Action Scripts

How to use action scripts with buttons, sliders, tickers and more.

Updated: 2026-05-06 11:02:29 UTC

Action Scriptslink

FancyMenu lets you add interactivity to your menus by assigning actions to elements. These actions run when a button is clicked, ticker is ticking, slider gets used, or when a screen opens or closes. You can also build advanced action scripts using simple control statements, such as if, else-if, else, and while, to control which actions run and when.

Action script editor

What Are Actions?link

An action is a task or job that FancyMenu runs when triggered. For example, an action might open a new screen, send a chat message, or adjust the volume of an audio element. In FancyMenu's editor, actions are configured with a value (if needed) that provides extra details—such as a URL or server address.

What Are Statements?link

To create more complex behavior, FancyMenu supports basic control statements in action scripts. These include:

  • If Statement: Runs a block of actions only if a specified condition is met.
  • Else-If Statement: Checks another condition if the preceding if (or earlier else-if) wasn't met.
  • Else Statement: Runs if none of the preceding conditions are met.
  • While Statement: Repeats a block of actions continuously while a condition remains true (with a built‑in timeout to prevent infinite loops).
  • Delay Block: Waits for the specified time before running its contained actions. The rest of the script keeps running while the delay counts down.
  • Execute Later Block: Queues contained actions to run on the main thread after a millisecond delay.
  • Comment: Adds a note inside the script for organization. Comments do not run any action.

By combining these statements with actions, you can build dynamic and conditional behavior, for example, checking if a player's health is low before sending a warning message or repeating an update until a condition changes.

Where Can You Use Action Scripts?link

Action scripts are versatile and can be used throughout your layout. You can assign them, for example, to:

  • Buttons: Execute an action when the button is clicked.
  • Tickers: Continuously run an action script to update on-screen information within a layout.
  • Sliders: Trigger an action script whenever the slider's value changes.
  • Screen Events: Run scripts when a screen opens or closes (for example, playing a sound when a menu appears).
  • Listeners: When a listener that listeners to a specific event gets fired, it will execute its action script.
  • Schedulers: Execute actions on a timed basis, even when no screen is open.

Using Placeholders in Actionslink

Action values support dynamic content through placeholders. Most of the time these placeholders use a JSON-like syntax and are replaced with live data when the action runs.

JSON-Like Placeholderslink

These are the normal placeholders that can be used in many places throughout layouts.

They follow this syntax:

{"placeholder": "placeholder_id", "values": {"key1": "value1", "key2": "value2"}}

They can fetch game data like the player's name, screen dimensions, or calculated values using the Calculator placeholder. You can also nest placeholders for more advanced uses.

$$ Placeholders (Variables)link

The $$ placeholders are special. Some features of FancyMenu will provide these special placeholders for their nested actions, requirements and normal placeholders, so they can be used inside to get more information about the environment (element, listener, etc.) they are in.

For example, if actions are used within a slider, using $$value in the action will be replaced with the slider's current value.

When using actions in listeners, every listener will provide its own unique set of variables/placeholders for getting more information about the listener, like pressed mouse button, entered structure, etc.

How to Set Up and Edit Actionslink

To add, edit, or remove actions (and statement blocks) for an element, simply right-click the element (whether it's a button, slider, ticker, or other interactive item) and then select Manage Action Script. This opens the Manage Actions screen, where you can:

  • Add new actions or statements: Insert new action entries or control statements (if, else-if, else, while) to build your script.
  • Edit existing actions or statements: Modify the action value or change the control logic.
  • Remove actions or statements: Delete unwanted actions from the script.

For listeners there is a special menu to manage and create listeners, including accessing their action scripts to have the same experience as when editing a button's or slider's action script for example.

Action Script Editor Shortcuts and Morelink

The action script editor has some great QoL features making script editing super easy.

Shortcutslink

  • DEL : Quick-delete the selected entry
  • ENTER : Starts the in-line editing of the selected entry (or opens the edit screen if there is not in-line edit for the selected entry)
  • CTRL + C : Copy the selected action (only works with actions for now)
  • CTRL + V : Paste the previously copied action
  • CTRL + Z : One step back (undo)
  • CTRL + Y : One step forward (redo)
  • ARROW UP : Navigate one entry up from the currently selected one
  • ARROW DOWN : Navigate one entry down from the currently selected one
  • SHIFT + ARROW UP : Move the selected entry one up
  • SHIFT + ARROW DOWN : Move the selected entry one down
  • A : Quick-open the Action Chooser screen to add a new action
  • CTRL + S : Done/save from the editor window

More QoL Featureslink

  • Double-clicking the value of an action lets you edit the value without going into the full value editing screen.
  • IF statement chains (with appended ELSE/ELSE-IF statements), WHILE loops and Folders can be collapsed (only visual, does not affect script logic).
  • The editor always adds new actions below the selected entry (or nested in the selected chain/loop/folder).
  • Right-clicking the dark-grey script area background opens a context menu with options to add actions, statements and everything else important.

Actions in Detaillink

This list contains most, if not all, actions available in FancyMenu. It's possible that the list is a bit outdated sometimes due to updates of the mod.

Next Track (audio_next_track)link

  • Description: Goes to the next track in an audio element
  • Value Required: Yes - audio_element_identifier (the ID of the audio element to control)

Previous Track (audio_previous_track)link

  • Description: Goes to the previous track in an audio element
  • Value Required: Yes - audio_element_identifier (the ID of the audio element to control)

Set Track Volume (set_audio_element_volume)link

  • Description: Sets the volume of an audio element (0.0 to 1.0)
  • Value Required: Yes - element_identifier:volume

Toggle Play/Pause Track (audio_toggle_play)link

  • Description: Toggles play/pause of an audio element's current track
  • Value Required: Yes - audio_element_identifier

Play Audio (play_audio)link

  • Description: Plays an audio resource once. The action tracks audio it started so it can later be stopped by stop_all_action_audios.
  • Value Required: Yes - JSON configuration with audioSource, soundChannel, and baseVolume
  • Example Value: {"audioSource":"[source:local]/config/fancymenu/assets/example.ogg","soundChannel":"master","baseVolume":1.0}

Stop All Action Audios (stop_all_action_audios)link

  • Description: Stops all audio tracks that were started by the Play Audio action. This does not stop Audio elements, menu open/close sounds, button sounds, or other audio systems.
  • Value Required: No

Set Video Element Volume (set_video_element_volume)link

  • Description: Sets the volume of a video element (0.0 to 1.0)
  • Value Required: Yes - video_element_identifier:volume

Set Video Element Play Time (set_video_element_play_time)link

  • Description: Seeks a video element to a millisecond timestamp
  • Value Required: Yes - video_element_identifier:timestamp_ms

Toggle Video Element Paused State (toggle_video_element_pause_state)link

  • Description: Toggles the paused state of a video element
  • Value Required: Yes - video_element_identifier

Set Video Background Volume (set_video_menu_background_volume)link

  • Description: Sets the volume of a video menu background (0.0 to 1.0)
  • Value Required: Yes - background_identifier:volume

Set Video Background Play Time (set_video_menu_background_play_time)link

  • Description: Seeks a video menu background to a millisecond timestamp
  • Value Required: Yes - background_identifier:timestamp_ms

Toggle Video Background Paused State (toggle_video_menu_background_pause_state)link

  • Description: Toggles the paused state of a video menu background
  • Value Required: Yes - background_identifier

Toggle Layout (toggle_layout)link

  • Description: Toggles a layout (Enable/Disable) by its name
  • Value Required: Yes - layout_name

Enable Layout (enable_layout)link

  • Description: Enables a layout by its name
  • Value Required: Yes - layout_name

Disable Layout (disable_layout)link

  • Description: Disables a layout by its name
  • Value Required: Yes - layout_name

Open Screen or Custom GUI (opengui)link

  • Description: Opens a screen by its identifier (vanilla, mod, or custom GUI)
  • Value Required: Yes - screen_identifier

Close Screen (closegui)link

  • Description: Closes the active screen
  • Value Required: No

Update Screen (update_screen)link

  • Description: Reinitializes the current screen
  • Value Required: No

Back to Last Screen (back_to_last_screen)link

  • Description: Goes back to the previous screen (the one before the current)
  • Value Required: No

Join Server (joinserver)link

  • Description: Connects the player to a Minecraft server
  • Value Required: Yes - server_ip:port

Enter World (loadworld)link

  • Description: Enters a Minecraft world
  • Value Required: Yes - world_folder_name

Enter/Join Last World/Server (join_last_world)link

  • Description: Enters/joins the last world or server the player was in
  • Value Required: No

Leave World or Server (disconnect_server_or_world)link

  • Description: Leaves a world or server and opens a specified screen
  • Value Required: Yes - screen_identifier

Quit Minecraft (quitgame)link

  • Description: Quits Minecraft completely
  • Value Required: No

Send Chat Message/Command (sendmessage)link

  • Description: Sends a chat message or executes a chat command
  • Value Required: Yes - message_text or /command_text

Execute Command As Integrated Server (execute_command_as_integrated_server)link

  • Description: Force-executes a command in singleplayer as the integrated server, ignoring permissions and the cheats setting.
  • Value Required: Yes - Command text, for example /give @p minecraft:diamond 1

Paste to Chat (paste_to_chat)link

  • Description: Pastes text to the chat input field (append or replace)
  • Value Required: Yes - true:Text or false:Text

Display In Chat [Client-Side] (display_in_chat_client_side)link

  • Description: Prints text directly to local chat (no server)
  • Value Required: Yes - text_or_json

Send FM Data To Server (send_fm_data_to_server)link

  • Description: Sends custom text data to the current FancyMenu server through the FM Data packet channel.
  • Value Required: Yes - data_identifier||data

Connect To Remote Server (connect_to_remote_server)link

  • Description: Opens or reuses a client-initiated WebSocket connection to an external remote server.
  • Value Required: Yes - Remote server URL, for example wss://example.com/ws

Send Data To Remote Server (send_data_to_remote_server)link

  • Description: Opens or reuses a remote server connection and sends text data to it.
  • Value Required: Yes - remote_server_url||data

Close Remote Server Connection (close_remote_server_connection)link

  • Description: Closes a specific remote server connection by request ID.
  • Value Required: Yes - Request ID, usually from a Remote Server listener variable such as $$request_id

Close All Remote Server Connections (close_all_remote_server_connections)link

  • Description: Closes all active remote server connections opened by FancyMenu.
  • Value Required: No
  • Description: Opens a link in your default browser
  • Value Required: Yes - https://example.com

Copy Text to Clipboard (copytoclipboard)link

  • Description: Copies text to the clipboard
  • Value Required: Yes - text_to_copy
  • Description: Writes a line to the game log
  • Value Required: Yes - text_to_log

Set Variable Value (FM Variable) (set_variable)link

  • Description: Stores text content in a FancyMenu variable
  • Value Required: Yes - variable_name:variable_value

Clear All Variables (FM Variable) (clear_variables)link

  • Description: Clears ALL of FancyMenu's stored variables
  • Value Required: No

Send HTTP Request (send_http_request)link

  • Description: Sends an HTTP request; can store the response in a variable
  • Value Required: Yes - HTTP request configuration

Manage Resource Pack (manage_resource_pack)link

  • Description: Enable/disable/toggle a resource pack by display name (optional reload)
  • Value Required: Yes - pack_name|||MODE|||reload_bool

Reload Resource Packs (reload_resource_packs)link

  • Description: Reloads resource packs (5s cooldown)
  • Value Required: No

Reload FancyMenu (reloadmenu)link

  • Description: Reloads FancyMenu, including panoramas, slideshows and all resources (heavy)
  • Value Required: No

Toggle Element Animator (toggle_element_animator)link

  • Description: Toggles an element animator playback state
  • Value Required: Yes - animator_identifier

Enable Element Animator (enable_element_animator)link

  • Description: Enables an element animator
  • Value Required: Yes - animator_identifier

Disable Element Animator (disable_element_animator)link

  • Description: Disables an element animator
  • Value Required: Yes - animator_identifier

Reset Element Animator (reset_element_animator)link

  • Description: Resets an element animator timeline/state
  • Value Required: Yes - animator_identifier

Mimic Vanilla/Mod Button (mimicbutton)link

  • Description: Mimics the click action of a vanilla or mod button
  • Value Required: Yes - screen_identifier:widget_locator

Mimic Keybind (mimic_keybind)link

  • Description: Runs a Minecraft keybind (optional hold)
  • Value Required: Yes - keybind_id|||keep_pressed_bool|||duration_ms

Set Text Input Field Value (set_text_input_field_value)link

  • Description: Sets the value of a custom or vanilla input field by element identifier.
  • Value Required: Yes - element_identifier|||new_value|||force_set_when_inactive

Create File in Game Directory (create_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Creates an empty file in the game directory (instance root). Accepts the .minecraft/ prefix to target the default launcher profile directory (may differ from the current instance dir).
  • Value Required: Yes - file_path

Delete File/Folder in Game Directory (delete_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Deletes a file or folder in the game directory (instance root). Accepts .minecraft/ prefix to hit the default launcher profile (can differ from the running instance). Append * to delete all files directly inside a folder (ignores sub-directories; keeps the folder).
  • Value Required: Yes - target_path

Copy File/Folder in Game Directory (copy_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Copies within the game directory (instance root); .minecraft/ prefix targets the default launcher profile (not always the current instance). Append * to the source path to copy every file directly inside that folder (ignores sub-directories); destination must be a directory and cannot use *.
  • Value Required: Yes - source||destination

Move File/Folder in Game Directory (move_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Moves within the game directory (instance root); .minecraft/ prefix targets the default launcher profile (may differ from the current instance). Append * to the source path to move every file directly inside that folder (ignores sub-directories); destination must be a directory and cannot use *.
  • Value Required: Yes - source||destination

Rename File/Folder in Game Directory (rename_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Renames a file or folder inside the game directory (instance root); .minecraft/ prefix targets the default launcher profile (may differ from current instance). Keeps contents intact, only the name changes.
  • Value Required: Yes - path||new_name

Download File to Game Directory (download_file_to_game_dir)link

  • Description: Downloads a file asynchronously into the game directory (instance root); .minecraft/ prefix targets the default launcher profile (not necessarily the running instance). Provide the target folder; filename is derived from headers/URL automatically.
  • Value Required: Yes - url||target_folder

Extract ZIP File In Game Directory (extract_zip_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Extracts a ZIP file into a target folder inside the game directory or default .minecraft directory. Triggers the On ZIP Extracted via Action listener when finished.
  • Value Required: Yes - source_zip_path||target_folder_path

Open File/Folder In Game Directory (open_file_folder_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Opens a file or folder with the operating system's default app. The target must stay inside the game directory or the default .minecraft directory for safety reasons.
  • Value Required: Yes - target_path

Write File in Game Directory (write_file_in_game_dir)link

  • Description: Writes or appends text inside the game directory (instance root); .minecraft/ prefix targets the default launcher profile (may differ from this instance). Creates the file if missing. Supports \n in the value to insert line breaks; append mode controlled by the final boolean.
  • Value Required: Yes - path|||content|||append_bool

Select File from System (select_file_to_game_dir)link

  • Description: Opens a native file picker (any location) and copies the selected file into the game directory (instance root) or default .minecraft/ when prefixed (that default may differ from this instance). Supports extension filters, custom filter label, and optional overwrite toggle.
  • Value Required: Yes - selection configuration

Show Toast (show_toast)link

  • Description: Displays a configurable toast notification
  • Value Required: Yes - toast configuration

Start Scheduler (start_scheduler)link

  • Description: Starts a scheduler by its scheduler ID.
  • Value Required: Yes - scheduler_id

Stop Scheduler (stop_scheduler)link

  • Description: Stops a scheduler by its scheduler ID.
  • Value Required: Yes - scheduler_id

Set Minecraft Option (edit_minecraft_option)link

  • Description: Edits a Minecraft config option
  • Value Required: Yes - option_name:set_to_value