Password protected .miz files (one password for Red, one for Blue)

May 29, 2023

Hi there,

love your work! Could we please be able to hide, then password protect the units we have located in a map? The we send the mission file to our opposition, they do the same, then we can fly against each other, and neither of us knows where the others units are.

Thanks for everything you've done so far.

'52

cfrag · May 29, 2023

That sounds a lot like a technological attempt to solve a social problem. If you can't trust the people you are playing with not to cheat, don't play with them. Problem solved.

Dangerzone · May 30, 2023

21 hours ago, Gunslinger52 said:

Hi there,

love your work! Could we please be able to hide, then password protect the units we have located in a map? The we send the mission file to our opposition, they do the same, then we can fly against each other, and neither of us knows where the others units are.

Thanks for everything you've done so far.

'52

Is this the same request as the one asked 4 weeks ago?

If so - you may have missed the replies after your comment, but there are already a few solutions to what you need that might be worth you checking out, including importing files as templates or scripts.

May 30, 2023

Hi Dangerzone,

I did miss them, thanks. Did you try out your idea of importing templates?

Cheers

'52

Dangerzone · May 30, 2023

28 minutes ago, Gunslinger52 said:

Hi Dangerzone,

I did miss them, thanks. Did you try out your idea of importing templates?

Cheers

'52

If you mean using the script to import templates, then yes. The script that was provided in that post does work - although you may want to strip the UnitID out of the table before spawning. I use the script quite a bit to inject various scenario's into running missions in real time.

If you mean to 'import templates' using the mission editor - yes, I have done that too. (Saved an existing .miz file as a tempalte in the mission editor, and then opening up another and importing the saved 'tempalte'.). I tend to just call it 'Temp' or similar and overwrite the previous one saved in the mission editor so I don't get a huge list of templates I'm not interested in keeping for once-off's. What you could do is create the original mission (with neither sides units) as the base mission. When saving it - zoom right in to the top right corner of the map when saving (and have the other designers do the same), so then when you go to import the other missions - the person that's doing the compilation of all the missions into a single mission doesn't get to 'see' anything else accidently. Obviously there's a bit of an honesty system here - but you're only talking about one person who's merging the files into a single mission at this point.

Alternatively - the script to import the templates will work as well - saving anyone having to even go in or use the mission editor. Obviously though it's lua scripting, so requires a bit of knowledge (including desanitizing the server so it has access to "require" as well as the LFS/OS stuff). The benefit with this though is that you don't have to merge stuff. Once you set up your base mission you can just update the .miz files (copy them over) and have them re-load the new ones in if this is something you will be repeating on a weekly basis making short work of it once it's setup.

So I know both solutions will work as I've used both. It's just a matter of whether you want to mess around with scripting to import/spawn the stuff on the fly in the mission editor, or whether you want to just do it manually prior using what DCS already has to offer.

Edited May 30, 2023 by Dangerzone

June 3, 2023

Hi Dangerzone,

really appreciate the detailed answer. I'd be keen to learn a bit of Lua scripting. Being new though (even at Forums) I can't seem to find the post with the script in it for loading in templates. Would you mind posting it in here please?

Thanks again.

'52

Dangerzone · June 5, 2023

On 6/3/2023 at 12:08 PM, Gunslinger52 said:

Hi Dangerzone,

really appreciate the detailed answer. I'd be keen to learn a bit of Lua scripting. Being new though (even at Forums) I can't seem to find the post with the script in it for loading in templates. Would you mind posting it in here please?

Thanks again.

'52

Hi GS.

Sure thing - see below.

Spoiler

TempMizPath = 'C:\\temp\\dcstemp'
missionpath = 'c:\\temp'

function file_exists(file)
if io then
local f=io.open(file, "r")
if f~=nil then
io.close(f)
return true
else
return false
end
else
return nil
end
end

function tablespawn(tbl, _country, _cat)
for k, v in pairs(tbl) do
local _subcat = _cat
-- Detects if type is train - for some reason fails to still spawn in trains!
if v.units ~= nil then
if v.units[1] ~= nil then
if v.units[1].type == "Train" then
_subcat = Group.Category.TRAIN
end
end
end

if _cat == Group.Category.STRUCTURE then
coalition.addStaticObject(_country, v)
else
coalition.addGroup(_country, _subcat, v)
end
end
end

function multitablespawn(tbl, _country)
for i = 1, #tbl do
if tbl[i].helicopter ~= nil then
if tbl[i].helicopter.group ~= nil then
tablespawn(tbl[i].helicopter.group, _country, Group.Category.HELICOPTER)
end
end
if tbl[i].vehicle ~= nil then
if tbl[i].vehicle.group ~= nil then

local istrain = false

local grps = tbl[i].vehicle.group
for j = 1, #grps do

if tbl[i].vehicle.group[j].units ~= nil then
if #tbl[i].vehicle.group[j].units > 0 then
local grpunits = tbl[i].vehicle.group[j].units
for k = 1, #grpunits do

if tbl[i].vehicle.group[1].units[1].type == "Train" then
istrain = true
end
end
end
end
end

if istrain then
tablespawn(tbl[i].vehicle.group, _country, Group.Category.TRAIN)
else
tablespawn(tbl[i].vehicle.group, _country, Group.Category.GROUND)
end
end
end
if tbl[i].plane ~= nil then
if tbl[i].plane.group ~= nil then
tablespawn(tbl[i].plane.group, _country, Group.Category.AIRPLANE)
end
end
if tbl[i].ship ~= nil then
if tbl[i].ship.group ~= nil then
tablespawn(tbl[i].ship.group, _country, Group.Category.SHIP)
end
end

if tbl[i].static ~= nil then
if tbl[i].static.group ~= nil then
local grps = tbl[i].static.group
for j = 1, #grps do
if grps[i].units ~= nil then
local grpunits = grps[j].units
tablespawn(grpunits, _country, Group.Category.STRUCTURE)
end
end
end
end
end
end

function missionspawn(_missionfile, _coalition)
mission = nil

local minizip = require("minizip") -- Note - _G['require'] = nil must be DESANITISED in missionscripts.lua for this to work!!!
local TemplateFile = missionpath..'\\'.._missionfile
lfs.mkdir(TempMizPath)
if file_exists(TempMizPath..'\\mission') then
os.remove(TempMizPath..'\\mission')
end

local zipFile = minizip.unzOpen(TemplateFile,TempMizPath)

while true do
local filename = zipFile:unzGetCurrentFileName()
if filename == 'mission' then
local fullpath = TempMizPath..'\\'..filename
zipFile:unzUnpackCurrentFile(fullpath)
end

if not zipFile:unzGoToNextFile() then
break
end
end

dofile(TempMizPath..'/mission')

if mission == nil then
MESSAGE:New("Admin Error: No misison template", 15):ToAll()
else
local tbl = ''
local ctrl = ''

if _coalition == nil then
missionspawn(_missionfile, coalition.side.RED)
missionspawn(_missionfile, coalition.side.BLUE)
missionspawn(_missionfile, coalition.side.NEUTRAL)
return
end

if _coalition == coalition.side.RED then
tbl = mission.coalition.red.country
ctry = country.id.CJTF_RED
end
if _coalition == coalition.side.BLUE then
tbl = mission.coalition.blue.country
ctry = country.id.CJTF_BLUE
end
if _coalition == coalition.side.NEUTRAL then
tbl = mission.coalition.neutrals.country
ctry = country.id.UN_PEACEKEEPERS
end

if tbl ~= nil then
multitablespawn(tbl, ctry)
end
end
endfunction tablespawn(tbl, _country, _cat)
for k, v in pairs(tbl) do
local _subcat = _cat
-- Detects if type is train - for some reason fails to still spawn in trains!
if v.units ~= nil then
if v.units[1] ~= nil then
if v.units[1].type == "Train" then
_subcat = Group.Category.TRAIN
end
end
end

if _cat == Group.Category.STRUCTURE then
coalition.addStaticObject(_country, v)
else
coalition.addGroup(_country, _subcat, v)
end
end
end

function multitablespawn(tbl, _country)
for i = 1, #tbl do
if tbl[i].helicopter ~= nil then
if tbl[i].helicopter.group ~= nil then
tablespawn(tbl[i].helicopter.group, _country, Group.Category.HELICOPTER)
end
end
if tbl[i].vehicle ~= nil then
if tbl[i].vehicle.group ~= nil then

local istrain = false

local grps = tbl[i].vehicle.group
for j = 1, #grps do

if tbl[i].vehicle.group[j].units ~= nil then
if #tbl[i].vehicle.group[j].units > 0 then
local grpunits = tbl[i].vehicle.group[j].units
for k = 1, #grpunits do

if tbl[i].vehicle.group[1].units[1].type == "Train" then
istrain = true
end
end
end
end
end

if istrain then
tablespawn(tbl[i].vehicle.group, _country, Group.Category.TRAIN)
else
tablespawn(tbl[i].vehicle.group, _country, Group.Category.GROUND)
end
end
end
if tbl[i].plane ~= nil then
if tbl[i].plane.group ~= nil then
tablespawn(tbl[i].plane.group, _country, Group.Category.AIRPLANE)
end
end
if tbl[i].ship ~= nil then
if tbl[i].ship.group ~= nil then
tablespawn(tbl[i].ship.group, _country, Group.Category.SHIP)
end
end

if tbl[i].static ~= nil then
if tbl[i].static.group ~= nil then
local grps = tbl[i].static.group
for j = 1, #grps do
if grps[i].units ~= nil then
local grpunits = grps[j].units
tablespawn(grpunits, _country, Group.Category.STRUCTURE)
end
end
end
end
end
end

function missionspawn(_missionfile, _coalition)
mission = nil

local minizip               = require("minizip") -- Note - _G['require'] = nil must be DESANITISED in missionscripts.lua for this to work!!!
local TempMizPath = 'C:\\mymissionpath'
local TemplateFile = missionpath.._missionfile
lfs.mkdir(TempMizPath)
if file_exists(TempMizPath..'\\mission') then
   os.remove(TempMizPath..'\\mission')
end

local zipFile = minizip.unzOpen(TemplateFile,TempMizPath)

while true do
local filename = zipFile:unzGetCurrentFileName()
if filename == 'mission' then
local fullpath = TempMizPath..'\\'..filename
zipFile:unzUnpackCurrentFile(fullpath)
end

if not zipFile:unzGoToNextFile() then
break
end
end

dofile(TempMizPath..'/mission')

if mission == nil then
MESSAGE:New("Admin Error: No misison template", 15):ToAll()
else
local tbl = ''
local ctrl = ''

if _coalition == nil then
missionspawn(_missionfile, coalition.side.RED)
missionspawn(_missionfile, coalition.side.BLUE)
missionspawn(_missionfile, coalition.side.NEUTRAL)
return
end

if _coalition == coalition.side.RED then
tbl = mission.coalition.red.country
ctry = country.id.CJTF_RED
end
if _coalition == coalition.side.BLUE then
tbl = mission.coalition.blue.country
ctry = country.id.CJTF_BLUE
end
if _coalition == coalition.side.NEUTRAL then
tbl = mission.coalition.neutrals.country
ctry = country.id.UN_PEACEKEEPERS
end

if tbl ~= nil then
multitablespawn(tbl, ctry)
end
end
end

June 5, 2023

Fantastic.

Do you have a preferred scripting tool? Or will just any text editor do?

Dangerzone · June 5, 2023

9 minutes ago, Gunslinger52 said:

Fantastic.

Do you have a preferred scripting tool? Or will just any text editor do?

I'm using Visual Studio myself for the .lua files. Not sure what others use. I'm probably not the best source of info for .lua stuff - I'm more of a hack when it comes to lua - I can find my way through it and get (some ) stuff to work. There's probably better ways of doing things than I am doing - but I share my (limited) knowledge where it's useful.

June 11, 2023

Hi Dangerzone

I've found how to save a mission as a template, and got myself Visual Studio. Done some very basic triggers with scripts.

Are you saying that all I would need to do, is make a basic trigger, add your script in, and it should load any templates stored somewhere?

Thanks again,

'52

Dangerzone · June 11, 2023

3 hours ago, Gunslinger52 said:

Hi Dangerzone

I've found how to save a mission as a template, and got myself Visual Studio. Done some very basic triggers with scripts.

Are you saying that all I would need to do, is make a basic trigger, add your script in, and it should load any templates stored somewhere?

Thanks again,

'52

You'll need to load in the script to 'load in the functions'. This won't actually load in the file - but like MOOSE it should give you the functions ready for use.

Then it's just a matter of calling...

missionspawn('c:\\mymissionfolder\mymissionfile.miz', 2)
missionspawn('c:\\mymissionfolder\anotherofmymissionfiles.miz', 2)

... I believe in order to load in your template. You can do multiple templates in a row no problems... The above shows 2 being loaded in.

I'm currently away on holidays so I'm going by memory at the moment. Just note - I think if you have 2 mission files that have the same group names you could run into issues, so make sure that your mission files have different names or one might 'overwrite' the other for the groups that have the same names if this makes sense.

June 17, 2023

Hi Dangerzone,

hope your holiday went well. So far I get the attached. But there are things that I suspect I need to do 1st, one is the 2nd attachment, and the other is something you mentioned about "require" and Unit ID's. At the moment, I am not trying to run it on a dedicated server, but is this required maybe?nullnull

Have a good week.

'52

Dangerzone · June 29, 2023

On 6/18/2023 at 8:43 AM, Gunslinger52 said:

Hi Dangerzone,

hope your holiday went well. So far I get the attached. But there are things that I suspect I need to do 1st, one is the 2nd attachment, and the other is something you mentioned about "require" and Unit ID's. At the moment, I am not trying to run it on a dedicated server, but is this required maybe?nullnull

Have a good week.

'52

Check out line 156. When I copied it back off the forum - it looked like the forum was broken:

endfunction tablespawn(tbl, _country, _cat)

put a carriage return between end and function and that should resolve the issue. (NOt sure why the carriage return isn't there in the post above - I'm guessing it's something to do with the forum).

Also, you will need to desanitise regardless of whether you're running on a server or not because the script requires DCS to write files to the hard drive in order to unzip and extract the required file/data from the .miz file.

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Password protected .miz files (one password for Red, one for Blue)

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