Networking And Public Variables

Networking And Public Variables

Arma 2 OA networking here is built around public variables, public-variable event handlers and wrapper functions that dispatch named PVF commands.

How To Use This Page

This page is the architecture gateway for network transport and trust boundaries. Use it to understand how public-variable traffic moves, then follow the owner page before editing a specific channel.

Need	Start here
Complete registered/direct channel inventory or BattlEye filter inputs	Public variable channel index
PVF dispatcher allow-list patch shape and branch matrix for DR-1/DR-38	PVF dispatch implementation
Registered server PVF authority, sender authentication and DR-55 follow-up	Server authority migration map
Direct channel fixes for SEND_MESSAGE, attack waves or side supply	Public variable channel index, Attack-wave authority playbook, Economy authority first cut
Client-side PVF effects, JIP behavior and user-visible network results	Registered Client PVF Runtime Matrix below and Client UI systems
Release/smoke readiness and open patch queues	Feature status register, Source fix propagation queue, Testing workflow

Current Branch Scope

2026-07-06 note: the target branch claude/build84-cmdcon36 named below is still the active PR base (see Current live state — Build 89 line, cmdcon44 chain); the @commit refs are point-in-time snapshots, not the live state — re-verify before acting.

Unless a row names another ref, older source anchors below use docs/source head docs/developer-wiki-index 4d4610f1; checked Chernarus network/PVF paths are unchanged from ade4d356. The older 4277a2ad, 1e16527b, 8701aacc and 59deb306 source-scope passes remain provenance. Current target status for origin/claude/build84-cmdcon36@6f2fc4bd10c8339fd13be087d327717ff58c85e8: registered PVF dispatcher sender authentication remains separate, but SEND_MESSAGE direct compile is fixed in both maintained roots; the receiver/helper resolve structured [stringtableKey, formatArgs] data with localize + format at Client_onEventHandler_SEND_MESSAGE.sqf:29-42 and Common_SendMessage.sqf:28-42.

2026-06-23 current-stable/B74.1/current-B69/adjacent-B74 PVF dispatch refresh: origin/master@f8a76de34 equals origin/claude/b74.1-aicom@f8a76de34, and it plus origin/claude/b69@8d465fce and origin/claude/b74-aicom-spend@b23f557f Chernarus plus maintained Vanilla no longer use dispatch-time Call Compile in Server_HandlePVF.sqf or Client_HandlePVF.sqf. They resolve _code = missionNamespace getVariable _script and spawn only CODE at server :14-15 and client :32-33. Chernarus blame is 7d60b02b4; maintained Vanilla propagation blame is 9b49883cb; the checked B69..B74 and B74..B74.1 generic PVF dispatcher/init deltas are empty. Init_PublicVariables.sqf:55-61 still precompiles/registers handlers without a registered-handler allowlist or warning log, and :56,61 still forwards only the PVEH value tuple, so this is a partial dispatcher hardening, not full PVF/network authority closure.

2026-07-02 SEND_MESSAGE addendum: b3cb26fd5 (b765 bughunt) is in current target history and rewrites the direct SEND_MESSAGE receiver/helper in both maintained roots. The old 2026-06-24 B74/B69 rows are retained as old-shape provenance, but the current target no longer call-compiles receiver/helper message text. Keep the direct channel in the inventory because PVF dispatcher allowlists do not guard it, and smoke forged payload-as-data plus normal localized side/artillery/ICBM messages before release wording.

Ref	Network source shape	Practical route
Current target origin/claude/build84-cmdcon36@6f2fc4bd10c8339fd13be087d327717ff58c85e8	Registered PVF sender authentication remains a separate DR-55 problem. Direct SEND_MESSAGE remains a bare publicVariable channel, but both maintained roots resolve multi-language payloads as structured localization data at Client_onEventHandler_SEND_MESSAGE.sqf:29-42 and Common_SendMessage.sqf:28-42; no live _messageText compile path remains on this target.	Do not reopen DR-46 source work on current maintained roots. For old branches, backport the structured localization shape; for current target, smoke normal localized messages and forged SQF text treated as data.
Docs/source HEAD@925d56e01a1e (PVF paths unchanged from a0721301d4f5 / 4d4610f1 / ade4d356)	Chernarus keeps the older dispatcher line shape (Server_HandlePVF.sqf:14, Client_HandlePVF.sqf:22) and value-only PVF registration at Init_PublicVariables.sqf:46,51; commander SetTask sends remain commented at GUI_Menu_Command.sqf:335,337,343 while registering the client SetTask handler at Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf:33.	Use this page for architecture, then use Public variable channel index for inventory and PVF dispatch implementation before making patch-status claims.
Pre-cmdcon current stable/B74.1 origin/master@f8a76de34 / origin/claude/b74.1-aicom@f8a76de34 and B74.2 origin/claude/b74.2-aicom@21b62b04	Those older maintained roots replaced registered PVF dispatch-time compile with _code = missionNamespace getVariable _script plus typeName _code == "CODE" before spawn, but still lacked allowlist/sender/requester context and still carried the old direct SEND_MESSAGE compile route.	Keep these as old-branch provenance. They do not describe current build84-cmdcon36; recheck before porting or release wording.
Current B69 origin/claude/b69@8d465fce and adjacent B74 origin/claude/b74-aicom-spend@b23f557f	Match current stable/B74.1's registered PVF init/dispatcher shape in both maintained roots: value-only PVEHs at Init_PublicVariables.sqf:56,61, server namespace/CODE dispatch at Server_HandlePVF.sqf:14-15, and client namespace/CODE dispatch at Client_HandlePVF.sqf:32-33. The B69 0a1ccb4d..8d465fce checked PVF-path delta changes only Client/PVFunctions/HandleSpecial.sqf, adding default-off aicom-team-merge at :57 with WFBE_C_AICOM_HC_MERGE_ENABLE gate at :59 in both maintained roots; the checked B69..B74 generic PVF dispatcher/init delta is empty. Direct SEND_MESSAGE remains unchanged from old B69/provenance refs: updateclient.sqf:12, Client_onEventHandler_SEND_MESSAGE.sqf:27 and Common_SendMessage.sqf:26,37-38 still carry the direct-channel compile route. For Objective Ping, B69 and B74 match current stable/B74.1's targeted SetTask sends at GUI_Menu_Command.sqf:336,344 and Init_PublicVariables.sqf:40 registration.	Treat B69/B74 as branch-only evidence: dispatcher lookup and Objective Ping match current stable/B74.1, but sender authentication, registered-handler allowlist/logging, Objective Ping smoke and DR-46 SEND_MESSAGE direct compile remain open. The client special tag is a separate AICOM/HC branch feature, not a networking authority closure.
Historical release commit a96fdda2	The 2026-06-21 recheck confirmed Spawn (Call Compile _script) in server dispatcher Server_HandlePVF.sqf:14 and HC-filtered client dispatcher Client_HandlePVF.sqf:32, plus direct SEND_MESSAGE compile at receiver/helper lines :27 and :26.	Keep dispatcher and direct-channel hardening open for this historical release proof; do not describe it as a current release branch while origin exposes no release/* heads.
Miksuu b8389e748243, origin/perf/quick-wins@0076040f and historical c20ce1534be0	Miksuu and perf were rechecked for PVF dispatcher shape and still use dispatch-time Call Compile; checked roots keep the direct SEND_MESSAGE compile route and leave commander SetTask sends commented at GUI_Menu_Command.sqf:335,337,343 while registering SetTask at Init_PublicVariables.sqf:33. Miksuu and historical c20ce1534be0 omit paratrooper marker PVF registration in both maintained roots; perf registers it only in Chernarus. None of these refs carries the current-stable queue PVFs.	Recheck exact branch/root lines before merge wording; do not import stable/B69/B74 queue, paratrooper or Objective Ping status into these refs.

This page summarizes architecture and trust boundaries. The channel index owns full inventory, the PVF playbook owns dispatcher branch status, and the server-authority map owns per-handler hardening status.

Central PVF Registration

This gateway no longer keeps a copied command inventory. Use the canonical registry matrix in Public variable channel index before citing command counts, branch splits, RequestEnqueue / RequestDequeue, or paratrooper-registration status.

Question	Canonical owner
Which WFBE_PVF_* commands exist on a branch/root?	Public variable channel index
How should dispatch-time Call Compile be patched?	PVF dispatch implementation
Which registered server handlers still trust payloads after dispatcher hardening?	Server authority migration map
What do client-bound handlers do after destination filtering?	Registered Client PVF Runtime Matrix below

Code-reading shorthand: Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf compiles registered command files into SRVFNC... / CLTFNC... globals, registers one WFBE_PVF_<Command> event handler per command, and hands payloads to Server_HandlePVF or Client_HandlePVF.

Network Helper Layer

• Common_SendToServer: sends a server PVF; uses optimized publicVariableServer outside vanilla mode.
• Common_SendToClients: broadcasts client PVF to all clients.
• Common_SendToClient: targets one client where supported.

These wrappers are preferred over hand-coded public variable dispatch for new features.

Transport is not authority. publicVariable, publicVariableServer and publicVariableClient only decide how a value moves; they do not prove who was allowed to request the effect. Treat client-authored request/state packets such as CLIENT_INIT_READY, WFBE_C_PLAYER_OBJECT, WFBE_CLIENT_HAS_CONNECTED_AT_LAUNCH, WFBE_Client_PV_IsSupplyMissionActiveInTown, WFBE_Client_PV_SupplyMissionStarted, REQUEST_SUPPLY_VALUE, SUPPLY_VALUE_REQUESTED, MARKER_CREATION, SERVER_FPS_GUI and WFBE_VAR_SERVER_FPS as transport channels whose receiver still needs explicit trust, replay and timeout rules.

Direct Public Variables

Some systems use explicit public-variable channels outside the generic PVF list. The canonical inventory is Public variable channel index, including registered WFBE_PVF_* commands, direct channels, source anchors and notable findings.

Why this matters: direct channels such as ATTACK_WAVE_INIT, ATTACK_WAVE_DETAILS, SEND_MESSAGE, supply mission PVs, side-supply temp variables, side-supply mirror state (wfbe_supply_WEST / wfbe_supply_EAST), MASH marker channels, request/reply state channels, HQ marker/state broadcasts, AntiStack compensation, server FPS and AFK kick are not automatically covered by a future PVF dispatcher fix. Treat them as separate review targets when hardening the network layer. DR-46 proved this was exploitable on old-shape SEND_MESSAGE; current build84-cmdcon36 removes that compile path, but the channel remains direct and should stay in forged-payload smoke coverage.

Direct PV Hardening Order

1. Fix PVF dispatcher command resolution first where the target branch still has dispatch-time compile (DR-1); on current stable, finish the missing registered allowlist/logging before calling the lane closed.
2. Harden registered high-impact handlers next: construction, upgrades, score, vehicle lock, commander/team changes.
3. Review the direct channels above separately, because they will not be protected by a WFBE_PVF_* allow-list. On current build84-cmdcon36, keep SEND_MESSAGE as a no-compile regression-smoke item; for source work, start with DR-41/ATTACK_WAVE_INIT, ATTACK_WAVE_DETAILS and DR-44 side-supply requester/server-ledger authority.
4. Design BattlEye publicvariable.txt from both lists: registered WFBE_PVF_* channels plus explicit direct channels such as kickAFK, supply mission PVs, day/night, HQ markers, attack waves and AntiStack compensation. Use External integrations for the canonical shipped BattlEye posture.

Replay/JIP rule of thumb: late players receive retained object/global state and the next heartbeat, not a replay of old publicVariable events. For revived event-only channels such as MASH marker relays, add a server-held list and explicit JIP re-send plan rather than assuming event replay.

Safety Notes

• Keep payloads small and structured; Arma 2 public-variable traffic can be expensive.
• Prefer server authority for state changes. Client scripts should request, not mutate, team/base/economy state directly.
• When adding a PVF command, update both the registration list and the target Client/PVFunctions or Server/PVFunctions file.
• Hosted-server paths often call the handler locally in addition to broadcasting. Preserve those branches when modernizing code.

PVF Dispatch Internals

Claude independently deep-read the dispatch path. Keep this gateway focused on reader orientation; detailed branch matrices and patch shapes live on the owner pages.

Dispatch fact	Practical meaning	Owner
One public variable exists per registered command, e.g. WFBE_PVF_RequestJoin.	Do not treat PVF as one numeric multiplexed channel.	Public variable channel index
Client-bound payload element 0 is a destination filter: nil, side, or UID string.	Runtime/JIP review has to distinguish broadcast, side-targeted and UID-targeted messages.	Registered Client PVF Runtime Matrix
Server-bound payload element 0 names SRVFNC<Command>; client-bound element 1 names CLTFNC<Command>.	Current stable resolves this through missionNamespace getVariable; old refs still use Call Compile, and current stable still needs an explicit registered-handler allowlist.	PVF dispatch implementation
Common_SendToServer, Common_SendToClients and Common_SendToClient map wrapper calls to publicVariable, publicVariableServer or publicVariableClient.	Transport direction is not authority.	Network Helper Layer, Server authority migration map
HandleSpecial and LocalizeMessage are second-level routers.	Grep the string tag as well as the PVF command name.	Client Router Tag Triage

Registered Client PVF Runtime Matrix

This is the server-to-client counterpart to the registered server handler matrix. It answers "what happens on the receiving client?" after Client_HandlePVF destination filtering.

Registration source: Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf:31-50 registers 19 active client-bound commands (20 listed; DatabaseDebug at :36 is commented out), while :54-57 compiles each CLTFNC* handler and adds client PVEHs.

Handler	Runtime effect	JIP / authority note
AllCampsCaptured	Recolors all camp markers for the relevant old/new sides (AllCampsCaptured.sqf:17-21).	Visual/event-only. Late joiners need marker refresh, not old PV replay.
AwardBounty / AwardBountyPlayer	Computes a local bounty message and calls ChangePlayerFunds (AwardBounty.sqf:44-49; AwardBountyPlayer.sqf:20-21). RequestOnUnitKilled.sqf:97-100 has a separate AI-team branch that credits the killer group with ChangeTeamFunds when AI teams are enabled.	Client-local money effect plus AI-team fund mutation; server kill authority should decide eligibility before sending or crediting.
CampCaptured	Updates camp marker color and, for nearby friendly captures, awards local funds and sends RequestChangeScore (CampCaptured.sqf:22-40).	Not just visual. Capture reward migration must move funds/score authority server-side.
ChangeScore	Replaces local score for the payload unit (ChangeScore.sqf:7-8).	Mirror/update of server score decision; do not use as authority source.
HandleSpecial	Router for actions, commander vote, HC delegation, endgame, HQ status, ICBM display, join answer, UAV reveal, upgrade/building notices, HQ killed EH, auto-wall and attack-wave state (HandleSpecial.sqf:9-37).	Mixed router. For JIP, durable state must be re-sent or polled; event-only tags are not replayed automatically.
LocalizeMessage	Router for chat/title text and several local money effects such as Teamkill, SecondaryAward and HeadHunterReceiveBounty (LocalizeMessage.sqf:49,53,67,116-118).	Treat money-changing messages as gameplay effects, not harmless text.
SetTask	Creates/replaces comTask, sets destination and spawns a local completion timer (SetTask.sqf:1-31).	Docs/source HEAD@c5937045f, Miksuu, perf and historical c20ce1534be0 register SetTask but leave commander-menu sends commented at GUI_Menu_Command.sqf:335,337,343; current stable/B74.1 origin/master@f8a76de34 / origin/claude/b74.1-aicom@f8a76de34, current B74.2 origin/claude/b74.2-aicom@21b62b04, B69 origin/claude/b69@8d465fce, B74 origin/claude/b74-aicom-spend@b23f557f and origin/feat/naval-hvt-objectives@2e1c59317186 send targeted Objective Ping tasks at GUI_Menu_Command.sqf:336,344 in both maintained roots. Historical a96fdda2 has live sends but no live release/* head. Old town Client_TaskSystem.sqf remains separate/commented residue and is absent on the current-stable-shaped refs. Smoke target/audience, JIP and task-spam behavior before promotion.
SetVehicleLock / SetMHQLock	Applies local vehicle lock or adds MHQ lock/unlock actions (SetVehicleLock.sqf:1; SetMHQLock.sqf:1-3).	Reflects server lock state; local action setup depends on deploy status.
TownCaptured	Recolors town marker, shows capture message, awards local funds and sends RequestChangeScore for eligible players/commanders (TownCaptured.sqf:23-80).	Not just visual. Town reward authority belongs with server-side capture reward migration.
Available	Shows a hint with available items (Available.sqf:1).	UI notification only.
RequestBaseArea	Moves a base-area object, sets avail/side, and appends it to wfbe_basearea (RequestBaseArea.sqf:1-4).	Client-bound despite the name; the callback performs the state mutation locally with no validation, so HQ/base-area deploy changes need server-origin and replay assumptions checked before reuse.
HandleParatrooperMarkerCreation	Waits for clientInitComplete, optionally equips east paratroopers with NVGs, and spawns a local marker update with PerformanceAudit logging (HandleParatrooperMarkerCreation.sqf:9-45).	Source/Vanilla registration is propagated; Arma smoke pending. Transient marker, no replay unless owner asks for historical drops.
NukeIncoming	Plays the air-raid sound (NukeIncoming.sqf:1-7).	Presentation-only pair to the ICBM authority path.

Client Router Tag Triage

HandleSpecial and LocalizeMessage deserve tag-level review when a feature is touched:

Router	Tag family	Why it matters
HandleSpecial	join-answer, commander-vote*, new-commander-assigned, endgame, hq-setstatus, attack-wave	Updates local control flow and durable local variables. JIP/retry behavior must be checked per tag.
HandleSpecial	delegate-townai, delegate-ai, delegate-ai-static-defence, set-hq-killed-eh	Starts locality-sensitive AI/HQ handoffs and event handlers. delegate-townai can report vehicles back through RequestSpecial / update-town-delegation, but static-defense has no matching update-delegation-static_defence server branch today; HC/disconnect work should smoke these tags and the report-back gap. (connected-hc is a server-side tag handled in Server_HandleSpecial.sqf:406, not in client HandleSpecial.)
HandleSpecial	upgrade-started, upgrade-complete, building-started, icbm-display, uav-reveal	User feedback with side effects: upgrade completion refreshes local artillery vehicles; ICBM display waits on object death and spawns FX.
LocalizeMessage	Teamkill, SecondaryAward, HeadHunterReceiveBounty	Message tags can mutate player funds locally. Treat them as part of the economy authority surface.
LocalizeMessage	Teamstack	Waits until WFBE_BLUFOR_SCORE_JOIN and WFBE_OPFOR_SCORE_JOIN exist before formatting the message. This relies on the join-answer path setting those variables.

Gotchas

• UID-targeted SendToClients still broadcasts to every client and lets non-matching clients discard locally. Use SendToClient for true unicast when possible.
• PVF handlers use Spawn, so rapid messages that mutate shared state have no strict ordering guarantee.
• Current stable dispatchers use missionNamespace getVariable plus CODE guards, so the dispatch-time Call Compile / DR-38 recompile class is source-present there. Older docs/Miksuu/perf refs still use Call Compile, and current stable still needs a registered-handler allowlist to prevent arbitrary existing global CODE entrypoints from being selected by payload.
• DR-55 is a separate sender-authentication problem: even after handler-name allowlisting, a forged payload sent to a real handler still reaches that handler unless the server can tie it to an authenticated requester and re-derive side/role/funds from that requester.
• Some bare PV channels are copied per side. The temp mutation handlers are lowercase wfbe_supply_temp_west / wfbe_supply_temp_east; the replicated balance mirrors use side text (wfbe_supply_WEST / wfbe_supply_EAST) and are JIP-relevant because clients wait for wfbe_supply_<sideJoinedText> during init.
• DR-44: the side-supply temp handlers trust the payload side as well as the payload amount. A hardened handler must reject side/channel mismatches such as a west temp channel carrying an east-side payload and must derive the allowed delta server-side.
• PLAYER_RADIATED is not a server-authoritative radiation channel in current source; the client-side radzone script publishes it and the client FSM receives it. Treat it as a local/effect broadcast unless a future nuke rewrite moves radiation authority server-side.
• REQUEST_SUPPLY_VALUE is safer than the temp mutation channels because the server derives the reply, but Common_GetSideSupply.sqf waits for the local wfbe_supply_%side cache without a timeout. Add bounded waits/fallbacks before putting more UI or economy gates behind this request/reply path.
• SEND_MESSAGE is not harmless chat plumbing on old-shape refs: the old multi-language branch compiled payload text on receiving clients and the helper repeated that local compile before broadcast. Current build84-cmdcon36 has been rewritten to structured localization keys/args in both maintained roots; keep it as a regression-smoke target, not a current source patch.
• A real BattlEye PV filter must include direct non-PVF channels as well as WFBE_PVF_*; shipped filter evidence is tracked in External integrations.
• Supply-heli branch scope is split: docs checkout 8701aacc, Miksuu b8389e74 and perf 0076040f are still truck-only in the checked maintained roots, while stable origin/master cf2a6d6a and release a96fdda2 carry supply-heli/cash-run source (supplyMissionStart.sqf:23,80, supplyMissionUnload.sqf:34-57, supplyMissionCompleted.sqf:26,37,44, release Init_CommonConstants.sqf:169,172-180, stable line drift :173,176-184). Treat supply-heli as branch-present on stable/release but still authority/smoke-pending; route mechanics through Supply mission architecture and Economy, towns and supply.

Security: the Call Compile trust boundary

Server_HandlePVF.sqf and Client_HandlePVF.sqf used to dispatch registered PVF payloads through Spawn (Call Compile _script) on the handler name carried in the public-variable value. Current stable/B74.1 origin/master@f8a76de34 / origin/claude/b74.1-aicom@f8a76de34 replaced that with missionNamespace getVariable plus CODE guards in both maintained roots, but it still lacks an explicit registered-handler allowlist and sender authentication. This page keeps the architectural warning; Current Branch Scope owns the docs-head/source-stable split, PVF dispatch implementation owns the exact branch/root matrix and remaining patch recipe, Server authority migration map owns DR-55 requester/payload validation, and Public variable channel index owns old-shape DR-46/current-target SEND_MESSAGE regression scope.

Residual Authority Risks After Dispatch Hardening

Replacing dispatch-time Call Compile with namespace lookup removes arbitrary SQF-text compilation, and current stable already has that partial fix. Add a registered-handler allowlist before treating forged handler-name execution as fully closed. Even then, it will not authenticate the requester or validate payload fields for legitimate handlers. Keep the post-dispatch work queue on Server authority migration map; it owns RequestChangeScore, construction/defense, upgrades, vehicle lock, team update, auto-wall and RequestSpecial triage with exact source evidence.

Highest-Priority Registered Command: ICBM / Nuke

DR-27 makes RequestSpecial "ICBM" the highest-priority registered-command hardening target discovered so far. Keep implementation detail in ICBM authority and broader RequestSpecial tag triage in Server authority migration map.

Direct Channel Authority: Attack Waves

Attack waves are a direct publicVariable authority lane, not a registered PVF dispatch lane. Use Attack-wave authority playbook for the source chain, branch/root matrix, all-supply spend model and safe patch shape for ATTACK_WAVE_INIT plus ATTACK_WAVE_DETAILS.

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