Can the STPT file be modified?

[RackMonkey]

I jumped into my trusty A-10 last weekend to fly a little on the Syrian map and I found that STPT 52 through 101 have already been populated with the most prominent airports. The problem is that they are not in alphabetical order. 49 steer point is a lot to search through for what your looking for and if you happen to miss it on the first go around...well your stuck going through all of them again.  

I have been told that this has been done by ED...good try ED. But if you think about it, any of our aircraft flying in a region might have some divert bases pre-programmed into the NAV system. But they would be in order so that they are easy to find quickly.

My question is, is there a local files that I can edit to re-order these entries or even add new ones as needed. Will these changes be there when I fly on a MP server. 

If not I'd ask ED to carve that information out to a .lua or txt file so that it is editable by myself or the MP admin. 

[twistking]

i think this would be a feature for the planned data catridge / mission planer functionality.

[RackMonkey]

Maybe. If the data cartridge is blank each time you start and have to enter the data each time it's not worth it. But if it's an editable file that the data cartridge pulls from so that all the information is there already, then it's a workable idea. But then I think the data cartridge should be a static file on the client computer that DCS reads each time you "load" the cartridge.

 

[Frederf]

The divert page is listed in close-to-far order which would change based on position. The waypoint numbers are just the numerical ID# order baked into the terrain. E.g. Anapa #1, Krasnodar-Center #2, etc. There's no list to reorder as the process must be just stepping through the airbase ID numbers in that order. A custom order would require brand new code to rearrange. I'm sure it can be done but at some effort.

 

As for the points themselves, you can just start typing the letters of the position and the system will auto fill the rest. By this method you can select any waypoint without even knowing its number.

[RackMonkey]

I probably didn't make it clear why I want these point in order.

A-10, loitering over Cyprus waiting for a target call. Pathos has tanks rolling in. I need to head in that direction and sling my TGP there and start hunting for targets. Divert only gives me the 5 closes bases. As for typing in the name...not something you want to be doing in a combat situation. Besides, I'm under a VR hood.

Steer points are "entered" onto specific steer point numbers, otherwise you wouldn't have a flight plan. Who ever entered the steer points from 52 to 101 (for the Syria map) just didn't bother to put them in alphabetical order. It's a good thought but not quite carried out to a logical conclusion. I'm betting a change to one file, pushed on the next update and it's done. The hardest part would be to cut and paste them in order.

Edited September 8, 2021 by RackMonkey

[Yurgon]

5 hours ago, RackMonkey said:

But if you think about it, any of our aircraft flying in a region might have some divert bases pre-programmed into the NAV system. But they would be in order so that they are easy to find quickly.

 

It's actually really simple.

 

Cycle waypoints from the currently selected flight plan? CDU STEER PT dial to FLT PLAN, HUD as SOI -> DMS Forward Short/Aft Short

(Or UFC STEER Rocker, regardless of SOI)

 

Divert to the nearest airport (or one of the nearest airports)? CDU -> NAV page -> DIVERT

 

Select any waypoint from mission or flight plan database as steerpoint? CDU Page Dial to STEER -> Select waypoint via name or ID -> LSK L1 (waypoint ID) or R1 (waypoint name)

 

Time to waste while on a long route leg and forgot to bring your iPod? Cycle all waypoints from mission or flight plan database by number.

 

But seriously. I don't think pilots would cycle a database with dozens of entries going through it alphabetically, one by one. That just doesn't make any sense at all. Typing the name of the waypoint is much faster and less error prone. Given a specific task, like finding airports by proximity or finding waypoints by name, pilots would get a slap on the head by their instructors if they just cycled through the database. And allies might die if pilots can't perform this task quickly and proficiently when time is of the essence.

 

 

  

3 hours ago, RackMonkey said:

As for typing in the name...not something you want to be doing in a combat situation.

 

Now what is it? When pilots are currently engaged in combat and too busy to type waypoint names into the CDU, navigation (beyond the AO) is the least of their worries. Besides, I'd personally consider cycling 35 waypoints via HOTAS and checking their names on the HUD way too distracting, especially in combat.

 

If the waypoint they have to navigate to is farther than the 5 closest airports, they're not in combat.

 

 

3 hours ago, RackMonkey said:

I'm betting a change to one file, pushed on the next update and it's done. The hardest part would be to cut and paste them in order.

 

Maybe. Or maybe there's a reason behind the current order. Is it maybe sorted by country, then by name? Or by runway length? Sorted from west to east? Or maybe changing it would break something. In either case, an alphabetically sorted database sounds like solving a problem that doesn't exist.

Edited September 8, 2021 by Yurgon