Request: Android App for DCS map

I have absolutely no skills in writing code and I have looked into it somewhat and was immediately discouraged to try it myself, but Androids are getting very little love for this Sim.

There is currently one app I am aware of that has something for DCS, I think it's called DCS manager, but there is an idea I have had for a more user friendly version of that, that android users on their tablets would absolutely love ( I think ).

The idea is to have the TC-1 map (http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/documentation/tc-1/) showing all the active runways we have for DCS of the region. You are able to simply tap one airfield, and a pop up shows up with the information of that airfield (tower, runway headings, ILS, Tacan, etc), these maps would be the same as the ones from the kneeboard mod of peter P found here: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=73419&page=16

So the pop up would be exactly this:

When you are done you can simply click OK at the bottom and the pop up goes away.

Very simple, yet extremely handy and SUPER QUICK way to get all the information you would ever want for that sort of thing. I know that a lot of requests have been made for android and not a lot of people have responded in kind so I assume this might get buried.

In the meanwhile I will rely on PeterPs kneeboard mod, and the printed out list I have of the airfields and their freaks.

Let me know if anybody here is willing to give this a shot.

This is an awesome idea. I just sent you a PM on YouTube. Please do respond.

I've been playing with this idea for some time now, using Lino_Germany's beacon map as the background, having the sim export the aircraft coordinates/speed/heading/altitude to show it on the map, clickable airports and beacons, plotting the required course to an airport of your choice... too bad my Android programming skills haven't advanced beyond the Hello, World! level yet.

Definitely interested!

lol, that's about all I learned from my C++ course

I wonder if it would make any sense to use Google Maps as the background? Has anyone compared the differences between the real world and the DCS map? At least the map would be easily scalable without the need to store huge static images on the device. Probably beacons etc. could be added as map layers.

Surely for something this simple you could just use a PDF document with links to each airport and a home button on each page?

DCS manager has all those charts and really isn't that user unfriendly...

The checklists are pretty rubbish and aren't updated for new aircraft but the aerodrome list is great. I advise everyone to try it out.

I have it, but when it comes to the charts, you have to manually look for it. Where as it would be much better to have a map and be able to click on an airfield you'd like to get the charts.

Just found this thread...

That would be awsome, having a real-time movingmap on the android-tablet. i had such for x-plane which used google maps. (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moblisoft.xplane&hl=de)

any news on this?

I found this iDisplay (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idisplay.virtualscreen&hl=de) in the Playstore (€ 3,49) with which you could use the tablet as additional monitor over wlan -> see this video:

anyone tried this already?

so we just have to find a way to display the map on this "new screen"...

Hmm, this looks rather straightforward and easy. I'll give this a shot, you'll have to run your Android in developer mode to install the .apk directly.

It'll take a couple of days, I need to freshen up my Java and get up to speed with the latest SDK :D

ClearDark, this would be awesome!!! Whats your plan? Doing an app?

I'll make a very simple app with all of the airfield "charts", as simple as it gets :D

DCS World "Kneeboard" app

Hey Ralfidude (love your videos, please keep em coming, both the pro and the sh*ts n giggles ones) and others (ClearDark, want to work together on this ?):

I started to play around with a DCS ("Kneeboard") helper app that has ability for checklists, reference materials, maps etc. for various DCS modules.

You can give the skeleton a try at

http://snacknack.com/1/

(obviously not a final resting place, but good enough to try from)

The idea is to make it all as an HTML app = a web page, so it runs on:

• iPhones and Android Phones
  
• tablets (aka kneeboards :thumbup:)
  
• laptops
  
• desktops
  

and all OSs (Win, Mac, Android, Linux etc.) so the wheel does not have to be reinvented over and over.

My intention is to make it all open source and collaborative (for example, I am happy to keep working on the HTML & javascript code if others can help fill in content like checklists for A10, F15, Dora etc.)

It's the least I can do to repay Ralfidude and many others who have contributed so many hours of tutorials and entertainment on youtube and these forums.

Anyway, back to the app. Here are the sections:

Airfields

- all airfields map (clickable)

- per airfield: basic tower, tacan, ils frequencies

- details (elevation, runways, latlon etc.)

- airport chart (taxiways, runways etc.) thx to hoggit for the maps

- approach chart

- google map

DCS Modules

- SU25T (is the only one I have content for at the moment)

- ...but all others could fill in here...

- per module:

- checklists

- emergency procedures

- cockpit orientation

- loadouts

Checklists (like Cold start & taxi, Antiradar missiles, RTB & Landing etc.)

- have step by step clickable instructions

- steps can be "spoken" so you can keep eyes on the cockpit rather than kneeboard

- include keyboard/HOTAS shortcuts

Other (TBD) sections like

- keyboard maps

- reference (whats the range of a SA-15 ?)

- weapons and threats

A searchable glossary which (for desktop browsers) can link to DCS pdf manual pages

A flexible calculator for unit conversions (you can speak your query on modern iPhones, Androids like "8 miles in kilometers") Results will also be spoken back.

Perhaps I also add latlon / UTM / Bulls / BRA etc.

General features available for every page:

- Home and Back button on the top

- Search box (to filter content on the page, like all things called GBU in the glossary or all checklists for missile weapon use etc.)

- Favorites

This is like browser bookmarks. Any page can be favorited and the main menu has a page which lists all the favorites.

- Notes

Every page can have optional user annotations (questions, bugs, personal notes). A "Notes" summary from the main page lists all of them. For graphical pages, like the maps, the app allows graphical annotation, ie scribbling lines with your finger or mouse and placing markers. I want to make this collaborative also so you can instantly share annotations on maps with other players on your coalition in real time (attack from here, hold APCs behind this tree line etc.)

For now I'd like to invite your input and feedback on:

• the idea, and current or future features (consider the current state as a "draft" not a finished app)
  
• volunteers to contribute content
  

For the latter, I have some notes on the github page. Basically you do not need to know coding, you just need to know how to copy & paste a template page and replace content with yours. Even menu pages are pretty easy. I am also willing to just receive "written content" in English and transform to the necessary HTML.

Please feel free to voice your opinions/ideas on this thread or via PM, I hope others might find the approach (open source, collaborative creation) and of the course the app useful.

CodeToad

Some screenshots attached

DCS World Kneeboard app.pdf

CodeToad what a brilliant idea. This should be a sticky, moderators. I will definitely use this. I particularly like the idea that anyone can adapt it to their own purposes just by cut and paste etc.

Dave

DCS manager has all those charts and really isn't that user unfriendly...

 

The checklists are pretty rubbish and aren't updated for new aircraft but the aerodrome list is great. I advise everyone to try it out.

Aerodromes charts in DCS Manager on Google Store for apps has outdated charts that do not match current DCS data.

We need new project that has proper aeronautical updated as DCS evolves.

rep inbound :) great idea

CodeToad, that stuff is amazing, hands down!

Incredible work codetoad! Hoping this thing will be updated regularly since ill def be using it. :D

Hey Ralfidude (love your videos, please keep em coming, both the pro and the sh*ts n giggles ones) and others (ClearDark, want to work together on this ?):

 

I started to play around with a DCS ("Kneeboard") helper app that has ability for checklists, reference materials, maps etc. for various DCS modules.

 

You can give the skeleton a try at

 

http://snacknack.com/1/

 

(obviously not a final resting place, but good enough to try from)

Excellent!

Works real well on my Galaxy S4,

Nice uncluttered interface.

+1

I am thinking if there could be an improvement in the sorting of chapters from a practical pov.

Once in mission it would be handy to select your plane and then have your specific pages handy. So some kind of flexible sorting of pages.

Say you fly the A10, then you'd have

- Checklists

- Emergency

- Airports

- References

Available. (or something like it) and a [Home] button which will take you always back to the main page of the plane you have selected. That way navigating whilst in mission is quickest and most logical. And only info specifc to your plane is available.

It's just a thought.

Well done toad!

Looks like a plan!

aeronautical charts for DCS

Aerodromes charts in DCS Manager on Google Store for apps has outdated charts that do not match current DCS data.

We need new project that has proper aeronautical updated as DCS evolves.

I am currently using the ones that DCS provides, hosted in this case by hoggit (which reminds me I need a credits section to call them out)

Shamandgg: were you thinking of something like

• http://skyvector.com/
  
• http://vfrmap.com/
  
• http://www.iflightplanner.com/AviationCharts/
  

?

Does an equivalent exist for outside US eg Georgia ? If yes I think it would be easy enough to link to - but of course all the data would be "real life" and I wonder/doubt it would be or stay in sync with our favorite simulator :cry:

Anyway, if someone has such maps/data, integration would be straightforward.

No, I only mean that source data shall be open for community to update as data on maps are changed by ED or new maps are released, because I don't believe devs can track all changes for aeronautical data as DCS continues.

Naturally current real world navigation source can't be applied obviously. What is expected that either devs update aeronautical data themselves to match as simulation progresses with patches and addons or let community do it.

I suppose ED tries to keep current charts in PDF format in our game install, and updates them with patches, thus this is our primary source for charts.

I donated for DCS Manager but never seen updates. I'll be happy to pay for a good app that is supported

Once in mission it would be handy to select your plane and then have your specific pages handy. So some kind of flexible sorting of pages.

 

Say you fly the A10, then you'd have

 

- Checklists

- Emergency

- Airports

- References

 

Available. (or something like it) and a [Home] button which will take you always back to the main page of the plane you have selected. That way navigating whilst in mission is quickest and most logical. And only info specifc to your plane is available.

 

It's just a thought.

I think you are right in regards to weapons/loadout specifics since these will vary by plane and looking through the whole reference might be tedious.

Also checklists and emergencies (which are already by plane/module)

Airports and general reference (like ground threats, airplane types etc.) I think are generic across all modules. Or did you perhaps mean something different ?

FYI You can already "bookmark" your current plane or even checklists with the "favorites" feature (true it requires Home>Favs>your fav plane or other page but it provides a more general mechanism ?)

We can also experiment with providing multiple access to the same pages via specialized menus (for example the general reference section might point to a GBU-38 page but so could a A10C Available Loadouts page (to shorten the "#clicks to relevant information")

Thanks for your feedback !

Toad, this looks brilliant but I haven't had the chance to check it out just yet.

I will once my job stops making me do doubles this week and after I get the ball moving on my current MIG- 21BIS video.

But it looks like you did a lot of good work, rep'ed you up for it. Will revisit this later when I get the chance.