Question on using Helios to make F18 MFD's

I know that I am jumping the gun, but I have poor eyesight and therefore putting the 3 MFDs on my touch screen is really important to me. So I am fiddling around with Helios to see if I can begin a quick and dirty 3 MFD setup on the touch screen. See attached.

My first question is what interface to use? I believe that I can use the A-10c interface and copied and pasted the MFD from Loz’s profile to a blank screen and then copied it 2 more times for a total of 3 MFDs.

The OSB buttons appear in the Bindings window under Input/output and Action sub-windows and Bindings sub-window. So my next question is what do I do next? I always get confused on the input/output button columns in the bottom window.

UPDATE:

I think I need to add 20 buttons to each MFD-not sure about this as Loz does not seem to need this.

I have to do a background with 3 cut outs for the MFDs. I was able to do this in Paint.net

Lastly, and the biggest issue is that the A10c interface has only 2 MFDs listed in its bindings. How do I insert a 3rd MFD in the bindings ?????

Hornet.zip

Hello Sobe.

Been the F18 one of my most loved airctafts, it is going to be my next Helios proyect.

My plan is to prepare first the main frontal panel and publish it as soon as posible when the module comes out.

Then... with more time, finish the rest of the panels,left and right sides of the cockpit.

Now asking your questions...

Implement the a10c interface to use with the f18 is not a easy thing.

You need to program in the export.lua all the conections between the two modules. The imputs and the outputs devices need to be linked.

I am going to make a video during the process od creating the f18 profile and publish it too in my youtube channel so everyone with the interest can learn to do it in future modules.

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Thanks for posting up Sobe, this has also been on my mind the last couple of weeks and was just now going to ask about it,,, thanks guys,,, I will be VERY interested in this!

Thanks Capt Z. For now, all I want to do is program the 3 MFDs and I think I can do it for 2 of them but how do I program the third MFD when the Bindings list for the A-10c only lists 2 MFDs? How do I bind the third one? Or is this just too much of a job as I would have to do some coding in the export file? I was trying to stay away from the export file by using the A-10c bindings and just doing the MFDs.

update idea: I think that until you get your Helios profile distributed, I can just use one of my TM MFDs for the button controls of the third MFD and just program it directly in the game controls like I do now for some modules.

You can just make 3 generic mfd's in helios and then bind each button to a keystroke. Pretty sure every module that has come out is capable of binding keystrokes to the OSB buttons. Here is a video of a helios profile made by Sicario for the Harrier that I am using. All the button presses are emulating keystrokes and do not require that you add an interface. I did all this by adding the keystrokes in the DCS module page then coding those keystrokes into each button using the helios profile editor.

Airdog

That is exactly what I was looking for. How did you add the keystrokes to the module? Did you do it in the lua file?

Airdog

That is exactly what I was looking for. How did you add the keystrokes to the module? Did you do it in the lua file?

They already exist. Just bring up your airplane...harrier for example and search OSB. It should bring up all the mappable OSB buttons. The harrier currently comes completely blank so you have to map unused key combos to the buttons. Here is an attached pic of what I did for the right MFD

Here is a pic of the helios profile editor with OSB #1 right mfd selected and in the lower middle box shows the coding to get it to work.

Ive actually started a F18 pit that I used for the VRS super hornet in FSX. I plan on making it work for the DCS F18 when its released...at least until Capt'n Zeen does his magic.

Airdog

After I saw your first post above, I downloaded the profile and after some trial and error, I finally figured out the Send Key" method of assigning keys to something in helios using the keyboard interface. This was confirmed when I read the rest of your posts.

As far as using the Superbug, when I do fly the SB, someone made a nice panel for my second touch screen that contains about 10 different things including the 4 MFDs and UPC.

I also started to play around with what the the F18 would look like and you should note that the UPC for the SB is different than the one for the F18 model that we are going to get from DCS. It will have a 10 key keypad and some buttons for AP, etc but will not be a full MFD.

One final question: If a module does not have OSB buttons on the controls list such as the Harrier, what do you then do?

Airdog

After I saw your first post above, I downloaded the profile and after some trial and error, I finally figured out the Send Key" method of assigning keys to something in helios using the keyboard interface. This was confirmed when I read the rest of your posts.

As far as using the Superbug, when I do fly the SB, someone made a nice panel for my second touch screen that contains about 10 different things including the 4 MFDs and UPC.

I also started to play around with what the the F18 would look like and you should note that the UPC for the SB is different than the one for the F18 model that we are going to get from DCS. It will have a 10 key keypad and some buttons for AP, etc but will not be a full MFD.

 

One final question: If a module does not have OSB buttons on the controls list such as the Harrier, what do you then do?

I do plan to modify it to make it more like the C model we are getting. But since Zeen has confirmed he is doing a F18 profile i wont work as hard ;)

I have not run into a profile that does not have the OSB buttons yet. But i also lean hevialy on Zeens profiles rather than do much of my own anymore.

Airdog

I concur with both of your statements. I was just trying to understand a little bit more on how to use Helios, but boy is it tough.

Thanks for your help.

They already exist. Just bring up your airplane...harrier for example and search OSB. It should bring up all the mappable OSB buttons. The harrier currently comes completely blank so you have to map unused key combos to the buttons. Here is an attached pic of what I did for the right MFD

You got a picture of your rig, 3 x touchscreens sounds awesome

One final question: If a module does not have OSB buttons on the controls list such as the Harrier, what do you then do?

Even in that case it is posible to add new buttons to the module.

You need to edit the default.lua file from your module keyboard folder.

Of course you need to know the device and button id you neeed to add, this information can be get it from the clickable.lua file.

Anyway, is not a easy thing to do unless you dit it a couple of times, hehe.

Airdog and Capt. Z

In about a week or two, I intend to post a Helios screen shot of the 3 MFDs and the F18-c version of the UFC. The UFC has numerous auto pilot buttons and I am examining how Capt Z worked out the logic for his Su-25T six autopilot controls. I know that my profile will be no where near what Capt z will produce, but at least I am getting some learning experience. I have asked DCS if they would provide early early access to the keyboard commands for their F18-c module.

I wish I could help out Sobe,, I dont have the technical knowledge or time to learn it. But i am looking forward to this development, and Im sure others do as well. I thank you all for your contributions.

How do rotaries work in touchscreen? Im thinking of getting one of those 4 wire touchscreen to put over a Helios UFC on Harrier and F-18C - Im just about given up on trying to build my own!

Update on my Helios Panel

The attached panel for the F18 is my first attempt to try to understand Helios. I know it will not be used once Capt Z comes out with his profile, but it is a learning lesson for me on just how hard Helios is to understand with almost no documentation.

As for the panels, the 3 MFDs should work without using any special interface if the F18 module has key commands for each of the buttons as shown by Airdog in his picture of the Harrier commands. If not, then CZ will have to figure out what to do.

The UFC is a general representation of the UFC found in the F18-c and was taken from Figure 2-17 of an Air Force manual on the plane.

SOME QUESTIONS AND ISSUES:

On the 3 MFDs, I would like some sound feedback when clicking a button. I recall using AutoHotKey and a sound file to do that for the BMS MFDs, but I don’t know if there is a simpler way to do that in Helios.

As for the 5 Auto Pilot buttons, I would like to have them setup so that when they are off, the letters are in red and when on, the letters are in green. I am not sure how to do this or if there are buttons from another profile that can be used for that purpose. So far I have not had any luck in finding them or figuring out how to do that. One thought that I have is perhaps trying to use the AP buttons that CZ uses in his Su-25T profile that have an on and off light in the top right corner of the button. However, why does he need 4 versions of each button and not just 2 versions?

The Autopilot buttons do need some logic added. I have looked at the 6 AP buttons done by CZ for his Su-25T and boy is that complex. I am going to try to do it but in a much simpler fashion. For example, both the RALT and the BALT obviously cannot be on at the same time so some logic needs to be inserted to turn one off if the other is on. In CZ’s profile, looking at the Helios profile editor for each AP button, I noticed that under the bottom Bindings column, he used Output>Interface>keyboard>send keys and under the next column labeled Bindings, he put several send keys for each AP button in the Released heading. This is apparently where the AP logic goes. Besides trying to understand the logic (what is the LALT& command?), my big question is: why is this under the released heading and not under the pushed or other headings?

Sorry for the rambling, but this post is sort of a diary and to do list for me.

The attached panel for the F18 is my first attempt to try to understand Helios. I know it will not be used once Capt Z comes out with his profile, but it is a learning lesson for me on just how hard Helios is to understand with almost no documentation.

 

 

 

As for the panels, the 3 MFDs should work without using any special interface if the F18 module has key commands for each of the buttons as shown by Airdog in his picture of the Harrier commands. If not, then CZ will have to figure out what to do.

 

 

 

The UFC is a general representation of the UFC found in the F18-c and was taken from Figure 2-17 of an Air Force manual on the plane.

 

 

 

SOME QUESTIONS AND ISSUES:

 

 

On the 3 MFDs, I would like some sound feedback when clicking a button. I recall using AutoHotKey and a sound file to do that for the BMS MFDs, but I don’t know if there is a simpler way to do that in Helios.

 

 

As for the 5 Auto Pilot buttons, I would like to have them setup so that when they are off, the letters are in red and when on, the letters are in green. I am not sure how to do this or if there are buttons from another profile that can be used for that purpose. So far I have not had any luck in finding them or figuring out how to do that. One thought that I have is perhaps trying to use the AP buttons that CZ uses in his Su-25T profile that have an on and off light in the top right corner of the button. However, why does he need 4 versions of each button and not just 2 versions?

 

 

The Autopilot buttons do need some logic added. I have looked at the 6 AP buttons done by CZ for his Su-25T and boy is that complex. I am going to try to do it but in a much simpler fashion. For example, both the RALT and the BALT obviously cannot be on at the same time so some logic needs to be inserted to turn one off if the other is on. In CZ’s profile, looking at the Helios profile editor for each AP button, I noticed that under the bottom Bindings column, he used Output>Interface>keyboard>send keys and under the next column labeled Bindings, he put several send keys for each AP button in the Released heading. This is apparently where the AP logic goes. Besides trying to understand the logic (what is the LALT& command?), my big question is: why is this under the released heading and not under the pushed or other headings?

 

 

Sorry for the rambling, but this post is sort of a diary and to do list for me.

Hello again !

1) I never use sounds in Helios, and i really dont know if you can doit. Take in consideration that when you use Helios with DCS, is DCS who made the sounds.

2) For the buttons indicators, you got a especial one in Helios. This button need 4 states: ON normal, ON pushed, OFF normal and OFF pushed.

This buttons have 2 inputs: the state of the button (pressed or not) and the value of the indicator it self (Light ON or OFF)

3) Do not look too much to the AP buttons on the SU25T profile. That a very special case because FC3 do no have any way to know how the buttons are, pressed or not. So i made a very complicated way to determine the state of the buttons taking in consideration the keys pressed.

In the F18 module, you are not going to have this problem, becase you can know whats the state of every button, so everything is going to be easy.

4) LALT is Left Alt, RALT is right Alt. The & symbol probably an error, you can delete it.

5) You can put actions when push or release buttons. Where to put it, only depend of the functionality you want or the exact moment you need the action to be performed.

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Heres a video of my setup and at times you can see me spinning the rotaries around 1:18 into the video

Sooo any news on this?

Sooo any news on this?

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3526318&postcount=31

So does that mean that there's an F-18 profile out there that is already setup to use with Helios or does that mean all the configurations need to be made

Download from Capt Zeen's website here. Read about it here and in the forums..