View source for Script

{{this is a|console command|name=script|notext=1|since=Left 4 Dead 2}}

It is available in all games that have a {{sq|4}} implementation of [[VScript]], namely [[VScript#Squirrel|these]].

== Description ==
It executes Squirrel code from the root table. The code can contain spaces without quotation marks used. Despite this, the [[Developer Console|developer console]] reads the code like a typical command's value, so special console delimiters like semicolons (<code>;</code>) cannot be used for scripting needs, making <tt>for</tt> statements impossible.

{{tip|{{tf2}} Backticks {{code2|`}} can be used to create {{code2|`strings`}} safely with this command.}}
{{tip|Instead of delimiting two script statements with a semicolon, one can put each statement inside curly braces, as long as this works in terms of scope. In the Squirrel documentation, it says:<br>''Statements can be separated with a new line or ‘<code>;</code>’ (or with the keywords <tt>case</tt> or <tt>default</tt> if inside a switch/case statement), both symbols are not required if the statement is followed by ‘<code>}</code>’.''<sup>[http://www.squirrel-lang.org/squirreldoc/reference/language/statements.html link]</sup>}}
{{note|Since the code is not executed from an entity's script scope and not in response to [[I/O]], one can most likely not execute code that calls the variables <code>activator</code>, <code>caller</code> or <code>self</code>. {{workaround|Define the variables as needed temporarily, e.g. <code>script ::activator <- Entities.FindByClassname(null, "player")</code>.}} }}

== Syntax ==
{{pre|
script &lt;code>
}}

== Examples ==
{{pre|
script printl( GetMapName() )
}}
Prints the name of the current map in the console.

{{pre|
script player <- Entities.FindByClassname(null, "player");
script player.SetMaxHealth( 200 )
}}
Using a variable, find the [[player]] with the lowest [[entity index]] then set their max health to 200.

{{pre|
script { player <- Entities.FindByClassname(null, "player") } { player.SetMaxHealth(200) }
}}
The same code, but as a single console command, achieved by using curly braces to bypass semicolons. Note that in this example, one pair of curly braces would suffice; if there is no nesting, putting every other statement in curly braces is sufficient. Note also that the statement <code>player <- ...</code> despite the curly braces, creates a table slot in the root table that persists after the closing brace. If the <tt>player</tt> variable should be a <tt>local</tt> variable, its assignment statement must not stand alone inside curly braces, since its scope ends with the closing curly brace. 

When executing multiple complicated commands repeatedly using the up {{key|up}} and down {{key|down}} arrow keys in the console it may even be useful to add a comment in the command, for example the following. {{pre|
script /* SET MAX HEALTH 200 */ { player <- Entities.FindByClassname(null, "player") } { player.SetMaxHealth(200) } // SET MAX HEALTH 200
}}
Squirrel will never see line comments starting with <code>//</code> because the developer console sees and removes them first.
Block comments <code>/* */</code> can also be used because Squirrel supports them!

== See also ==
* [[Scripts]]
* [[VScript]]
* {{sq}} [[Squirrel]]

[[Category:VScript]]