Mission Editor: Loadout page doesn't load if aircraft has unsupported task assigned

[Mike64]

Attempting to edit the loadout of an aircraft that has been assigned a unsupported task fails to open the loadout screen. In example attached F-14B with CAP

Mission and logs been posted

PersianGulf - Operation Unchained Grip.miz dcs.log

[Wizxrd]

Your log shows this error:
 

2021-07-24 18:55:57.475 ALERT   LUACOMMON: Error: GUI Error: [string "./dxgui/bind/SpinBox.lua"]:37: Invalid arguments!
GUI debug.traceback: stack traceback:
	[C]: ?
	[C]: in function 'SpinBoxSetValue'
	[string "./dxgui/bind/SpinBox.lua"]:37: in function 'setValue'
	[string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_payload.lua"]:455: in function 'updateData'
	[string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_payload.lua"]:528: in function 'update'
	[string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_payload.lua"]:351: in function 'show'
	[string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_tabs.lua"]:203: in function 'onShow'
	[string "./dxgui/bind/TabGroupItem.lua"]:20: in function 'callback'
	[string "./dxgui/bind/Widget.lua"]:368: in function <[string "./dxgui/bind/Widget.lua"]:363>
2021-07-24 18:56:03.150 WARNING LOG: 1 duplicate message(s) skipped.
2021-07-24 18:56:03.150 ERROR   DX11BACKEND: Can't find precompiled shader bazar/shaders/missioneditor/guishowmsg.fx:DIRECTX11=true;USE_DCS_DEFERRED=1;.
2021-07-24 18:56:03.150 INFO    DX11BACKEND: Compile shader: bazar/shaders/missioneditor/guishowmsg.fx:DIRECTX11=true;USE_DCS_DEFERRED=1;
2021-07-24 18:56:03.153 ALERT   DX11BACKEND: Error: Can't find precompiled shader for effect bazar/shaders/missioneditor/guishowmsg.fx:DIRECTX11=true;USE_DCS_DEFERRED=1;.

After a few tests here's what you need to do:
1) close DCS and run a repair
2) open your mission and delete that group without opening the loadout menu for it
3) create a new F-14B group with the CAP task

Let me know if this fixes your issue!

Edited July 24, 2021 by Wizxrd

[Flappie]

If all of the above doesn't help, it means the issue is most probably located in your "C:\Users\username\Saved Games\DCS...\MissionEditor" folder.

 

You can rename this folder anyway you like to see if it's the source of your issue.

[Mike64]

This isn't just me unfortunately we have had a bunch of issues reported on this. The core of the issue is if you edit the mission file within your .miz and set the task to something that the ME usually won't let you spawn that particular aircraft with the loadout breaks.

[Flappie]

1 hour ago, Mike64 said:

This isn't just me unfortunately we have had a bunch of issues reported on this. The core of the issue is if you edit the mission file within your .miz and set the task to something that the ME usually won't let you spawn that particular aircraft with the loadout breaks.

 

Wall, maybe ED should add this warning in every .miz filename: "Warranty void if open".

 

Seriously, how can you expect DCS to cope with your .miz files if you alter them in order to deceit the mission editor?

[Mike64]

We generate the files in our own mission generator so already have a "May not work with ED's ME" .
We don't have access to info on what aircraft can do what task atm and tbh I'd rather avoid having to maintain that data if I could (Maintaining our Map DB is hard enough).

The example I gave yeah wasn't worded well but it was the quickest way to duplicate the issue vs please download and use our mission generator and run it a bunch of times. (course your welcome if you want to )

I was naively hoping that a fix could be put in place so that the loadout editor would work even if the the aircraft has a mismatched task as the UI should deal with it gracefully.
If you want a more friendly way this could appear imagine an aircraft has a task removed (say F-16 AWACs for some reason) and someone tried to edit a mission initially created pre that patch.

If you really don't feel like this is something ED should fix please direct me to where I can pull this task compatibility data so I can fix it on our end and stop our users reporting it every few weeks .

  

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Mike64

[Flappie]

15 hours ago, Mike64 said:

We generate the files in our own mission generator so already have a "May not work with ED's ME" .
We don't have access to info on what aircraft can do what task atm and tbh I'd rather avoid having to maintain that data if I could (Maintaining our Map DB is hard enough).

 

I better understand what you ask for. You should have told this from the start.

You should see how others do this. Take a look at the Briefing Room project.

[Mike64]

12 hours ago, Flappie said:

 

I better understand what you ask for. You should have told this from the start.

You should see how others do this. Take a look at the Briefing Room project.

I should have yes (wasn't sure how receptive you guys where to mission generation projects tbh) but one issue...
...I'm one of the Devs on Briefing Room. I'm trying to fix this issue:  https://github.com/akaAgar/briefing-room-for-dcs/issues/168 

Btw I'm also looking into an issue where the script file runs on single player but fails to do so on MP (no obvious errors)

Edited July 31, 2021 by Mike64

[Flappie]

Oh, I see! akaAgar is a friend.

 

Before I report this issue, I need to know what exactly you want the ME to do when reading a .miz file containing a flight assigned with a "wrong" (according to DCS) mission? Let's use the F-15C CAS flight example. Should the ME:

1. change the CAS mission to the default null one (how's it called? "Nothing"?) AND leave the loadout as it is?
2. change the CAS mission to the default null one AND leave an empty loadout?
3. something else?

I'm away from my PC for a few weeks. Can you please manually edit an erroneous miz file ("F-15 CAS") to test case 1? Is the ME loadout page still stuck ? If so, what happens with case 2?

[Mike64]

Explains how he knows so much

To add to the rollercoaster. I've attached an A-10 set to CAP (it shouldn't have that) and it recovers fine loading up the editor.
I created a new F-14B under CAP as @Wizxrd mentioned and the loadout editor works fine. It seems this may not be the issue I thought it was.

I've assumed and made an arse of my self  Ok back to the drawing board next thought is that maybe we have a bad loadout and its not happy.

 

TaskBreak.miz

Edited August 2, 2021 by Mike64

[Flappie]

Thanks for your feedback. Come back here if you find what's wrong.

[Mike64]

Not Reason why But defiantly a mitigation is that if I turn the aircraft to a Civil Plane and back the loadout editor instantly loads (With Clean wings) .

[Mike64]

Solved on our end lack of "gun" configuration - seen it before must of snuck back in.

[Flappie]

2 hours ago, Mike64 said:

Solved on our end lack of "gun" configuration - seen it before must of snuck back in.

 

Great! Thanks for your feedback.