[A-10C][TOOL] Cartridger

 

 

INTENT

 

Generate a custom cartridge for the A-10C Warthog, using a simple web interface. Download the cartridge either as a JSGME ready mod, or as a separate package with installation instructions. Having a custom cartridge significantly decreases the workload during startup, also removing the risk of ingame input errors. The following elements can be customized:

• CMSC programs
  
• MFCDS quick links
  
• TAD profiles
  
• IFFCC gunnery data
  

Most of the user inputs are sanitized, but it's still possible to create corrupted files by intentionally setting wrong values (e.g. a number with two decimal points). I also tested this as much as possible, but some bugs probably managed to slip through: let me know if you find any. Usage should be intuitive enough, although any questions or feedback are appreciated.

 

 

SCREENSHOTS

 

 

 

Edited July 23, 2016 by Gliptal

that's really cool!!

Could it be possible in the feature to set the weapons profiles and UHF radio preset channels?

 

I see the github link.

Edited July 23, 2016 by RglsPhoto

I wish more things were customizable, but I recognize that's probably a limit of the A-10C module and not this mod.

Will it be possible to include a flight plan with this system too?

that's really cool!!

Could it be possible in the feature to set the weapons profiles and UHF radio preset channels?

 

I see the github link.

 

I wish more things were customizable, but I recognize that's probably a limit of the A-10C module and not this mod.

 

Will it be possible to include a flight plan with this system too?

I'd also love to set a lot more of the settings, but unfortunately I haven't found a way to do anything else via .lua editing.

Pure awesomeness! :thumbup:

This is cool. Wonder if we can get this thread stickied.

Looks very nice. This might just be the thing that gets me back into the Hawg!

Awesome! This is a really handy modification.

Absolutely fantastic work!

I suppose that asking for some basic inst is like asking the price in a Ferrari dealer, if you don't already know you shouldn't be asking. I have some understanding of many of the settings, but how do you load it into the plane's cart?

It's not really generating a cartridge that you load in the sim. What it does is generate .lua files which replace the default files in your DCS World folder. After you've done that, you just start up as usual and the systems load with new default settings.

OK , I have downloaded the "Cartridge.zip" file and I have JSGME set to install it, but how do I run it to make the changes? I see the LUA files in the script folder but where is the program file to run to make the changes. Obviously, i'm missing something here...

Thanks in advance for any detailed help.

Take the Cartridge folder out of the Cartridge.zip and put it into JSGME.

+1 this is a great tool, very handy for mission preparation. Good job, Gliptal!

Help with a similar project

 

Hey Gliptal,

Is there any way I could have you help me get started with something similar?

I'd like to make a GUI application to edit the .lua settings files that are used per-mission, and I'm not sure where to start.

I made an excel (actually I used open office) file that does radio presets here.

It works for that application, but doing work on the scale I intend to would get pretty sub-optimal.

Especially seeing that I want it to read/write, so you know what you're changing.

This big thing I'd like to be able to do is wind profiles and CBU HOF.

It would be pretty easy, I think, to read the WIND DATA from the mission file and write that to CDU/SETTINGS.lua inside the mission.

As for the CBU HOF, I'd like it to read the name of the weapon loaded on each station, and then have a drop-down to select the HOF. The HOF line exists on every station, not just ones loaded with HOF, so that makes it a lot easier.

Any advice you can give on this would be much appreciated.

Hey Gliptal,

Is there any way I could have you help me get started with something similar?

I'd like to make a GUI application to edit the .lua settings files that are used per-mission, and I'm not sure where to start.

I made an excel (actually I used open office) file that does radio presets here.

It works for that application, but doing work on the scale I intend to would get pretty sub-optimal.

Especially seeing that I want it to read/write, so you know what you're changing.

This big thing I'd like to be able to do is wind profiles and CBU HOF.

It would be pretty easy, I think, to read the WIND DATA from the mission file and write that to CDU/SETTINGS.lua inside the mission.

As for the CBU HOF, I'd like it to read the name of the weapon loaded on each station, and then have a drop-down to select the HOF. The HOF line exists on every station, not just ones loaded with HOF, so that makes it a lot easier.

Any advice you can give on this would be much appreciated.

The way I see it there are three ways to editi a pre-existing .lua file:

 

- use an existing parser

- code your own tailored parser

- manually output the whole file

 

I don't know of any existing .lua parsers (that would allow you to programmatically analyze and edit a .lua file); coding your own parser (even if specifically tailored to your needs) is probably overkill; for Cartridger I ended up manually outputting the whole file, with only the relevant sections rewritten with the new settings.

 

You can freely see all the code on github here.

Thanks buddy!

I did the same thing with the radio presets generator. It writes the whole file instead of editing it.

Sorry but I still do not understand how to run this program. Do we download the html file in post #1 and use that? Sorry for the confusion.

Sorry but I still do not understand how to run this program. Do we download the html file in post #1 and use that? Sorry for the confusion.

It's a webapp, you only need your browser: click on this link https://gliptal.github.io/cartridger/ and use the GUI. Once you're at the last step, a download button will appear on the bottom right hand corner.

Looks awesome. I second preprogramming the radios would be ace. I know you can go in to a mission and safe them, then load back up so there's must be a file that holds the info.