Open Source Helios

[BluFinBima]

Problem with Option Cuing Indicator and IFEI Nozzles

 

Hi Denver29,

 

This sounds like https://github.com/HeliosVirtualCockpit/Helios/issues/346 (you might like to subscribe to that issue) although I was not aware of problems with the IFEI nozzle indicator. The second problem is likely to be a completely different issue.

 

Thanks for raising this.

 

BlueFin

 

Hi I encounter some troubles with helios UFC and UEFI for the hornet.

 

The UEFI nozzle indicator needle don't move and is stuck to 0

The UFC ":" selected option indicatore is replace by a "1" when selected and "0" when unselected ...

[hrnet940]

I have made the leap from 1.4 to 1.6 and while going through the checklist of warnings I have this one in the picture and don’t know how to properly correct and clear it. Any help would be great!

 

Thanks,

Wayne Wilson

[BluFinBima]

Hi Wayne,

 

As the message indicates, you're missing one of Captain Zeen's images. I've checked his latest F/A-18C profile Capt Zeen FA18C_V3.0.rar from http://www.captzeen.com/helios/downloads.asp and the image is there. It does look like the version of the profile is a little old given that CZ is now at V3, but you can certainly pick up the missing image from the latest profile.

 

For reference, there is a Helios 1.6 thread at https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=282103

 

Cheers, BFB

[hrnet940]

Thanks for the help BluFinBima. I see that I am using the newest version of the Hornet v3.0 in the top left corner of the Profile editor, but still don't know how to fix this issue. Should I uninstall Helios v1.4 and go with a fresh install or still get frustrated trying to fix this one? I followed the video, but it was with a fresh install and not installed over v1.4.

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne Wilson

[BluFinBima]

Missing Image in Profile

 

Hi Wayne,

 

Really this has nothing to do with the version of Helios that you're running except for the fact that Helios 1.6 detects that the profile you're using references an image that is not there. Specifically "C:\Users\Wayne\Documents\Helios\Images\Capt_Zeen\F18\balck_50_transp.png". Does that file exist? If not, it needs to be in that location in order to get rid of that message. The file exists in "Capt Zeen FA18C_V3.0.rar"

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Thanks for the help BluFinBima. I see that I am using the newest version of the Hornet v3.0 in the top left corner of the Profile editor, but still don't know how to fix this issue. Should I uninstall Helios v1.4 and go with a fresh install or still get frustrated trying to fix this one? I followed the video, but it was with a fresh install and not installed over v1.4.

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne Wilson

[hrnet940]

Thanks for the help that was given to me. I have cleared the last issue with the missing image. Now when I go to fly with Helios and the F/A-18 I get the image included here. How do I clear this? When I use the Helios setting ‘2-monitors-FA18C I have the two monitor setup, but only my LDDI, RDDI, and MFCD are working on my cockpit display monitor. Nothing else seems to be working. What is wrong and how do I fix it?

 

Thanks in advance,

Wayne Wilson

[BluFinBima]

Hi Wayne, The Helios 1.6 thread is https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=282103. It looks to me as if you have not setup the interface so that DCS can talk to Helios. If you flip the console switch (Top Right in the image you supplied) you will probably see more info about the problem.

Cheers

[derammo]

Thanks for the help that was given to me. I have cleared the last issue with the missing image. Now when I go to fly with Helios and the F/A-18 I get the image included here. How do I clear this? When I use the Helios setting ‘2-monitors-FA18C I have the two monitor setup, but only my LDDI, RDDI, and MFCD are working on my cockpit display monitor. Nothing else seems to be working. What is wrong and how do I fix it?

 

Thanks in advance,

Wayne Wilson

 

You should not be using the "2-monitor-FA18C"

 

that's the monitor setup that came with Capt Zeen 1.4 profile.

 

Ignore ALL the instructions from a 1.4 profile. Don't copy any mod. Don't copy any monitor setup. Don't edit the monitor setup.

 

Just let Helios configure everything for you. It will tell you in the "Recommendations" in the Interface Status what your "Monitors" selection (usually "Helios") and "Resolution" should be in DCS.

[hrnet940]

I seem to have an issue now and don’t know how to correct it. Any help would be greatly appreciative.

 

Thanks,

Wayne

[hrnet940]

I have OvGME working and this error seems easy, but I couldn’t find the A-10C profile that it told me to open.

 

Thanks,

Wayne

[hrnet940]

I have the A-10C thing figured out and all of the DDI/AMPCD/UFC/RWR/IFEI are all working now, but the rest of the gauges and switches are not. I am using the 2_monitors-FA18C in the Monitor setting instead of the requested Helios setting in Monitors. When I use Helios and have the Main Instrument Panel (MIP) on my second monitor nothing goes there as it should. Instead, my main display is extended to the second monitor that is covered up with the Helios cockpit MIP. How do I get this corrected or what do you need to figure this out?

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne

[derammo]

I have the A-10C thing figured out and all of the DDI/AMPCD/UFC/RWR/IFEI are all working now, but the rest of the gauges and switches are not. I am using the 2_monitors-FA18C in the Monitor setting instead of the requested Helios setting in Monitors. When I use Helios and have the Main Instrument Panel (MIP) on my second monitor nothing goes there as it should. Instead, my main display is extended to the second monitor that is covered up with the Helios cockpit MIP. How do I get this corrected or what do you need to figure this out?

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne

 

Like I said above, don't use a monitor setup that isn't the one that Helios wrote for you.

 

If you want to change the layout or arrangement, you can move the viewport rectangles around in the Helios Profile Editor and then select "Configure" again in the "DCS Monitor Setup" interface in your profile.

 

If you write your own monitor setup file or use a random one you downloaded (2_monitors-FA18C) then Helios (and I) cannot help you. Getting that file correct by hand is up to you and it is pretty difficult, which is why Helios does it for you now.

[hrnet940]

Thanks and a big sorry is in order. I was using the wrong files and have now set things up using only Helios 1.6 and FA-18C Ver.3b. I now have my second monitor displaying the MIP and all of the displays and gauges display properly, but my main cockpit display is stretched to two monitors and the displays are transparent (pics attached). I have also included my settings page if required. If you need more information, please don't hesitate to ask and I will send it ASAP.

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne

[derammo]

Thanks and a big sorry is in order. I was using the wrong files and have now set things up using only Helios 1.6 and FA-18C Ver.3b. I now have my second monitor displaying the MIP and all of the displays and gauges display properly, but my main cockpit display is stretched to two monitors and the displays are transparent (pics attached). I have also included my settings page if required. If you need more information, please don't hesitate to ask and I will send it ASAP.

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne

 

in helios profile editor open the “DCS Monitor Setup” UI and de-select the airplane icon on the second screen, so it isn’t blue any more

[hrnet940]

Thank you oh so very much. It works as it should and is very nice to fly with. That worked and fixed the issue.

 

 

 

Thanks Again,

Wayne

[minimi66]

Hi,

 

I wonder if anyone can help me solve this problem?

 

I am trying to setup a DCS Hornet UFC export profile i have on a remote laptop with a touchscreen connected in order to send the UFC keypresses to my desktop PC that has DCS running on it. So far no problem with the laptop/touchscreen side, the profile works and when i press the UFC buttons on the UFC they are recognised (they derpress etc.) The problem is i do not seem to be able to get the keypresses recognised and active in DCS on the Desktop PC. I have the keypress receiver installed on the desktop and have configured the pots etc to match with the Helios install on both systems.

 

I just have no idea where to go from here to get the touchscreen keypresses active in DCS when i'm in the Hornet. Unfortunately i can't use the more conventional method of connecting the touchscreen to my desktop system, i've tried but it just doesn't work.

 

Any help at all would be very much appreciated, i have been working on this for a few days now.

 

Thanks.

[derammo]

Hi,

 

I wonder if anyone can help me solve this problem?

 

I am trying to setup a DCS Hornet UFC export profile i have on a remote laptop with a touchscreen connected in order to send the UFC keypresses to my desktop PC that has DCS running on it. So far no problem with the laptop/touchscreen side, the profile works and when i press the UFC buttons on the UFC they are recognised (they derpress etc.) The problem is i do not seem to be able to get the keypresses recognised and active in DCS on the Desktop PC. I have the keypress receiver installed on the desktop and have configured the pots etc to match with the Helios install on both systems.

 

I just have no idea where to go from here to get the touchscreen keypresses active in DCS when i'm in the Hornet. Unfortunately i can't use the more conventional method of connecting the touchscreen to my desktop system, i've tried but it just doesn't work.

 

Any help at all would be very much appreciated, i have been working on this for a few days now.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi. I didn't write KeypressReceiver (inherited that from 1.4) but I can help you figure it out if nobody else answers your question. https://github.com/HeliosVirtualCockpit/Helios/wiki/Ask-derammo

[minimi66]

 

Hi. I didn't write KeypressReceiver (inherited that from 1.4) but I can help you figure it out if nobody else answers your question. https://github.com/HeliosVirtualCockpit/Helios/wiki/Ask-derammo

 

Hi derammo,

 

Thank you for the kind offer, any help would be gratefully received!

 

My setup is as follows:

 

5 monitor setup on DCS Desktop PC

Main display is 3440 x 1440 on Display Port.

3 x Cubesim USB 3.0 LCD panels fitted to Cubesim backboxes and Cougar MFD's running at 800 x 600 these have a custom MonitorSetup.lua in order for them to work with my current setup, i will attach copy to this post. They also currently have to be arranged in a horizontal row from the top left of my main display to work with the .lua.

1 x Prechen 15" Touchscreen display at 1920 x 1080 (this is what i am obviously trying to put the UFC onto to utilise the touch capability etc

Total desktop resolution = 5840 x 1440 in DCS monitor settings.

Cubesim.lua selected from the Monitors options in DCS settings.

 

I also have a MSI Gaming laptop which i tried connecting the Prechen Touchscreen to and then attempted to set up the remote PC Helios option to the main Desktop with, without success.

I tried connecting the Touchscreen to the Desktop and setting up that way but it didn't seem to work, wherever i pressed the screen the responses were always received a couple of cms away from where i pressed. It also seemed that no keypresses were being sent this way either?

 

Hope all of that is clear? Sorry!!

 

Hope you can help, thanks again.

 

 

Desktop image is at link below:

 

https://ibb.co/k1GqZvk

 

CUBESIM.lua file

 

_ = function(p) return p; end;

name = _('CUBESIM');

Description = 'Left MFCD on the left monitor,Right MFCD on the right and camera on the center'

Viewports =

{

Center =

{

x = 2400;

y = 0;

width = 3440;

height = 1440;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 3440 / 1440;

}

}

 

LEFT_MFCD =

{

x = 80;

y = 0;

width = 600;

height = 600;

}

 

RIGHT_MFCD =

{

x = 880;

y = 0;

width = 600;

height = 600;

}

 

CENTER_MFCD =

{

x = 1680;

y = 0;

width = 600;

height = 600;

}

 

F14_HSD =

{

x = 80;

y = 0;

width = 600;

height = 600;

}

 

F14_VDI =

{

x = 1680;

y = 0;

width = 600;

height = 600;

}

 

 

UIMainView = Viewports.Center

GU_MAIN_VIEWPORT = Viewports.Center

 

[minimi66]

@derammo

 

Just went onto your Discord as per your link and read the rules etc. Can't seem to send anything to you from there though? What do i need to do please?

 

Thanks.

[minimi66]

Interface Status Report

 

{

"Product": "Helios",

"Version": "1.6.3308.0",

"Items": [

{

"Name": "Keyboard",

"Report": []

},

{

"Name": "Profile Interface",

"Report": [

{

"TimeStamp": "10/31/2020 03:15:19.606 PM",

"Status": "Profile is not yet named",

"Flags": 3

},

{

"TimeStamp": "10/31/2020 03:15:19.609 PM",

"Status": "The monitor arrangement saved in this profile matches this computer",

"Flags": 3

},

{

"TimeStamp": "10/31/2020 03:15:19.609 PM",

"Status": "The profile declares a monitor of size 800x600 at (-2400, 0)",

"Flags": 3

},

{

"TimeStamp": "10/31/2020 03:15:19.609 PM",

"Status": "The profile declares a monitor of size 800x600 at (-1600, 0)",

"Flags": 3

},

{

"TimeStamp": "10/31/2020 03:15:19.609 PM",

"Status": "The profile declares a monitor of size 800x600 at (-800, 0)",

"Flags": 3

},

{

"TimeStamp": "10/31/2020 03:15:19.609 PM",

"Status": "The profile declares a monitor of size 3440x1440 at (0, 0)",

"Flags": 3

}

]

}

]

}

[lesthegrngo]

Hi all

I posted a reply to one of my own threads on the home cockpits forum regarding how to use an existing Capt Zeen Helios profile that works with DCS to produce your own one with just the stuff you need on it. It has dawned on me that being tucked away in that thread is not going to help many people simply because it is not an obvious place to be. As a result this is a copy of what is in there as I belongs in this thread. Essentially a working profile is used as a basis to create your own.

For those who wish to know how I did it, it was surprisingly easy, if a little bit laborious. A big shout out to MadKreator37 over on the Helios Discord channel, without whose help I would still be struggling

To summarise, the process is as follows.

Firstly, go to your User/saved games/scripts folder and back up your copy of the Export.lua file (call it Exportbak.lua or something like that)

Go to the Capt Zeen website and get one of Capt Zeen's predone profiles, in my case the A10C version, open it in the Helios editor and do the 'reset monitors' thing, setting everything on the main monitor. In my case, opening up the profile showed two monitors, 1 (main monitor) and a second one with a load of stuff on it. Resetting the monitors allows you to tell Helios to move the contents of monitor X to monitor Y. Your monitor setup will be different to mine, but you will almost certainly have a monitor that you view the main game on; make Helios move everything to that one. Do not open two instances of Helios editor as you need to work with everything in one instance of Helios

Please note that when you do this initial work on a main panel called 'Interface status; you may see a load of errors generated. This is normal, and by expanding each section, if there are issues clicking on the little cogwheel setting icon will generally shop you what needs to be done automatically and by accepting it it will fix it for you, although there are some that are a bit more manual (for example where it says you must save the profile before it can be used)

Once you have everything on that monitor, you need to decide what you want and on what monitor to set it on. In my case it was the RWR bezel, the entire HSI, the entire ASI and the entire ADI including the slip ball indicator. The problem is that if you try and look for these they may actually be on sub panels on the main display. On the right hand side you will see a list of all the components being shown in the Layers tab - except it isn't a full list. So, be careful not to delete stuff without knowing what it is.

The other thing that may occur is that the images all come up as red boxes with black crosses through them. That is because the images being used by the profile are in a sub folder you downloaded with the profile in it. To correct this you need to copy the image files and subfolders from the download location into the Helios installation images folder. When you save the copy of the profile you are making it should automatically show the correct images.

Now you have to start deleting things. If you click on the item in the right hand Layers list it will highlight it on the monitor screen (if you double click on the monitor in the top left preview screen it will open in the main panel - be sure to click on the actual number in the middle of the preview as if you don't sometimes it won't open the screen). When you can see that the highlighted item is something you don't need / want, you can delete it.

Continue that process to declutter as much as possible. Eventually you will get to a point where you have a lot less that includes the ones you want, and they may actually be in a sub layer (for instance mine were in a sub-layer called 'main panel'. On the main screen you can double click on these and they will appear in a new screen and all the sub parts will be listed in the Layers tab to the right. Depending on the instrument, clicking on it will open yet another with the sub components of that instrument. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be very consistent, but it doesn't seem to matter.

So assuming you now have a condensed list with just the items you want (possibly with some unwanted extras) now it is time to put the desired instruments in their correct location. To do this you will copy and paste, using either ctrl-c and ctrl-v or the edit-copy and edit-paste commands. Select say the HSI from the layer list; you will see it highlighted on the main screen. Copy it, then open up the screen you want to put it on, and paste it. Doing this has now copied all the subcomponents and layers, and more importantly all the bindings that let it interact with the DCS info.

Follow the same procedure for all the desired items, placing a copy of each on the appropriate monitor. Obviously save as you go in case of mistakes or issues. When saving, you may get some other errors generated in the 'interface status' tab, just repeat the actions you did earlier and it should all come good. Some errors might remain but are ones that don't affect the workings.

Now you should start the profile using the Helios Control app, and hopefully it will start without errors. If there are any problems it generally will be easy to address, as there is information given. Hopefully it will start OK and so what you will see are two sets of instruments, the original ones on the main screen, and the new ones on the screens you chose.

Start DCS and if all went well, your instruments should all show the game generated data, and work with it. If that is the case, congrats, you can move on the next stage. If not you will need to verify the Interface status, and that the Saved Games Export.lua is referencing Helios, which should have automatically happened when you went through the initial Interface Setup error correction

Now you have to go through the laborious reiterative process of stopping the profile, dragging the individual instruments to the correct size and positions, then restarting the profile to check it. Bear in mind that while the instruments will snap to the borders, this can easily be overridden by simply typing in the desired position in the top right panel. A lot of mine are set at like -5 from the top so the top of the instrument is off the top of the monitor, so that it displays in the exact location to match my laser cut bezel. The same goes for the left position, height and width. You will have to keep starting the profile, checking it for position and aspect ratio and then correcting as necessary.

Once all the positions are correct restart DCS to check that it all works, save it one more time  and then save as another filename so that the working one is still there in case you have issues. 

Once you have done that, go back to the original instruments that are in the wrong place and delete them, leaving only the instruments that you want, and save. If all went well, you new should have a fully working Helios profile.

One other thing that I had to do once I was finished with Helios was to ensure that any viewports I had created were correctly aligned with the Helios instruments. For example, the RWR symbols were way off center, being too far to the left and down. In the Monitor Setup.lua file I then had to adjust the start position (x, y) and once I had that correct I had to make sure that the height and width of the viewport matched the Helios version. Again, this is a reiterative process, where you have to change the numbers, see how it looks, and then change it again until you are happy. 

I would say it took me most of an afternoon to get it all right, but the finished setup looks really great. The thing is that with patience you can do it

One last point - you may have to copy the DCS Bios line (something like dofile blah blah DCS Bios) from the Export.lua you backed up at the beginning in order to get DCS Bios working with it.

I hope that this helps, I am not an expert on Helios but this worked reasonably easily for me

Cheers

Les

Edited September 24, 2023 by lesthegrngo

[MAXsenna]

@lesthegrngo
Thanks for this Les!
Seems we are more or less at the same point in this process, so I rally appreciate this. Happy you got everything working. I still cannot work out why I have double exported MFDs in the A-10Cs. They are my main concern now. Got everything working in all other modules.
Do you know where I can find an invite to the Discord?

Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[lesthegrngo]

Glad it was of use!

If you go to the Capt Zeen site, you will see a little Discord Icon, if you click on it it will take you there plus give you an automated invite that is valid for a certain period

You say double exported MFCD's, have you got one in the viewport method and one in Helios?

Cheers 

[MAXsenna]

Glad it was of use!
If you go to the Capt Zeen site, you will see a little Discord Icon, if you click on it it will take you there plus give you an automated invite that is valid for a certain period
You say double exported MFCD's, have you got one in the viewport method and one in Helios?
Cheers 

Thanks!
Currently I use only pre-made profiles. As you know Helios doesn't render the view ports, I only use it to create the lua, and now I even know how to edit it, so I've tried to comment out left and right MFD wherever I find it. Because that's what's happening. Both A-10C left/right MFD, AND left/right MFD are rendered on top of each other. Got nothing to with Helios, I think...
Only happens in the A-10Cs, and it's similar to what happened with the TEDAC with the "ghosting" in the Apache. I know it's something I'm missing because it works for all of you.

Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[lesthegrngo]

In DCS setup check which monitor you have as the one set to display - it might have inadvertently been set to one of the standard ones that come with the MFCD's

Les