{"name":"sideChat","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","games":{"ofp":"1.34","ofpe":"1.00","arma1":"1.00","arma2":"1.00","arma2oa":"1.50","tkoh":"1.00","arma3":"0.50"},"since":"ofp 1.34","arma3_since":"0.50","locality":{"argument":"global","effect":"local"},"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","params":[{"name":"unit","type":"Object","description":"unit transmitting message","type_expr":"Object"},{"name":"chatText","type":"String","description":"message to transmit","type_expr":"String"}],"returns":{"type":"Nothing","type_expr":"Nothing"},"form":"binary","left":{"text":"unit"},"right":{"text":"chatText"}},{"syntax":"[side, identity] sideChat chatText","params":[{"name":"side","type":"Side","description":"side to which the message will be seen","type_expr":"Side"},{"name":"identity","type":"String","description":"class name of one of the identities in CfgHQIdentities. Possible identities in Arma 3 are:\n\n- \"Base\"\n- \"HQ\"\n- \"PAPA_BEAR\"\n- \"AirBase\"\n- \"BLU\"\n- \"OPF\"\n- \"IND\"\n- \"IND_G\"","type_expr":"String"},{"name":"chatText","type":"String","description":"message to transmit","type_expr":"String"}],"returns":{"type":"Nothing","type_expr":"Nothing"},"form":"binary","left":{"text":"[side, identity]"},"right":{"text":"chatText"}}],"examples":[{"code":["_soldierOne sideChat \"Show this text\";"]},{"code":["[west, \"HQ\"] sideChat \"Hi there\";"]},{"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\";"]},{"code":["[[blufor, \"BLU\"], \"message\"] remoteExec [\"sideChat\"]; // shows the message to all players"]},{"code":["unit setGroupId [\"Cpt. Miller\"]; // changes the group's callsign\nunit sideChat \"Hello ladies!\";"]}],"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\".\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```"}]}