Lifecycle Wait Chain

Lifecycle Wait-Chain Reference

Claude deep-dive page (source-cited). This is the canonical page for precise boot ordering, the machine-role truth table, JIP waits and the global-flag dependency graph that enforces init order. Use Mission entrypoints and lifecycle for the include graph, role dispatch and per-role init responsibility map.

All paths below are relative to the source mission root Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/. Unless another ref is named, line refs are from docs branch docs/developer-wiki-index HEAD@55cb55e2170f; the 2026-06-24 entrypoint refresh found targeted diffs from earlier docs anchor 05664f17 through HEAD empty for the checked lifecycle paths. Mission entrypoints and lifecycle owns the current checkpoint, checked path list and branch refs; use that source-scope note before turning these Chernarus line refs into branch-specific claims.

Why this matters

WFBE does not use the BIS Functions CfgFunctions auto-init system. There is no engine-managed preInit/postInit ordering. Instead, boot order is enforced entirely by hand-rolled waitUntil {<flag>} barriers on global variables. A script execVM'd before the flag it waits on is set will simply spin forever, silently hanging that machine's boot. Before reordering any init call, check this page.

Machine-role truth table

Role is computed in initJIPCompatible.sqf:52-56. isHeadLessClient comes from Headless/Functions/HC_IsHeadlessClient.sqf (!(hasInterface || isDedicated)).

Machine	isServer	isDedicated	hasInterface	isHostedServer	isHeadLessClient	Init branches run
Dedicated server	true	true	false	false	false	Server
Hosted (listen) server	true	false	true	true	false	Server + Client
Pure client	false	false	true	false	false	Client
Headless client (HC)	false	false	false	false	true	HC
Singleplayer	true	false	true	true	false	Server + Client

isHostedServer = !isMultiplayer || (isServer && !isDedicated) (initJIPCompatible.sqf:52).

Engine-driven entry order (every machine)

1. Engine parses description.ext → #include "version.sqf" (preprocessor #defines) + all Rsc/*.hpp, Sounds/, Music/ includes.
2. Current tracked source has no root init.sqf; rg --files finds only nested feature init files such as WASP/baserep/init.sqf, and WASP overlay records the old test/wasp_selftest.sqf description as a documentation error.
3. Engine runs initJIPCompatible.sqf — the master bootstrap, including on JIP clients.

Mission object init fields are also part of startup. In the Chernarus source mission, town logic objects call Common\Init\Init_Town.sqf from mission.sqm, while the WF_Logic object at mission.sqm:3265 seeds town-mode lists and starts Common\Init\Init_TownMode.sqf. Treat mission.sqm as an init source when auditing town lifecycle, not just as map placement data.

Gotcha — version.sqf is generated and git-ignored. It is #included by description.ext and initJIPCompatible.sqf but is produced per-terrain by LoadoutManager (see Tools and build workflow) and listed in .gitignore. A fresh checkout will not compile until LoadoutManager has been run or a version.sqf is dropped in.

Branch dispatch in initJIPCompatible.sqf

Branch	Guard	Line
Server	isHostedServer || isDedicated → ExecVM "Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf"	initJIPCompatible.sqf:218-220
Client	isHostedServer || (!isHeadLessClient && !isDedicated) → execVM "Client/Init/Init_Client.sqf"	initJIPCompatible.sqf:224-233
Headless	isHeadLessClient → execVM "Headless/Init/Init_HC.sqf"	initJIPCompatible.sqf:237-238

The old WASP client-init block is commented out at initJIPCompatible.sqf:241-245 (see WASP overlay).

Global-flag dependency graph

Each row: a flag, where it is set, and the waitUntil barriers it unblocks. Editing any producer line without its consumers (or vice-versa) risks a boot hang.

Flag	Set at	Unblocks (consumer waitUntil)
VERSION_SET	Common/Init/Init_Version.sqf:9,17	initJIPCompatible.sqf:49
WFBE_Parameters_Ready	initJIPCompatible.sqf:212	Common/Init/Init_TownMode.sqf:3, Init_Town.sqf:18
townModeSet	Common/Init/Init_TownMode.sqf:21, started by mission.sqm:3265	Init_Towns.sqf:3, Init_Town.sqf:18
BIS_fnc_init (engine)	engine	Common/Init/Init_Common.sqf:205-206
WFBE_PRESENTSIDES	Common/Init/Init_Common.sqf:282	client branch initJIPCompatible.sqf:225; no live self-test consumer exists in current tracked source
commonInitComplete	Common/Init/Init_Common.sqf:371	Init_Server.sqf:127, Init_Client.sqf:165, Init_Town.sqf:42, Init_Unit.sqf:18
townInit	Common/Init/Init_Towns.sqf:13	Init_Server.sqf:127, client FSM launches, Init_Client.sqf:596
serverInitComplete	Init_Server.sqf:117	town model creation in Init_Town.sqf:92
serverInitFull	Init_Server.sqf:507	signals all per-side setup done (HC sleep 20 is a crude proxy)
clientInitComplete	Init_Client.sqf:956	Init_Unit.sqf:33; then CLIENT_INIT_READY is set and publicVariableServer'd (Init_Client.sqf:960-962)

Current stable/B74.1 line-drift for the key boot barriers is WFBE_Parameters_Ready at initJIPCompatible.sqf:250, commonInitComplete at Common/Init/Init_Common.sqf:427, serverInitComplete at Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:156, serverInitFull at :824 and clientInitComplete at Client/Init/Init_Client.sqf:1213. Current B74.2 keeps maintained Vanilla stable-shaped and line-drifts source Chernarus to serverInitFull :837 and clientInitComplete :1240.

Ordered boot timeline (server)

Init_Version → WFBE_Parameters_Ready → Init_Common (sets WFBE_PRESENTSIDES, then commonInitComplete) → Init_Towns (townInit) → Init_Server (serverInitComplete early, serverInitFull after per-side loop) → launch server_town.sqf, server_town_ai.sqf, cleaners/restorers, updateresources.sqf, victory loop.

Ordered boot timeline (client)

Block on WFBE_PRESENTSIDES + wfbe_teams → Init_Client compiles functions → block on commonInitComplete → set up HUD/modules/JIP handshake → block on townInit → launch map/marker/action FSMs → remove blackout (Init_Client.sqf:773-774) → clientInitComplete → broadcast CLIENT_INIT_READY.

Headless client

Docs/source Init_HC.sqf compiles Client_DelegateTownAI, Client_DelegateAI, Client_DelegateAIStaticDefence plus Client_HandlePVF, then sleep 20 and notifies the server via ["RequestSpecial", ["connected-hc", player]]. Current stable/B74-shaped refs add Client_CleanupDelegatedTownAI, then run the newer HC reseat/deadspawn/persistent-watcher bootstrap before the same registration notify. See AI, headless and performance for the runtime source router and Headless delegation and failover for DR-21/DR-42 patch policy.

Source-check note: docs/source Init_HC.sqf:12 is the fixed sleep and :15 sends the HC registration request. Current stable/B74.1 and current B74.2 use Init_HC.sqf:14 for the fixed sleep, :28 for waitUntil {!isNull player}, :35-101 for bounded reseat polling and :122 / :129 for connected-hc sends. Neither branch shape waits explicitly for serverInitFull.

Page ownership note: this lifecycle page owns HC boot timing and wait-chain risk only. HC work tracking, update-back choices, disconnect policy and failover design intentionally live in Headless delegation and failover.

JIP specifics

There is no didJIP variable; JIP is handled implicitly because initJIPCompatible.sqf runs identically on joining clients, hitting the same barriers.

• Time catch-up: initJIPCompatible.sqf:202 — if (local player) then {skipTime (time/3600)} when the accelerated day/night cycle is disabled; WFBE_DAYNIGHT_DATE is applied at :193-194 when the accelerated cycle is enabled.
• Spawn position: Init_Client.sqf:462 — if (time < 30) use start position, else (JIP) spawn at newest factory building.
• Markers: Init_Client.sqf:732-736 — deferred re-init of town/camp markers from already-synced object variables after a short sleep.
• State sync: town sideID/supplyValue, side-logic commander/HQ/upgrades/teams, and team wfbe_funds are all written with setVariable [..., true] so the engine replicates them to JIP clients automatically (see the JIP section of Networking and public variables).

Claude DR-37 reviewed the boot/JIP path as broadly correct: the RequestJoin handshake has a 30-second retry, time/date/team/client state is replicated through broadcast variables, and the apparent while {true} joins at Init_Client.sqf:419 and :444 are bounded handshake polls. The remaining robustness gap is the post-join serial wait chain in Init_Client.sqf:367-502: waits for wfbe_structures, side supply, wfbe_commander, radio HQ state, start position, HQ, deployment state and vote time have no timeout or log fallback. A single missed synced variable can leave a JIP client black-screened or stuck forever. Treat defensive timeouts here as a robustness improvement, not evidence that the normal JIP path is broken.

Post-Join Wait Audit

Gap closure note (2026-06-03): this table is the source-backed wait-chain audit promised by the old gap-wait-chain-timeouts machine record. It is intentionally scoped to boot/JIP gates rather than ordinary gameplay loops. Rows distinguish retrying handshakes from timeout-less replicated-variable waits and cite both the consumer gate and the producer where practical.

Bernoulli's 2026-06-02 wait-chain audit split the client join gates into two classes: retrying handshake gates and replicated-variable waits with no terminal timeout.

Gate	Producer	Consumer / source anchors	Timeout / retry state	Failure mode	Fix direction
RequestJoin -> WFBE_P_CANJOIN	RequestJoin.sqf sends HandleSpecial ["join-answer", ...]; client HandleSpecial.sqf writes WFBE_P_CANJOIN.	Init_Client.sqf:416-431, RequestJoin.sqf:75-79, HandleSpecial.sqf:24-28.	Polls and resends every 30 seconds; no hard terminal timeout.	Black screen / join pending forever if no answer; explicit lobby return if denied.	Keep retry but add hard timeout, log and fail-soft fallback.
Launch ACK -> WFBE_P_HAS_CONNECTED_AT_LAUNCH_ACK	Server PVEH records launch side and replies to the player owner; client PVEH stores the ACK variable.	Init_Client.sqf:441-456, clientHasConnectedAtLaunch.sqf:1-15, hasConnectedAtLaunchACK.sqf:1-6.	Polls and resends every 30 seconds; no hard terminal timeout.	Join remains pending if ACK is lost.	Add bounded retry budget and diagnostic log.
wfbe_structures / optional side supply	Server seeds wfbe_structures and initial side supply; side-supply PVEH later updates wfbe_supply_<side>.	Init_Client.sqf:367-371, Init_Server.sqf:363,386, Server_ChangeSideSupply.sqf:19-21,43-45.	No timeout, no retry.	Client never reaches action/resources init.	Add timeout/log fallback around structure and supply sync.
wfbe_commander	Server init seeds side commander state; vote/reassignment/disconnect handlers later mutate it.	Init_Client.sqf:384, Init_Server.sqf:356, RequestNewCommander.sqf:12-14, Server_OnPlayerDisconnected.sqf:136-146.	No timeout, no retry.	Commander FSM/UI state never starts correctly.	Guard with timeout and missing-broadcast diagnostic.
wfbe_radio_hq / wfbe_radio_hq_id	Server init creates side radio HQ objects and topic IDs.	Init_Client.sqf:394-405, Init_Server.sqf:401-413.	No timeout, no retry.	HQ announcer identity/radio wiring stalls.	Add sync check and log.
Spawn location: wfbe_startpos, else wfbe_hq + wfbe_structures	Server init seeds start position, HQ and structures; later construction/kill/repair paths mutate HQ state.	Init_Client.sqf:461-486, Init_Server.sqf:357,361,363.	No timeout, no retry.	Spawn position never resolves or resolves poorly.	Fail soft if HQ/structures are absent.
wfbe_hq_deployed and nested wfbe_hq	Server init seeds deployment/HQ; HQ construction, death and repair paths later update them.	Init_Client.sqf:490-506, Init_Server.sqf:357-358, Construction_HQSite.sqf:79-91, Server_MHQRepair.sqf:41-43.	No timeout, no retry.	CoIn/HQ event-handler setup can block; JIP client may miss HQ killed handler.	Timeout and skip/retry only the dependent setup instead of stalling all client boot.
townInit	Common/Init/Init_Towns.sqf sets townInit = true; client waits before JIP town/FSM setup.	Init_Client.sqf:595, Init_Towns.sqf:13.	No timeout, no retry.	Town, marker and action FSMs never launch.	Log a town-init stall before launching client FSM bundle.
wfbe_votetime	Server init seeds vote time from mission constants; vote code later updates countdown state.	Init_Client.sqf:787-789, Init_Server.sqf:370.	No timeout, no retry.	Vote menu does not open when vote state should exist.	Treat as optional/lazy-polled with timeout and log.

Known ordering hazards

• Always-on economy override (WFBE_C_AB_AMPLE_ECON): initJIPCompatible.sqf:151-162 forces starting funds to 30000 and supply to 12800 per side whenever WFBE_C_AB_AMPLE_ECON > 0 (default 1, i.e. active on every run). This block is NOT gated on WF_Debug. A separate if (WF_Debug) block at :189-200 further overrides funds/supply to 999999 and sets gameplay parameters (upgrades clearance, town occupation, AI delegation, town starting mode, EASA). Set WFBE_C_AB_AMPLE_ECON=0 to disable the always-on override; confirm both variable states before comparing economy behavior against mission parameters.
• Server-only code inside Common: Init_Common.sqf:303-308 runs an if (isServer) town-group load from the common path. Functionally correct but architecturally surprising.
• Mission object init can look invisible in SQF-only scans: town setup begins from mission.sqm object init fields. Audit mission.sqm together with Init_Town*.sqf before changing town startup, town-mode filters, town count assumptions or generated mission propagation.
• Duplicate compiles in Init_Server: several functions are compiled twice (e.g. WFBE_SE_FNC_PlayerObjectsList, WFBE_CO_FNC_LogGameEnd); harmless (second overwrites first) but wasteful.
• gameOver vs WFBE_GameOver vs WFBE_gameover: SQF identifiers are case-insensitive, so WFBE_gameover == WFBE_GameOver; the lowercase-gameOver is a separate variable also set at boot. No bug, but easy to misread.

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