DCS World TARGET profile for TM Cougar and Warthog + MFDs

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Summary of the Wishlist

• Make ACL fully HOTAS friendly, removing unused functionality and utilizing the AP 3-way for either heading modes or as a ‘dual toggle’ solution

• Reclaim the boat switch for a more creative application like your other profiles or a simple ‘enhanced’ ACM mode implementation

• Make LANTIRN mapping available to both PILOT/RIO profiles

• Decide if wing sweeping will live on the coolie or china hat, add course/heading knobs to whichever loses

• Add MSL Mode toggle to DMS to replace one of the redundant PAL buttons

These are some sound recommendations, and I'll look into them. I'm assuming you're not using MFDs, which have the Master Arm and ACM cover already spoken for.

What is the best way to get the profile mapping images into a kneeboard? Since they are jpgs, the custom kneeboard builder doesn't seem to support them.

The HOTAS graphics aren't really set for kneeboard use, but you should check out MFDisplay. Scotty and I are working together to integrate features, and this will quite simply put MFD inserts and Warthog HOTAS jpgs on an auxiliary monitor, and will switch when you load a different aircraft profile. You could also run it independently on a remote PC or laptop.

These are some sound recommendations, and I'll look into them. I'm assuming you're not using MFDs, which have the Master Arm and ACM cover already spoken for.

 

 

The HOTAS graphics aren't really set for kneeboard use, but you should check out MFDisplay. Scotty and I are working together to integrate features, and this will quite simply put MFD inserts and Warthog HOTAS jpgs on an auxiliary monitor, and will switch when you load a different aircraft profile. You could also run it independently on a remote PC or laptop.

Thanks. I fly in VR though so that doesn't help me.

What I ended up doing was bringing them into Photoshop, cutting them in half and reformatting them a bit, then exporting them as PDFs that could then be imported to the kneeboard.

These are some sound recommendations, and I'll look into them. I'm assuming you're not using MFDs, which have the Master Arm and ACM cover already spoken for.

I do have MFDs but I fly in VR so sometimes it's not the most efficient input method. I don't know how others do it, but for me I've can easily find the MFD but I have to physically check which button I need by referencing one of the corners, I imagine it's a lot like being blind :). Even on the easier buttons to find it's still like a ~2 second+ process. This can be compounded in other cases when the button I need is in between two buttons I definitely DO NOT want to hit by mistake. To be fair, where you have it now is probably one of the easier buttons to find being it's one to the right of "the fat button closest to the left corner" I was just thinking of what would be a good candidate to move to the HOTAS that would do justice to your style. It had more to do with how you map the FC3 boat switches than an inability to get to the button.

Thanks. I fly in VR though so that doesn't help me.

 

What I ended up doing was bringing them into Photoshop, cutting them in half and reformatting them a bit, then exporting them as PDFs that could then be imported to the kneeboard.

I fly in VR so I kinda understand where you are coming from. What I ended up doing was printing out the profile JPGs and the high contrast MFDs and made a little bind I can keep on my lap, sort of like an IRL kneeboard. It's easy enough to kinda glance out of the bottom of my HMD if I need to, or depending on your hardware there might be an easier solution. If you print them in landscape mode you can have a nice little flip book that works just fine.

The more you fly with CTS, in general, the less you will need to reference the book. I fly a LOT of different modules and for the most part, the profiles follow a similar theme - especially for similar aircraft. You get used to where certain things are going to be always and Homefries does a great job of keeping commonality where it makes sense.

Throttle - A/P Disengage button + 3-way vector switch

 

Proposed change: APENG long = AutoThrottle | APPAT = ACL, APALT = Altitude Hold. What I think may be a cleaner solution is outlined under the boat switch section, this is mainly to solve the ACL usage issue outlined below in a vacuum.

 

Why: The GSD state on the APENG switch prevents ACL functionality as you need both the A/P engage *and* AutoThrottle. Since GSD removes the only A/P Engage mapping you can’t really use ACL without clicking in the cockpit which sort of negates the need to have it mapped at all, the VEC/PCD (up state) of that switch isn’t going to be used, from what I can tell, ever within DCS. Moving Altitude hold over to the APPAT 3-way allows you to use automated carrier landing (ACL) functionality much more gracefully.

 

I do realize this may create another problem as I’m suggesting using one physical 3-way switch to operate 2x 2-way switches but the main issue is the usage of the ACL function on the HOTAS. An additional considering for the current mapping is even if you go a bit out of order for the ACL and engage the A/P (which is going to be attitude hold) before dropping your gear you lose the ability to trim and if you need to abort the ACL with GSD your only option is the pinkie lever which kills your SAS.

 

Boat Switch

 

Proposed change: Move current A/P Heading functions to the APPAT/ALT/AH switch as either default or shifted toggles. This would free up the boat switch which opens room for some of your usual boat switch wizardry ???? This would centralize Autopilot functions physically on the throttle

 

Alternative (combined) proposal

• Move boat switch mappings to APPAT/AH/ALT 3-way

• AutoThrottle mapping already exists on left throttle in a very user friendly (F18) place

• ACL is the only homeless mapping which can be a long press APENG

 

 

Subsequent Boat switch use:

 

Easiest thing that I think is ‘on-brand’ for you would be an 'Enhanced Master Arm’ functionality similar to your FC3 profiles where the boat would serve as a BVR/ACM toggle. For example, forward would be straight up Master Arm and AFT would be Master Arm + ACM cover up.

Looking at this further, I could definitely implement something for APENG. The Boat Switch may take more time, but it is doable, as is a strategy for the AP 3 position switch.

Since I don't have any experience using the ACLS or autothrottle, I would like to get a step-by-step instruction on how to use both in the pattern so I can create mappings that are logical.

APU / Front Seat LANTIRN

With several folks making use of the Pilot LANTIRN mod (https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3303929/) a way to engage the LANTIRN state from the ‘pilots’ profile would be awesome. At a glance, the level of effort to add that to the GSU APU switch seems like a good fit? This could be a toggle option in the CTS configuration like how you currently have the fuel dump inversion. I'll admit I'd never been able to get the LANTIRN remapping toggle to work for me (VR user) so I’m really looking for a low effort way for you to make that work ????

 

China hat, Coolie, TMS and Navigation

 

While must admit having the wing sweep on the china hat is much more user friendly than the coolie, I understand why you put it there as it’s closer to the actual F14 throttle.

Suggestions:

• Map course knob L/R to china hat, optionally leave the shifted AUTO/BOMB functionality as is

• Either add a CTS config option or implicitly allow folks to disable the AUTO/BOMB on coolie coolie if they are like me and prone to accidentally selecting AUTO/BOMB when trying to manually sweep wings.

• Alternatively, if you wanted to favor pure utility over semi realistic placement, leaving wing sweep as is on the china hat (aft/fwd/auto/bomb), the coolie could be used for both heading and course knob functions.

• Map heading knob L/R to a shifted TMS L/R which is currently unused

These may be a bit more difficult to do. Should be doable, but may be a nightmare to implement. Problem is that I have control routines spread across the file that remap controls based on station (pilot/rio), gear state, engine start, LANTIRN, CommState, VAICOM (with AI RIO), et al. I need to map out a flowchart before I start playing with this stuff, as the more configurations I allow, the more things that can break. I'll explore further, but no promises.

DMS

While I could be wrong about the actual utility of the MSL mode switch, I equate it to roughly the grandfather of F18/F15 bore ACM modes. I find myself really wishing I had it mapped to my stick. I feel like using one of the redundant PAL slots on the DMS (L or R) would be a good fit.

The Bore ACM mode is PLM, which is mapped to the eraserhead push button. I keep PAL on DMS L/R so people don't need to remember which side to use for what is a push in the jet. I'm not entirely sure about the missile mode switch, but from what I understand (and I could very well be wrong) the ACM cover takes care of this functionality as well.

Since I don't have any experience using the ACLS or autothrottle, I would like to get a step-by-step instruction on how to use both in the pattern so I can create mappings that are logical.

Redkite has a decent albeit lengthy walkthrough of the system, the link should have a timestamp:

Here is a much shorter and dedicated video:

These may be a bit more difficult to do. Should be doable, but may be a nightmare to implement. Problem is that I have control routines spread across the file that remap controls based on station (pilot/rio), gear state, engine start, LANTIRN, CommState, VAICOM (with AI RIO), et al. I need to map out a flowchart before I start playing with this stuff, as the more configurations I allow, the more things that can break. I'll explore further, but no promises.

Understood, as an aside for the latest version did something break or revert for VR station switching? Mine stopped working.

The Bore ACM mode is PLM, which is mapped to the eraserhead push button. I keep PAL on DMS L/R so people don't need to remember which side to use for what is a push in the jet. I'm not entirely sure about the missile mode switch, but from what I understand (and I could very well be wrong) the ACM cover takes care of this functionality as well.

Ahh, I kinda messed up equating it to the bore ACM mode on the F15. The MSL Mode does have different functionality depending on the weapon, with an overlap in some instances with the ACM mode (http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/weapons.html#launch-modes). In the interest of keeping it simple, PLM is a target acquisition where the MSL mode changes the behavior. For example, the Aim54 launched in BRSIT (boresite) mode will come off the rail active locking onto the first thing it seems on/near the ADL. The BRSIT mode is a bypass for the sidewinder SEAM mode (useful if you need to fire quicky) and supports Sparrow via a flood mode allowing for salvaging trashed shots.

Not sure if that warrants placement on the HOTAS itself, but my bad for the shitty original analogy.

Redkite has a decent albeit lengthy walkthrough of the system, the link should have a timestamp:

 

Here is a much shorter and dedicated video:

Thanks for those. I've revised the A/P code for the next version. I also incorporated support for the Pilot LANTIRN mod.

Understood, as an aside for the latest version did something break or revert for VR station switching? Mine stopped working.

I don't use VR, but I'll investigate.

Ahh, I kinda messed up equating it to the bore ACM mode on the F15. The MSL Mode does have different functionality depending on the weapon, with an overlap in some instances with the ACM mode (http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/weapons.html#launch-modes). In the interest of keeping it simple, PLM is a target acquisition where the MSL mode changes the behavior. For example, the Aim54 launched in BRSIT (boresite) mode will come off the rail active locking onto the first thing it seems on/near the ADL. The BRSIT mode is a bypass for the sidewinder SEAM mode (useful if you need to fire quicky) and supports Sparrow via a flood mode allowing for salvaging trashed shots.

Not sure if that warrants placement on the HOTAS itself, but my bad for the shitty original analogy.

If you flip the ACM switch, the bore/norm switch is context sensitive, i.e. if you don't have a lock it goes to brsit and when you get a lock it goes back to norm. No real need to HOTAS this. I'll look into your Master Arm+ACM idea, but it may take some time.

Afternoon fries... are you intending to support the f18 stick?

Afternoon fries... are you intending to support the f18 stick?

I wasn't planning on purchasing it, but if people want me to support it I'll open up the crowd-funding spigot! Then I could support it for the AV-8B, F/A-18, and F-14 for starters. No plans to support it for FC3 right now.

I don't use VR, but I'll investigate.

Thanks, I can confirm this is true on the Huey as well, I assume whatever you changed between 2.32 - 2.33 inadvertently killed the functionality that worked (with a double tap) in 2.32. The trim switch still respects the unshifted trim flag but will only behave as the VR mouse so either S3+H1L/R Long or double tapping it will behave like mouse clicks. Hopefully, it's a simple fix the only thing that looks kind of like a culprit from the changelog would be applying the dual functions to WH LOSB?

I do have my Hat function in VR flag set to 1, I saw one or two other folks noting the loss of station switching a few pages back, might be additional insight there if nothing just jumps out at you from tracing back the changes.

edit: Forgot to put a bracket on the "

Here's the way it works in VR with trim default set to 1 (I believe I revamped the routine in 2.33 for bug fixing):

1. If you're flying a helo with more than 2 crew that doesn't use hat trim (e.g. Huey), Right/Left cycles stations 1/2 and Right/Left Long cycles stations 3/4.
   
2. If you're flying a 2 seat aircraft or a helo that uses hat trim (e.g. F-14, L-39, SA342), double-tapping Left/Right changes stations.
   

If trim default = 0, then S3+hat in the manner indicated above should do the trick.

I just tested with Head tracking = 2 and Default Trim = 1, and had no problem activating the station change commands from the Options menu. IIRC, the only change I've made to the VR hat code since 2.33 is fixing a Cougar bug. If you guys are still having issues in-game, please let me know whether it fails in the DCS Options Menu, and whether you get the numbers (R_SHIFT+1/2 for F-14) in the TARGET Event Tester. This might at least narrow down the cause of the issue.

Looks like the script still thinks you're in the pilot seat. The commands you listed are for commanding the ground air on/off.

 

You need to switch to RIO using S3+H1L Long to remap the controls to the RIO seat. You can then use S3+H1R Long to go back to the pilot seat.

 

Incidentally, you can also remove the communications function keys in the pilot profile by setting "APU Switch Engine Start Functionality" to 0.

Seems its S3_H1L double tap not long.. its the only way i can get it to change to rio or pilot profile is hold s3 and double tap h1l or h1r

Here's the way it works in VR with trim default set to 1 (I believe I revamped the routine in 2.33 for bug fixing):

1. If you're flying a helo with more than 2 crew that doesn't use hat trim (e.g. Huey), Right/Left cycles stations 1/2 and Right/Left Long cycles stations 3/4.
   
2. If you're flying a 2 seat aircraft or a helo that uses hat trim (e.g. F-14, L-39, SA342), double-tapping Left/Right changes stations.
   

If trim default = 0, then S3+hat in the manner indicated above should do the trick.

 

I just tested with Head tracking = 2 and Default Trim = 1, and had no problem activating the station change commands from the Options menu. IIRC, the only change I've made to the VR hat code since 2.33 is fixing a Cougar bug. If you guys are still having issues in-game, please let me know whether it fails in the DCS Options Menu, and whether you get the numbers (R_SHIFT+1/2 for F-14) in the TARGET Event Tester. This might at least narrow down the cause of the issue.

Oooook... so I feel a bit silly now. I blame this on me misreading the Profile JPG, maybe I'm not the only one but I'll explain :)

It never occurred to me to try to do it unshifted, and I guess if I read the legend it DOES say italics *can* apply to shifted commands and I assumed being as the position text was red that it meant to use S3 (which did work in 2.32).

I just checked the following using event tester and it all checks out.

Pilot/Rio switching and APU lantirn remapping both seem to work, I tested lantirn with the H3D giving me a shift+downarrow with APU on and with it off nothing got logged in the keystroke.

For the Huey, the same thing happened since I never even tried it unshifted - works fine. Sorry for the false alarm.

Hey guys, I should clarify:

The JPGs as shown are for TrackIR users. VR is a special case because 1) Hat1 doubles as your mouse buttons/wheel, 2) you choose whether the mouse functionality is shifted or unshifted (trim being the counterpart control), and 3) none of the padlock views are ever mapped for VR. VR users should disregard most of what Hat1 says on the JPG.

FWIW, my Hat1 commands are global, and the only time you shouldn't need to double-tap to change stations is when hat trim is not utilized (e.g. UH-1), and then double-tap is only necessary for stations 3 and 4 (1 and 2 are single tap).

I will review my manual to see if I have explained this, and you guys please let me know if there is somewhere in the manual(s) you think this should go to address this from the outset.

Hey guys, I should clarify:

 

The JPGs as shown are for TrackIR users. VR is a special case because 1) Hat1 doubles as your mouse buttons/wheel, 2) you choose whether the mouse functionality is shifted or unshifted (trim being the counterpart control), and 3) none of the padlock views are ever mapped for VR. VR users should disregard most of what Hat1 says on the JPG.

 

FWIW, my Hat1 commands are global, and the only time you shouldn't need to double-tap to change stations is when hat trim is not utilized (e.g. UH-1), and then double-tap is only necessary for stations 3 and 4 (1 and 2 are single tap).

 

I will review my manual to see if I have explained this, and you guys please let me know if there is somewhere in the manual(s) you think this should go to address this from the outset.

My kneejerk response to that would be 1) a big fat note in the description of the "Default POV Hat Function in VR" value since that initially causes the conflict w/ profile JPG you mentioned and also on the profile JPGs themselves. It's easy enough to figure out the padlock views don't work but I won't lie sometimes I get lost in the sauce on a profile JPG like the F18 MFD notes. Too much for me with the whole green, green italics, green in a box sometimes is bold sometimes green text in a box is green, sometimes it black... wait is that bolded.. shit it's lowercase bolded and underlined etc :)

I'm exaggerating a bit but because of that and because of my lack of ability to quickly reference them (VR) I tend to remember them just based on trial/error and less if the legend is so complicated. I do tend to read and put the most stock in the box at the top left of a profile, so those with station switching maybe use a different color entirely to cause someone to check the notes/top box and notate it there.

As for thought starters, I can think of two different routes.. both of which are probably more than you'd want to undertake short of a major version bump.

Path 1

*Make a few more Profile JPGs to accommodate major hardware differences like VR or if you end up supporting F18 grip etc. Keep those in a repository until the "Build script" function is invoked, at that time it would select the appropriate JPGs from the repository and place them in the folders they all currently occupy. This would idiot proof it to a degree and require the least amount of upfront work

Path 2

*Move to an HTML format instead of JPG so they can be dynamically populated based on configuration. I'm not sure how folks use these, but I assume they either have them open on the desktop or print them. In either case a move to HTML shouldn't really hurt anything. Obviously, this would require a fairly significant time sink up front but depending on your plans for CTS might actually make things easier down the road and certainly reduce any human errors/omissions related to manually updating profile JPGs.

**To be clear virtually all values would be 'dynamic' in the sense that when you made a change/updated a profile you wouldn't have to redo the HTML, it'd be generated when the user clicks build script reflective of that script.

Thanks for the input, Stal2k.

Going HTML for the inserts may be too much for now, but I can certainly put a table in the Advanced Config Guide so when you click the help in CTS it shows you up front. I can then copy the table to the opening section of both Cougar and Warthog HTML pages.

In other news, I got the Boat Switch as Master Arm + ACM working for the Tomcat. I also think I have a way of doing profile selection from the HOTAS instead of MFDs. The Boat Switch function is in internal testing, and I'm hoping to have the new profile selection functionality in 2.34.

More good news for VR users: I have finally added the routine to switch profiles using the HOTAS instead of the MFDs. The routine itself was easy, but the tough part was finding the global button assignment across all profiles. I settled on S3+SPDB/T9 Long to enter module select mode, and you use H2 to select the module.

I also have AIRIO for VAICOM Pro integrated in 2.34. This is going to be a significant change log.

My plan is to time 2.34 with the stable release of DCS 2.5.5, as some of the default lua files have changed and I want everything to work simultaneously with both beta and stable branches.

Thanks for the input, Stal2k.

 

Going HTML for the inserts may be too much for now, but I can certainly put a table in the Advanced Config Guide so when you click the help in CTS it shows you up front. I can then copy the table to the opening section of both Cougar and Warthog HTML pages.

 

In other news, I got the Boat Switch as Master Arm + ACM working for the Tomcat. I also think I have a way of doing profile selection from the HOTAS instead of MFDs. The Boat Switch function is in internal testing, and I'm hoping to have the new profile selection functionality in 2.34.

Nice, looking forward to those updates.

Hey Home Fries, as always thank you, big fan. Just to let you know the H1L and H1R to go between pilot and CP in the Mi8 are reversed. H1L sends you to the right seat and vice versa. Not a big deal just a bug report. I looked through the script trying to solve my own problem, but my Kung Fu isn't nearly strong enough. CTS is the best!

Thanks, Dustoff. That should be an easy enough fix.

Can someone help me? for some reason in my f18 i cannot go full AB. once i hit the dent it stops moving forward .. with warthog and AB dent installed. Have tried it to toggle the AB dent install/or not but didnt seem to work.

I had the same problem awhile back. My problem turned out to be on the DCS “SPECIAL” setting page for F/A-18. I don’t have access to DCS at the moment to check the exact setting, but there are check boxes for afterburner use and detentes. Somehow one got set erroneously and I no longer had afterburners.

Can someone help me? for some reason in my f18 i cannot go full AB. once i hit the dent it stops moving forward .. with warthog and AB dent installed. Have tried it to toggle the AB dent install/or not but didnt seem to work.

I had the same problem awhile back. My problem turned out to be on the DCS “SPECIAL” setting page for F/A-18. I don’t have access to DCS at the moment to check the exact setting, but there are check boxes for afterburner use and detentes. Somehow one got set erroneously and I no longer had afterburners.

Worked like a charm! thanks so much!

@Everyone,

It has crossed my mind that supporting CTS with a single thread is inefficient, especially for people who want to search for issues that may have already been addressed. I have a public bugtracker in place, and when an issue is mentioned here I make every effort to add it to the bugtracker. Similarly, anybody (even those of you without a free Trello membership) can email your bugs directly to the bugtracker. However, people don't seem to use it nearly as often as I had hoped. This could mean that the script is that stable and bug-free, but I don't believe that for a minute.

I am open to suggestions for ways to open things up. I could start a Discord channel and apply subcategories for each module, but we would still have a linear discussion thread and the ability to search may not be much better. I could start a Steam group and add a public forum.

I can't start a poll because I burned that option a few years ago when this profile was in its infancy. So please sound off in the thread about what you recommend or would like to see.

CTS doesn't create any registry entries. If you installed using 2.10 or later, you can just delete the CTS folder (or CTS_Legacy15 folder). Otherwise, delete the following folders where you installed CTS:

• _Custom LUAs for DCS World Main Install
  
• _for Saved Games_DCS
  
• Common (unless you use any of my other profiles like EF2000)
  
• DB
  
• DCS
  
• Docs
  

 

Then delete CTS.exe, CTSfs.exe, and CTSupdate.exe.

 

Finally you can delete DCS_World.tmc, DCS_Usersettings.tmm, Run_script.dat, and CTS.dat (your preferences file).

Are you sure? I´m uninstalling following above instruction but when installing CTS I get a message that the CTSversion.txt file is missing and whatever I do it wont let me install. To me it behaves like a registrypost is stopping me. I have for now installed CTS on a second harddrive, so it works but not on C: