---
name: "createDisplay"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["GUI Control"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": null, "effect": null, "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/createDisplay
revid: 369323
updated: 2024-09-03T18:42:58Z
---

# createDisplay

*Command · GUI Control · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Armed Assault v1.00*

## Description

Creates child display of given display and loads from "resourceName". The notable difference between [createDisplay](../commands/createDisplay.md) and [createDialog](../commands/createDialog.md) is that with [createDisplay](../commands/createDisplay.md) the player would be able to move around while the display is shown.

Displays created with [createDisplay](../commands/createDisplay.md) or [createDialog](../commands/createDialog.md) will take control of the mouse pointer and will close when user presses <kbd>Esc</kbd>.

> [!NOTE]
> **Arma 3:** Since Arma 3 v1.50 [createDisplay](../commands/createDisplay.md) returns [Display](../topics/Display.md) and will first look in [description.ext](../topics/Description.ext.md) for resourceName config, if not found, it will then look in main config.

> [!NOTE]
> If an *overlay* is needed instead, use [cutRsc](../commands/cutRsc.md).

## Syntax

```sqf
parent createDisplay resourceName
```

**Parameters:**

- `parent`: [Display](../topics/Display.md)
- `resourceName`: [String](../topics/String.md) - custom display class defined in [description.ext](../topics/Description.ext.md) or existing display class from main config

**Returns:** [Display](../topics/Display.md) (since Arma 3 v1.50, [Nothing](../topics/Nothing.md) before)

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
findDisplay 46 createDisplay "RscCredits";
```

### Example 2

```sqf
// creates an empty display
private _emptyDisplay = findDisplay 46 createDisplay "RscDisplayEmpty";
```

## See also

[closeDisplay](../commands/closeDisplay.md) · [createDialog](../commands/createDialog.md) · [displayCtrl](../commands/displayCtrl.md) · [dialog](../commands/dialog.md) · [displayNull](../commands/displayNull.md) · [controlNull](../commands/controlNull.md) · [ctrlCreate](../commands/ctrlCreate.md) · [displayParent](../commands/displayParent.md)

## Community notes

**MrPineapple** — 2014-11-15

When using createDisplay instead of [createDialog](../commands/createDialog.md), all the commands for working with the controls of the display only work with the control version, not the IDC version:

```sqf
lbAdd [1234, "item"];    // does not work on displays, and won't error either
_ctrl lbAdd "item";        // does work with displays
```

So you have to use the control(DisplayCtrl) and not the IDC.

---

**Killzone_Kid** — 2017-06-29

A user dialog created with [createDisplay](../commands/createDisplay.md) over mission display ([findDisplay](../commands/findDisplay.md) 46) will stop [display event handlers](../commands/displayAddEventHandler.md) added to mission display from firing. However if it is created with [createDialog](../commands/createDialog.md) then the event handlers continue to work.

---

**Target_practice** — 2020-06-21

Creating a display with the same parent as an existing display will destroy the latter and all of its children. However, their [onUnload](../topics/User_Interface_Event_Handlers.md#onunload), [onChildDestroyed](../topics/User_Interface_Event_Handlers.md#onchilddestroyed), and [onDestroy](../topics/User_Interface_Event_Handlers.md#ondestroy) event handlers will not fire.

---

**7erra** — 2022-02-05

When trying to create a display with [createDisplay](../commands/createDisplay.md) on a non existing display the command will fail silently and return [displayNull](../commands/displayNull.md).

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — createDisplay](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/createDisplay) (revision 369323).</sub>