In-Game Scratchpad Mod Available - Works Great In VR!

[imacken]

2 hours ago, Recluse said:

You can try increasing the TICKS parameter COULD be a timing issue.  I have seen something similar on occasion  The "fix" for me, if you can call it that, was to delete all but the first Waypoint and re-insert it in the WP1 position. Second time it seemed to work.

Yep, the same issue we discussed a few posts ago. 

[Recluse]

1 hour ago, 12Sqn said:

"Recluse", thankyou so much. I increased "TICKS" from 1 to 3. Now all my waypoints load, as expected. The "Scratchpad" folder is still missing, but that's the least of my concerns.

With answers like this "Recluse", I suggest you change your nomenclature to "Accessible". Only joking. 

Glad it worked out for you!!  I fly mostly in VR and don't have the issue as frame rates and thus timing are much lower, but I occasionally have still seen the glitch in the initial Waypoint.

LOL,  my Callsign/Handle was self-bestowed and came from my early days of discovering Flight Sims where I would spend my entire weekend in front of the computer and never venture out of the house.  Era of MPS original Gunship circa 1987. Maybe even earlier than that.

Edited July 12, 2023 by Recluse

[greyeagle787]

Hey Guys,

Been out of the loop for a bit. Just downloaded version .7.0 and it’s fine but I keep reading about “ScratchPadPlus” and uploading coordinates to the A/C. How/where do I find this feature? Thanks

[Recluse]

23 minutes ago, greyeagle787 said:

Hey Guys,

Been out of the loop for a bit. Just downloaded version .7.0 and it’s fine but I keep reading about “ScratchPadPlus” and uploading coordinates to the A/C. How/where do I find this feature? Thanks

The current ScratchPad v0.7 that Draken posted combines the utility of the Scratchpad + Keyboard with the Scratchpad PLUS ability to enter coordinates into various aircraft.

 

The README explains it and you can look for YOUTUBE videos for the general process in pulling COORDS off the F10 Map. The current iteration combining the two looks slightly different, but the concept and basic mechanics are the same

 

In the current iteration, insertion into the JET is via the LOAD WAYPOINTS button:

null

 

Ideally the COORDS are pulled off the MAP, but, with the Keyboard,  you can enter them as well

Note that COORDS are formatted based on the current aircraft, as coordinate systems may differ.

For the F/A-18, you should go to HSI-->DATA and box PRECISE before loading for WP's in the DD.MM.mmmm format 

If you are programming PP JDAM's, note the coordinates in the Hornet are DD.MM.SS.ss which are also handily provided though cannot be instered automatically.

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2023 by Recluse

[greyeagle787]

Hey, Thanks Guys…Got it loaded in fine. Anyone have the correct steps for inserting into the Harrier?

[Recluse]

Just now, greyeagle787 said:

Hey, Thanks Guys…Got it loaded in fine. Anyone have the correct steps for inserting into the Harrier?

 

There is a readme file 

- AV-8B
Waypoint Sequence Start can be used to specify a startup waypoint and route. Default is 1
Examples:
Set WSS to point 3 :  @<3>

Waypoint Designation (WDes). If # is present then Scratchpad will attempt to load the steerpoint in next point in the sequence , otherwise it will use the value as the waypoint number. If that waypoint already exist, it will override it, if not it will attempt to create it. Important: AV-8B waypoint creation rules are followed. (WDes) can be used to override an existing waypoint (if it does not exist a new one will be created at the end of the sequence, its number might not match the WDes). Also, it can be use to create or modify target points (using DMS, so accuracy will suffer)

Examples:
@|3|N 41°39'50"|E 041°50'45"|2462| -> will load in the point No.3 (if exists, if not a WP will be created and the end of the sequence)
@|T3|N 41°39'50"|E 041°50'45"|2462| -> create or modify Target point 3

 

As I found out, you cannot specify a WP that cannot be created, e.g.  If your Harrier has 3 WP's and you specify WP5, it won't do it because you can't skip WP's. I believe in that case it would create WP 4 as in the bolded text above.

[greyeagle787]

So looks like I have to edit the scratchpad waypoint line, is that right? ie. I currently have 3 waypoints already in the Harrier. I would edit the scratchpad line like this? @|4| before the captured coordinates as per your example above? If I wanted to add new waypoints.

Edited July 12, 2023 by greyeagle787

[Recluse]

18 minutes ago, greyeagle787 said:

So looks like I have to edit the scratchpad waypoint line, is that right? ie. I currently have 3 waypoints already in the Harrier. I would edit the scratchpad line like this? @|4| then the captured coordinates as per your example above? 

Correct!!  This is how you would do it for adding a single WP (the WDES parameter)  But let's say you want to add 5 Waypoints starting at WP 4.  You don't have to edit each one, just use the @<#> (WSS parameter) button to enter this line in the file and edit it to @<4>

This will set the starting WP so that the 5 Waypoints you have entered will go in as 4,5,6,7,8

 

Note that when editing in the Scratchpad, the FOCUS may stay in the Scratchpad so you might not be able to get back to the cockpit from the Map using F1.  You should either click outside the Scratchpad edit area or hit ESC to remove the focus.  This has bitten me a few times

 

Edited July 12, 2023 by Recluse

[greyeagle787]

6 minutes ago, Recluse said:

Correct!!  This is how you would do it for adding a single WP (the WDES parameter)  But let's say you want to add 5 Waypoints starting at WP 4.  You don't have to edit each one, just use the @<#> (WSS parameter) button to enter this line in the file and edit it to @<4>

This will set the starting WP so that the 5 Waypoints you have entered will go in as 4,5,6,7,8

 

So logically I would edit the first uploaded waypoint to get them in order, right? Also any special cockpit setup in the harrier before punching “upload”? Thanks for all this!

Edited July 12, 2023 by greyeagle787

[greyeagle787]

4 minutes ago, Draken35 said:

No... Editing the line of each waypoint only applies to that waypoint and do not alter the sequence ... If a # appears, it will use the next in the sequence...
WSS (@<#>) is used to tell the script where the sequence starts (default = 1)

ie: (assuming that there are 4 wp already, 1->4 and that we are in a Harrier)

@<5>

@|#| .... -> will load into WP5

@|#| .... -> will load into WP6

@|3| .... -> will load into WP3

@|T5| .... -> will load into Target point 5

@|#| .... -> will load into WP7

 

 

 

Oh! Just realized the WSS entry is its own separate entry! Thanks so much for helping an old man!!

[Recluse]

Also note that the WSS and WDES parameters only (CURRENTLY) apply to the Harrier and Strike Eagle.  In the Hornet, Viper and Mirage2000, you select your starting WP in the aircraft and the WP's will load starting from that point.

 

P.S. I'm an old man too 

[greyeagle787]

2 hours ago, Recluse said:

Also note that the WSS and WDES parameters only (CURRENTLY) apply to the Harrier and Strike Eagle.  In the Hornet, Viper and Mirage2000, you select your starting WP in the aircraft and the WP's will load starting from that point.

 

P.S. I'm an old man too 

[Recluse]

Just posting this for general information to Strike Eagle drivers.

 

I was messing around with the Strike Eagle Steerpoint manipulation and was tearing my hair out (what little I have left) trying to figure out why it was failing to over-write Steerpoints.

Finally realized that some of the points were TARGET POINTS.  When the script automates button pushes and entries, it assumes "normal" steerpoints, but if a point is a TARGET POINT the selection will fail because there is no decimal point following it.  So be careful if you are trying to overwrite a sequence that includes Target Points, or set them back to normal steerpoints first.

Also note that currently, the script will only run correctly on the FRONT SEAT UFC, so the WSO can't enter points.  (At least it doesn't use the WSO UFC, I did not check to see if invoking the script from the WSO cockpit still worked by manipulating the Front Seat UFC.

YOU can run the WP LOAD from the WSO cockpit, but operations will take place on the Front Seat UFC. The Pilot will have to make sure the UFC is in MENU1 while the WSO loads the SteerPoints.  The WSO will not see the actions on his/her own UFC, but it is evident on the TSD.

NOTE: I tested this only in Single Player from the WSO seat. Did not test in Multicrew.  Maybe someone can and report back?

Edited July 13, 2023 by Recluse
Corrected the running of the WP LOAD from WSO seat

[skypickle]

56 minutes ago, Recluse said:

Just posting this for general information to Strike Eagle drivers.

 

I was messing around with the Strike Eagle Steerpoint manipulation and was tearing my hair out (what little I have left) trying to figure out why it was failing to over-write Steerpoints.

Finally realized that some of the points were TARGET POINTS.  When the script automates button pushes and entries, it assumes "normal" steerpoints, but if a point is a TARGET POINT the selection will fail because there is no decimal point following it.  So be careful if you are trying to overwrite a sequence that includes Target Points, or set them back to normal steerpoints first.

Also note that currently, the script will only run correctly on the FRONT SEAT UFC, so the WSO can't enter points.  (At least it doesn't use the WSO UFC, I did not check to see if invoking the script from the WSO cockpit still worked by manipulating the Front Seat UFC.

What script are you referring to? The scratchpad i am using just puts a little window up ( like the old ‘show clipboard’ command on a mac)

[Recluse]

Referring to the latest fork by @Draken35 combining features of Scratchpad and ScratchPad PLUS  posted earlier in this thread.

- The original Scratchpad let you enter or pull coordinates from the map that you had to then manually enter in the jet

- Scratchpad PLUS included a feature to automatically insert the pulled coordinates into certain aircraft NAV systems

- The new fork combines and extends these capabilities

- There are .lua scripts underlying the ScratchPad functionality

 

Edited July 13, 2023 by Recluse

[Recluse]

And good news for Mullticrew!!  We tested in the Apache and the F-15E and coordinate entry works from both the Front and Back Seats with the correct cockpit UFC/TSD and appears to be well synchronized between cockpits.

 

[skypickle]

In the Apache, the updated version posted above by Draken, only gives the simple scratchpad without the 'clean' and insert buttons. It does not seem to work as no L/L is copied to the scratchpad

 

[skypickle]

I downloaded the archive above, did a dcsrepair, deleted everything related to scratchpad from the saved games folder, copied the scripts folder to the saved games/dcsopenbeta directory, got into an apache on the runway from instant missions, and go to theF10, ctrl-shift X and see this:

 

Is the archive above the one you are using?

[Recluse]

All is good for me as well. In fact we tested in the Apache this morning and it worked fine for both of us.

There must be a remnant of an old Scratchpad somewhere.  I recall once when I was having trouble with ScratchPad extensions, I found that at some point I had inadvertently installed to the SCRIPTS folder on the Main DCS Installation rather than SAVED GAMES.  Double check that to see if there are any scratchpad remnants there even though you cleaned up and re-installed in the correct location in SAVED GAMES.

 

Also it would be very odd to be limited to the APACHE. Try another aircraft, but I am sure it will show the same.

Edited July 15, 2023 by Recluse

[skypickle]

SOLVED: It worked fine in the single threaded version. Running the multithreaded DCS after I did this, now has it running properly. very weird. But I love how the scrpt adds all the waypoints. Like I have a REAL george entering points for me.! Thank you.

[Captain Orso]

16 hours ago, Draken35 said:

Apache support added. Had to modify some of the base code again, so all the scripts need to be replaced.

- AH-64D Apache
Waypoint Sequence Start: has no effect in this module

Waypoint Designation (WDes). This is used to indicate the type of the point and, optionally, add the ident for it.
Examples:
@|#| will set the point as a waypoint with a default abbreviation of 'WP'
@|W| will set the point as a waypoint with a default abbreviation of 'WP'
@|T| will set the point as a target point with a default abbreviation of 'TG'
@|H| will set the point as a hazard with a default abbreviation of 'TU'
@|C| will set the point as a control measure with a default abbreviation of 'CP'
@|XX| will set the point as a waypoint with an abbreviation of 'XX'
@|WXX| will set the point as a waypoint with an abbreviation of 'XX'
@|TXX| will set the point as a target point with an abbreviation of 'XX'
@|HXX| will set the point as a hazard with an abbreviation of 'XX'
@|CCC| will set the point as a control measure with an abbreviation of 'XX'

Note: if th abbreviation is not valid, the whole process will fail.
 

dcs-scratchpad (Draken35)-0.7.0.zip 23.91 kB · 14 downloads

Love that the Apache is getting some love in this 

Since it is a major change, the version number should reflect that. Now I have two completely different downloads with the exact same name 

Version numbers exist for a reason.

[Captain Orso]

4 hours ago, Draken35 said:

hhhmmm

I don't have any problems keeping track of the stuff that I do for myself for fun and I cannot have 2 or more files with the same name in windows... My problems start when I share, perhaps I should stop sharing... That way you will have no issues... 

And you are welcome.

Sorry if I sounded... grumpy or something. It's just a suggestion, and since you already have 0.7.0 appended to your file name, I thought a gentle reminder about updating the version number was in order.

Sorry if my elbow wasn't very gentle 

Edited July 16, 2023 by Captain Orso

[imacken]

4 hours ago, Draken35 said:

My problems start when I share, perhaps I should stop sharing...

Please don't do that! 

[imacken]

On 7/6/2023 at 1:27 PM, Draken35 said:

New version of my fork. Bugs fixed (I hope). 

I plan to do the Apache and, perhaps, the Gazelle, at some point but do not hold your breath

Download removed

Hi @Draken35, have you removed the download on a permanent basis or just temporarily?

[speed-of-heat]

4 hours ago, Draken35 said:

 My problems start when I share, perhaps I should stop sharing...

Honestly this is awesome , and thank you!