tfscript/docs/source/syntax.rst

TFScript Syntax

A TFScript file is structured like this

class1:
  key1:
    type:
      fields
  key2:
    type:
      fields
...

class2:
  key1:
...

where class1, class2, etc. refer to classes such as soldier, pyro, or any of the other lovable mercenaries.

key1 and key2 are keys such as w or mouse1 to which you want actions bound, and type/fields is the data to be parsed by TFScript to generate a config file.

Classes

The full list of valid class names is as follows:

• Scout
• Soldier
• Pyro
• Demo
• Heavy
• Engi
• Medic
• Sniper
• Spy
• Default

As you may have noticed, there is a special class, "default", which specifies the default state of any and all keys. Any keybinds in this config are the defaults, and apply to all other classes unless specifically overwritten (that said, any classes which do have a different definition for that key will overwrite the previous "default" definition).

Names are not case sensitive, so "SoLDiER" will work just as well as "soldier".

Keys

If you are already familiar with TF2 scripting, every key that tf2 recognizes is also recognized by TFScript.

For the rest of us, the most relavent keys are:

• A to Z
• 0 to 9
• space
• tab
• capslock
• shift
• ctrl
• function
• alt

For the remaining symbol characters (like "`", "[", or "\"), just press the key that it appears on, on your keyboard. Do not hold shift, alt, or any other control keys. This does limit the keys you can use, for example if you wanted to use the { character, you would be stuck with [. This is a limit imposed by TF2, but you can get around this using the double type, as explained later.

Some examples

For example, this config will bind "e" to call for medic, unless mouse4 is held, in which case it will call for an ÜberCharge:

alias call_for_medic "voicemenu 0 0"
alias call_for_uber  "voicemenu 1 6"
alias e_bind call_for_medic
bind e e_bind
alias +toggle_state "alias e_bind call_for_uber"
alias -toggle_state "alias e_bind call_for_medic"
bind mouse4 "+toggle_state"

There are some issues with this:

• It is quite verbose, and if several of these exist the file can become difficult to traverse
• There is a lack of clarity in the voicemenu command, only the bind name explains what it does
• If either "mouse4" or "e" had a prior function, it has now been overwritten
• The scope is dictated by what .cfg file this is located within, which can cause problems

The TFScript way of doing this is:

default:
  e:
    double:
      primary:
        impulse: voice medic
      secondary:
        impulse: voice activate uber
        condition: mouse4

There are several benefits to this:

• The indentation allows for easier scanning of the file
• The voicemenu commands have been replaced with the clearer "voice" impulse
• Since this is within the default section, it is clear that there are is no "prior function" to overwrite and this will apply to all classes unless specifically overwritten.