Universal UFC| Works with all modules | Simple Install

[prestonflying]

Add custom data to your Winwing F18 UFC using this addon. Installation instructions below.

TLDR: Replace the Scripts/wwt folder with the downloaded Latest Release wwt folder.

• Base Profile: For any aircraft no listed here, includes altitude, airspeed, vs, flares, chaff, fuel (Readouts may vary on aircraft so keep an eye out)
• Super Bug Mod: Displays working UFC from Super bug [Credit: @Trigati]
• AH-64: KU Keyboard, chaff/flare, radar altitude, [Credit @Wostg @ANDR0ID]
• A29: Heading, fuel, aircraft mode, altitude [Credit @ANDR0ID @Wostg]
• C130 Herc Mod: Heading, fuel, altitude, chaff/flare [Credit @ANDR0ID]
• T45: Heading, fuel, altitude, radio freq, master arm, airspeed [Credit @ANDR0ID
• AV88 Harrier:  UFC + ODU
• A4 [Credit @Wostg]
  F-15E [Credit @Wostg]
• F-16 [General data fields shown on UFC] [Credit @Wostg]
• KA-50 2+3: Altitude, waypoints, chaff, flare, gun count,. [Credit @Wostg]
• MI-24/MI-8/UH-60/UH-1H: Radio coms, radar altimeter, chaff/flare, arm state, etc [Credit @ANDR0ID]
• JF17: Mimic JF17 UFC displays [Credit @ANDR0ID]
• TF51D: Radio selection, altitude, true heading [Credit @ANDR0ID]
• A10C2: Static text on the option displays. FUNC, HACK, LTR, MK, ALT, displays master caution light status
• Other modules: Any module can be supported, just needs to be added. Comment any modules you want to see supported or leave a "issue" on the Github Project.

Github Project + Source Code
This add-on does not effect other parts of SimApp Pro and preserves all functionality as you would expect.
It just enables other modules to show UFC data and is customizable.

Install Instructions

Install Tutorial Video: 

 

Install  Text Instruction

1. Download the Latest Release
2. Unzip the .zip file using 7-zip or some other compression program.
3. You will have a folder titled wwt.
4. Ensure SimApp Pro is running
   Note: SimApp Pro may overwrite Scripts/wwt/wwtExport.lua. If this happens, this add-on will need to be re-copied over. This may happen during a SimApp Pro update or clicking "Repair Lua" in SimApp Pro Settings. See Note on step 6 for a more permanent way to install.
5. Make a copy of your <USER>/Saved Games/<DCS>/Scripts/wwt folder incase you ever want to undo these changes, I keep mine on my desktop just in case.
6. Copy the wwt folder into <USER>/Saved Games/<DCS>/Scripts/ and replace the existing wwt folder
   Note: More permanent install (until SimApp Pro has a version update): Do step 5, then replace C:\Program Files (x86)\SimAppPro\resources\app.asar.unpacked\Events\wwt with the wwt folder from step 3 (the one you also copied in step 6 This makes it so every time SimApp Pro starts up, it will not overwrite your add-on). **Requires installation after SimApp Pro does an update.**
7. Launch DCS
8. Select a compatible module.
   AV88 Harrier: Supports ODU and UFC replica of DCS
   UH1 Huey: Supports Radar Altimeter on scratch pad
   A-10C2: Supports static text on the option displays. FUNC, HACK, LTR, MK, ALT
   MyCustomModuleExample: Shows an example of adding a new module
9. Fly DCS and verify UFC is working.
10. If something does not look right, take a look at <USER>/Saved Games/<DCS>/Logs/dcs.log and look for any errors from the WWT log output. You can also file an issue if you are having problems.

Have issues?
Leave a comment, i'll do my best to help you.

Want to remove this add-on?
In SimApp Pro go to Settings->Repair Lua. This will install a fresh version of the "wwtExport.lua" and this add-on will no longer be active.
To re-install, re-follow the steps in the Instructions section above.

Other modules:
Please leave feedback on what module and features you want to see added. Any data about the module can be shown on the UFC.
Gun count, airspeed, fuel remaining, VSI, engine percent, etc. These are all module specific and will have to be added, but the add-on is easily update-able to include new modules.

If something does not look right:
- SimApp Pro most likely overwrote the `Scripts/wwt` folder you added. Just re-copy over the addon `wwt` folder after launching SimApp Pro and you should be good to go. 
- Look at <USER>/Saved Games/<DCS>/Logs/dcs.log and look for any errors from the WWT log output. You can also file an issue if you are having problems.

Know a little bit of coding/lua?
You can edit the wwt/ufcPatch/ufcPatch.lua file and export your own data to a module of your choice! Refer to the "CustomModuleExample" for adding a new aircraft and adding new UFC fields. Explore other modules and get that data flowing! Want to pair on this, reach out and I help get you started.

How does this addon work?
SimApp Pro generates some export lua files to extract game state into SimApp Pro. SimApp Pro then interacts with the UFC.
This updated export lua adds code that extracts Harrier ODU/UFC data (and adds the possibility for future module support) and sends what SimApp Pro thinks is an F18 UFC Payload message. But this message bound for SimApp Pro contains custom data from a specific module. 

 

 

Edited Monday at 10:58 PM by prestonflying
update links

[markturner1960]

Hey Preston, thanks, i copied in the folder, and fired up SAP, DCS & the Harrier. Buttons seems to be working, but I dont get any LED displays corresponding to the selections....what might I have done wrong? 

Does your code only output the display symbology? Or has it also done button assignments? 

[prestonflying]

You will have to bind the UFC buttons manually in DCS. A good sanity check I use to make sure its working is when loading up the Harrier I will see the com menus selected and the LCD Display Backlights turn on. This add-on only outputs to the UFC Displays

[markturner1960]

Hey Preston, turns out it was a problem I have had a couple of times now, randomly, sim app pro stops working properly. Its solved by re installing the windows redist x86 and repairing the .lua file in SAP. Once I had done that, its all working lovely........

Thanks so much for figuring this out and publishing, you da man!!!! 

[prestonflying]

@markturner1960Glad to hear! Feel free to provide any feedback or features you think would be helpful. Thanks for giving the add-on a try!

[ANDR0ID]

I am very excited about this! Will try it soon and provide feedback. Do you think its possible to get this work without SIMAPP Pro? That would let you use the UFC and the screens (ie with Helios) for non-SIMAPP modules. 

Thanks in advance. 

Edited February 8, 2023 by ANDR0ID

[WINWING]

What a professional genius.  

[prestonflying]

3 hours ago, ANDR0ID said:

I am very excited about this! Will try it soon and provide feedback. Do you think its possible to get this work without SIMAPP Pro? That would let you use the UFC and the screens (ie with Helios) for non-SIMAPP modules. 

Thanks in advance. 

 

Hrmmm interesting question. To accomplish this without SimApp Pro would require an extra program (basically mimicking SimApp Pro) to interact with the UFC USB device. This would be ideal, but would more effort. The pros, it would allow any game to interface with the UFC. The cons, extra software to launch and development time to make it. I'll put some more thought into this because for the long term it would be nice to interact with UFC without SimApp Pro, open the possibility of other Sims pushing data to the UFC, and be more resistant to breaking if SimApp Pro changes. This thread kinda attempts what I described here, but it is just a proof-of-concept of writing data to the UFC without SimApp Pro.

Re using for non-SimApp modules - You can use non-SimApp Pro modules by not configuring your MFD Displays in SimApp Pro and instead just use Helios to export to a screen of your choice. I do not have much experience with Helios personally. Best of luck, if you get something working please report back.

Edited February 8, 2023 by prestonflying

[ANDR0ID]

I was able to do some testing tonight. 

1) This works with Helios, ie you can export to the UFC with the "universal UFC add on" and export to WinWing MFDs with Helios simultaneously. We should, in theory, be able to support any module with this equipment & software! 

2) I did some testing with the UH-60, based on the UH-1 sample provided, and was able to get Altitude and Flare/Chaff counter working in the brief time I spent with it. What I would like to figure out next is how to get data from other module devices that are not listed maindevices and don't have arguments. It needs more work, but I'll plan to submit the UH-60 profile on GitHub. 

Absolutely awesome work, thanks again! 

Edited February 9, 2023 by ANDR0ID

[prestonflying]

@ANDR0IDYES! Nice work!!!! So happy seeing others being able to use this easily! It would be an honor to review your Pull Request when you make it. 

[markturner1960]

Using it with the harrier today, I noticed past 9 on the radio channels, I was getting some wonky numbers? 10 was zero, others were strange characters.....Everything else seemed OK....Any ideas?

[prestonflying]

8 minutes ago, markturner1960 said:

Using it with the harrier today, I noticed past 9 on the radio channels, I was getting some wonky numbers? 10 was zero, others were strange characters.....Everything else seemed OK....Any ideas?

Yes I also noticed that, I pushed a fix yesterday. (V1.0.1 on Github <- Download Link) to latest wwt.zip folder.  Just replace the wwt folder with the latest and it should fix the com values.

Edited February 9, 2023 by prestonflying

[markturner1960]

thanks!

[Kurothas]

Thank you, this is great! Could you please add the JF-17 and maybe the F-16, even if it has no displays and the DED is most likely not possible to cover. Thanks in advance.

[prestonflying]

@Kurothas Glad you are enjoying it! I do not own the JF-17 or F-16 module. I might checkout the F16 for my next 2 week trial, then I could add some features. If you have any ideas of what data to show on the UFC for F16 that would help. I know a few others are working on features so perhaps someone else might add it before I get to it in 2 weeks. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Carney]

Thank you very much @prestonflying for making this UFC work with other planes!!

[rrutko]

This is fantastic. Anxiuosly awaiting Androids Blackhawk additions. Would like to see VSI, ALT, Airspeed. etc for Mi-24, MI-8, and Huey (basically any helo without a hud.) I have already submitted one issue I found in the Huey (not a big one though)

[prestonflying]

@rrutko First issue filer! Congrats! I just resolved it and updated the release. Great idea of adding default flight data to the UFCfor helos without HUD. Would these be in the Option1-5 windows? Would be hard to include units, so having a standard position for each readout might be needed. Example: Airspeed in window1, VSI in window 2, etc?

Edited February 13, 2023 by prestonflying

[ANDR0ID]

Update for the UH-60: 

Incase the picture doesn't speak for itself. 

Radio type will show: IC for Intercom; F1 for FM Radio 1 (Pilot); UH for UHF Radio; VH for VHF Radio, F2 for FM Radio 2 (Co pilot); and HF for the HF Radio

Radio Freq: Dynamically updates the frequency displayed to the selected radio 

Radar Alt = Radar Altimeter in Feet 

Heading = Heading in degrees 

Internal Fuel = Internal Fuel in pounds

Aux Fuel = Aux fuel in pounds, dynamic for either internal or external tanks based on AFMS switch in cockpit 

Weapon Type Active = For Armed Blackhawk Mod what type of pylon weapons are armed (GUNS / RKTS / MSL / TORP) 

Flare / Chaff Counters = Flare or Chaff count 

@prestonflying 2 Questions: 

1) The heading data comes out as a single parameter (unlike altitude which is four) and I have been trying to add zeros in front of small numbers without success so that a heading value of 5 would display as 005, or a value of 45 would be 045. IE three digits would always display on the UFC for heading. Any ideas on addressing that?

2) Do you think your script could also export commands to other WinWing devices, like illuminate buttons on the Combat Ready Panel etc.? 

I need to do a bit more testing, and add compatibility for the MH-60R mod, then I plan to upload to github for review. 

[rrutko]

thats what I was hoping for. Radar Altitude for window 1 (to match scratchpad) then IAS to window 2, VSI window 3, And then maybe BARO alt window 4, Also chaff flare counts to comms windows like Androids (if possible). I tried to look at the Aircraft mainwindow lua to see about adding IAS and VSI, but idk if they can display without a digit (like the radar Alt.) However IDK much about the coding.

[rrutko]

@ANDR0ID I would think that you would want to display items that are not available on the HUD. Heading and Radar alt are availble on the HUD. I like the fuel and weapons, chaff, flare, radio etc. Cant wait to try it.

 

[prestonflying]

@ANDR0IDLook sweet,
RE Question 1: Try something like this. Using string manipulation we can add padding 0's depending on heading from DCS.

-- value from DCS
heading = 5

-- Value to send to WW UFC
headingString=tostring(heading)

if heading < 10 then 
    headingString = "00"..heading
elseif heading < 100 then
    headingString = "0"..heading
end

RE Question 2: Initially I wanted to say "No it's not possible", but by mocking out the AA/AG value (and other light values like APU/landing gear/backlight value) of the hornet with some other data from a module, we could send a message to SimApp Pro which would enable the lights as we want. This will take some effort but when I get some free time I can add this so you can easily call some code like "setAALightState(1) or setAALightState(0)" to turn them on and off. Will report back if this gets added.

Note the way this add-on talks to SimApp Pro is by pretending to be an F18 Hornet which allows us to interact with UFC. Same idea for any lights we want to control. Ideally SimApp Pro would expose a common API and not a hornet specific API for lights and stuff. But I do not see them updating this for a while, thus mimicking an F18 to SimApp Pro seems to be the best method for now. If in the future it changes, the add-on will be updated to talk to SimApp Pro with what it expects.

Edited February 13, 2023 by prestonflying

[rrutko]

37 minutes ago, prestonflying said:

@rrutko First issue filer! Congrats! I just resolved it and updated the release. Great idea of adding default flight data to the UFCfor helos without HUD. Would these be in the Option1-5 windows? Would be hard to include units, so having a standard position for each readout might be needed. Example: Airspeed in window1, VSI in window 2, etc?

 

Fix works correctly, Thank you

[ANDR0ID]

27 minutes ago, prestonflying said:

@ANDR0IDLook sweet,
RE Question 1: Try something like this. Using string manipulation we can add padding 0's depending on heading from DCS.

-- value from DCS
heading = 5

-- Value to send to WW UFC
headingString=tostring(heading)

if heading < 10 then 
    headingString = "00"..heading
elseif heading < 100 then
    headingString = "0"..heading
end

RE Question 2: Initially I wanted to say "No it's not possible", but by mocking out the AA/AG value (and other light values like APU/landing gear/backlight value) of the hornet with some other data from a module, we could send a message to SimApp Pro which would enable the lights as we want. This will take some effort but when I get some free time I can add this so you can easily call some code like "setAALightState(1) or setAALightState(0)" to turn them on and off. Will report back if this gets added.

Note the way this add-on talks to SimApp Pro is by pretending to be an F18 Hornet which allows us to interact with UFC. Same idea for any lights we want to control. Ideally SimApp Pro would expose a common API and not a hornet specific API for lights and stuff. But I do not see them updating this for a while, thus mimicking an F18 to SimApp Pro seems to be the best method for now. If in the future it changes, the add-on will be updated to talk to SimApp Pro with what it expects.

 

I'll give the value code a try, thanks! And thanks for considering the light states in a future version. 

[Kurothas]

On 2/10/2023 at 6:11 PM, prestonflying said:

@Kurothas Glad you are enjoying it! I do not own the JF-17 or F-16 module. I might checkout the F16 for my next 2 week trial, then I could add some features. If you have any ideas of what data to show on the UFC for F16 that would help. I know a few others are working on features so perhaps someone else might add it before I get to it in 2 weeks. Thanks for the suggestions!

Well, i don´t know what is possible, but i can imagine a few relevant informations, like:

F-16C: Fuel, selected heading (since the heading selector is analog), Chaff/Flare count, maybe the DED Data if possible...

JF-17: this is more tough. i think to show the data of the ufc is hard because the ufc display resolution is pretty high in the JF-17, but also Chaff/Flare count, radar alt...

Looking forward to what will be possible in the future