DML - Mission Creation Toolbox [no Lua required]

[Spankinvicar]

38 minutes ago, Chad Vader said:

Hi CFrag.

I cant get csarManager to work.

I have installed the following scripts via trigger at mission start.

5.6.3.2 Dependencies
Required: dcsCommon, cfxZones, cfxPlayer, nameStats, cargoSuper
Optional: cfxCommander, limitedAirframes, autoCSAR

It says the scripts start but no new CSAR mission is triggered inside the CSAR zone at mission start?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Id really suggest you get to grips with the mission editor before attempting to use this framework.

Thanks for replying... you replied quickly I managed to fix it and deleted the post hoping you wouldnt need to reply

 

I could be completely wrong here but in your list of installed modules you have listed, you havent actually added csarManager2.  You have added autoCSAR but unless im wrong (and I probably am) autoCSAR makes missions for downed pilots not on mission start up etc. 

[Spankinvicar]

1 minute ago, Spankinvicar said:

I could be completely wrong here but in your list of installed modules you have listed, you havent actually added csarManager2.  You have added autoCSAR but unless im wrong (and I probably am) autoCSAR makes missions for downed pilots not on mission start up etc. 

I do know how to make simple basic missions using triggers etc..  The thing I dont understand is flags etc.  My understanding of the original post from CFrag was that at the outset, you dont have to understand all the intricacies of the ME but you could relatively simply use the standalone modules to add extra to your missions once you understood how to use them.  Apologies if this isnt the case.  

[Chad Vader]

12 minutes ago, Spankinvicar said:

I could be completely wrong here but in your list of installed modules you have listed, you havent actually added csarManager2.  You have added autoCSAR but unless im wrong (and I probably am) autoCSAR makes missions for downed pilots not on mission start up etc. 

sorry that is also installed

[Recluse]

1 hour ago, Spankinvicar said:

Hi.  Im literally brand new to this and mission building in general.  So please excuse me if I sound like an Idiot. This looks really impressive.  Ive managed to get the autoCSAR template to work at the first attempt (using the vids you made)but I have a couple of questions, if you can be bothered answering Newbie questions, that is. ?

1/  Is it possible to add the UH-60L flyable mod to the list of Heli's that can fly these missions.?  and If so how do I add it.?

2/  How exactly do I use the missions that you have set up as Tutorials and demo's.?  Ive ran a few of them but I have no idea what Im looking at even when im looking at how you have them set up etc.

Thanks 

Hi,  Not @cfrag but I am a HUGE fan of the UH-60L and have used it so I will take the liberty of answering.  In the csarManager module (the csarManagerConfig zone) there is a variable called troopCarriers which specifies which aircraft can do CSAR. You can use ANY or ALL which will work with ANY HELO including the UH-60L or add the UH-60L separately along with other helos (or aircraft) you might want to use

 

See the manual section 5.6.3.3

This is the configzone I have where I added the UH-60L to the demo mission using the any qualifier.

null

 

 

Most of the Demo missions have thorough explanations in the manual that explain everything that is going on.  They are a good way to see how things work but flying them and then checking the various ZONES and how they are configured even if there isnt a manual entry for them.

[Chad Vader]

7 minutes ago, Recluse said:

Hi,  Not @cfrag but I am a HUGE fan of the UH-60L and have used it so I will take the liberty of answering.  In the csarManager module (the csarManagerConfig zone) there is a variable called troopCarriers which specifies which aircraft can do CSAR. You can use ANY or ALL which will work with ANY HELO including the UH-60L or add the UH-60L separately along with other helos (or aircraft) you might want to use

 

See the manual section 5.6.3.3

This is the configzone I have where I added the UH-60L to the demo mission using the any qualifier.

null

 

 

Most of the Demo missions have thorough explanations in the manual that explain everything that is going on.  They are a good way to see how things work but flying them and then checking the various ZONES and how they are configured even if there isnt a manual entry for them.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes I have set the troopCarriers variable to any.

I have also set verbose logging.

No CSAR missions spawn when I start my mission.  But im not even sure that the logging is supposed to look like when you start your mission with CSAR enabled.  I would imagine it should ay something.  THats why im thinking its not enabled.

I am using a lot of scripts in my mission.nullnullnull

nullnull

 

null

Edited February 16, 2024 by Chad Vader

[Chad Vader]

The log reports missing libraries, but they are added....

null

ah it worked, it was the order of scripts added... 

[Spankinvicar]

Excellent... Thanks for your time Recluse.

[Recluse]

@Chad Vader  Great! I was going to suggest an ORDER issue as I have been bitten by that.  BTW, my reply about the troopCarriers variable was directed at @Spankinvicar. Lots of similar issues going around 

[DD_Friar]

@cfrag, Sir, is there any way a zone can have a starting height?

My scenario is I would like to test for a flight of player aircraft staying below a certain altitude (radar blind spot).

Is there anything currently in DML that could do this? or is it a valid entry to the wish/nice to have list?

[cfrag]

6 minutes ago, DD_Friar said:

My scenario is I would like to test for a flight of player aircraft staying below a certain altitude (radar blind spot).

Ah, something like an additional parameter to unitZone, except that it also tests if the units inside comply with additional conditions like min/max altitude. It's something I've toyed with on and off, but so far did not implement. I think that there are too many possibilities to make it an efficient module. Here's why: let's say we do the 'below ceiling' stuff. The obvious next request would be an 'above ceiling' option, followed by a 'within bounds option. I'm sure that I can do that. So the next request would be the same for speed. Then heading. Then health, fuel. These are all sensible things to ask for. So once I open that can of worms, I want to have engineered solution ready that can deliver good performance on all these things.

So, onto the the 'request' stack it goes  - for the time being.

[bitboy]

@DD_Friar you've probably already tried this, but setting up a switched trigger option in the ME, using unit altitude above ground (don't forget to switch to meters to get the height levels correct, we tried the metric system in the US....apparently it made too much sense...based on 10s and such! ). 
Usually I setup a trigger zone and make the conditions: if unit is in this zone and above this altitude then warnings and bad things happen. The only drawback is that because it's designed by unit it can be a little cumbersome to setup depending on how many players you're expecting.
I did this recently with a DML based mission, using the bombing range module, and I put a ceiling limit on the players, (two actuallly, one that warns them when they're about 300 ft from the limit and then the actual "over the limit violation").  Works like a charm.

Good luck!

[DD_Friar]

@bitboy,

Thanks for the reply and the suggestion.

I am working to convert a mission done but a squad mate that did exactly that using the standard function, unit in zone and unit above altitude, but lots of units and standard dcs triggers seem screwed at the moment.

 

 

[bitboy]

@DD_Friar  You bet, let me know if you still end up wrestling with this idea. I'm happy to share a mission with you where I've done this in the past.

[bitboy]

cFrag I a quick question. 

Is it possible to have two different flags for an input attribute? So for example, let's say  I have a spawn? for a cloner or an activate? for a pulser, could there be two or more possible flags listed? (Just comma delimited?) This way having multiple options to start a cloner or pulser.

Thxs

[cfrag]

19 minutes ago, bitboy said:

So for example, let's say  I have a spawn? for a cloner or an activate? for a pulser, could there be two or more possible flags listed?

What you are looking for is a good, old-fashioned OR gate. When I designed DML I designed it (in my mind's eye) after the logic circuits I assembled as a (nerdy) kid. So flags become wires, and modules are what they drive. Look at xFlags - the flag combiner. It should help you combine more flags than you can shake a TTL circuit at

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by cfrag

[bitboy]

Thanks! Yeah my whole life has been a series of OR gates. 

I will check it out. Have a good weekend.

[cfrag]

4 minutes ago, bitboy said:

my whole life has been a series of OR gates

Actually, it has been a series of NAND gates...

(Sorry, couldn't resist this super-nerdy joke that very few people understand. If you do, better don't tell anyone ) 

Edited February 17, 2024 by cfrag

[bitboy]

cfrag,

 Any means of running a StopWatch type of function with DML? 

I'm looking at delayFlags but they seem to be  countdown oriented.

The scenario I'm trying to implement, would be a race course with gates (trigger zones), Start a timer, get a lap time at each gate, then total elapsed time at finish. Possibly some penalty for exceeding a specified altitude. The use of the messenger module seems well suited for this as well.

As always any insight is appreciated.

Thxs

[cfrag]

4 hours ago, bitboy said:

Any means of running a StopWatch type of function with DML? 

Basically, a pulser can work as a clock. Each pulse it creates increments the flag connected to the output, so you start the pulser and stop/pause/reset it when you need to. You can add penalty seconds with a module that also outputs to the same flag, and set it's output to "+xxx" with xxx being the amount of penalty seconds that you want to add. That being said, since you'd have to create the entire wiring for each plane that you want to allow into the course, it could quickly become an unwieldy mission.

 

[bitboy]

Ahhh the Pulser, good point, never thought of that, interesting. 

Wiring for each airframe....yes unwieldy, but that would encourage a limited number of aircraft. 

I'll investigate, thanks for the insight.

[cfrag]

Version 2.0.3 - Feature Update -  20240222

In the past two weeks I've received a lot of feedback from you, and many of the suggestions you have made already have, or will find their way into DML. One particularly happy source of feedback was the "Angels of Caucasus" helicopter rescue sandbox proof-of-concept that is available now, and that I'm using as a jumping-off point for the upcoming "Angels of the Levant" missions for the Sinai and Syria maps.

One particular request that I implemented has found its way into DML early: civHelo - which provides neutral AI helicopter traffic for your map. I'm using it to make these rescue sandbox missions feel much more alive, and I'm sure that you'll find great use for this new module as well.

While developing those "Levant" missions, I developed a new method for spawning units inside of heavily populated areas (e.g. those densely populated warrens in Cairo) without them ending up inside a structure. This challenge is now mostly resolved, and this new ability will flow back to DML soon (it's already there, just not documented, and not fully tested).

All changes in Detail:
Documentation
    Main
        - (new) CivHelo documentation
        - (new) Civvy Heli demo documentation 
        - (new) on the record demo documentation 
        
    Quick Ref 
        - civHelo (new)

Demos
    - on the record (update)
    - Civvy Heli (new) 
    
Modules 
    - cfxZones 4.2.0
        - handling of populated zones (in testing)
        
    - civHelo
        - initial release
        
    - csarManager 3.2.0
        - experimental deployment into populated areas 
    
    - dcsCommon 3.0.3
        - troop carrier supports 'helo' generic 
        - creating take-off waypoints for helos 
    
    - scribe 1.0.1
        - additional event handling for 'postponed' events 

    - valet 1.0.3
        - now correctly handles outSoundFile 

Enjoy,
-ch
    

 

[bitboy]

Excellent, solid work thanks! 

Still waiting on that DML module that let's us land a Helo inverted on top of the Pyramids. 

[cfrag]

15 minutes ago, bitboy said:

Still waiting on that DML module that let's us land a Helo inverted on top of the Pyramids. 

Well, that's already possible. Walking away from that landing, though...  

[HungryCoyote]

Hello. I tried out your CSAR server and liked it so much that I downloaded the mission to run on my own dedicated server to play with my son. For some reason, as soon as I spawn in, helo crashes, even though it is on the ground. Even the cold Shark comes apart. Works fine in single player. Any idea what is wrong?

[cfrag]

52 minutes ago, HungryCoyote said:

Works fine in single player. Any idea what is wrong?

Yup, when you run the mission in multiplayer, the server (and only the server) must run the tiny "StopGap GUI" script that synchronizes server and clients to not make stuff crash. Please see here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3331434/

Remember to completely restart DCS after you install stopGapGUI because server mods are only run when DCS starts up.

Edited February 23, 2024 by cfrag