scripting in baby steps

I just made my first script. Not quite a masterpiece. But I stitched it together from my very limited understanding rather than just copied it.

_playerpos = getpos player;
hint format["You are at co-ord %1",_playerpos]

(crowd noise):bounce3:

Anyway. How would I make it so that it is continuously updating in real-time? I'm guessing some kind of loop?

while loop.

Go figure out how it's done, f you have questions, ask away. Try to figure it out yourself first though.

*noise*

Thread title immedeately captured my eye, totally on the same boat with you, since what .. +10 years :D

As for loop, my ghetto senses tell me while do could work, no clue though about performance impacts or general economy of this approach.

while {alive player} do
{
_playerpos = getpos player;
hint format["You are at co-ord %1",_playerpos]
};

Hi Sneakers!

You need to use the while command. Here's the code:

while {true} do
{

_playerpos = getpos player;
hint format["You are at co-ord %1",_playerpos];
sleep 0.5;

};

Learning process ruined :(

Just a note about while do. If you are not giving it a condition to terminate after some time it will continue on and on and if you have other parts of scripts under the while loop this will not get executed.

Heh, I've gone away from the keyboard for a moment and two posts have been written.

sweet. Thanks for help.

I notice though that there is no ; for line 1 or 2, and that there is a ; for even just the } on line 8. Small things like this are scary.

Also, now I am thinking to have a enable/disable this function via mouse wheel menu...

But maybe I shouldn't try to run yet.

Thanks again.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?78089-Mission-Editing-and-Scripting-Information-Links-only-NO-Discussion

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?100559-Beginners-guide-Arrays

http://www.armaholic.com/forums.php?m=posts&q=6751

Useful links, you should read through these.

And my favorite link of all times:

http://seit.unsw.adfa.edu.au/coursework/ZEIT2305/Resources/SQF_Tutorial/basic_sqf.HTML

This gives you a great start with all the syntax explained. If you know this, all you need to learn is ingame commands.

But maybe I shouldn't try to run yet.

You forgot the semi colon on the last line. :)

sweet. Thanks for help.

I notice though that there is no ; for line 1 or 2, and that there is a ; for even just the } on line 8. Small things like this are scary.

Also, now I am thinking to have a enable/disable this function via mouse wheel menu...

But maybe I shouldn't try to run yet.

Thanks again.

You don't need to use ; on the last statement of any given scope.

example:

while {true} do { 

_playerpos = getpos player; 
hint format["You are at co-ord %1",_playerpos]; 
sleep 0.5 [color=#ff0000]// doesn't need a semi-colon because it's the last statement inside this scope[/color]

}; [color=#ff0000]// doesn't need a semi-colon either, unless you code below it. So I'll code below it.[/color]

hint "I'm writing code below the while loop, so a semei-colon is required above." [color=#ff0000]//doesn't need a semi-colon because this hint message is the end of the main scope (the script).[/color]

You don't need to use ; on the last statement of any given scope.

DID NOT KNOW THIS - lol cheers Iceman

haha you're welcome. That's one thing I've gotten my head around. I see very good scripters putting semicolons after every single statement and scope no matter what and it baffles me. But maybe it's just a good practice? idk. In any case, it's not required.

Is there a LIST of commands anywhere..?

A huge problem for me is not knowing exactly what words are recognised. Eg, I could put "eat rations" and it wouldn't work... do you get me..?

How to know what words are available please..? This would cut down the learning time without skipping a step so to speak..?

haha you're welcome. That's one thing I've gotten my head around. I see very good scripters putting semicolons after every single statement and scope no matter what and it baffles me. But maybe it's just a good practice? idk. In any case, it's not required.

It's pretty good practice to end every statement with ;, same for scopes. This prevents errors when you edit the script a few hours / days / months later and forgot to put a semicolon there. What I also like to do is end a scope before I add content so I don't forget that.

@meanmachine1

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Category:Scripting_Commands

Includes OFP & Arma.

//Edit

Aaand ninja'd by Iceman haha

This prevents errors when you edit the script a few hours / days / months later and forgot to put a semicolon there. What I also like to do is end a scope before I add content so I don't forget that.

what? lol. If i edit it a few months later why would it matter if I forgot to put one there if it's not even required?

---------- Post added at 17:41 ---------- Previous post was at 17:38 ----------

nvm I get what you're saying. though, when writing, I generally make sure the scope / tatement above has a semicolon if nessecary

EXCELLENT..!!! :D

thanks..!

DID NOT KNOW THIS - lol cheers Iceman

I didn't know it either but it seems sensible to do it. I find it simpler to end every statement with a ; rather than having to remember which need one and which don't. The final declaration in a function and #includes are enough already.

haha you're welcome. That's one thing I've gotten my head around. I see very good scripters putting semicolons after every single statement and scope no matter what and it baffles me. But maybe it's just a good practice? idk. In any case, it's not required.

The only time I leave out the semicolon is if the line is supposed to be the return value of the scope.

DFS_calculateNonsense =
{
  _nonsense = 9 * _this;   
  if (_this == 4) then
  {
     _nonsense = 32;
  };

  if (_nonsense > 20) then
  {
     15  // return value
  }
  else
  {
     _nonsense  // return value
  }  // return value
};

In the init-line of a logic:

onEachFrame { hintsilent format ["[%1,%2,%3] [%4 ASL] [%5°]",round (position vehicle player select 0),round (position vehicle player select 1),round (position vehicle player select 2), round (getposASL vehicle player select 2), round getdir vehicle player]; };

;)

The only time I leave out the semicolon is if the line is supposed to be the return value of the scope.

I see. May I ask why? I mean if it's not required for the last statement of any scope. Is it just a good practice to do?