (;)
The latter rule tells the game engine where one statement ends and the next starts.
Example:
STATEMENT 1;
STATEMENT 2;
BLOCK
{
STATEMENT 3;
STATEMENT 4;
};
While SQS syntax is line based, SQF syntax is based on structured expressions. End-of-line has no special meaning - it is considered to be equivalent to space or tab, and is therefore not required, even when ending a statement.
Comments
A comment is any free text which is ignored by the game engine. In SQF syntax you can write comments using the command comment.
Example:
comment "This is a comment";
If a file is loaded with preprocessFile, execVM or spawn, you may also define C-like comments (does not work for loadFile):
- Line comment
- A line comment starts with // and makes the rest of the line a comment.
- Block comment
- A block comment starts with /* and ends with */. All text in between is considered a comment.
Examples:
// This is a line comment /* This is a very long block comment */
Language Constructs
Read the article Control Structures for information about the control structures available in SQF syntax.