DML - Mission Creation Toolbox [no Lua required]

[DD_Friar]

@cfrag, Salute Sir.

Feature Request

Module: HeloTroops

Would it be possible to split the actionsound parameter for loading and unloading. So have an "actionLoaded" and "actionUnloaded" I think it would be cool to transmit a message like "all troops on board - lets go" or "troops deployed"

etc.

Cheers

Friar

null

[cfrag]

4 hours ago, DD_Friar said:

Would it be possible to split the actionsound parameter for loading and unloading.

That should be entirely doable. Let me see if I can get it into one of the next updates. 

[cfrag]

6 hours ago, bellaevioron said:

is there a module that controls units set on mission editor to control various areas without using spawn or factory

Probably not - I'm not entirely sure that I correctly understand the question, though. That being said, controlling the behavior of units isn't DML, strong suit (let's be honest, neither is it DCS's), so there aren't many modules in DML that even try to control unit behavior. None of them attempt it without involving some for of spawning since controlling the behavior of already spawned units is exceedingly bad implemented with DCS's mission scripting environment's API.

[ClausHoffmann]

Dear cfrag,

first of all thank you very much for your framework and the constant work, you are investing into this project. Your framework enables me as a non coder to really improve in mission design. Keep up the good work.

There is something that is missing at least for me though. My missions are exclusively training missions for air to ground weapon deployment in cold war era jets (no CCIP, CCRP or guided munitions). Therefore I am a big fan of your bombRange module. For target assessment, the script is just great. For my training missions I would additionally need to have the main flight parameters on release of  bombs or rockets (dive angle, altitude, speed, bank and yaw). Only with this parameters one can assess, why a target was hit or missed and what to do about it in the future. Would it be possible to add these parameters to a target assessment going forward?

[vgilsoler]

On 10/4/2024 at 7:38 PM, cfrag said:

Confirmed, reproduced and corrected. Root cause was that the impostor code did not check if a unit that was "impostored" was killed before being impostored, leading to a unit not found. Below please find the corrected module. Note that I took the opportunity to tweak the code's performance which required an update to cfxMX as well (see below)

I'm sure that you are aware of this: units that are spawned (e.g. by a factory) will not be controlled by an impostor zone since it can only handle groups that are present from the mission start.

 

impostors.lua 19.29 kB · 4 downloads cfxMX.lua 17.32 kB · 4 downloads

I tried with the mission without WW2 assets and worked successfully.

However the original mission with WW2 assets pack is still getting error. I removed the factory zones and only spawned units from the start are present.

Is there any tip to speed up debugging the issue instead removing (or replacing) units in the mission? Maybe a unit has something weird in their name? or perhaps could the problem be with some units are deployed using DCS template like Flak18 Battery? 

 

[Panthir]

16 hours ago, ClausHoffmann said:

Dear cfrag,

first of all thank you very much for your framework and the constant work, you are investing into this project. Your framework enables me as a non coder to really improve in mission design. Keep up the good work.

There is something that is missing at least for me though. My missions are exclusively training missions for air to ground weapon deployment in cold war era jets (no CCIP, CCRP or guided munitions). Therefore I am a big fan of your bombRange module. For target assessment, the script is just great. For my training missions I would additionally need to have the main flight parameters on release of  bombs or rockets (dive angle, altitude, speed, bank and yaw). Only with this parameters one can assess, why a target was hit or missed and what to do about it in the future. Would it be possible to add these parameters to a target assessment going forward?

Most probably tacview is your tool, to verify release attitude, speed and altitude AGL, as well slant range during release.

[cfrag]

6 hours ago, vgilsoler said:

However the original mission with WW2 assets pack is still getting error.

That is very weird. Can I trouble you to make double sure that that mission is running the updated version of the script. I'm not saying that it is impossible (stranger things happen in DCS), but I'd like to make doubly sure that the miz isn't accidentally is running the old, unmodified script.

21 hours ago, ClausHoffmann said:

For target assessment, the script is just great. For my training missions I would additionally need to have the main flight parameters on release of  bombs or rockets

I don't know how easily I can get that data, and present it in a good way, but I'll take a look.

 

[ClausHoffmann]

Dear Cfrag,

thank you very much for considering the amendment of the module. Your framework really opens up so much depth in the ME that would be inaccessible for users like me without it. I highly apreciate your efforts.

Best regards

Claus

[cfrag]

Update 2.3.4 - 20241010 -- Feature Update "Tickle"

"And now, for something completely different..." for fans of Monty Python, please imagine a loud "boom" in the foreground. This update of DML brings an entirely new module with completely new abilities that is exclusively for those of us who run multiplayer missions -- in other words: those who run servers - be they ad-hoc local, or dedicated. When installed, the module 'Tickle' provides you with means to schedule missions on your server (i.e. rotate missions every 4 hours), and to change the currently running mission via in-game chat. Again - only if you run a multiplayer mission, not for single players.

The rest of the past weeks I spent hunting a highly pernicious bug that could suddenly cause DCS to quit entirely (also known as 'CTD'). Normally, in well-behaved environments, invoking game API that should be impossible. Then again, this is DCS, and here it is entirely possible. After some long (and definitely *trying*) debugging sessions I finally was able to isolate, then re-produce, then identify the issue: a bug in DCS's json conversion code that can't handle cyclic structures and proceeds to tear down the entire application. The error sporadically surfaced in Expansion, if you loaded a specific infantry group, flew them 15 minutes to an enemy zone, used them to capture the zone, and then saved the mission. 
Bright side: my helicopter skills have become *really* good.

Expansion 1.6 update fixes the issue, and the HeloTroops module now defends against the json issue by preemptively eliminating cyclic references.

All changes:

Documentation
    Main
        Tickle (new)
        noGapGUI (new)
        stopGapGUI
        heloTroops additions 
        
    Quickref
        heloTroops additions
        
Demos
    (no changes)
    
Modules
    cfxMX 2.2.0
        new groupCatByName
        
    heloTroops 3.1.3
        resolved cyclic structures on save 
        upcycle structures on load 
        new loadSound and disembarkSound attributes 
        
    impostors 1.1.0
        filters dead units 
        performance improvements 
        
    persistence 3.0.2
        guard against json bug 
        strenghtened info logging 
    
    Tickle tcliGUI 1.1.0
        Initial version 
        
Enjoy,

-ch

 

[DD_Friar]

@cfrag

Ref "Tickle"

Funnily enough I did something similar but just using the radioMenu function but anyone could trigger it (found that option useful as server admin may not be on all the time due to time zone differences).

Thank you for adding the heloTroops sounds so quickly as well. Much appreciated.

 

Edited October 10, 2024 by DD_Friar

[DD_Friar]

@cfrag I am having an issue getting sounds to play.

From the screen shots below, is there anything obvious that stands out that I may be doing incorrectly.

• I load all my sound files at mission start
• The example below is a sound file that should be generated from a radio menu.
• The mission is being run as a multiplayer via "Mission" and "Launch Multiplayer"

 

null

Edited October 10, 2024 by DD_Friar

[cfrag]

Just now, DD_Friar said:

The mission is being run as a multiplayer

DCS has a known, intermittently occurring bug playing sounds to clients in multiplayer.

 

[DD_Friar]

 Ok, thanks.

But everything else is correct? I include the filename and extension, its not that that is causing the error?

Edited October 10, 2024 by DD_Friar

[DD_Friar]

@cfrag Hmm....Just tried the same mission in single player (launching direct from the mission editor) and the sounds generated by the radioMenu do not work for me.

I assume it would be heresy to suggest that you can not confirm that they are working for you?

 

[cfrag]

18 minutes ago, DD_Friar said:

Just tried the same mission in single player (launching direct from the mission editor) and the sounds generated by the radioMenu do not work for me.

That would indeed indicate something else is amiss. I don't think that it is an issue, but you can move the AT START Load Sound trigger to a standard trigger at condition time more 99999999 - it's only there to ensure that the sound files are included. File name and extension is correct.

 

[cfrag]

So my first test would be to make sure that you get the ACK  message "New Convoy dispatched..." - if you don't get that, there won't be a sound either. If you get the text message and no audio, it's time for me to break out the debuger I guess. And we are talking about item A, right? And the most recent version of radioMenus...?

[Iceviper]

Have you tried loading sounds as sound to country and choosing a country which is not a coalition being used in the mission when loading files? 

[vgilsoler]

On 10/8/2024 at 6:44 PM, cfrag said:

That is very weird. Can I trouble you to make double sure that that mission is running the updated version of the script. I'm not saying that it is impossible (stranger things happen in DCS), but I'd like to make doubly sure that the miz isn't accidentally is running the old, unmodified script.

I don't know how easily I can get that data, and present it in a good way, but I'll take a look.

 

Do you want hear something weird?

In this mission, if you add one more red unit from WW2 assets pack it will fail. If you put a new blue unit (from WW2 pack or stock game) it will work. If you put a red unit from stock it will work too.

Don't ask me how many times it tested the mission to found that. xD

 

Normandia_captura_base_debug.miz

[DD_Friar]

5 hours ago, cfrag said:

And we are talking about item A, right? And the most recent version of radioMenus...?

Yes on both counts, item  A and its 2.34

I will try and do some bug checking as best I can as well. I will try country as well.

[cfrag]

7 hours ago, vgilsoler said:

if you add one more red unit from WW2 assets pack it will fail.

That's odd indeed. Since I do not own or use WW2 AP, I can't reproduce the issue, and lazily assign blame to that product  

 

7 hours ago, DD_Friar said:

its 2.34

You probably mean 4.0.1 from DML 2.3.4  

If you can PM that miz to me, I'll see if I can have a look. [EDIT: no longer required, please see below]

Edited October 11, 2024 by cfrag

[cfrag]

7 hours ago, DD_Friar said:

I will try and do some bug checking as best I can as well. I will try country as well.

I believe I have found the issue: the ackSnd attribute assumed (for silly reasons it assumed that it was only applicable if you also specified a group attribute with the menu) that the audio was to be played to a specific group only. I changed this, please try below slightly updated radioMenus.

 

radioMenus.lua

Edited October 11, 2024 by cfrag

[Priest]

cfrag any insight into what determines the sequence upgrades in a campZone are activated? I added some additional cloneZones for upgrades at Nalchik in your expansion mission (which is excellent by the way) to beef up the air defense a bit there are four upgrade "levels" total. All of the upgrades activate via the radio menu, but I can't figure out the logic behind the activation sequence. I named the zones such that they are in alphanumeric order based on how I'd like the upgrades activated in-mission and added the zones into the mission in order as well to get the zone IDs in sequence which I verified in the mission lua file but that doesn't seem to do it. Maybe something to do with group or unit DML naming scheme?

[DD_Friar]

On 10/11/2024 at 6:17 AM, cfrag said:

I changed this, please try below slightly updated radioMenus.

 

Yep, all good thank you Sir.

@Priest If you are talking about the order that items appear on the radio menu, I believe that is a dark art lost in the depths of ED wizardry I am afraid.

Having menu options in a specific order has been a desire of mine for some time but have had to let it slide.

[cfrag]

2 hours ago, Priest said:

cfrag any insight into what determines the sequence upgrades in a campZone are activated?

AFAIK, camp is currently already present in DML (because I intend to share all major work I do for mission creation so everyone can create even better missions), but not yet documented. I'm not going to write myself into a corner here  - so currently the sequence in which they are chosen to be upgraded is officially "mysterious". My apologies.

Edited October 12, 2024 by cfrag

[vgilsoler]

On 10/11/2024 at 7:05 AM, cfrag said:

That's odd indeed. Since I do not own or use WW2 AP, I can't reproduce the issue, and lazily assign blame to that product  

 

Able to reproduce error again without WW2 asset pack units, and 2.3.4 modules version.

Many, many thanks for supporting guys like me forcing the limits of DML and DCS.

Normandia_captura_base_debug.miz