DD_Friar

Take a look at the DML Toolbox by @cfrag. This is as excellent utility (NOT a mod) that gives you the ability to add scripts to your mission with absolutely no scripting skill required. Also if you build a mission for multiplayer your other players DO NOT have to download / install anything extra. All the magic is in the mission you build. You build you mission by using zones with controlling parameters. Using this tool has completely changed the way I build my missions. I can not recommend it highly enough. You can find all the details here.... For example using the "Spawn Zone" module you can achieve the below.... null

@cfrag or anyone else that can see what is going on - all advice welcome! Salute one and all, I am currently trying to implement a scenario where attacking convoys are only created if key building have not been destroyed, a sort of way of encouraging blue forces to strike key infrastructure buildings to weaken enemy response. These buildings my not be where I want the convoys to start from, hence have shied away from the "factory" module (is that the right thing to do?) I have tried to use the changer module as a gate but have got something wrong as with the key building in tact the convoy still fails to spawn. I attached a below a screenshot of my logic which I can not get to work and and would very much welcome some pointers The convoy should spawn if "ownerairfield" = 2 and "testbuildingdestroyed" = 0 null

@cfrag Modules: Convoy and Clone Zone (and possibly Airfield) Issue: Difference in spawn logic at mission start Salute Sir, I think I may have found a difference in the way the two (or three?) modules behave at the start of a mission. I believe the new logic you added for the convoy module may differ slightly from that of the approach the Clone Zone (and airfield?) uses. Clone Zone example - I have an "ownedZone" set to "red" within the parameters. I then have a nearby "cloner" that uses the "ownedBy#" flag and a "cloneTriggerMethod" set to =1 for the spawn to take place. If the town is captured by blue I do not want them spawning next time the mission starts (I will be running this mission with persistence). When the mission starts the units I require get spawned in the town (I am using the "inBuiltup" parameter set to 15 and it is working really nicely by-the-way). All good. Convoy example - I have an airfield which is set to red within the mission editor, it also has cloned red units which are activated onto the airfield at mission start (onStart=true). I then have a nearby convoy that uses the "ownedBy#" flag as well and the new "convoyTriggerMethod" set to =1. At mission start the convoy is not triggered. I am assuming that it is not detecting the value of the flag already set and is only looking for change? If I change the airfield to neutral in the editor, the occupying cloned red forces change the ownership to red and the convoy starts as expected (with helicopter escort which is another nice feature). If I am correct this shows a slight difference in the "at mission start" logic. If this is what it has to be, no problem, it still works this way but I thought I would highlight this in case it was not what you intended and/or point it out for other builders. As always, many many thanks for all the hard work and regular updates and new features you add to this excellent toolbox. Cheers Friar

EDIT - Right after posting the above I had a better idea and have nested the Caucuses menus, which actually works better

Module: RadioMenu Bug, Un-Planned Feature or Something else Salute @cfrag, I am currently working on a very simple mission that will use the nested radio menus to act as a way for members of my squad to select the mission they wish to play on our server. We do have the dedicated server web utility available but it means giving out an important password to too many people, my thinking is this way ANYONE of our squad can choose which mission to load up. The Workflow will be the menu bangs a flag that then uses the standard DCS trigger action of "Load Mission" My problem is building the structure for a map that may have more than 4 missions available (in my example its the Caucuses). (Note to self- I have just spotted my spelling mistake in the screen shots) In the screen shots you can see I have managed to get 8 options on one menu but have two entries. The second Caucuses is blank with no entries. My question is, is this expected from the module? If I rename the second Caucuses to have a unique name then it works with 2 x 4 options menus?

You have added lots of new Heliports (thank you) however but they do not have unique names they are all just "H", this is causing some issues with mission building scripts. Is there ANY way they can be given a unique code, even if its only H1, H2, H3, just to make them referenceable? This map is fast becoming my squads "go to" map for our weekly flying and missions.

I do not know this module...yet....but is there a TriggerMethod option where you could set a parameter value of =1, so it only triggers once?

Using the standard DCS tools are you having the troops spawn into a zone? If so you can link the zone to the truck so it moves with it.? Which trigger are you using to spawn the troops? Are you using the standard DCS troop embark/disembark options?

Update on how the new controls work

@jeni1976 Another trick I use is at the end of the list of loading modules add a "message to all" from the standard dcs actions. Leave it as a blank message but make sure you tick the "clearview" box. This clears the screen of all previous messages. When my modules load you do not even see them at all.

@cfrag Module: Convoy Tested and working. Many thanks as always for your quick response. Cheers and kind regards Friar

@CidTheViking - cooldown is mainly used for spawners that are requestable (e.g spawning troops to load onto a helicopter). It sets a minimum time gap between requests to stop the troops piling up.

Just look at the download page. They are all shown. You can pick them via the usual loadout screen. IIRC they are under pods. null

Please may I ask if when you are not doing such updates you may consider adding it. I want to start convoys based on towns being captured so was going to use the ownedby# and set a convoyTriggerMethod value of =2 (blue) of an ownedZone to trigger the convoy.

@cfrag Module: Convoy Question: There does not appear to be the option for convoyTriggerMethod on this module?. Is that correct? Just spawn? Thanks, this is a neat little unit for adding more randomness and I like the tracking element. Another question, I assume it is linked to twn module, but I have started a convoy from within the location of Hatay airfield on the Syria map and I get a notification saying that the convoy has started "SE of Akincila" and not Hatay airfield. I guess an airfield is not a town in the database? null

@jeni1976 You need to have the module called NoGap / NoGapGUI This places a dummy plane as a place holder for player spawnable planes. Its great for making airfields look populated rather than just the "live" players who have spawned in. Obviously with eye candy like this you need to think of the processing overheads if having lots and lots of player slots.

@jeni1976 The DMl Toolbox does not need to be "installed" so to speak. Go to the first post in this thread. This will give you the link to download the required files. You will have a zip file that contains folders for very good quick reference guide and a more detailed user guide. It will also give you a folder that contains all the modules available to you to use as well as folders that contains some demo missions. When building a mission using the tools it is just a case of copying and pasting the module script into your mission. You then use the module by adding zones on the map that control what the scripts do. Download the zip, unpack to a directory. Then go have a look at the user guide. If you have any more questions please do not hesitate to post back here. using DML has transferred the way I build missions and the "magic" I can perform.

@Chad Vader I think I recall someone else looking to do cargo transport by helicopter and was able to use the cargo receiver module and linked the zone to the helicopter so no matter where it landed the fact was tracked (and therefore could be actioned upon.) I think the below is what I was thinking of null

@Gunslinger52 and @cfrag I to thought this a cool idea. To assist I created the attached mission which has a stab at doing what I think you wanted. The mission starts with vehicles waiting at the end of the runway. You can see that the Humvee is not drive-able at the moment. We then fly in and land and swap to the tactical commander and how presto, we can now jump in the Humvee and drive away. I have attached the mission as well for you to have a look at. Hope this helps. Cheers Friar Fly-Drive.miz

Salute @Gunslinger52 Perhaps we need to think a little more "outside the box" due to the constraints that cfrag mentions. I have not tried this, and it is a "knee-jerk" response, but what about turning the logic around a little. Are you wanting the same player to jump from the helicopter to the vehicle, or is it another player doing the flying and another doing the driving? If it is the first, when the player leaves the helicopter to switch it will of course disappear. If you wanted it to remain for eye candy you may have to look at spawning a static but that could lead to the static coming in before the player has left, more thoughts on that later. I assume you know where the helicopter will be landing? If which case use the module LZ (landing zone). This has the ability to bang a flag when a plane lands (or departs). When the helicopter lands in the zone it bangs a flag on the landed! parameter "helicopterlanded" for example. That could trigger a parameter in the cloneZone module on the clone? parameter "helicopterlanded" that then spawns the vehicle of your choice. If you want the vehicle to be sitting there as the helicopter comes in you could have a static (meaning that no one could drive it) and then use wiper or something to clear the space for the new spawn in the same position. Have a go at using the "declutter" parameter set to true on the cloner, that may work. There may be a "blink" as one disappears and another arrives but that is a s good as it is going to get I think. The player will then go to the F10 map, click on the now drivable vehicle and select drive, so long as they have "Combined Arms" of course. Although the mission can be configured for pilots to control ground units, only players who own the Combined Arm module can actually occupy them. Hope this helps. regards DD_Friar

BUG TOPIC: AIRFIELD FILTER ON PLANE SELECTION SCREEN Brief Description Of Issue: The "Airfield" filter does not take into account coalition ownership when listing available airfields. Detailed Description Of Issue: I am currently working on a multiplayer mission where airfields can be captured and thus make new coalition planes available. For example Blue forces are advancing on the map, they capture an airfield, then for game play purposes new plane slots become available and red forces would loose their slots. The filter works at the moment if there are only single coalition planes at each airfield, however if you place both coalitions at a base, they both show in the filter. I should have thought that it should list the airfields by matching coalition side red or blue? I have attached screen shots below that show the issue and also attached my mission from which these shots were taken. Salute. DD_Friar AirfieldFilter.miz

I need to raise a bug we had on our server last night. All of the discord links I follow say the invite is invalid. Is anyone able to point me in the right direction please? Salute Friar

@cfrag - Got it! Many thanks for the example. I have now successfully translated your logic to my test scenario and have designed flag names that I can copy and paste to each airfield with little change. Just thinking I will be tweaking it slightly as I am thinking the order will be; plane flies into zone random airfield selected based on where the plane has come from etc. airfield then checked for suitability (gate open / closed) on a pass the random plane spawn is activated. I get that this could mean an airfield could be selected where the gate is closed meaning no spawn triggered, that will be the pilots good fortune. This will be easier to build rather than staged zones with different airfield combinations as the mission progresses. But I understand now. Again thank you. Cheers Friar

Ok thanks. I will take a look. Hopefully it will shine a light on what I am doing wrong because at the moment I don't think my changer is working correctly. It does not seem to be changing the values of the flags as expected. Thanks for taking the time to produce this example. Regards Friar.

Ok, no worries, I am going to play hooky from work this afternoon (I "work" from home ) and see what I can work out. Dont need a full mission just a simple idea of the parameters required. Safe travels. Friar