Update - VAICOM 2.8.4.3 Release

[PeneCruz]

We are pleased to publish our next release that fixes issues with many ATC recipients across existing maps and adds ATC recipients for the Marianas, South Atlantic and the Sinai maps.

We have also updated the VAICOM PRO for DCS World.vap Voice Attack profile that gets installed in the VAICOMPRO>profiles folder in Voice Attack APPS. Please delete your existing .vap in the Voice attack UI (export it to someplace safe if you have custom commands so you can reimport those commands later to save time) and import the new file that comes with this release. It fixes many broken aliases and adds additional ones for the new ATC recipients.

We hope you enjoy 2.8.4 our ATC fixes and theater expansion.

CHANGELOG:

• Added ATC recipients for Marianas Map
• Added ATC recipients for South Atlantic Map
• Added ATC Recipients for Sinai Map
• Fixed ATC recipients for Persian Gulf Map
• Fixed ATC recipients on Nevada Map
• Updated Voice Attack Profile (VAP) to reflect latest Keywords list.
• Updated message commands list to latest DCS open Beta list
• Updated and compressed the Vaicom Pro user manual

Known Issues

• IC will not be passed for Servers that recuire Pure Client Scripts. (This due to AIRIO and Kneeboard implementation)
  
  You can download from GitHub
  https://github.com/Penecruz/VAICOMPRO-Community/releases/tag/v2.8.4.3

[Snacko]

Thanks for all of your hard work on this amazing tool!!!

I'm having trouble installing the .vap file.  I downloaded the .msi, and when I run it, I get the below message that I need to uninstall it first.  But I have already backed up my current version and deleted it from the profiles folder.  That folder is empty...

 

And when I run setup.exe from the extracted VAICOMPRO folder, it says that it cannot find "VAICOM PRO for DCS World.msi".   But the file is named 'VAICOM.PRO.for.DCS.World.msi', with all . periods between each word, not the spaces that the error message indicates.  I have put the .msi in the extracted VAICOMPRO folder, and also in the parent folder, but I get the same error.  Here is the install.log file:

Spoiler

The following properties have been set:
Property: [AdminUser] = true {boolean}
Property: [InstallMode] = HomeSite {string}
Property: [NTProductType] = 1 {int}
Property: [ProcessorArchitecture] = AMD64 {string}
Property: [VersionNT] = 10.0.0 {version}
Running checks for package 'Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 (x86 and x64)', phase BuildList
Reading value 'Release' of registry key 'HKLM\Software\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full'
Read integer value 533325
Setting value '533325 {int}' for property 'DotNetFull_Release'
Reading value 'v4' of registry key 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\OS Integration'
Read integer value 1
Setting value '1 {int}' for property 'DotNetFull_OSIntegrated'
The following properties have been set for package 'Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 (x86 and x64)':
Property: [DotNetFull_OSIntegrated] = 1 {int}
Property: [DotNetFull_Release] = 533325 {int}
Running checks for command 'DotNetFX472\NDP472-KB4054530-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe'
Result of running operator 'ValueEqualTo' on property 'InstallMode' and value 'HomeSite': true
Result of checks for command 'DotNetFX472\NDP472-KB4054530-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe' is 'Bypass'
Running checks for command 'DotNetFX472\NDP472-KB4054531-Web.exe'
Result of running operator 'ValueNotEqualTo' on property 'InstallMode' and value 'HomeSite': false
Result of running operator 'ValueGreaterThan' on property 'DotNetFull_Release' and value '461808': true
Result of checks for command 'DotNetFX472\NDP472-KB4054531-Web.exe' is 'Bypass'
'Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2 (x86 and x64)' RunCheck result: No Install Needed
Launching Application.
Error: Unable to locate application file 'VAICOM PRO for DCS World.msi'.

In what folder is it looking for the .msi file??

nullI've installed VAICOMPRO several times below, but I never noticed this setup.exe before.  I usually just copy the exe; dll; documentation; & extensions into the VA\Apps\VAICOMPRO folder. 

I must be missing something here... Please Help!??

Edited July 8, 2023 by Snacko

[PeneCruz]

Have you resolved this now? I saw on our Discord Liam helped with it. You need to uninstall VaicomPro using windows uninstall programs or apps. 

no need to run setup.exe from the zip. If you do a zip install. 

 

[Snacko]

Yes, thanks for responding.  I think it's all fixed.  Cheers mate!  Great work!

 

[sthompson]

On 7/7/2023 at 6:31 PM, PeneCruz said:

We have also updated the VAICOM PRO for DCS World.vap Voice Attack profile that gets installed in the VAICOMPRO>profiles folder in Voice Attack APPS. Please delete your existing .vap in the Voice attack UI (export it to someplace safe if you have custom commands so you can reimport those commands later to save time) and import the new file that comes with this release. It fixes many broken aliases and adds additional ones for the new ATC recipients.

I don't understand this. The aliases in the VAICOM PRO profile were all things that would be updated automatically via the FINISH step in previous versions with no need to update the profile. Why should we need a new VAP file if aliases can be updated via the FINISH step? Replacing the entire profile means losing more than just your custom commands since the profile includes other things such as the TX key mappings and probably other settings I'm forgetting. I think it's a bad trend if profiles will need to be replaced frequently when VAICOM is updated.

[Fisherman82]

@sthompson

Indeed, I dont understand it either

[dburne]

Yeah I will admit I confuse easily these days, but I seem to be finding it more confusing now.

[Whistler_RIO]

I was bothered by the new VAP file thing, but now im glad i wiped it out and re-imported my custom stuff.  voice-attack has an ingenious import UI that identifies overwrites and lets you just pluck out the custom commands.  so you just export your old profile, and then reimport it on a fresh VAP.  I just completely reinstalled the MSI and every setting was exactly like i left it before except my aliases (of which i only have about 4) which had to be replaced and then 'finish' copy/pasted into the VAP. too me an hour, and its working really well now. maybe i needed it after so many years.

one thing to remember is how AIRIO and kneeboard commands were once payware upgrades. they were not included in the base VAP until you paid for the upgrade and then added them yourself.  i think this standardizes the Tacan and Radio constructors for Jester, and the Kneeboard commands.

[PeneCruz]

Hey guys, I understand the confusion, it’s not so much a VaicomPro thing as a Voice Attack thing. 
 

The way Voice Attack deals with profiles is via import and export. I needed to wipe out some dead aliases that existed in the old default profile. These caused a conflict with the new keywords and meant that there were two versions of a single command, one leading no where, the other to the recipient. If Voice Attack picked the wrong one the command did not execute. 
 

I took the opportunity to update it to include everything so new users did not have to do the finish step. And could learn at a slower pace. 
 

I fully understand the want to install over the top and just  use your old profile, however it will pay dividends in spades to start fresh. 
 

VaicomPro is now fully compliant with the latest DCS command tables and message tables. In the background we have also changed the way it interacts with DCS. 
 

Hopefully going forward it means faster work flow for us and faster updates for you.  
 

I would like to move to auto updates again, however the old update code doesn’t suit our free model. We are investigating other mechanisms that I have seen like Open Kneeboard uses for instance. 
 

I’ll hopefully Hot Fix a few bugs I have fixed once the Beta team confirms I didn’t screw it up more! 
 

Anyway I’m personally going to fly more and code less this month as I think we are pretty stable now. 
 

[MAXsenna]

@PeneCruz

Thank you so much for this update! Works perfectly, but to be honest I didn't follow your instructions at all.
I didn't really see the need, as some of us are pretty old users, and have done this before. So yes, this was confusing, pretty sure you got that from our conversation in Discord.
I had to do ONE minor trick though, and I hope you understand that my comments below are not criticism!

On 7/11/2023 at 1:31 PM, PeneCruz said:

The way Voice Attack deals with profiles is via import and export.

Disagree. IF one were to import the new profile (which doesn't make sense at all), an easier way would be to rename the "old" one, and import the new one, and then just copy/"move" non-VAICOM commands to the new one. If you import a profile that has the same name VoiceAttack will just rename the new on to "xyz (1)". VA is smart that way.

On 7/11/2023 at 1:31 PM, PeneCruz said:

I fully understand the want to install over the top and just  use your old profile, however it will pay dividends in spades to start fresh. 

Again I disagree, because it's so hard to go through 1K of commands to find ALL the custom aliases. It's a real pain actually. But luckily I didn't have to. The "Finish" step is the solution, and will overwrite whatever is in the profile, and that's all we need. If Gary in the future opens up for "injection" directly into profiles, we could probably rename the "Finish" step to "update profile" or similar.

The rest of it is just fabulous news! 

Anyway. This is how I did it.

Close DCS
Close VoiceAttack
Download Zip
Delete chatter and AIRIO DLLs from the VAICOM folder in VoiceAttack
Copy new DLL and overwrite old DLL in the VAICOM folder in VoiceAttack
Start VoiceAttack
Open Control Panel
Select Editor tab

Click "Reload"
Click "Finish", and paste into the VAICOM profile
Test Marianas aliases as they never worked for me before, (didn't start DCS no need)
My alias "Andersen Airforce Base" didn't work, but " Andersen" did
Did "Finish" step again and pasted into Word. Found Andersen but not "Andersen Airforce Base"
Switched back to default from VSPX processing
Repeated test, success, found "Andersen Airforce Base" in Word
Switched to VSPX again
Repeated test, success, and found "Andersen Airforce Base" in Word

 So a HUGE applause to you @PeneCruz 
Now, can I wish for the missing radio commands for the Mossie and the Jeff to be implemented down the line?
Or could I expect them to have been imported already?
Cheers!

Edited July 13, 2023 by MAXsenna

[PeneCruz]

20 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Disagree. IF one were to import the new profile (which doesn't make sense at all), an easier way would be to rename the "old" one, and import the new one, and then just copy/"move" non-VAICOM commands to the new one. If you import a profile that has the same name VoiceAttack will just rename the new on to "xyz (1)". VA is smart that way.

Yes experienced users like yourself, who understand how Voice Attack and VaicomPro relate can use other methods. I personally have a very different work flow as I'm always uninstalling and reinstalling.

The use of Voice Attack export and import functions and the deletion of the VAICOMPRO folder in Voice Attack Apps was to ensure that less confident users got rid of their prevous profile, yet retained their TX and personal commands. 

All current DCS Commands are in the Vaicom server database. It will be just a matter of activating new ones that had not been implemented by Hollywood.

[MAXsenna]

1 minute ago, PeneCruz said:

All current DCS Commands are in the Vaicom server database. It will be just a matter of activating new ones that had not been implemented by Hollywood.

Awesome!

[dburne]

Seems Vaicom  has become even more unreliable for me now in latest version. Hornet in Persian Gulf it was always solid as a rock for me, now it is hit or miss. Not sure what the heck is going on. Sometimes when I say select I get the beep and continue, sometimes I don't. Sometimes it will just totally quit working mid flight where it was working fine. I have power savings disabled for all USB devices. 

It is just not consistent any more at all in a  plane, map, and mission where it has always been very reliable. Now with any plane or map it is just hit or miss if it will work or not. Especially for the entire mission.

Edited July 20, 2023 by dburne

[PeneCruz]

11 hours ago, dburne said:

It is just not consistent any more at all in a  plane, map, and mission where it has always been very reliable. Now with any plane or map it is just hit or miss if it will work or not. Especially for the entire mission.

Sounds like Voice Attack issue rather than Vaicom pro. Try starting Voice Attack with the VaicomPro.exe application. It will stay active in the tray and if Voice Attack crashes it will restart it automatically. 

null

[dburne]

3 hours ago, PeneCruz said:

Sounds like Voice Attack issue rather than Vaicom pro. Try starting Voice Attack with the VaicomPro.exe application. It will stay active in the tray and if Voice Attack crashes it will restart it automatically. 

null

 

I always start it with the Vaicom shortcut. Have not seen it restart in my case. No when this happens I exit the game to the desktop and VA is still running and commands work. 

Edited July 21, 2023 by dburne