publicVariable: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 16:57, 26 July 2023

1.34

1.00

Hover & click on the images for description

Description

Description:

Reliably broadcasts missionNamespace variable and its current value to all computers (server/client).
Variables broadcast with publicVariable during a mission will be available to JIP clients with the value they held at the time.
Such variables are persistent and sent to the JIP client before the first batch of client-side Event Scripts (such as init.sqf) is run.

⚠

Using publicVariable too frequently and/or with a lot of data can cause other aspects of the game to experience bandwidth problems.

The following Data Types are supported:

Type	Number	Boolean	Object	Group	String	Text	Array	Code	Nothing (nil)	HashMap
Since	1.34				1.00		1.09		1.26	2.02

⚠

It is not possible (and illogical) to transfer a local entity reference, such as scripts, displays or local objects.
Also, note that Team Member is not supported.

Groups:

Multiplayer Variables

Syntax

Syntax:: publicVariable varName
Parameters:: varName: String - the global variable's Identifier
Return Value:: Nothing

Examples

Example 1:: TAG_MyPublicVariable = 0; TAG_MyPublicVariable = 1; publicVariable "TAG_MyPublicVariable"; // other clients will receive the "TAG_MyPublicVariable" variable with a 1 value TAG_MyPublicVariable = 2; // needs to be broadcast again - synchronisation is not automatic
Example 2:: JIP example:
if (isNil "TAG_CurrentTarget") then // has the variable already been set and broadcast? { TAG_CurrentTarget = objNull; // if not, set it on the local machine }; player doTarget TAG_CurrentTarget;
Example 3:: TAG_BossName = "EvilBigBoss"; publicVariable TAG_BossName; // wrong - will try to publicVariable "EvilBigBoss" variable, that does not exist publicVariable "TAG_BossName"; // correct - important, do not forget the QUOTES

Additional Information

See also:: Multiplayer Scripting Initialisation Order addPublicVariableEventHandler publicVariableClient publicVariableServer Global Variable Event Scripts Join In Progress

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

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Category:Scripting Commands|PUBLICVARIABLE]]
+{{RV|type=command
-[[Category:Scripting Commands OFP 1.96|PUBLICVARIABLE]]
-[[Category:Scripting Commands OFP 1.46|PUBLICVARIABLE]]
-[[Category:Scripting Commands ArmA|PUBLICVARIABLE]]
+|game1= ofp
+|version1= 1.34
-<h2 style="color:#000066">'''publicVariable ''varName'''''</h2>
+|game2= ofpe
+|version2= 1.00
+|game3= arma1
+|version3= 1.00
-'''Operand types:'''
+|game4= arma2
+|version4= 1.00
-'''varName:''' [[String]]
+|game5= arma2oa
+|version5= 1.50
-'''Type of returned value:'''
+|game6= tkoh
+|version6= 1.00
-[[Nothing]]
+|game7= arma3
+|version7= 0.50
-'''Compatibility:'''
+|gr1= Multiplayer
-Changed in version '''1.34'''
+|gr2= Variables
-'''Description:'''
+|arg= local
-Broadcast variable value to all computers.
+|eff= global
-Only type [[Number]] is supported in version 1.33 and before.
+|descr= Reliably broadcasts [[missionNamespace]] variable and its '''current''' value to all computers (server/client).<br>
+Variables broadcast with [[publicVariable]] during a mission will be available to [[Multiplayer Scripting#Join In Progress|JIP]] clients with the value they held at the time.<br>
+Such variables are persistent and sent to the JIP client before the first batch of client-side [[Event Scripts]] (such as [[init.sqf]]) is run.
+{{Feature|important|Using [[publicVariable]] too frequently and/or with a lot of data can cause other aspects of the game to experience bandwidth problems.}}
+<br>
+The following [[:Category: Data Types| Data Types]] are supported:
+{{{!}} class="wikitable align-center"
+! Type
+{{!}} [[Number]]
+{{!}} [[Boolean]]
+{{!}} [[Object]]
+{{!}} [[Group]]
+{{!}} [[String]]
+{{!}} [[Structured Text|Text]]
+{{!}} [[Array]]
+{{!}} [[Code]]
+{{!}} [[Nothing]] ([[nil]])
+{{!}} [[HashMap]]
+{{!}}-
+! Since
+{{!}} colspan="4" {{!}} {{GVI|ofp|1.34}}
+{{!}} colspan="2" {{!}} {{GVI|arma1|1.00}}
+{{!}} colspan="2" {{!}} {{GVI|arma1|1.09}}
+{{!}} {{GVI|arma3|1.26}}
+{{!}} {{GVI|arma3|2.02}}
+{{!}}}
-Following [[:Category: Types | Types]] are supported since version 1.34:
+{{Feature|important|
+It is not possible (and illogical) to transfer a local entity reference, such as [[Script Handle|scripts]], [[Display|displays]] or [[createVehicleLocal|local objects]].<br>
+Also, note that [[Team Member]] is not supported.
+}}
-* [[Number]]
+|s1= [[publicVariable]] varName
-* [[Boolean]]
-* [[Object]]
-* [[Group]]
+|p1= varName: [[String]] - the [[Variables#Global Scope|global variable]]'s [[Identifier]]
-'''Example:'''
+|r1= [[Nothing]]
-'''publicVariable''' "CTFscoreOne"
+|x1= <sqf>
+TAG_MyPublicVariable = 0;
+TAG_MyPublicVariable = 1;
+publicVariable "TAG_MyPublicVariable";	// other clients will receive the "TAG_MyPublicVariable" variable with a 1 value
+TAG_MyPublicVariable = 2;				// needs to be broadcast again - synchronisation is not automatic
+</sqf>
-'''Note:'''
+|x2= JIP example:
+<sqf>
+if (isNil "TAG_CurrentTarget") then	// has the variable already been set and broadcast?
+{
+	TAG_CurrentTarget = objNull;	// if not, set it on the local machine
+};
-This command broadcasts a variable to all clients, but as soon as you change the variable again, you have to use '''publicVariable''' again, as it does not automatically synchronise it.
+player doTarget TAG_CurrentTarget;
+</sqf>
+|x3= <sqf>
+TAG_BossName = "EvilBigBoss";
+publicVariable TAG_BossName;	// wrong - will try to publicVariable "EvilBigBoss" variable, that does not exist
+publicVariable "TAG_BossName";	// correct - important, do not forget the QUOTES
+</sqf>
+|seealso= [[Multiplayer Scripting]] [[Initialisation Order]] [[addPublicVariableEventHandler]] [[publicVariableClient]] [[publicVariableServer]] [[Variables#Global Scope|Global Variable]] [[Event Scripts]] [[Multiplayer Scripting#Join In Progress|Join In Progress]]
+}}