CoordinateConverter - Alternative to TheWay

[FalcoGer]

Important: Bug reports and feature requests on GitHub issues only please, bugs reported here will likely go unnoticed. Thank you. Also pull requests are welcome.

I wrote a program in C# a few years back. It used to only be able to convert coordinates into different formats. Eventually TheWay was released and with it came the option to add points to the aircraft in DCS easily. I became somewhat frustrated with the clunky interface and severe limitations, so I took the lua side of things from TheWay and edited the export script to fit my needs, and then I extended CoordinateConverter to do what TheWay can not.

It is now in a state that I feel like is reasonable to release, but it still has some work to be done with it. It's very much only intended for my personal use, but I thought I'd share. It's also WIP and not all airframes are supported yet. I also don't own them all, so I can't test everything.

You can find the program here: https://github.com/FalcoGer/CoordinateConverter/releases

The main features include:

• Allows entering coordinates manually in any format
• Allows grabbing coordinates off the F10 map (the camera position, really), even when no aircraft is selected
• Automatically gets ground elevation for points, even in jets that don't have a ground elevation database
• Automatically shows a crosshair for selection when entering the F10 map (can be turned off)
• Uses only a single TCP connection between the program and DCS (TheWay uses TCP and UDP)
• Allows automatic coordinate entry into various airframes
• Allows different point types to be defined that are airframe specific, like AH64 point types and ident, F18 weapon pre plan points
• Allows using DCS's export function to import a list of unit locations, this automatically sets the correct point type
• Some utility functions, like deleting a range of points from AH64 (for example when CMs are spammed to the max)
• Easy saving/loading of points into JSON files
• (probably) correct MGRS rounding
• No javascript/electron

Here is a feature video showing it off with the hornet

Some pictures:

Main Screen

Unit importer (Class is what DCS says the unit is according to \Scripts\Database\wsTypes.lua, I'm quite aware that a Shilka is not a SAM)

 

Update Jan 12th 2024

New AH64 DTC Feature!

Save and Load your configuration for your favorite servers for COM Presets, ASE settings, WPN Settings and more!

 

Quote

 

 

Edited January 12 by FalcoGer

[FalcoGer]

Currently supported aircraft:

• F16C
• F/A-18C (Waypoints, PP and SLAM-ER STP can be entered)
• JF17 (Waypoints, Missile Route Points, Pre plan points, mark points and airfield can be entered)
• Ka-50/Ka-50-III (Waypoints, Fix Points, Airfields and Nav Targets can be entered)
• AH-64 (All point types and idents can be selected)
  • AH64 DTC Feature to load ASE, Weapons, and COM PRESET data.
• A10C/A10C-II (points can be put in as either UTM/MGRS or L/L)

Planned:

• M2000
• F15E
• AV8B
• Anubis' C130 Mod

Possibly in the future:

• DTC features for certain aircraft (comms plan, IFF plan, countermeasure programs, MFD screens setup), only if a setup exists that enables consistent setup, no matter the aircraft state (if it's turned on, obviously)

Edited January 13 by FalcoGer

[Shaman]

Incredible work, please continue. I really like standard Windows shell UI and thought through extra features.

I have noticed you have added Installer recently, so that may bring more folks to try it out.

[Hairdo1-1]

Great idea. Only issue is a similar one to the way. This is really hard to use in VR

[Shaker14]

Im trying to run the installer and i keep getting an error code.  Not sure why the code is 2343

[FalcoGer]

On 11/5/2023 at 5:59 PM, Shaker14 said:

Im trying to run the installer and i keep getting an error code.  Not sure why the code is 2343

Sorry, but I don't know either. I'm using a plugin to create the installer and I didn't even write the configuration for it.
You can install it manually by downloading Release.zip. Then follow the instructions in installation.txt.

[BigBorner]

Hey Falco -

 

in case you are still looking for a compliant victim for testing things out with the eagle let me know. 
 

I zink out timezones will fit pretty well  

 

[FalcoGer]

New update: AH64 DTC Feature

Edited January 12 by FalcoGer

[Scaley]

Just found this and it's a really great tool! One thing that would be a nice-to-have for the Apache would be the ability to set the waypoint/CM/TGT number for the first entry, and then have the app auto-number from then on. That way you could see ahead of time which entries from the app were going into which line of the aircraft database.

[FalcoGer]

10 hours ago, Scaley said:

Just found this and it's a really great tool! One thing that would be a nice-to-have for the Apache would be the ability to set the waypoint/CM/TGT number for the first entry, and then have the app auto-number from then on. That way you could see ahead of time which entries from the app were going into which line of the aircraft database.

That would be nice. But it's impossible. When you add a new point to the AH64, you don't get to pick where it goes. It always goes into the first available slot. The only way to achieve this would be to fill out all 50 points and then using edit. But then you can't change the ident and it would really clutter up the list.

Edited January 23 by FalcoGer

[UncleStains]

Thanks for making this program! My Apache squadron has been testing and this will make our mission setup so much faster.

A couple of minor issues I have noticed:

In the Apache radio presets dialog, it doesn't seem to save the checkboxes for each radio (UHF/VHF/FM1/FM2). The presets will tune but it doesn't save the frequency.

In the A-10CII, the waypoint names get M01, M02, etc added to the beginning of each name. Also it doesn't respect spaces in the waypoint names.

I appreciate your work on this!!

 

[FalcoGer]

On 1/24/2024 at 5:19 PM, UncleStains said:

In the Apache radio presets dialog, it doesn't seem to save the checkboxes for each radio (UHF/VHF/FM1/FM2)

What do you mean?

On 1/24/2024 at 5:19 PM, UncleStains said:

The presets will tune but it doesn't save the frequency

Tuning presets and setting frequencies to the presets are two different things. To set the frequency, you select a preset in the first tab, then check the checkboxes down below for any radio that you want to put a frequency in for that preset, and enter the frequency you want for that radio.

On 1/24/2024 at 5:19 PM, UncleStains said:

In the A-10CII, the waypoint names get M01, M02, etc added to the beginning of each name.

That is by design, because you can't have the same name twice. It's also for a quicker lookup from the CDU. There is a M in the front because a waypoint name can't start with a number.

On 1/24/2024 at 5:19 PM, UncleStains said:

Also it doesn't respect spaces in the waypoint names.

I thought the A10 doesn't have space on the CDU. Maybe I'm blind.

 

Edit:

Look like I'm blind.

Edited January 26 by FalcoGer

[UncleStains]

I check one of the indicated boxes to select a radio to tune for any preset. Then go work on another preset. Come back to the first preset and the boxes are unchecked. I'll try to make a video later. 

 

[FalcoGer]

  

5 hours ago, UncleStains said:

I check one of the indicated boxes to select a radio to tune for any preset. Then go work on another preset. Come back to the first preset and the boxes are unchecked. I'll try to make a video later. 

You're not on the latest version.

Use the main form's settings, then check for updates.

Edited January 27 by FalcoGer

[Scaley]

On 1/24/2024 at 12:54 AM, FalcoGer said:

That would be nice. But it's impossible. When you add a new point to the AH64, you don't get to pick where it goes. It always goes into the first available slot. The only way to achieve this would be to fill out all 50 points and then using edit. But then you can't change the ident and it would really clutter up the list.

 

I probably didn't explain myself well. I know you can't pick where you load points in the Apache, so I was wondering if the tool could have as setting to let you see where they are going if you know the starting point, or even just a function to start from 01 or 51 and show which point is going to go where.

As a simple example, if you use the tool to clear the entire database then the first CM is 51. It would be great if the tool could label each CM sequentially starting at 51. Even better would be to be able to tell it "I'm starting from 55 because 51-54 are already used" and the tool then shows you each CM it is going to add from 55 onwards. Basically it would just be an incrementing field next to each point type (WPT/HAZ, CM, TGT) that uses the same logic as the aircraft. It would be the tool "assuming" where the points would go, based on what you tell it, understanding that the tool can't force the points into the respective numbered slots. I hope that makes better sense.  

[FalcoGer]

I'll think of something. Might be a while to get implemented though.

[UncleStains]

I got a virus warning from Chrome when downloading the latest version (6.11) last night. The previous versions didn't give me that warning. I had my virus scanner ignore it and everything seems fine, including subsequent scans after installation.

[flanker0ne]

Hi FalcoGer, I've been using your application for a few days and have already sent you some reports.
Is offline operation planned in the future?
Without the need to be in the cockpit
I would say that you only lose the possibility of having the automatic calculation of the altitude.

[FalcoGer]

4 hours ago, flanker0ne said:

Hi FalcoGer, I've been using your application for a few days and have already sent you some reports.
Is offline operation planned in the future?
Without the need to be in the cockpit
I would say that you only lose the possibility of having the automatic calculation of the altitude.

You can already do that. You just have to enter the coordinates manually.

[FalcoGer]

13 hours ago, UncleStains said:

I got a virus warning from Chrome when downloading the latest version (6.11) last night. The previous versions didn't give me that warning. I had my virus scanner ignore it and everything seems fine, including subsequent scans after installation.

The project gets build by automated github actions. I doubt their toolchain is compromised. I didn't build the executables that you are getting myself. Other than that, the source code is available. While I can not 100% vouch for there to be no exploits possible that could lead to malicious behavior, I can guarantee you that no malicious behavior is intended.

The only difference between 0.6.10 and 0.6.11 is some text changes for the AH64 point ident descriptions and the version number. All of this is well documented in the github history.

You can and should always upload suspicious programs to virustotal. The program does make a web request (to check for updates), which may lead to some false positives or weak results (like 'suspicious') for some obscure virus scanner vendors.

Here is the analysis of v0.6.11 on virustotal. One or two positives are not something I worry about, especially from vendors I never heard of anywhere else, especially for unsigned executables.

Edited February 1 by FalcoGer

[UncleStains]

Yeah, I figured it was something like that. I'm the furthest thing possible from a coder!

[flanker0ne]

22 hours ago, FalcoGer said:

You can already do that. You just have to enter the coordinates manually.

Offline Addition of points doesn't work if the list is empty
With list populated, is possible to edit points and add new ones.

Beyond the points, the ability to select a Module and to create/edit the DTC, can be a very appreciated feature

P.S. Is it possible to add at the bottom of the points list, a counter showing how many WP, CM and TGT (mainly CM) will be added to know how many of them need to be deleted?

P.P.S Can the latest Load/Saved filepath be saved, or a Recent File list be added

Thank you for your effort

Edited February 2 by flanker0ne

[FalcoGer]

23 hours ago, flanker0ne said:

Offline Addition of points doesn't work if the list is empty
With list populated, is possible to edit points and add new ones.

I'll look into that. That is a bug.

[aaronwhite]

This is awesome! I've wanted to mess around with the TSD features in the Apache, but going around and hand-adding all of the various obstacles and WP types would be 2 hours of time as is. This looks like a great substitute until ED comes out with whatever solution they are working on for the process. I imagine it'll be tied to the data cartridge implementation, but either way, this looks like a great addition for the time being.

[flanker0ne]

Hi Falco.

Can the LRFD/LST list in the AH-64D DTC, be separated?

If I'm right, on a basic scenario, nobody will LST on the same LRFD code. The right practice, taking for example a 2 ship, is to have as LST code the other flight member LRFD code.

Edited February 12 by flanker0ne