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#4313906 - 11/21/16 12:56 PM Helios Gotchas for the Noobie (cockpit design)  
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 174
Slippery_Rat Offline
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Slippery_Rat  Offline
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Joined: May 2015
Posts: 174
Problems using Helios for the noobie

I have notice some Helios gotchas I thought I might mention, but first some specifics relative to my situation.

My Computer setup:

1. Helios was installed in its default directory....
ie \users\me\My Documents\Helios where "me" is my computer user name.
2. DCS World installed via Steam and as a DCS stand-alone module.
3. BMS Falcon installed in default directory.
4. Gauges aren't changing, ie no interaction between Helios profile and DCS
5. For Helios to work properly requires a minimum of:
  • Helios profile
  • Monitor lua file design specifically for your profile
  • Export.lua file to dynamically update your gauges, and allow interaction with DCS.
  • All files must be in the correct location to be found.

Design changes in the size or positions of your MFCD's, RWR et al displays will require modification of your monitor.lua file.

Considerations when opening someone else's profile:

1. Does Helios save (remember) the setup where it was configured. If you open someone else's profile
does that profile look for the DCS, BMS or whatever app in the same folder as when it was saved (someone
else may have had DCS on a different hard drive) so it cant find it. Answer NO! not saved with the profile, but seems to use the interface(s) of the last profile loaded.

2. Is the monitor configuration the same as yours? Some profiles have monitors arranged vertically and others horizontally. Unless the monitor configuration is exactly the same size as yours in the same orientation then the lua script file will require changes to reflect your monitor configuration and sizes.

3. Different interfaces have different options open the interface and check for available options/properties... see below.
To see the Falcon Interface/properties double-click Falcon Interface in the Profile Explorer.

Below is Ice's BMS Falcon profile, notice that his key files seems to be configured on E:\drive mine is on C:\



Below the profile is vertical but my monitors are horizontal, so must re-set the monitors.



Notice below that this profile shows a Falcon interface, but actually it is DCS A-10C profile! It appears Helios doesnt save the interface with the profile but uses whatever interface was used last!



Similarly a Ka50 profile with DCS A10C interface, but if you want to add the Ka50, it must already be there since it is not an option to add, and A10C which is there indicates its not by the the ability to add it,



The profile below what a Ka50 but had a DCS A10C interface, by dragging a KA-50 gauge onto monitor 2, the DCS A10 interface disappeared and the KA-50 now appeared in the profile.




Here using Capt Zeen Profile but cant find path to my DCS Black Shark! To see the DCS Black Shark Interface options/properties double-click Black Shark in the Profile Explorer.



Big holes in an imported profile, especially with overlying buttons is an indication that the file structure of the missing images is incorrect. One or more folders holding the missing images is NOT where its supposed to be. Looking at the properties of the missing control may tell you where the control expects to find it. If its not in that location nothing or transparency will be shown. Most of the "big holes" in this profile are for exported gauges, not missing folders. Usually the author or creator of the profile will/should tell you where the images should be placed for the profile to work properly. In this case, Ice was clear where regarding directory structure and folder locations, I created this mess myself!



New gotcha: "Error Loading Profile"


Helios stopped working symptomized by:
1. 1st gauges not updating, then later
2. No profiles to choose from in Helios Control panel
3. Added path to profiles \use\Mydocs\Helios\profile
4. Now profiles visible in control but wont load.
5. Helios can load and edit profiles but can not run them!
6. Somehow my Windows menu item, path to Helios was lost.



Resolved:

7. Drag new short-cut from the Helios fold to the desktop
8. Working ;-)

Helios source code points to a path problem, "Error load profile" merely means file not found.

4. If no interaction between Helios and DCS make sure you have an export.lua file in the correct location.
ie \users\me\My Saved Games\Helios\DCS\scripts where "me" is your computer user account name.


More tutorials here:

Below are some Helios tutorials using both DCS Warthog, BlackShark and BMS Falcon as examples:

Basic Helios Tutorial

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4311178/Basic_Helios_tutorial_w/_RWR_i#Post4311178

Showing Helios Control Panel and Helios control of DCS Active Pause
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4313084/Helios_Control_of_DCS_Active_P#Post4313084

Helios Panel Creation Method 1 (cockpit design)
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4312789/Helios_Panel_Creation_Method_1#Post4312789

Helios Panel Creation Method 2, the Best Method (cockpit design)

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4312877/Helios_Panel_Creation_Method_2#Post4312877

Getting Screen Coordinates of Windows without use of graphics program (cockpit design).
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4313980/Helios_easiest_way_to_get_scre#Post4313980

Helios Gotchas for the Noobie (cockpit design)

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4313906/Helios_Gottchas_for_the_Noobie#Post4313906

Helios use of "Send Keys" to Control DCS (cockpit design)

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4312967/Helios_use_of_Send_Keys&#Post4312967

These tutorials use Capt_Zeen's, Ice's Profiles.

Last edited by Slippery_Rat; 02/06/17 11:26 AM. Reason: updated
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4313988 - 11/21/16 04:56 PM Re: Problems using Helios for the Noobie [Re: Slippery_Rat]  
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 16,082
- Ice Offline
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- Ice  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 16,082
Philippines / North East UK
First thing you should always do when opening a downloaded profile to try is to make sure you Reset monitors and you are pointing to the right .key file (or whatever the DCS equivalent is).


- Ice
#4313995 - 11/21/16 05:12 PM Re: Problems using Helios for the Noobie [Re: Slippery_Rat]  
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 174
Slippery_Rat Offline
Member
Slippery_Rat  Offline
Member

Joined: May 2015
Posts: 174
Yes you are obviously right!

I only just started looking at Helios for BMS Falcon, I didnt even realize the callback configuration was saved in the profile. I just jumped in, without reading about how to do it! I remember now in your video regarding callbacks! ;-( I was working on DCS at the time.

Have you already requested help for your scripting problem, give me a link!

LaLa

#4314036 - 11/21/16 07:04 PM Re: Problems using Helios for the Noobie (cockpit design) [Re: Slippery_Rat]  
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 174
Slippery_Rat Offline
Member
Slippery_Rat  Offline
Member

Joined: May 2015
Posts: 174
Rather than add additional content to growing thread I have edited to old content in the first post.

Last edited by Slippery_Rat; 11/22/16 11:21 AM.

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