Skunkworks BIOS and DCS

[Purzel]

Hi folks,

for my cockpit I've ordered an IFEI and an UFC from tekcreations a few years ago, when DCS-BIOS (the original Hub) was the real hot <profanity> back then.

Now I've bought some newer stuff rom tekcreations (left and right brain-controllers, MasterArm and IRcool-panel), which requires Skunkworks BIOS and I've installed Skunkworks-BIOS step-by-step (see next post) as described by TekCreations (https://tekcreations.slab.com/public/posts/dcsbios-installation-skunkworks-byjgzhpu).
Export.lua is updated and the new stuff is running. 
My older IFEI and UFC weren't running anymore (only, if I started the old DCS-BIOS parallel).

As far as I understand Skunkworks is running in the background and does not have to be started everytime I start DCS (as the old BIOS).
But I have to do everytime the following steps:

Read out the COM-ports (4,5,9 and 13) and then I have open the "connect-serial-port" 4x and put in every window each of the four COM-port-numbers.
Only after that I can use my hardware-panels.
Randomly I've found out that the older IFEI and UFC are running under Skunkworks when I use the "connect-serial-port"-part as described above.

Now my question:
How can I spare this part with the four windows? Is there an automated way to go?


Greetings Purzel

PS: A I already asked Kieron from TekCreations, but he can't help me with that.

Edited Sunday at 07:25 PM by Purzel

[Purzel]

### SKUNKWORKS-Installation

Note
> The process for updating DCS-BIOS is exactly the same as installing it.

1. Go to the [latest release][latest-release-url]
2. Download `DCS-BIOS_x.y.z.zip`
3. Extract the zip file
4. Within the extracted folder, copy the `DCS-BIOS` folder into the previously mentioned scripts folder.
5. **If your Scripts folder does not have an `Export.lua` file**, copy the `Export.lua` file over
6. **If your scripts folder _does_ have an `Export.lua` file**, add the following line to the end 
```dofile(lfs.writedir() .. [[Scripts\DCS-BIOS\BIOS.lua]])```

Tip
Still having trouble? Check out our [wiki][wiki-url], ask a question in [Discussions][discussions-url] or get in touch on [Discord][discord-url].

## Usage

Spoiler

### Panel Builders

Arduino Users should download the `Source code (zip)` on the Release page to get all needed files.

You don't need to be a programmer or electrical engineer to build your own panels. The [DCS-BIOS User Guide][user-guide-url] includes step-by-step instructions on how to connect your panel to DCS using DCS-BIOS and the beginner-friendly [Arduino microcontroller platform](http://arduino.cc). You don't have to write any code yourself.

#### Connect DCS-BIOS stream to your serial ports

Both `socat` and [DCSBIOSBridge](dcsbiosbridge-url) can be used to connect to your device.



This is the only part I don't understand:

Zitat

> [!Important]
> If using `socat`, the files in the .zip file must be unzipped directly in the socat folder. The path **must** be `/socat/socat.exe`

Which files are meant?

 

[Rapti]

You have to start the ports in any case.

You do not have to do this individually, but you can edit the file multiple-com-ports.cmd with notepad++ and enter your ports there.

This way you only have to execute this one cmd file

 

null

Edited Monday at 02:25 PM by Rapti

[No1sonuk]

The DCSBIOSBridge mentioned CAN do the job, but many people experience lag when using it.  There's currently no dev for it, so it should really only be used for testing if all else fails.

Rapti's response is the way to go for normal running.

[Purzel]

@Rapti
I cannot open that .cmd-file with Notepad++, either by rightclick and "open with", nor by dragging the .cmd-file into Notepad++.
How do I get this done?
 

 

Cheers Purzel

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:58 AM by Purzel

[Rapti]

On 6/24/2025 at 11:49 AM, Purzel said:

@Rapti
I cannot open that .cmd-file with Notepad++, either by rightclick and "open with", nor by dragging the .cmd-file into Notepad++.
How do I get this done?
 

 

Cheers Purzel

 

mhh that's strange. Do you possibly have no authorization in Windows? I simply open the file with Notepad++