{"name":"sideChat","operator":null,"title":"sideChat","type":"command","url":"https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/sideChat","revid":376777,"updated":"2025-11-17T00:06:09Z","groups":["Radio and Chat"],"status":"ok","replaced_by":[],"games":[{"game":"ofp","name":"Operation Flashpoint","version":"1.34"},{"game":"ofpe","name":"Operation Flashpoint: Elite","version":"1.00"},{"game":"arma1","name":"Armed Assault","version":"1.00"},{"game":"arma2","name":"Arma 2","version":"1.00"},{"game":"arma2oa","name":"Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead","version":"1.50"},{"game":"tkoh","name":"Take On Helicopters","version":"1.00"},{"game":"arma3","name":"Arma 3","version":"0.50"}],"since":{"game":"ofp","name":"Operation Flashpoint","version":"1.34"},"arma3_since":"0.50","branch":null,"locality":{"argument":"global","effect":"local","server_exec":false},"exec":null,"description":"Types text to the side radio channel by the specified unit. Use clearRadio to clear chat history\n\n> [!IMPORTANT]\n> The unit must have an assigned radio item (such as ***\"ItemRadio\"***) to see or transmit the messages. A radio item must have the property \n>\n> ```cpp\n> simulation = \"ItemRadio\";\n> ```\n>\n>  in its CfgWeapons config.","syntaxes":[{"syntax":"unit sideChat chatText","since":null,"effect":null,"exec":null,"params":[{"name":"unit","type":"Object","optional":false,"default":null,"description":"unit transmitting message","types":["Object"],"since":null,"text":"unit: Object - unit transmitting message"},{"name":"chatText","type":"String","optional":false,"default":null,"description":"message to transmit","types":["String"],"since":null,"text":"chatText: String - message to transmit"}],"returns":{"type":"Nothing","types":["Nothing"],"description":null,"text":"Nothing"},"form":"binary","operator":null,"left":{"text":"unit","types":["Object"]},"right":{"text":"chatText","types":["String"]}},{"syntax":"[side, identity] sideChat chatText","since":null,"effect":null,"exec":null,"params":[{"name":"side","type":"Side","optional":false,"default":null,"description":"side to which the message will be seen","types":["Side"],"since":null,"text":"side: Side - side to which the message will be seen"},{"name":"identity","type":"String","optional":false,"default":null,"description":"class name of one of the identities in CfgHQIdentities. Possible identities in Arma 3 are:\n- \"Base\"\n- \"HQ\"\n- \"PAPA_BEAR\"\n- \"AirBase\"\n- \"BLU\"\n- \"OPF\"\n- \"IND\"\n- \"IND_G\"","types":["String"],"since":null,"text":"identity: String - class name of one of the identities in CfgHQIdentities. Possible identities in Arma 3 are:\n- \"Base\"\n- \"HQ\"\n- \"PAPA_BEAR\"\n- \"AirBase\"\n- \"BLU\"\n- \"OPF\"\n- \"IND\"\n- \"IND_G\""},{"name":"chatText","type":"String","optional":false,"default":null,"description":"message to transmit","types":["String"],"since":null,"text":"chatText: String - message to transmit"}],"returns":{"type":"Nothing","types":["Nothing"],"description":null,"text":"Nothing"},"form":"binary","operator":null,"left":{"text":"[side, identity]","types":["Array"]},"right":{"text":"chatText","types":["String"]}}],"examples":[{"text":"```sqf\n_soldierOne sideChat \"Show this text\";\n```","code":["_soldierOne sideChat \"Show this text\";"]},{"text":"```sqf\n[west, \"HQ\"] sideChat \"Hi there\";\n```","code":["[west, \"HQ\"] sideChat \"Hi there\";"]},{"text":"```sqf\ndriver vehicle player sideChat \"sideChat\";\ndriver vehicle player globalChat \"globalChat\";\ndriver vehicle player groupChat \"groupChat\";\nvehicle player vehicleChat \"vehicleChat\";\ndriver vehicle player commandChat \"commandChat\";\ndriver vehicle player customChat [1, \"customChat\"];\nsystemChat \"systemChat\";\n```","code":["driver vehicle player sideChat \"sideChat\";\ndriver vehicle player globalChat \"globalChat\";\ndriver vehicle player groupChat \"groupChat\";\nvehicle player vehicleChat \"vehicleChat\";\ndriver vehicle player commandChat \"commandChat\";\ndriver vehicle player customChat [1, \"customChat\"];\nsystemChat \"systemChat\";"]},{"text":"```sqf\n[[blufor, \"BLU\"], \"message\"] remoteExec [\"sideChat\"]; // shows the message to all players\n```","code":["[[blufor, \"BLU\"], \"message\"] remoteExec [\"sideChat\"]; // shows the message to all players"]},{"text":"```sqf\nunit setGroupId [\"Cpt. Miller\"]; // changes the group's callsign\nunit sideChat \"Hello ladies!\";\n```","code":["unit setGroupId [\"Cpt. Miller\"]; // changes the group's callsign\nunit sideChat \"Hello ladies!\";"]}],"multiplayer":null,"problems":null,"aliases":[],"see_also":["globalChat","groupChat","vehicleChat","commandChat","customChat","systemChat","sideRadio"],"notes":[{"user":"Ceeeb","date":"2007-02-12T04:31:00Z","text":"In **Operation Flashpoint v1.96**, sideChat messages can be sent from two abstract sources: \"Papa_Bear\" and \"Base FireFly\".\n\nUse sideChat on an array in the form [SIDE, \"base\"], [SIDE, \"HQ\"], [SIDE, \"Papa_bear\"] or [SIDE, \"airbase\"], where SIDE is the side broadcasting. \"HQ\", \"base\" and \"Papa_bear\" seem to be the same object. The callsign strings can be re-defined using a stringTable.csv file, using `STR_CFG_PAPABEAR` and `STR_CFG_FIREFLYBASE`.\n\nExample :\n\n```sqf\n[east, \"base\"] sideChat \"Return to base!\"\n```"}],"categories":["ArmA: Armed Assault: Scripting Commands","Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead: Scripting Commands","Arma 2: Scripting Commands","Arma 3: Scripting Commands","Command Group: Radio and Chat","Introduced with Operation Flashpoint version 1.34","Operation Flashpoint: Elite: Scripting Commands","Operation Flashpoint: New Scripting Commands","Operation Flashpoint: Scripting Commands","Scripting Commands","Scripting Commands: Local Effect","Take On Helicopters: Scripting Commands"]}