---
name: "startLoadingScreen"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["System"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": null, "effect": null, "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/startLoadingScreen
revid: 369458
updated: 2024-09-06T08:44:54Z
---

# startLoadingScreen

*Command · System · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Arma 2 v1.00*

## Description

Shows loading screen with the given text, using the given resource.
While loading screen is shown, simulation and scene drawing is disabled, user control is disabled, mouse cursor is hidden, scripts run at full speed (50ms per frame instead of 3ms per frame for [Scheduled Scripts](../topics/Scheduler.md)).

> [!NOTE]
>

> [!WARNING]
> - The loading screen does **not** end by itself and absolutely needs a call to [endLoadingScreen](../commands/endLoadingScreen.md) command
> - Game simulation is disabled during Loading Screen operation (at least in single player):
>   - do **not** use the [sleep](../commands/sleep.md) command between [startLoadingScreen](../commands/startLoadingScreen.md) and [endLoadingScreen](../commands/endLoadingScreen.md) as **it may freeze the game** - use [uiSleep](../commands/uiSleep.md) instead
>   - [waitUntil](../commands/waitUntil.md) *can* be used to wait for variable initialisation or script loading

> [!NOTE]
> **Arma 3:** - Use [BIS_fnc_startLoadingScreen](../functions/BIS_fnc_startLoadingScreen.md) to prevent potential usage conflicts.
> - The loading screen can be force-ended with the ENDLOAD cheat code.

## Syntax

```sqf
startLoadingScreen [text, resource]
```

**Parameters:**

- `text`: [String](../topics/String.md)
- `resource`: [String](../topics/String.md) - (Optional)

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

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
startLoadingScreen ["Loading My Mission, please wait..."];
```

### Example 2

```sqf
startLoadingScreen ["Can't skip loading time...", "MyLoadingRsc"];
```

### Example 3

```sqf
startLoadingScreen ["Loading My Mission"];
// code
progressLoadingScreen 0.5;
// code
endLoadingScreen;
```

### Example 4

```sqf
// this structure prevents error-prone or lengthy code to miss endLoadingScreen.
private _maxTime = diag_tickTime + 30; // max 30s of loading

startLoadingScreen ["Loading"];
private _handle = 0 spawn {
    // code that may crash or take too long
};

waitUntil { uiSleep .1; scriptDone _handle || diag_tickTime > _maxTime };
endLoadingScreen;
```

## See also

[endLoadingScreen](../commands/endLoadingScreen.md) · [progressLoadingScreen](../commands/progressLoadingScreen.md) · [BIS_fnc_startLoadingScreen](../functions/BIS_fnc_startLoadingScreen.md) · import (Config)

## Community notes

**Killzone_Kid** — 2015-11-21

The default Arma 3 loading screen has no control to display text.

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — startLoadingScreen](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/startLoadingScreen) (revision 369458).</sub>