BindAction
BindAction will bind an action to user input given an action handling function. The action handler function will be called when some input matches the provided user input enums. Call this function when a player enters the context in which an action can be performed, then call ContextActionService/UnbindAction|UnbindAction with the same actionName when that context is left. You can call the action handling function of an action by using ContextActionService/CallFunction|CallFunction.
Action Bindings Stack
Action bindings behave like a stack: if two actions are bound to the same user input, the most recently bound action handler will be used. If an action handler returns Enum.ContextActionResult.Pass, the next most recently bound action handler will be called, and so on until a handler sinks the input (by returning nil or Enum.ContextActionResult.Sink). When ContextActionService/UnbindAction|UnbindAction is called, the action handler is removed from the stack. This stack behavior can be overridden using ContextActionService/BindActionAtPriority|BindActionAtPriority, where an additional priority parameter after createTouchButton may override the order in which actions are bound (higher before lower).
Touch Buttons
In addition to input types, this function’s third parameter controls whether a button is created for UserInputService/TouchEnabled|TouchEnabled devices. Upon the first touch button’s creation, a ScreenGui named “ContextActionGui” is added to the PlayerGui. Inside the ScreenGui is a Frame called “ContextButtonFrame” is added. It is in this frame in which ImageButton|ImageButtons for bound actions are parented; you can use ContextActionService/GetButton|GetButton to retrieve such buttons for customization.
Action Handler Parameters
The action handler functions are called with the following parameters:
| # | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | string | The same string that was originally passed to BindAction† |
| 2 | Enum.UserInputState | The state of the input (Begin, Change, End or Cancel)* |
| 3 |
| An object that contains information about the input (varies based on UserInputType) |
†This allows one function to handle multiple actions at once, if necessary.
*Cancel is sent if some input was in-progress and another action bound over the in-progress input, or if the in-progress bound action was ContextActionService/UnbindAction|unbound.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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A string representing the action being performed (e.g. “HonkHorn” or “OpenDoor”) |
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The action-handling function, called with the following parameters when the bound inputs are triggered: string (actionName), Enum.UserInputState and an InputObject |
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Whether a GUI button should be created for the action on touch input devices |
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Any number of Enum.KeyCode or Enum.UserInputType representing the inputs to bind to the action |
Returns
| Return Type | Summary |
|---|---|
Code Samples
General Action Handler
This code sample uses ContextActionService to bind an action named “BoundAction” to a general action handler function on the F key. Place this in a LocalScript inside StarterPlayerScripts and press F to see the message “Handling action: BoundAction”.
local ContextActionService = game:GetService("ContextActionService")
-- Setting up the action handling function
local function handleAction(actionName, inputState, inputObj)
if inputState == Enum.UserInputState.Begin then
print("Handling action: " .. actionName)
end
-- Since this function does not return anything, this handler will
-- "sink" the input and no other action handlers will be called after
-- this one.
end
-- Bind the action to the handler
ContextActionService:BindAction("BoundAction", handleAction, false, Enum.KeyCode.F)
Stacked Action Handlers
This code sample demonstrates how BindAction acts like a stack. It binds two actions, FirstAction (Z, X, and C keys) and SecondAction (Z and X keys) to two action handling functions. The second one will pass on a certain input (the X key).
Both actions use the Z and X keys, however the second handler will pass input only if X is pressed. So, when X is pressed, the second handler is called and then the first. The first action is also bound to the C key, and can be triggered even though the other two inputs are “covered” by the second action.
Test this code out by pasting it into a LocalScript within StarterPlayerScripts, then pressing Z, X and C. Observe which action handlers are called with what actions.
local ContextActionService = game:GetService("ContextActionService")
-- Define an action handler for FirstAction
local function actionHandlerOne(actionName, inputState, inputObj)
if inputState == Enum.UserInputState.Begin then
print("Action Handler One: " .. actionName)
end
-- This action handler returns nil, so it is assumed that
-- it properly handles the action.
end
-- Binding the action FirstAction (it's on the bottom of the stack)
ContextActionService:BindAction("FirstAction", actionHandlerOne, false, Enum.KeyCode.Z, Enum.KeyCode.X, Enum.KeyCode.C)
-- Define an action handler for SecondAction
local function actionHandlerTwo(actionName, inputState, inputObj)
if inputState == Enum.UserInputState.Begin then
print("Action Handler Two: " .. actionName)
end
if inputObj.KeyCode == Enum.KeyCode.X then
return Enum.ContextActionResult.Pass
else
-- Returning nil implicitly Sinks inputs
return Enum.ContextActionResult.Sink
end
end
-- Binding SecondAction over the first action (since it bound more recently, it is on the top of the stack)
-- Note that SecondAction uses the same keys as
ContextActionService:BindAction("SecondAction", actionHandlerTwo, false, Enum.KeyCode.Z, Enum.KeyCode.X)
ContextActionService Tool Reload
This example properly shows how to use ContextActionService in binding user input to a contextual action. The context is the tool being equipped; the action is reloading some weapon. Test this code sample by placing it in a LocalScript parented to a Tool. When the Tool is equipped, a “Reload” action is bound, and when the Tool is unequipped the “Reload” action is unbound. When the player presses R with the Tool equipped, the message “Reloading!” will appear.
local ContextActionService = game:GetService("ContextActionService")
local ACTION_RELOAD = "Reload"
local tool = script.Parent
local function handleAction(actionName, inputState, inputObject)
if actionName == ACTION_RELOAD and inputState == Enum.UserInputState.Begin then
print("Reloading!")
end
end
tool.Equipped:Connect(function ()
ContextActionService:BindAction(ACTION_RELOAD, handleAction, true, Enum.KeyCode.R)
end)
tool.Unequipped:Connect(function ()
ContextActionService:UnbindAction(ACTION_RELOAD)
end)