--- name: "SQS to SQF conversion" type: topic source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/SQS_to_SQF_conversion revid: 377918 updated: 2026-01-11T15:31:56Z --- # SQS to SQF conversion [SQF Syntax](../topics/SQF_Syntax.md) has been introduced in Operation Flashpoint: Resistance v1.85 and is the Arma series' main scripting language until Arma 3. The main differences with [SQS Syntax](../topics/SQS_Syntax.md) are: - **[execVM](../commands/execVM.md)** is used (instead of [exec](../commands/exec.md) for SQS) - Every command has to end with a semicolon (`;`) - the following commands disappeared: - [goto](../commands/goto.md)/ [#label](../topics/SQS_Syntax.md#label) (Note, [#](../commands/a_hash_b.md) is a command in itself in Arma 3) - [exit](../commands/exit.md) - a partial SQF equivalent can be found in [exitWith](../commands/exitWith.md) - Line returns do not impact code - SQF can return a variable, where SQS cannot ### Conversion Examples | SQS | SQF | |---|---| | **Comment** | | | `; This is a comment`
```sqs
; This is a
; multiline
; comment
```
`comment "this is a comment";`
`"this is a comment";` | `// This is single-line comment`
```sqf
/*
This is a
multiline
comment
*/
```
`comment "this is a comment";`
`"this is a comment";` | | **Conditional Wait** | | | `@CONDITION`
`@ not alive player` | `waitUntil { CONDITION };`
`waitUntil { not alive player };` | | **Delay** | | | `~DELAY`
`~5` | `sleep DELAY;`
`sleep 5;` | | **Conditional Command** | | | `? CONDITION : COMMAND`
`? alive player : player setDammage 1` | `if (CONDITION) then { COMMAND };`
`if (alive player) then { player setDammage 1 };` | | **Multi-Conditional Command** | | | ```sqs
? CONDITION : goto "SKIP"
COMMAND_2
goto "END"
#SKIP
COMMAND_1
#END
``` | ```sqf
if (CONDITION) then
{
COMMAND_1
}
else
{
COMMAND_2
};
``` | | **Cycle** | | | ```sqs
#loop
COMMAND
~DELAY
? CONDITION : goto "LOOP"
``` | ```sqf
while { CONDITION } do
{
COMMAND;
sleep DELAY;
};
``` | | **Cycle With Step** | | | ```sqs
_i = 0
#LOOP
COMMAND
_i = _i + 1;
? _i < COUNT : goto "LOOP"
``` | ```sqf
for "_i" from 0 to COUNT -1 do
{
COMMAND;
};
``` | | **Structured Conditional Command** | | | ```sqs
? VARIABLE == VALUE_1: goto "SKIP_1"
? VARIABLE == VALUE_2: goto "SKIP_2"
DEFAULT_COMMAND
goto "END"
#SKIP_1
COMMAND_1
goto "END"
#SKIP_2
COMMAND_2
#END
``` | ```sqf
switch (VARIABLE) do
{
case VALUE_1:
{ COMMAND_1 };
case VALUE_2:
{ COMMAND_2 };
default
{ DEFAULT_COMMAND };
};
``` | | **Exiting** | | | ```sqs
? CONDITION : COMMAND_2
? CONDITION : exit
COMMAND_1
``` | ```sqf
if (CONDITION) exitWith { COMMAND_2; };
COMMAND_1;
``` | ### See Also - [SQF Syntax](../topics/SQF_Syntax.md) - [SQS Syntax](../topics/SQS_Syntax.md) - [Introduction to Arma Scripting](../topics/Introduction_to_Arma_Scripting.md) _{Source: [BI Community Wiki — SQS to SQF conversion](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/SQS_to_SQF_conversion) (revision 377918).}