# Wait Actions when typing

<mark style="background-color:yellow;">**You can perform actions once the typewriter reaches a specific position in the text**</mark>. *For this reason, actions work only if the typewriter is enabled.*

Example: waiting for X seconds or waiting for the player input.

***

## How to add actions in your text <a href="#how-to-add-actions-in-your-text" id="how-to-add-actions-in-your-text"></a>

You can add actions to your text by using rich text tags.

Actions’ formatting follows this formula: “`<actionID>`” or “`<actionID=attribute1,attribute2,...>`” for eventual parameters/attributes (just like events/messages).

{% hint style="warning" %}
Actions tags are case insensitive, `<waitfor>` and `<waitFor>` will produce the same results.
{% endhint %}

#### Parameters <a href="#parameters" id="parameters"></a>

Actions support multiple parameters, after the ‘`=`’ sign and all separated by a `comma`.

Example: `<waitfor=1.5>` or `<playaudio=tada,laugh,dub>`

* ⚠️ Floating point numbers must use a `period`, not a `comma`.
  * ✔️ \<speed=0.5>
  * ❌ \<speed=0,5>

***

## Databases <a href="#databases" id="databases"></a>

As with Effects, you’ll find Actions stored inside their databases. You can add and remove as many as you prefer, create specific ones and also [program your own via C#](/text-animator-unity/writing-custom-classes/writing-custom-actions-c.md).

## Built-in a <a href="#built-in-actions" id="built-in-actions"></a>

You can use the following built-in actions in your text.

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th>Tag</th><th>Attributes</th><th>Example</th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Wait for Seconds</strong></td><td>Waits for X seconds before continuing to show the text</td><td>waitfor</td><td>float (wait duration)</td><td>&#x3C;waitfor=3></td><td><p></p><p></p></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Wait for Input</strong></td><td>Waits for the player input. Specific documentation here: <a data-mention href="/pages/0YwGFLF3SsYrzlUKr0BC">/pages/0YwGFLF3SsYrzlUKr0BC</a></td><td>waitinput</td><td>Based on the input. <a href="/pages/0YwGFLF3SsYrzlUKr0BC">Read more here</a>.</td><td>&#x3C;waitinput></td><td><p></p><p></p></td><td></td><td><a href="/pages/0YwGFLF3SsYrzlUKr0BC">/pages/0YwGFLF3SsYrzlUKr0BC</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Speed</strong></td><td>Multiplies the typewriter speed</td><td>speed</td><td>float (speed multiplier)</td><td>&#x3C;speed =2></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

## Component Actions

Some actions are available only if they exist on scene (you need to create them as components).

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th>Tag</th><th>Attributes</th><th>Example</th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Play Sound</strong></td><td>Plays an Audio Source (referenced in the inspector) and waits until it finishes</td><td>psound</td><td>N/A</td><td>&#x3C;psound></td><td><p></p><p></p></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Local Actions

You can make an action *local*, meaning it is only recognized if you create them next to a Typewriter Component. (only works for **TextMeshPro**)

<figure><img src="/files/5UWlqUWM60AvIi7er19e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Global Actions

Global actions are accessed by any Typewriter currently typing on scene, as long as you set "Make Available Globally" to ON.


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