Kneeboard scratchpad and PDF functionality

[KlarSnow]

The DCS kneeboard has become much more useable over the last year or so since the introduction of resizing, moving it around and the ability to click on bookmarks. However there are still some significant things that could be done to make the kneeboard far far more functional.

 

First, a scratchpad option. For starters this could simply be a text editor page that you can click and type whatever you want into, or even draw on with the mouse, would add a lot of common sense functionality and use for those that want it.

 

The next step for the scratchpad would be the ability to get coordinates from other locations in the game copied to the kneeboard. For example to get the coordinates for a waypoint or target on the F10 map you could simply right click the map and “copy to scratchpad” and the coordinates of the cursor would be dumped into the scratchpad which can be viewed when you are back in the cockpit. This could also be a keyboard command.

ideally this would be the correct format for the aircraft you are currently flying by default. However, other options would be when you right click the drop down menu options could include a coordinate type, before you copy it to clipboard (DDMMSS, DDMM.SS, MGRS, etc…).

Or it could just match the coordinate type you have selected in the upper left of the F10 map. 

This feature would help IMMENSELY with mission planning, and entering coordinates because one of the biggest pains is getting things from the F10 map, and then you either have to write it down on a sheet of paper, or go back and forth as you enter it in to make sure you don’t mess it up.

 

Finally this could also be applied to radio messages from AI unit. For example if a JTAC reads you the coordinates to a target, either through a key command, or perhaps just clicking on the message text, it would get highlighted and copied to the scratchpad, that way again, in game you can quickly copy important information passed from AI elements, that you can reference when inputting coordinates, waypoints, targets, etc…

This could also apply to for example the Supercarrier giving you the Marshall stack and case 3 information. Or when you talk to a tanker and are trying to get its altitude/airspeed , etc.

 

Finally a big issue with our kneeboard currently is twofold. 
First you have to manually page through every image and set your bookmarks, and they do not save between missions. 
Secondly, all of your pages are in one massive list that gets unwieldy as you add more and more useful information. 

My solution to this is simple, make the kneeboard able to display and interact with PDF’s using standard PDF, and PDF form functionality. This would enable users to create clickable kneeboard to quickly hop between relevant checklists, search through an entire manual for specific functionality issues, or even in game TOLD calculators on their kneeboard page using drop down menus and forms. 
I would also make it so that you can choose between several PDF’s in a folder, maybe using the tab system currently with a limit of say 10 files. This would allow logical file structures that can be brought up like for example, the planes manual as one PDF, the Instrument Approaches are a separate PDF, the player made checklist is a 3rd PDF… etc…. This would give players far far more flexibility and functionality in how hey use these products and open the door to some truly creative and immersive functionality.

[MAXsenna]

Very good points. There are of course different mods/apps that do this to various degrees, overlapping, paid/free.
It would be nice to have this incorporated on core though.
Cheers!

(I'd like better AI first)

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[KlarSnow]

While I agree that there are solutions out there, and they are great, it would make everything far far more straightforward and immersive if it was all in the games core functionality, no alt tabbing, no editing configs or Lua’s hopefully for kneeboard support that doesn’t require external software…

 etc..

 etc… 

These kinds of quality of life implementations into the game instead of allowing third party’s to hack together a solution payoff in stability, ease of use, and seamless ness with the game.

especially a pdf reader and the ability to search a manual would massively help new players learn the game

[Northstar98]

Agreed on all counts.

 

If I may, I would add a 'kneeboard builder' to the mission editor as well as maybe a ground crew/mission planner option (when/if DTC + a mission planner comes around), allowing us to choose kneeboard pages from a library. 

[MAXsenna]

While I agree that there are solutions out there, and they are great, it would make everything far far more straightforward and immersive if it was all in the games core functionality, no alt tabbing, no editing configs or Lua’s hopefully for kneeboard support that doesn’t require external software…
 etc..
 etc… 
These kinds of quality of life implementations into the game instead of allowing third party’s to hack together a solution payoff in stability, ease of use, and seamless ness with the game.
especially a pdf reader and the ability to search a manual would massively help new players learn the game

Absolutely!

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