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github-actions[bot] edited this page Oct 28, 2026 · 1 revision

SCPUI 0.12.0 The journal.tbl is used by SCPUI's Journal extension to define the journal options and entries for a specific campaign. The Journal is configured on a per-campaign basis where each campaign loads from a table matching the format CAMPAIGN_FILE_NAME-journal.tbl.

This table is NOT modular, by design, and cannot be extended.

Code: /journal_ui/data/scripts/scpui_ext_journal.lua. See Tables for every table.

Badges show the SCPUI version a field or behavior was added in. Fields without a badge arrived with the table.

Contents

  1. Format
  2. #Journal Options
  3. #Journal Sections
  4. #Journal Entries
  5. Sample
Field index (every field, one per line in table order; click one to jump to it)

#Journal Options

#Journal Sections

#Journal Entries

Format

  • Defines the journal options, configuration, and available entries
  • Every section is optional, but the sections that are present must appear in this order: #Journal Options, #Journal Sections, #Journal Entries.
  • Each section ends with its own #End

#Journal Options

  • The base configuration options
  • Must end with #End

$Title:

  • Optional. The title of the UI shown to the player.
  • XSTR is supported.
  • Syntax: String
  • Default: Journal

#Journal Sections

  • Defines what sections or entry categories are available.
  • Can define up to 3 sections. Any additional section is skipped with a warning.
  • Must end with #End

$Name:

  • The name of the section. Entries reference this name in $Group:.
  • Use plain text, not XSTR("", ##). Translation is handled by $XSTR:.
  • Syntax: String

$XSTR:

  • Required. The XSTR ID for the section name.
  • Syntax: Integer

#Journal Entries

  • Defines all available journal entries
  • Must end with #End

$Name:

  • The name of the entry.
  • Use plain text, not XSTR("", ##). Translation is handled by $XSTR:.
  • Syntax: String

$XSTR:

  • Required. The XSTR ID for the entry name.
  • Syntax: Integer

$Group:

  • Required. The Section or Category that this entry belongs to. Must match a section $Name: (case-insensitive).
  • If no section matches, SCPUI shows a warning and the entry is skipped.
  • Syntax: String

$Visible by Default:

  • Optional. Sets whether this entry is always visible or must be unlocked.
  • Syntax: Boolean
  • Default: false

$Short Title:

  • Optional. A short title string for the entry. This is the key used to unlock the entry with the lua-journal-unlock-article SEXP.
  • The value is converted to lowercase and every run of characters that are not letters or numbers becomes a single _, with leading and trailing _ removed. For example bta1_head01 stays bta1_head01 and Living In Antares becomes living_in_antares.
  • If not provided, the key is built the same way from $Name:.
  • Syntax: String

$File:

  • Required. The base name of the text file to use for the journal entry. The file is loaded from data/fiction.
  • Language support is handled by appending FSO's language shorthand to the filename before the extension BASENAME-lang.txt. If that file does not exist, the base file is used.
  • Must be a .txt file and the extension should be included here.
  • Syntax: String

$Image:

  • Optional. The image file to display (without extension).
  • If not provided no image will be displayed.
  • Syntax: String

$Caption:

  • Optional. The caption for the image. Ignored if there is no image to display.
  • If not provided no caption will be displayed.
  • Syntax: String

$Caption XSTR:

  • The XSTR id for the caption.
  • Required if Caption is provided, and must directly follow it.
  • Syntax: Integer

Sample

#Journal Options
$Title: XSTR("Newsroom", 9284)
#End

#Journal Sections

$Name:	Headlines
$XSTR: 193

$Name:	Editorials
$XSTR: 194

#End

#Journal Entries ;;Languages can be done by creating files with the language shorthand appended. bta1_h01-gr.txt

$Name: Living In Antares
$XSTR: 195
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: true
$Short Title: bta1_head01
$File: bta1_h01.txt

$Name: The Stinging of a Wasp
$XSTR: 196
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head02
$File: bta1_h02.txt

$Name: The Stinging of a Wasp Pt.2
$XSTR: 197
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head03
$File: bta1_h03.txt

$Name: Hammer of Light Activity Increases
$XSTR: 198
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head04
$File: bta1_h04.txt

$Name: Piracy and Smuggling on the Increase
$XSTR: 199
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head05
$File: bta1_h05.txt

$Name: Living in a Box
$XSTR: 200
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head06
$File: bta1_h06.txt

$Name: Criminal Activity Continues
$XSTR: 201
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head07
$File: bta1_h07.txt

$Name: Carnage at Detiula Station
$XSTR: 202
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head08
$File: bta1_h08.txt

$Name: Messenger of Death
$XSTR: 203
$Group:	Headlines
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_head09
$File: bta1_h09.txt

$Name: War-Torn and Without Choice
$XSTR: 204
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: true
$Short Title: bta1_edit01
$File: bta1_e01.txt
$Image: deadcity
$Caption: Volsinii city after PVN bombardment - year 2330
$Caption XSTR: 218

$Name: More Casualties, More Tragedies
$XSTR: 205
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: true
$Short Title: bta1_edit02
$File: bta1_e02.txt
$Image: deathinspace
$Caption: Debris after GTA attack on civilian transport Retin - 2335/04/25
$Caption XSTR: 219

$Name: Antares, Or What's Left Of It
$XSTR: 206
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: true
$Short Title: bta1_edit03
$File: bta1_e03.txt
$Image: gulnarasun
$Caption: Gulnara Research Station is often a target of local raiding parties.
$Caption XSTR: 220

$Name: The Hand Grasping The Suns
$XSTR: 207
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: true
$Short Title: bta1_edit04
$File: bta1_e04.txt
$Image: militarysun
$Caption: Some GTA warships are already in Antares preceding the Intrepid's arrival.
$Caption XSTR: 221

$Name: Antares' Judgment Begins
$XSTR: 208
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title:bta1_edit05
$File: bta1_e05.txt
$Image: cargoplatform
$Caption: One of many cargo depots littered around Antares.
$Caption XSTR: 227

$Name: Blind Spot
$XSTR: 209
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit06
$File: bta1_e06.txt
$Image: krakenstation
$Caption: Kraken Station, the site of the attack on the Regulus Senators.
$Caption XSTR: 228

$Name: Facade of the Starscape
$XSTR: 210
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit07
$File: bta1_e07.txt
$Image: hillross
$Caption: Hillross Station is owned by Exxon-Beckham.
$Caption XSTR: 232

$Name: Abeyance
$XSTR: 211
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit08
$File: bta1_e08.txt
$Image: afvalk
$Caption: Antarian security forces have begun painting the emblem of the Antares Federation political party on their hulls.
$Caption XSTR: 233

$Name: Breadcrumbs and Superposition
$XSTR: 212
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit09
$File: bta1_e09.txt
$Image: afemblem
$Caption: The official emblem of the Antares Federation political party.
$Caption XSTR: 234

$Name: The Sleeping Dragon
$XSTR: 213
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit10
$File: bta1_e10.txt
$Image: cardinalpropo
$Caption: The HLD Cardinal as shown in an HoL propaganda release.
$Caption XSTR: 235

$Name: The Dragon Awakens
$XSTR: 214
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit11
$File: bta1_e11.txt
$Image: megalith
$Caption: Security firm Megalith is now operating directly out of Antares Station.
$Caption XSTR: 236

$Name: Phagocytosis
$XSTR: 215
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit12
$File: bta1_e12.txt
$Image: apoapsis
$Caption: The AFC Apoapsis is now standing by near Antares Station.
$Caption XSTR: 237

$Name: The Suns Are Released
$XSTR: 216
$Group:	Editorials
$Visible by Default: false
$Short Title: bta1_edit13
$File: bta1_e13.txt
$Image: antsuns
$Caption: Antares Major and Minor are our symbols for hope and unity in the future.
$Caption XSTR: 238


#End

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