ARGs for F-4E

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

If anyone's interested I've compiled the ARGs for the F-4E (by fiddling with the sliders in MV). It's by no means comprehensive. I wish that ED and module makers would provide a full list of ARGs for each module. So, a question... I want to make a QF-4 Drone skin and want to have it launch in game as NOLO (no pilot and WSO). If I included the ARGs that remove them (50 & 701) in the description lua, would that work if it's designated AI in the Mission Editor? What about if it's designated as a Player or Client in the Mission Editor?

ARGs.ods ARGs.pdf

[Zabuzard]

The animation arguments are all listed with names in a lua file accessible to you.
Its in the Dcs/Mods/aircraft/F4E folder somewhere, called draw_args.lua.
It lists all animations the plane has to offer, internal and external, with names.

Similiar for the command values (the ones used by binds), in a file called command_defs.lua.


You can also play and test out the animations in DCSs ModelViewer (see DCS/bin folder), the exterior model is in the CoreMods folder, the interior in the Mods folder, subfolder Shapes :)

[HotTom]

If I knew what an ARG was, I might be able to respond. Vonrd is one of those folks in love with acronyms no one understands. Spell them out. Bro!

[Zabuzard]

If I knew what an ARG was, I might be able to respond. Vonrd is one of those folks in love with acronyms no one understands. Spell them out. Bro!

Draw argument, or simple: animation.
The aircrafts animations are stored in so called draw args and can be played usually from 0 to 1 (sometimes also - 1 to 1).

Everything that moves or blinks in the cockpit is an animation stored in such a draw arg. Mission designers can also read them and Livery designers can for example also set/write to them. That's also how the different helmets and similiar in liveries work.

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

21 hours ago, Zabuzard said:

Its in the Dcs/Mods/aircraft/F4E folder somewhere, called draw_args.lua.

Here: C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F-4E\Cockpit     draw_args.lua.

Actually, there is also a draw_args.lua in the F-14. As far as I know, these are the only two modules that have a draw_args.lua. Would the list of arguments for other modules be available under a different file name? It would be helpful if they were. Going through the multitude of sliders in the ARGS tab in the Model Viewer is quite tedious.

[Zabuzard]

Here: C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F-4E\Cockpit     draw_args.lua.
Actually, there is also a draw_args.lua in the F-14. As far as I know, these are the only two modules that have a draw_args.lua. Would the list of arguments for other modules be available under a different file name? It would be helpful if they were. Going through the multitude of sliders in the ARGS tab in the Model Viewer is quite tedious.

That's how we organize them in our projects. Others may do it differently.
The Viggen for example only used raw numbers without names IIRC, bit painful.

[Rudel_chw]

22 hours ago, HotTom said:

If I knew what an ARG was, I might be able to respond. Vonrd is one of those folks in love with acronyms no one understands. Spell them out. Bro!

 

You can think of "Arguments" as status value of cockpit elements, which you can use on your triggers (for Single Player missions only) with the trigger condition X:COCKPIT ARGUMENT IN RANGE. On the Phantom for example, you can detect if the Canopy Handle is on the "close" position by checking if the Argument 200 is 0. If it is 1 then the Handle is on "Open".

 

[HotTom]

18 hours ago, Zabuzard said:

Draw argument, or simple: animation.
The aircrafts animations are stored in so called draw args and can be played usually from 0 to 1 (sometimes also - 1 to 1).

Everything that moves or blinks in the cockpit is an animation stored in such a draw arg. Mission designers can also read them and Livery designers can for example also set/write to them. That's also how the different helmets and similiar in liveries work.

Thank you. 

That's what we in the US Army would have called a BFO (a Blinding Flash of the Obvious)  

Edited July 15, 2024 by HotTom

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

On 7/13/2024 at 1:52 PM, II.JG1_Vonrd said:

If anyone's interested I've compiled the ARGs for the F-4E (by fiddling with the sliders in MV). It's by no means comprehensive. I wish that ED and module makers would provide a full list of ARGs for each module. So, a question... I want to make a QF-4 Drone skin and want to have it launch in game as NOLO (no pilot and WSO). If I included the ARGs that remove them (50 & 701) in the description lua, would that work if it's designated AI in the Mission Editor? What about if it's designated as a Player or Client in the Mission Editor?

ARGs.ods 10.85 kB · 0 downloads ARGs.pdf 39.73 kB · 3 downloads

@Zabuzard Not to belabor the issue but I notice that the draw_args lua doesn't really relate to what actually works in the Model Viewer. For example, lines 9 & 10 operate the flaps in the MV but in draw_args 9 is "LG_Lever = 5," and 10 is "Toebrake_L = 6,". In fact, most of the args that work in MV don't relate to draw_args. This means (unfortunately) that Livery makers are back to moving each slider in order to see what works in the Model Viewer. It's beneficial to be able to drop the flaps, gear, slats, etc. in order to see the areas of the skin that are hidden when they're up / retracted. Is there somewhere a lua that lists the args that work in the MV?

[Zabuzard]

draw_args.lua is accurate, it is what the code uses after all.

You are talking about external draw args instead of cockpit draw args. Scroll down in the file to where the ext draw args are defined :)

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

Ah... thank you! I was equating the arg numbers with the line numbers in the left column of the lua. Duh...

[Backy 51]

Great job II.JG1_Vonrd!

Here's a few more ARGs of possible interest. Excel list included.

null

HB-F-4-ARGs.xlsx

[Zabuzard]

Great job II.JG1_Vonrd!
Here's a few more ARGs of possible interest. Excel list included.
null

HB-F-4-ARGs.xlsx

Please, I want to emphasize it one more time so you stop possibly wasting time searching for these things.

All animations/drawargs are public available with names and numbers in your draw_args.lua file locally in your Phantom files. (C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F-4E\Cockpit     draw_args.lua)

Open it with a text editor and you have all of them visible and searchable!
You can also open the model file in DCSs ModelViewer and play/inspect all of the animations individually.

Your work is great. Its just that all of this is already available :)

[Backy 51]

3 minutes ago, Zabuzard said:

Please, I want to emphasize it one more time so you stop wasting time searching for these things.

All animations/drawargs are public available with names and numbers in your draw_args.lua file locally in your Phantom files. (exact path has been posted above)

Open it with a text editor and you have all of them visible and searchable!

Calm down. If I'm making static skins, I don't need to sort through a 1000 ARGs to find the ones applicable to skin creators.  A gouge like this is perfectly acceptable and useful. I'm well aware of the LUA file.

[Zabuzard]

Calm down. If I'm making static skins, I don't need to sort through a 1000 ARGs to find the ones applicable to skin creators.  A gouge like this is perfectly acceptable and useful. I'm well aware of the LUA file.

Sorry if my wording sounded harsh or anything. If you are aware of the lua, all good.

I just had this image in my head of you guys possibly sitting there the whole weekend, trying out thousands of arguments ingame (or in ModelViewer) to compile a list of our animations that already exists

(and even if it wasnt available, we would happily share our internal lists to make your life easier)

[Backy 51]

10 minutes ago, Zabuzard said:

Sorry if my wording sounded harsh or anything. If you are aware of the lua, all good.

I just had this image in my head of you guys possibly sitting there the whole weekend, trying out thousands of arguments ingame (or in ModelViewer) to compile a list of our animations that already exists

(and even if it wasnt available, we would happily share our internal lists to make your life easier)
 

No worries ... I love the module. As you can now see:   

You guys did a great job!

Edited July 31, 2024 by Backy 51