OverlordBot: Script request.

[rurounijones]

Ahoi all.

 

If anyone has some time to kill, DCS scripting knowledge and would like to volunteeer to help the Overlordbot project then please keep reading.

 

Background

 

I am the developer of OverlordBot, an SRS enabled AWACS bot: https://gitlab.com/overlord-bot/srs-bot/-/wikis/Interaction and am currently working on an ATC implementation.

 

The first version allows people to call into an airfield and request taxi at which point the bot will respond with instructions. e.g. For Anapa when runway 04 is active:

 

Apron 1

Clients on freq: DOLT 1-2 | RurouniJones

Incoming: Anapa ground dolt 12. Ready to taxi.

Outgoing: dolt 1 2, Anapa-Vityazevo Ground, Taxi to Runway 0 4 via Mike Alpha,

Apron 2

Clients on freq: DOLT 1-2 | RurouniJones

Incoming: Anapa ground dolt 12. Ready to taxi.

Outgoing: dolt 1 2, Anapa-Vityazevo Ground, Taxi to Runway 0 4 via Mike Alpha,

East Apron

Clients on freq: DOLT 1-2 | RurouniJones

Incoming: Anapa ground dolt 12. Ready to taxi.

Outgoing: dolt 1 2, Anapa-Vityazevo Ground, Taxi to Runway 0 4 via Echo Delta Mike Alpha, Cross Runway 2 2

Echo Spots

Clients on freq: DOLT 1-2 | RurouniJones

Incoming: Anapa ground dolt 12. Ready to taxi.

Outgoing: dolt 1 2, Anapa-Vityazevo Ground, Taxi to Runway 0 4 via Echo Delta Mike Alpha, Cross Runway 2 2

Whiskey Spots

Clients on freq: DOLT 1-2 | RurouniJones

Incoming: Anapa ground dolt 12. Ready to taxi.

Outgoing: dolt 1 2, Anapa-Vityazevo Ground, Taxi to Runway 0 4 via Whiskey Mike Alpha,

Maintenance Area

Clients on freq: DOLT 1-2 | RurouniJones

Incoming: Anapa ground dolt 12. Ready to taxi.

Outgoing: dolt 1 2, Anapa-Vityazevo Ground, Taxi to Runway 0 4 via November Whiskey Mike Alpha,

In order for the bot to work we need to do airfield mapping for each airfield.

 

This require someone(s) to map out the taxi points for a particular airfield so we can then add them to a navigation graph (e.g. https://git.io/JJL9f For Anapa 04 active).

 

We need the Lat/Lon of these points as well so the bot can determine where someone is when they call in.

 

It has been a long time since I have had to do DCS lua scripting so if someone has some spare time and can volunteer to do some scripting for the following request; it would be much appreciated.

 

Request

 

In order to reduce the amount of effort it will take to map out the airfields we want to give some tools to the people who will be doing it. Therefore write a script that:

 

 

• On mission start, reads a json file with the following format: https://gist.github.com/rurounijones/21d3735ce88e9acf10bd2b758761e6fa from a location of your choice (If one exists).
  

 

• For each ParkingSpot, Junction and Runway in the json file: Place an F10 map marker (using markToCoalition) at the appropriate position (json file is decimal lat/lon) and with the marker title set to the name of the ParkingSpot, Junction or Runway.
  

 

• Allow for export of all Map Markers to a machine readable format (not necessarily the above json config file although it would be nice, we can convert it later if necessary.) on command.
  

 

e.g. If it is too much hassle to write back to the json then this would work:

 
# Name         lat       Lon
Charlie Mike,  45.00000, 37.000000
Apron 1,       45.50000, 37.100000

Stretch goals:

* A radio menu command that re-reads the file so that people can update the file and re-display while still in mission.

* Read all json files in a directory and places their map markers. (Very optional, as would require writing back multiple config files with F10 markers associated to their parent airbase)

 

 

This will allow mappers to do something like the following then export the data.

 

 

 

Embedding the script in an empty mission and just sending the mission with some basic instructions (e.g. where to put the json files) would be the preferred deliverable.

 

This isn't particularly difficult work I know but it is work in a domain I haven't touched for a while and when I have plenty of other things I can be working on.

 

If no one can do it then I will get around to it. but if someone does have the time, great

Edited July 7, 2020 by rurounijones

[Neon]

Ahoi all.

 

If anyone has some time to kill, DCS scripting knowledge and would like to volunteeer to help the Overlordbot project then please keep reading.

 

Background

 

I am the developer of OverlordBot, an SRS enabled AWACS bot: https://gitlab.com/overlord-bot/srs-bot/-/wikis/Interaction and am currently working on an ATC implementation.

 

The first version allows people to call into an airfield and request taxi at which point the bot will respond with instructions. e.g. For Anapa when runway 04 is active:

 

In order for the bot to work we need to do airfield mapping for each airfield.

 

This require someone(s) to map out the taxi points for a particular airfield so we can then add them to a navigation graph (e.g. https://git.io/JJL9f For Anapa 04 active).

 

We need the Lat/Lon of these points as well so the bot can determine where someone is when they call in.

 

It has been a long time since I have had to do DCS lua scripting so if someone has some spare time and can volunteer to do some scripting for the following request; it would be much appreciated.

 

Request

 

In order to reduce the amount of effort it will take to map out the airfields we want to give some tools to the people who will be doing it. Therefore write a script that:

 

 

• On mission start, reads a json file with the following format: https://gist.github.com/rurounijones/21d3735ce88e9acf10bd2b758761e6fa from a location of your choice (If one exists).
  

 

• For each ParkingSpot, Junction and Runway in the json file: Place an F10 map marker (using markToCoalition) at the appropriate position (json file is decimal lat/lon) and with the marker title set to the name of the ParkingSpot, Junction or Runway.
  

 

• Allow for export of all Map Markers to a machine readable format (not necessarily the above json config file although it would be nice, we can convert it later if necessary.) on command.
  

 

e.g. If it is too much hassle to write back to the json then this would work:

 
# Name         lat       Lon
Charlie Mike,  45.00000, 37.000000
Apron 1,       45.50000, 37.100000

Stretch goals:

* A radio menu command that re-reads the file so that people can update the file and re-display while still in mission.

* Read all json files in a directory and places their map markers. (Very optional, as would require writing back multiple config files with F10 markers associated to their parent airbase)

 

 

This will allow mappers to do something like the following then export the data.

 

 

 

Embedding the script in an empty mission and just sending the mission with some basic instructions (e.g. where to put the json files) would be the preferred deliverable.

 

This isn't particularly difficult work I know but it is work in a domain I haven't touched for a while and when I have plenty of other things I can be working on.

 

If no one can do it then I will get around to it. but if someone does have the time, great

 

 

This is a bit beyond my skill level but by god I hope you get the help you need. That would be amazing.

[davidp57]

I'm on it !

Interesting project btw.

[shu77]

Really great project DCS needs more of these 'usability' mods incorporated into the core

[davidp57]

First version, tell me if you want me to modify some things.

 

https://github.com/VEAF/read-write-markers

 

And the mission itself is attached to this post.

read-write-markers_20200709.miz

[rurounijones]

@davidp57.

 

 

Thank you very much! I shall look at it as soon as I get home from work.

[rurounijones]

@davidp57

 

I ran the mission and all seems well and it highlighted errors in the JSON I had already created for Anapa which is a damn good way of proving the tool's worth!

 

I might have come across some wierdness with reloading edited values but it only happened once and a mission restart was all that was needed so I didn't investigate.

 

I will put together a wiki page on the OverlordBot wiki with a link to the mission and other details for the mappers to look it. It is possible they may run across some issues

 

Thanks again for you work and volunteering your time.

Edited July 10, 2020 by rurounijones
stupid double line beaks

[davidp57]

You're welcome !

I'm available for tasking (^^) should any need arise.

[PravusJSB]

I do not have the time to take on the project as I have too many of my own but I don't mind consulting and assisting with how you need to code it, I can see how that can be done.

[rurounijones]

davidp57 has done the job and all is well. This request is closed.

[Kappa-131st]

Overlord bot seem to be a game-changer!

What DCS lacks the most, in my opinion, is being able to transmit coordinates (lat long) by radio, so that they are converted into vec2 / vec3 variables, and usable in any script!

Thus, one could easily imagine missions where, for example, a pilot could command an AI artillery fire simply by transmitting coordinates by radio! Or have reconnaissance devices transmitting coordinates to a JTAC, which then redistributes these to attack devices!

The transformation of oral coordinates by SRS into vec2/vec3 would open the door to really interesting dynamic missions

Edited August 11, 2022 by Kappa-131st