API and public exports

Goal: add options from your own resources and register server actions without modifying ox_target. Where: in the code of your resources, not in ox_target’s files.

Client exports

These exports are defined in client/api.lua. Options are written in the native format (see below), not in the simplified config_interactions.lua format.

Options added by a resource belong to it: remove… only removes the calling resource’s options, and they are removed automatically when that resource stops. Adding an option with a name already used by the same resource replaces the old one.

Native option format

exports.ox_target:addModel({ 'prop_vend_soda_01', 'prop_vend_soda_02' }, {
    {
        name = 'my_resource:soda',
        label = 'Buy a drink',
        icon = 'fa-solid fa-bottle-water',
        distance = 1.5,
        items = 'money',
        onSelect = function(data)
            TriggerServerEvent('my_resource:buySoda', data.coords)
        end,
    },
})

my_resource is an example name. Recognised native fields: name, label, icon, iconColor, distance, bones, offset, absoluteOffset, offsetSize, groups, items, anyItem, canInteract, onSelect, export, event, serverEvent, command. This edition’s NUI also reads description and separatorAfter.

Submenus in native format: openMenu = 'name' on the parent option (add isCategory = true to show the arrow) and menuName = 'name' on child options. Checkboxes (type = 'checkbox') are not available through exports: their state is managed by the engine for config_interactions.lua options only.

Here onSelect receives ox_target’s native data (entity, coords, distance, zone and the option fields), not the target object of the simplified format. With serverEvent, entity is converted to a network ID.

Server export

exports.ox_target:registerAction(name, def)

• name: string; def: table in the Config.ServerActions format (see Hooks and server actions).
• Returns true when the action is registered, false if def.handler is not a function or if name is a built-in action.
• An action registered by a resource is removed when that resource stops.
• A name already used by a custom action (including from Config.ServerActions) is replaced.

CreateThread(function()
    local ok = exports.ox_target:registerAction('my_garage:takeOut', {
        permission = 'everyone',
        jobs = { 'mechanic' },
        target = 'vehicle',
        maxDistance = 4.0,
        cooldown = 3000,
        handler = function(ctx)
            TriggerEvent('my_garage:takeOutVehicle', ctx.source, ctx.netId)
        end,
    })
    if not ok then
        print('registerAction refused')
    end
end)

Start your resource after ox_target. Client side, trigger the action with a type = 'server_action', action = 'my_garage:takeOut' option in config_interactions.lua: the engine’s internal network event is not a public API and is not documented.

Public events

qtarget and qb-target compatibility

The resource declares provide 'qtarget' and provide 'qb-target'. The following exports are converted to the ox_target API:

• qtarget: AddBoxZone, AddPolyZone, AddCircleZone, RemoveZone, AddTargetBone, AddTargetEntity, RemoveTargetEntity, AddTargetModel, RemoveTargetModel, Ped, RemovePed, Vehicle, RemoveVehicle, Object, RemoveObject, Player, RemovePlayer.
• qb-target: the same zones and targets, plus AddGlobalPed, AddGlobalVehicle, AddGlobalObject, AddGlobalPlayer and their Remove….
• qb-target’s AddEntityZone and RemoveTargetBone are not supported (no effect).

These conversions come from the original engine; test every script that uses them.

Common mistakes

• Using menu / opens in an export: ignored; use menuName / openMenu.
• Calling an export before ox_target starts: “No such export” error. Fix the ensure order.
• Expecting a checkbox through an export: not supported, go through config_interactions.lua.