---
name: "animate"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["Animations"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": "global", "effect": "global", "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/animate
revid: 379104
updated: 2026-10-03T12:13:48Z
---

# animate

*Command · Animations · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Operation Flashpoint v1.75*

Locality: arguments **global** · effect **global**

## Description

Activates given object animation. Animation is defined in CfgModels animations class. Class names listed in CfgVehicles AnimationSources bound to "Proxy" controller can also be animated with [animate](../commands/animate.md) command (see Arma 3: createVehicle/vehicles).

> [!NOTE]
> Since Arma 3 v2.24 parachutes are supported. The phases for a parachute animation are: 0...1 - pulling of the parachute from the bag, 1...2 - opening of the canopy, 2...3 packing of the canopy. The animation name is "". You can only skip forward the animation of the parachute. For example: 
>
> ```sqf
> _para animate ["", 1]; // skips parachute animation forward to the canopy opening
> ```
>
>  Giving negative phase would delay the whole parachute opening animation until the phase rolls up to 0. See also [animationPhase](../commands/animationPhase.md)

> [!NOTE]
> **Arma 3:** - It is recommended that [animateSource](../commands/animateSource.md) command is used instead of [animate](../commands/animate.md) whenever is possible, as it is more efficient and optimised for multiplayer
> - Since Arma 3 v1.58 animation names can be obtained with [animationNames](../commands/animationNames.md)

> [!WARNING]
> Mixing [animateSource](../commands/animateSource.md) command with [animate](../commands/animate.md) command to animate the same part may produce some undefined behaviour.

## Syntax

```sqf
object animate [animationName, phase, speed]
```

**Parameters:**

- `object`: [Object](../topics/Object.md)
- `animationName`: [String](../topics/String.md) - name of the animation. This is the class-name of the animation defined in the config
- `phase`: [Number](../topics/Number.md) - range 0 (start point of the animation) to 1 (end point of the animation). The speed, in which the animation is processed, is defined in the addon's config.cpp and cannot be changed during running missions
- `speed`: [Boolean](../topics/Boolean.md) or (since Arma 3 v1.66) [Number](../topics/Number.md) - (Optional, default [false](../commands/false.md)) when [true](../commands/true.md) animation is instant; [Number](../topics/Number.md) > 0 is treated as config speed value multiplier

**Returns:** [Nothing](../topics/Nothing.md)

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
_building animate ["maindoor", 1];
```

### Example 2

```sqf
_building animate ["Door_1_rot", 1, true];
```

### Example 3

Create Offroad and add flashing police light bar:

```sqf
offroad = "C_Offroad_01_F" createVehicle (player getRelPos [5, 0]);
offroad animate ["HidePolice", 0];
offroad animate ["BeaconsStart", 1];
```

## See also

[animationPhase](../commands/animationPhase.md) · [setFaceAnimation](../commands/setFaceAnimation.md) · [animateSource](../commands/animateSource.md) · [animationSourcePhase](../commands/animationSourcePhase.md) · [animateDoor](../commands/animateDoor.md) · [doorPhase](../commands/doorPhase.md) · [animationNames](../commands/animationNames.md)

## Community notes

**Mikero** — 2007-08-23

Animations can be used on existing game models such as houses that have doors eg. The general syntax is

```sqf
house animate ["dvere1", 1]
```

to 'open' the door and 

```sqf
house animate ["dvere1", 0]
```

 to 'close' it. Whether used on Oem addons, or official ones, an internal working knowledge (via config.cpp) of the model's animated name(s) is required.

'open' and 'close' are visual perceptions of the state of the model, and are a design decision of the p3d. Open does not, necessarily mean, 1, and close does not mean 0.

'0' and '1' are better seen as FULLY_OFF and FULLY_ON

If a door is initially closed in the model, FULLY_ON, will open it. If it is initialy OPEN visually, in the model, FULLY_ON will close it.

 (in config cpp) does not alter open and close meanings, all it does is set the model to the 'on' (rather than 'off') state to begin with. Whether on means open or close visually is a p3d design decision.

---

**Tyger** — 2008-12-06

Also, to animate the object called "Bar Gate" in ArmA, use the following: 

```sqf
myGate animate ["Bargate",1]
```

 to close it, and 

```sqf
myGate animate ["Bargate", 0]
```

 to open it.

---

**RageBone** — 2016-02-16

"Bargate" was exchanged with "Door_1_rot" at one point:

```sqf
object animate ["Bargate", 0]; // doesn't work
```

```sqf
object animate ["Door_1_rot", 0]; // works
```

---

**Killzone_Kid** — 2016-03-14

To animate bargate use [animateSource](../commands/animateSource.md):

```sqf
bargate animateSource ["Door_1_source", 1];
```

---

**SteveStevenson** — 2017-11-25

For pop-up targets, you can keep the target down (until you tell it to pop up) with:

```sqf
target1 animate ["terc", 1];
```

When you're ready for the target to pop up, you can use:

```sqf
target1 animate ["terc", 0];
```

With this setting, the target will return to its usual behavior of going down when hit and automatically popping back up again. To make the target stay down after being hit, add the following line:

```sqf
target1 addEventHandler ["HitPart", { target1 animate ["terc", 1]; }];
```

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — animate](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/animate) (revision 379104).</sub>