DML - Mission Creation Toolbox [no Lua required]

[bitboy]

Regarding the output a sound file based on a clients agl.

While it can be tedious based on the number of players in your mission the following has worked well for me, with DML riding along just fine:

1) Create Switched Triggers based on a Unit in Zone and Unit AGL

2) In the conditions for the trigger setup the AGL above or below that you want to track/check for.

3) In the actions you can set a flag (for additional actions later), or output text, sound, as you see fit.

As noted this can be tedious (as it's per unit), but it works well.

 

[Iceviper]

Yeah that's the way I usually do it. Tbf there are only ever three of us flying in the missiin so it's not a huge issue for take of actions or hard decks. There are other functions in DML that are a God send. I just wanted to clarify what was available in DML. DML so far is playing very nicely alongside other traditional methods and scripts although I did have an issue with MOOSE atis and I'm not sure that is a dml thing. I'll need to double check.

[Chad Vader]

Helooo,

Me again sorry.

Im tryinmg to get persistence working in one of my missions (the first one works fine but the second does not)

It just seems to get itself into a loop and not create a save file.

null(see attached image)

Im loading persistence straight after dcscommon and cfxzones

If i load persistence at the end of the list, it works... so it must be interacting with another module and getting stuck in a loop.

Edited April 9, 2024 by Chad Vader

[cfrag]

16 minutes ago, Chad Vader said:

It just seems to get itself into a loop and not create a save file.

Persistence requires that you have de-sanitized DCS. If you recently re-installed DCS, you'll have to re-do that.

Also, that loop may well be the save interval set to 1 second, perhaps you want to check that as well.

17 minutes ago, Chad Vader said:

If i load persistence at the end of the list, it works

Well, if you load it at the end, there will be no modules that persist their data, so there may be something else amiss. Can you go to the Messages History and look at what the various modules, and especially persistence say when the mission starts up? Is there a warning that could be a clue?

[Chad Vader]

18 minutes ago, cfrag said:

Persistence requires that you have de-sanitized DCS. If you recently re-installed DCS, you'll have to re-do that.

Also, that loop may well be the save interval set to 1 second, perhaps you want to check that as well.

Well, if you load it at the end, there will be no modules that persist their data, so there may be something else amiss. Can you go to the Messages History and look at what the various modules, and especially persistence say when the mission starts up? Is there a warning that could be a clue?

Thanks for the quick reply

The modules are loading ok, and the folder is being created.  I think ive narrowed down the issue.

If I load persistence above the pulse flags module, it gets stuck in the loop and does not work. (only on first load and creation of the mission text file) Its like the save message is pulsing!

If I load pulse flags first, everything is ok.

Can you recreate?

Edited April 9, 2024 by Chad Vader

[cfrag]

6 minutes ago, Chad Vader said:

f I load persistence above the pulse flags module, it gets stuck in the loop and does not work.

If I load pulse flags first, everything is ok.

Can you recreate?

Sorry, no, it seems to work fine with me. Are you current? Can you ensure that you are using the most recent versions of all scripts.

Also, if pulser seems to trigger persistence regularly, and pulser's work is pretty much to trigger something regularly, we may have discovered some dependencies. After you have ensured that your mission is current, can you check which pulsers pulse which flags, and where these flags are connected to?

With some luck we can trace this issue to the root and remove it quickly

 

[Chad Vader]

3 minutes ago, cfrag said:

Sorry, no, it seems to work fine with me. Are you current? Can you ensure that you are using the most recent versions of all scripts.

Also, if pulser seems to trigger persistence regularly, and pulser's work is pretty much to trigger something regularly, we may have discovered some dependencies. After you have ensured that your mission is current, can you check which pulsers pulse which flags, and where these flags are connected to?

With some luck we can trace this issue to the root and remove it quickly

 

In that mission I sent you, if you put persistence above the pulser module, it will cause the persistence to fail.

I just use persistence out of the box, with a default save time of 1 minute and  to display a status message.

I do use quite a few pulsers though.

[cfrag]

Just now, Chad Vader said:

I just use persistence out of the box, with a default save time of 1 minute and  to display a status message.

can you show me a picture of the persistanceConfig zone? Maybe that's the issue...

-ch

 

[Chad Vader]

pulseFlagsConfig is also empty

Edited April 9, 2024 by Chad Vader

[cfrag]

I just checked the mission you sent me a few days ago. It already contains persistence and pulser, I see no issues.

Perhaps send me the new mission with issues and I can investigate

 

[plott1964]

@cfrag, do you have a discord channel for this? I'd like to see others and possibly share DML missions. Is anybody doing that?

Edited April 9, 2024 by plott1964

[cfrag]

3 minutes ago, plott1964 said:

do you have a discord channel for this?

I'm not too hot for Discord, probably too old for that. For the time being, this thread may suffice. It traffic picks up I may have to bite the bullet and get up to speed on Discord...

[plott1964]

"...probably too old for that" - Ditto.

Okay - all you wonderful DML experts start sharing!

 

[Chad Vader]

1 hour ago, cfrag said:

I just checked the mission you sent me a few days ago. It already contains persistence and pulser, I see no issues.

Perhaps send me the new mission with issues and I can investigate

 

yea but persistence is at the bottom of the list, under pulser, put puler under persistence and it breaks it.

[cfrag]

6 minutes ago, Chad Vader said:

yea but persistence is at the bottom of the list, under pulser, put puler under persistence and it breaks it.

Strange. No issues on my end (I did replace persistence with the newest version). Then again, I do have an old version (there are multiple errors due to not including groundTroops etc, there is a second, slighty differently spelled persistence config with data for root etc, that's not being loaded.). Perhaps send me your latest version and I can investigate further.

And man - that mission is Epic!  

[Eeroth]

Hello, I could use some help with cloner. 
Something seems to be wrong. I had first very long time hard to get it even working without script error. By that I had error before mission even loaded in.
Now it at least starts at start of the mission and cloner seems to function as it at start of mission removes units inside the zone. But I do get error when I try to clone with radiomenu.

[cfrag]

Just now, Eeroth said:

Hello, I could use some help with cloner. 

Hey, @Eeroth, that error looks very strange, and may be pointing to some scripts not being loaded. When the mission starts up, it should put out a number of lines that helps you to divine if the various modules load correctly. Do you get any error messages (you may want to check "Message History" when the mission runs by pressing 'ESC'). Also, are you sure that you have included all the dependent modules for cloner in the correct order. I'm sure we can get this sorted quickly.

[Eeroth]

No I don't get any other error messages. I also did take load order from your missions. Here is pictures through

[cfrag]

The last line is a definite hint: you are running stopGap STANDALONE, a no-no with DML as it overwrites many libraries. Please use the standard DML 'stopGap' and all should be well.

 

Edited April 10, 2024 by cfrag

[Eeroth]

Thank you so much for help. Yes it seems I made mistake there and choose a wrong one. 
Thank you again for the help. I do love DML a lot.

[DD_Friar]

Since the update yesterday one of my long standing missions now longer works on our dedicated server. Its fine when I run it on my machine via Missions/Multiplayer but crashes when uploaded to the server.

I have spent pretty much all day working to try and find the cause and thought I had it down to the UnitZone and Valet modules due to work being done on linked zones in the patch but i seems not.

I have tried it with just the modules (scripts) loaded (and no actual zones) and it worked.

DDServerPersianGulf-1000hrs.miz dcs.log-20240411-170318.zip

[cfrag]

12 hours ago, DD_Friar said:

I have spent pretty much all day working to try and find the cause and thought I had it down to the UnitZone and Valet modules due to work being done on linked zones in the patch but i seems not.

It would seem that this has nothing to do with DML. Comments by ED point at changes that they made for the "Link Unit" features with carriers. As a precaution we should not use Mission Editor's "Link Unit" feature with carriers until this is fixed. There's a hotfix for servers scheduled for today, so with some luck, this can be resolved quickly.

Edited April 12, 2024 by cfrag

[DD_Friar]

@cfrag yep, nothing to do with your excellent tool box. It was a "unitZone" I had linked to a carrier that was the issue. I deleted that and all now good.

[Chad Vader]

On 4/9/2024 at 7:11 PM, cfrag said:

Strange. No issues on my end (I did replace persistence with the newest version). Then again, I do have an old version (there are multiple errors due to not including groundTroops etc, there is a second, slighty differently spelled persistence config with data for root etc, that's not being loaded.). Perhaps send me your latest version and I can investigate further.

And man - that mission is Epic!  

Haha thanks! Dont want to take up your time, so ive just used that workaround for now and its working   Glad you like the mission!!  I might post it up to the mission files.

[cfrag]

Version 2.2.2 - 20240418 - Maintenance Update

A few days ago, the DCS community suffered a tremendous loss: mission designer and contributor @Dzsekeb decided to quit the DCS mission design community. For those who don't know him (you shall be pitied), Dzsekeb is the author of the wonderful "Foothold" and "Pretense" line of dynamic missions that are phenomenally popular: they are fun to play and very multiplayer friendly. I'm hopeful that Dzsekeb will find his way back to DCS mission authoring some sunny day.

Since that day I have received a number of questions/suggestions: could I perhaps chip in one way or the other to maintain Dzsekeb's legacy. There are multiple responses to this:

•  Heck No:
   I fully respect, and comply with, Dzsekeb explicit wish that people do not publish work derived from his Pretense and Foothold missions. So I will not mess with his code, nor will I create missions based on his code.
   
• Maybe:
  I'm currently exploring a dynamic mission inspired and based on the spirit of Foothold. The game concept that Foothold and Pretense pioneer is fun. It is with this game concept, and of course a deep, respectful bow to Dzsekeb, that I'm currently looking into creating a mission that builds on Foothold's premise, with similar elements, and some new ones. 

That is why this DML update may feel a bit strange: many modules have received tweaks, and those tweaks seem random. They are not - they are a result of my tinkering with big-scope scenarios and geared towards further integrating modules into a greater whole. There are a couple of new modules as well that are geared towards larger strategy components. It's very early in the game (huh, a double entendre!), so now is not the time to explain what they are for.

Maybe I have something to report in coming weeks or months. If I succeed, maybe there will be a new mission that can do justice to "Foothold" in spirit. But even if I don't, one thing is clear: the amount of work that Dzsekeb put into Foothold and Pretense is phenomenal, so let us be grateful for his contributions to our community and hope that he'll return to contributing great missions. Thanks, man!

To the rest of us: Keep our fingers crossed.

Changes In Detail

    Documentation
        Main 
            - additions to ownedZone 
            - additions cloneZones 
            
        Quickref 
            - same as above 
            
    Demos
        - none 
    
    Modules 
        - autoCSAR 2.0.1
            - small fix for coalition bug 
            
        - bank 0.0.0--
            - new module (experimental)
            
        - camp 0.0.0
            - new module, experimental 
            
        - cfxZones 4.3.1
            - new QOL methods 
            
        - cloneZones 2.2.0 
            - new damaged! output 
            - new health# output
        
        - csarManager 3.2.7 
            - small QoL additions 
        
        
        - dcsCommon 3.0.5
            - small additions for table/string handling 
            
        - factoryZone 3.1.2
            - fixed verbosity bug 
            
        - FARPZones 2.0.0
            - dmlZones update 
            
        - groundTroops 2.0.1
            - small fix/improvement for pileup resolution 
            
        - heloTroops 3.0.3
            - improved insertion pointInZone check 
            
        - inccome 0.0.0 
            - new module (experimental)
            
        - milHelo 0.0.0
            - new module (experimental)
            
        - owned zones 2.3.0
            - upgraded logic to inclide airfielfd and FARPZones 
            - zone-local numCap 
            - zone-local numKeep 
            - new title attribute 
            - code clean-up 
            
        - playerScore 3.2.0 
            - integration of other modules 
            
Enjoy,

-ch

 

Edited April 18, 2024 by cfrag