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Capt Zeen F/A-18C Beta Helios Profile ! ! !


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UPDATE 3

11/11/2019

HELIOS 1.4.2019.1005 or above REQUIRED

 

-LIR switch

-LTD/R switch

-LST/NFLR switch

-AntiIce/Rain switch

-HMD bright rotator

-Fixed all the isses due to the last A10C interface changes (yes, that profile uses the A10C helios interface).

-Extended the cockpit art to full screen on the 16x9 aspect resolution

-Changed the art of all the switches for the actual F18C cockpit ones

-Added the new kneeboard panel with all the existing maps on DCS

-New export files organization

 

UPDATE 2

 

Fixed the beheviors of some switches:

 

Launch bar Switch

Hook Bypass Switch

ALR-67 Power Button

And deleted the AMPCD config files, we don't need it anymore

 

UPDATE 1

 

Fixed the change of device numbers on the ED update.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

Hello all !

 

Here we come, with another Helios profile! This time for the F/A-18C Hornet.

I made the profile using the A10C interface in Helios. With that, we dont need to prepare different versions for differents countries, we dont need the default.lua to define all the keyboard commads, because i redirect directly to DCS from helios, so we dont need to worry abous future changes. And of course, for the final user, (you), is a more easy installation ! So here you got a fully input/output F/A-18C profile. Hope you like it !

 

- Beta version:

 

Important notice !!

As everyones knows, i publish the F/A18C profile while the DCS F/A-18C module is still in Early Access state.

Thats mean the module is still not finished and we foresee more changes in it, so the Helios profile will need some changes on the near future. In this version I implemented all the switches, lamp, instruments and levers that actually work on the module. I publish the profile in beta version, with the purpose of test it, and of course, everyone can enjoy it before the module will be finish.

 

For this profile i exported all the instruments, lamps, selectors, switches and levers in the F/A-18C cockpit.

Of course i added the navigation panel from others profiles, so you can check airport charts, tactical maps, ndbs, etc

 

XD5y1vg.jpg

Main panel

 

xc2c8Jq.jpg

Right panel

 

5ZDIL29.jpg

Left panel 1

 

8Z0ZZtJ.jpg

Left panel 2

 

eKG873X.jpg

Bottom panel and Brakers panel

 

 

 

 

- Profile files:

 

F18_beta.hpf .....................16:10 monitor resolutions

F18_b_beta.hpf .....................16:9 monitor resolutions

 

 

- Export.lua:

 

Another important notice !!

Included in the Scripts folder, you can find the export.lua, ready to export data A10C, KA50, FC3, F-15C, P-51D, UH-1H, A10C radio fix, MI-8 v1.5, SA342, Mig21bis, L39ZA and the F/A-18C Hornet profile.

This file is a modified version of the Loophole Updated version from 09/11/2014, ( http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=97222 )

 

- Monitor aspect resolutions:

 

I made two different profiles, v1.0 for 16:10 monitors and v1.0b for 16:9 monitors. Use the one better fit width you monitor resolution.

 

- Thanks:

 

I made the entire graphic art, based on screenshots of the simulator, and the textures folder of the game.

I used the airport charts from http://www.virtual-jabog32.de and the tactical chart TC-1 created by =MAF=Mongoose and the NDBs list created by Lino_Germany.

For the export.lua i used the Loophole version, compatible width KA50, A10c and FC3 as a base for all my implementations.

In the export.lua i include a couple of functions by [FSF]Ian to export the digits of the UV26 for the MI-8

I want to thanks aswell to all the people who help me, in the DCS forum, every time i reached a deadlock, somewhere!

And of course to Gadroc for creating Helios, this great software.

 

PROFILE FEATURES

 

All panels are designed independently, so you can re-arrange the design if you need it to fit your rig.

 

Main Front Panel:

- All the instruments, switches and lamps

- Empty spaces to visualize the viewport exports for IFEI, UFC, RWR, AMPCD and the two DDI

 

Auxiliar panels:

- All the instruments, switches, levers and lamps

 

Left 1 and Left 2 panel:

- The Left panel is divided in two - All the instruments, switches, levers and lamps

 

Right panel:

- All the instruments, switches, levers and lamps

 

Bottom panel:

- All the instruments, switches,levers and lamps

 

Brakers panel:

- All the switches

 

 

Navigation panel:

-Airports visual operation charts v4.04

-Airports diagramss v4.04

-TC-1 Tactical Chart

-Caucasus general area map, with airports and table width airport freqs, locations, ids, etc.

-Airport Circuit Example

-List of the NDBs

 

- About panel:

- Info about the profile and version.

 

 

 

SPECIAL ACTIONS

 

-Helios dont use right mouse buttons so i created special buttons to simulate several cockpit actions:

 

5BNr5Rk.jpg

 

 

 

 

INSTALLATION

 

--Install Helios if you don't have it yet. (http://www.gadrocsworkshop.com/helios/latest)

-Copy the profile you need, for your resolution , on the profiles folder, usualy in user/my documents/helios/profiles

-Copy the folder Capt_Zeen on the images folder, usualy in user/my documents/helios/images

-Run the HeliosProfileEditor, load the profile F18 you want to use, and perform a Reset Monitors from the menu Profile.

-Save the profile

-Dont forget to use the correct export.lua i included in the package,

Copy it in C:\Users\yourusername\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts, but first make a backup copy of your actual export.lua.

-IF you use Tackview, Simpleradio, DCS-bios or another external scripts, copy the corresponding lines from your old export.lua to the new one.

 

RUNNING THE PROFILE

 

 

-Open the Helios Control Center, select the profile and start it.

 

 

CONFIGURING THE SECOND MONITOR

 

included in the package, there is a folder called "DCS Monitor Configuration" width a complete folders structure you can drop on DCS World instalation folder. This structure prepare the diferents lua scripts to export the views to the second monitor to represent the IFEI, UFC, RWR, AMPCD, left and right DDI.

You will need to change the coordinates x and y of every viewport and the width and height sizes of them in the DCS Monitor Configuration\Config\MonitorSetup\2_monitors-F18.lua

Change it before copy to the game folder, and save a copy of this structure, cause DCS world rewrite this files every update!

To calculate the correct position of each viewport, run Helios and start the profile. Take a screenshot and paste the image in any art program. Paint from Windows works well.

Put the cursor over the left-up corners of every empty spaces and write down the coordinates. Drag a box from that point to the right_down corner, and take the width and height of the rectangle.

Modify the 2_monitors-F18.lua width your correct numbers. and you can now copy the complete "DCS Monitor Configuration" folder to the DCS game folder, or use a Mods control program like JSGME to do it.

 

Also, you can use this template to calculate the position and sizes of the diferent viewports: (note how IFEI uses a bigger space to fit correctly in his place)

 

XG04HaJ.jpg

 

 

 

KNOWN ISSUES

 

- The switches of the APU power and Crank do not return automaticaly to his rest position after use them from Helios, so you need to do it manually. I hope fix this in the final versión

 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

 

If you use Helios and TARS or TACKVIEW you can have miss workings due to the way Helios works width the export.lua.

To prevent this, just move the lines for Tars or tackview to the very end of the export.lua in C:\Users\yourusername\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts.

 

 

 

 

As always, you can get it in the download section of my site:

http://www.captzeen.com

 

 

Hope you like it !

 

 

 

 

 

TROUBLESHOOTING:

 

 

Wen you install a Helios profile, and you got a problem, try to identify exactly what happens.

Usually two issues can show up:

 

1 - The gauges, switches, lamps, etc, don't work

 

2 - The diferent viewports from DCS, like DDIs IFEI, RWR, etc, do not work.

 

 

In the FIRST case: The gauges, switches, lamps, etc, don't work

 

Helios is probably not getting the DCS info needed, and thats because the export.lua is not doing his job. So...

 

- check if the export files are you using are the correct ones

- check if the place where you installed is the correct one:

Export.lua inside the folder \Users\yourusername\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Scripts\

HelioCore.lua and HeliosExport.lua inside the folder \Users\yourusername\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Scripts\Helios\

- then double check again !

- and of course, always use my last export files.

 

If you are using a system with more than two monitors,

- check the FAQ on the site. There is a bug on Helios that can asign a incorrect monitor to all bindings on the profile. There you got a solution for that.

 

If everything looks correct with the export files and still no joy,

- run a mision, and exit DCS,

- then check the dcs.log in savedgames/dcs/logs and look for errors in the export.lua . If something wrong happens in the export.lua the log tell you where to look at.

 

If you are using other tools with Helios, like: Simpleradio,Tackview DCS-bios etc, you can try to change the order of the lines in the export.lua. Those ones do not give problems, but some tools can, so give it a try.

 

 

In the SECOND case: The diferent viewports from DCS, like DDIs IFEI, RWR, etc, do not work.

 

Ok, this is important to know, Helios do not export the viewports, is DCS who do that.

 

Some DCS modules are ready to export some of his viewport, but not all of them. That's the reason we need to change some .luas to make that module ready to export the viewports.

 

In the F18 case, and at this date ( 29/Aug/2018 ), only the 2 DDIs and the AMPCD are ready to export. The IFEI, RWR and UFC are not, so we need to overwrite those .luas with other ones ready to export viewport.

 

Usually, in my profile packages you got everything you need to do that operation in a folder called monitor configuration. So...

 

- Check if you installed the files in the correct place. I recomend to you use JSGME or OVGME to do the job, because in every DCS update those files are rewriten again

- Then edit the MonitorSetup file to adjust the viewports to your monitor configuration. (2_monitors-FA18C.lua )

- In DCS options, put your max resolution ( this is the total of your monitor resolutions in horizontal and vertical, for example two monitors 1920x1080 placed in horizontal layout, the total resolution is 3840x1080 )

- In DCS options, uncheck full screen option

- In DCS options, select the monitorsetup file to use (the one your just edited)

 

 

 

IMPROVING THE LINES QUALITY IN THE EXPORTED VIEWPORTS

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3555460&postcount=117

 

 

from my discord channel, by Kudox:

 

"Hi all this is what i discovered on MDG export . The wire solution looks terrible. set the MDI_init.lua for default . the file you what to modify is

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Cockpit\Scripts\Multipurpose_Display_Group\Common\indicator\MDG_strokesDefs.lua . The draw is used for 3d cockpit and exported MDG . modify as a balance between the two . Here are my defaults that work for me

stroke_thickness = 0.5

stroke_fuzziness = 0.25

 

-- Currently is used for DMC generated fonts black outline

DMC_outline_thickness = stroke_thickness * 3

DMC_outline_fuzziness = stroke_fuzziness * 1.1

DMC_stroke_thickness = 0.5

DMC_stroke_fuzziness = 0.25

looks great now. Id ditch the wire draw.

I ll look into the RWR and UFC

UFC use the brightness control in cockpit works fine, RWR

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\FA-18C\Cockpit\Scripts\TEWS\indicator\RWR_ALR67_init.lua Modify shaderLineDefaultThickness = 3 see if that helps "

 

 

 

 

 

if you got other problems, check the FAQ on the site

If still you don't find a solution, you can use my discord channel too: https://discord.gg/sS66aJf

 

And of course you can ask in this forum too !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..


Edited by Capt Zeen
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Awesome work but 1 problem and 1 question

 

Hi there,

 

Thank you very much for working on this !

 

I have a problem in that the right hand radion know just keeps spinning on my helios touch screen / second screen with the channel indicator rapidly rolling through and displaying the channel numbers. Anyway to fix this ?

 

 

In your monitor code you have the following

 

 

--LEFT

F18_LEFT =

{

x = 2078;

y = 165;

width = 330;

height = 311;

}

 

--LEFT

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 0;

y = 2161;

width = 500;

height = 490;

}

 

Is that a double up or is it needed ?

 

Oh and also what is the secret to getting the UFC and EFEI windows lined up, they seem really finnicky.... I got the display screens lined up ok.

Thanks again !

 

Thrud

System: I7 7700K - Delidded. TT Cooler. 32GB 3000hz Ram, Gigabyte Aorus Ext 1080TI, SSD's, Corsair Gold 850W PSU, Philips 4K 40inch 60hz monitor, Dell 22inch Touch + Helios, Rift S, VKB MCG PRO, TM TPR pedals, TM Warthog throttle with slew mod and twist repair

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Hi there,

 

Thank you very much for working on this !

 

I have a problem in that the right hand radion know just keeps spinning on my helios touch screen / second screen with the channel indicator rapidly rolling through and displaying the channel numbers. Anyway to fix this ?

 

 

In your monitor code you have the following

 

 

--LEFT

F18_LEFT =

{

x = 2078;

y = 165;

width = 330;

height = 311;

}

 

--LEFT

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 0;

y = 2161;

width = 500;

height = 490;

}

 

Is that a double up or is it needed ?

 

Oh and also what is the secret to getting the UFC and EFEI windows lined up, they seem really finnicky.... I got the display screens lined up ok.

Thanks again !

 

Thrud

 

I am going to check the radio issue tonight.

In the monitor configuration you only need one of the two.

To fit the IFEI look at the template I post here, for some reason, the width need to be bigger than looks.

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For my own reasons, I would like to put the Helios screen to the left of my main monitor (the opposite of what is normally done). In calculating the screen coordinates of the monitors, do I still start with 0,0 for my main monitor or 1921,0?

Do the viewport coordinates on the right Helios monitor now use negative numbers or do they start at 0,0?

I have two 1920x1080 monitors.

Trackir4 using the latest Trackir 5 software, Win10 Pro [Creator Update] updated from Win7Pro Pro 64Bit, Intel® Core™ i5-2500 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA115 , GigaByte GA-Z68XP-UD4 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 16GB Ram, GTX MSI Gaming 1060 [6 GB] Video Card, Main Monitor 1 on left 1920x1080 Touchscreen Monitor 2 on right 1920x1080 .

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I cannot seem to open the rar file with any of my unzip programs. What have you been using?

 

 

I finally got it open with WinZip, but not with 7zip or winrar. Weird.


Edited by sobe

Trackir4 using the latest Trackir 5 software, Win10 Pro [Creator Update] updated from Win7Pro Pro 64Bit, Intel® Core™ i5-2500 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA115 , GigaByte GA-Z68XP-UD4 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 16GB Ram, GTX MSI Gaming 1060 [6 GB] Video Card, Main Monitor 1 on left 1920x1080 Touchscreen Monitor 2 on right 1920x1080 .

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For my own reasons, I would like to put the Helios screen to the left of my main monitor (the opposite of what is normally done). In calculating the screen coordinates of the monitors, do I still start with 0,0 for my main monitor or 1921,0?

Do the viewport coordinates on the right Helios monitor now use negative numbers or do they start at 0,0?

I have two 1920x1080 monitors.

 

What you want is 1920,0 for main monitor.

 

The top left corner of any screen (physical or programmatic) is always 0,0 as convention, and the coordinate goes from 0 to width-1, which is why you want the monitor on the right to start with 1920 instead of 1921 to prevent pixel column width of 1 gap in between.

 

What you could do to make your life easier is to put some constants saying, for example,

M1_WIDTH=1920;
M1_HEIGHT=1080;
M2_WIDTH=1920;
M2_HEIGHT=1080;

so you won't easily mess up in calculations and stuff.


Edited by sreventon
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sreventon

how do you put this in the monitor config file?

M1_WIDTH=1920; M1_HEIGHT=1080; M2_WIDTH=1920; M2_HEIGHT=1080;

Trackir4 using the latest Trackir 5 software, Win10 Pro [Creator Update] updated from Win7Pro Pro 64Bit, Intel® Core™ i5-2500 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA115 , GigaByte GA-Z68XP-UD4 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 16GB Ram, GTX MSI Gaming 1060 [6 GB] Video Card, Main Monitor 1 on left 1920x1080 Touchscreen Monitor 2 on right 1920x1080 .

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Subscribed,,, many thanks

Windows 10 Pro - 64 Bit / ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming / AMD 7800X3D / G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO 64GB DDR5 6000 Ram / SSD M.2 SK hynix Platinum P41 2TB / MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X 24G / SteelSeries Arctis 7 Headset /LG-Ultragear 38" IPS LED Ultrawide HD Monitor (3840 x 1600) / Track IR4 / Thrustmaster TPR Pendular Rudder Pedals / Virpil HOTAS VPC Constellation ALPHA-R & VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle

 

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sreventon

how do you put this in the monitor config file?

M1_WIDTH=1920; M1_HEIGHT=1080; M2_WIDTH=1920; M2_HEIGHT=1080;

 

Anywhere that it's scope is visible to the viewports want to reference these.

 

If you are not familiar with the concept of scope for programming, basically this means: put this anywhere not inside braces and before the viewport definitions that want to use these constants.

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This is a neat trick to locate the screen coordinates of your viewports in the cockpit:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.ph...th#Post4313980

Trackir4 using the latest Trackir 5 software, Win10 Pro [Creator Update] updated from Win7Pro Pro 64Bit, Intel® Core™ i5-2500 3.30 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache LGA115 , GigaByte GA-Z68XP-UD4 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 16GB Ram, GTX MSI Gaming 1060 [6 GB] Video Card, Main Monitor 1 on left 1920x1080 Touchscreen Monitor 2 on right 1920x1080 .

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Got it up and running and it is a thing of beauty, thanks CaptZeen!

 

If anybody needs a screenconfig, I run these coordinates for a 4k main screen with a 1080p touch below it, vertically arranged and aligned on the left edge for coordinates.

 

These values work for me, main screen is 3840x2160, touchscreen is 1920x1080 and DCS overall resolution is 3840x3240.

 

Viewports =
{
Center =
{
	x = 0;
	y = 0;
	width = 3840;
	height = 2160;
	viewDx = 0;
	viewDy = 0;
	aspect = 1.777778;
}
}

-- Viewport to place GUI and menu on
GUI =	{
		x = 0;
		y = 0;
		width = 3840;
		height = 2160;
	}


-- Bind GUI and tactical map to main screen only
UIMainView = GUI
	
	
-- Kneeboard config to show up on the main screen in the bottom right corner
KNEEBOARD =
{
x = 3312;
y = 1370;
width = 526;
height = 789;
}

-- Export for F/A-18C

--LEFT DDI
F18_LEFT =
{
    x = 283;
    y = 2355;
    width = 380;
    height = 380;
}


--RIGHT DDI
F18_RIGHT =
{
    x = 1261;
    y = 2355;
    width = 380;
    height = 380;
}

-- RWR
F18_RWR =
{
    x = 1496;
    y = 2882;
    width = 174;
    height = 174;
}

--AMPCD
F18_AMPCD =
{
    x = 772;
    y = 2850;
    width = 376;
    height = 354;
}

--IFEI
F18_IFEI =
{
    x = 153;
    y = 2914;
    width = 524;
    height = 203;
}

--UFC
F18_UFC =
{
    x = 741;
    y = 2190;
    width = 455;
    height = 263;
}

-- END F/A-18C

| i9 12900K |  64GB DDR5-6000 | STRIX RTX 4090 OC | LG 38GN950 38" |

| Hanns-G HT225HPB | TIR 5 & Varjo Aero | Virpil Throttle & Stick | TM TPRs |

You don't stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing.

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Thanks for sharing, cant wait to get this running myself over the weekend

Windows 10 Pro - 64 Bit / ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming / AMD 7800X3D / G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO 64GB DDR5 6000 Ram / SSD M.2 SK hynix Platinum P41 2TB / MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X 24G / SteelSeries Arctis 7 Headset /LG-Ultragear 38" IPS LED Ultrawide HD Monitor (3840 x 1600) / Track IR4 / Thrustmaster TPR Pendular Rudder Pedals / Virpil HOTAS VPC Constellation ALPHA-R & VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle

 

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The quality is amazing but unfortunately I have two issues at the moment :(

 

First of all, the "green" extra buttons (like AUX, LFT, RGT, NAV, ABOUT, etc) are not working at all for me; I tried outside the game, left or right click, but nothing happens, only the green line under it.

All the buttons and switches responds correctly at both touch and mouse inputs, so it's working to some extent.

Helios is at the latest version 1.3.190.448

 

The biggest issue I have unfortunately is that the buttons and gauges are not working at all in game, and it is very wierd.

With the same Export.lua I copied from the rar, untouched, the CapLoz A-10C profile works as expected, both gauges and inputs, but the F/A-18C profile is completely dead.

 

I've tried all I could and I'm sure I've copied all the files in the right place, now I don't know where I could be wrong...

 

Do anyone have similar issues? Any help is really appreciated

 

And thanks again Capt, this is really an amazing work and can't wait to get it working (the viewports work flawlessly, outstanding)!


Edited by Cloudie
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Got it up and running and it is a thing of beauty, thanks CaptZeen!

 

If anybody needs a screenconfig, I run these coordinates for a 4k main screen with a 1080p touch below it, vertically arranged and aligned on the left edge for coordinates.

 

These values work for me, main screen is 3840x2160, touchscreen is 1920x1080 and DCS overall resolution is 3840x3240.

 

 

[/code]

 

What does this setup do to your FPS performance?

i7 8700K @ Stock - Win10 64 - 32 RAM - RTX 3080 12gb OC - 55 inch 4k Display

 

 

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What does this setup do to your FPS performance?

 

Approx 45-47 without Helios (just SRS and TacView in Export.lua) down to about 37-40. The drop is a bit steeper than on the Hog for some reason but I guess that will be ironed out eventually.

 

 

I just wish SLI would work properly...

| i9 12900K |  64GB DDR5-6000 | STRIX RTX 4090 OC | LG 38GN950 38" |

| Hanns-G HT225HPB | TIR 5 & Varjo Aero | Virpil Throttle & Stick | TM TPRs |

You don't stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing.

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