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Helios Control of DCS Active Pause and Toggling Helios Control Center (cockpit design)

Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Helios Control of DCS Active Pause and Toggling Helios Control Center (cockpit design) - 11/18/16 04:41 AM

More bindings for control of the Helios control interface itself, "and send keys" to active pause DCS World.

Image below shows bindings, to hide the Helios control panel from an active profile button.



Image below shows the bindings to "Active Pause" DCS World from the active profile button.



Make sure the {PAUSE} is last ie {LSHIFT}{LWIN}{PAUSE} if {PAUSE} is first Send Keys will send a PAUSE and the before the other keys are sent the simulation is already Paused, the result is just a Pause not an Active Pause.

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.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/18/16 05:56 AM

Five tutorials, but from the lack of views and no feedback there appears little interest, no surprise but disappointing anyway!

LaLa
Posted By: sobe

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/19/16 08:13 PM

slippery_rat
No. I like your tutorials so keep it up. I use Helios premade profiles as I could never figure out how to do it myself.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/20/16 04:24 AM

Thank you Sobe, when I created it not sure people could follow but takes a lot of work, good to see it makes sense to someone but me!

Slippery_Rat aka LaLa
Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/20/16 12:07 PM

Originally Posted By: Slippery_Rat
Five tutorials, but from the lack of views and no feedback there appears little interest, no surprise but disappointing anyway!

LaLa

Helios has been around for a long time now. So much so that the creator has dropped support on it. Most people that use it either copy off of someone's profile or have learned to create their own.

There are quite a few tutorials available on YT and I even made my own because after using Helios for a while and then just using the profile, I found out I'd forgotten how to do things again so I made a few videos so that I can refresh my memory as needed.


linky

If you have any scripting knowledge that can be used in Helios, I think that's where the biggest gap in knowledge is. Nevertheless, keep up your good work, I'm sure we'll all benefit from it later on when we need to review a "how-to". biggrin
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/20/16 03:37 PM

Thanks Ice, I wouldn't call myself a coder, but I do have a modicum of skill. Coding can be very challenging depending on level of available documentation. I haven't been serious about DCS until recently, and then I found Helios.... it was like Christmas for me, but how it all fit together was a bit of a puzzlement. When figuring some of it out, I wanted to document in one place what I had learned. There seemed to me a smattering of information here and there, and how Helios infer-faced with DCS was also bit of a puzzle too. I didnt feel comfortable in changes DCS might make, and how these might affect Helios. If use of "Send Keys" is the primary mechanism for communication between DCS and Helios, then hopefully changes DCS might make will have a minimal impact. I'm still in the process of looking into this.

As a side note:

I had one of your profiles open in Helios profile editor -Ices BMS 4.33 ver.1.2.hpf when I read your message so was pleasantly surprised to see your comment, I watched both your videos good stuff! .... While not that familiar with BMS I do have it, and am interested in developing an interface for the F-16 too. Your profile gives me a good place to start!

Thanks again for your feedback! ;-)
LaLa

Another excellent video by the ice man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M4mdtDT2nY

Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/21/16 01:56 AM

Thanks for the kind words! biggrin

Currently, I'm still having issues with the rotary encoders and switches in Helios and tying them to BMS. I'm sure some lua scripting is in order but like I said, I've little knowledge in this area. Do you know any lua coding?
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/21/16 08:48 AM

I am not that familiar with lua scripts but do have some understanding of control structures/conditionals, maybe I could help.

I was looking at the BMS forum and noticed this https://www.bmsforum.org/forum/showthread.php?29048-Problems-with-some-keystrokes

If this were my problem I might try to re-map the Key bindings to avoid using the ALT key, but I havent looked at this problem in depth, that would just be my knee jerk response! ;-)

It's annoying when a program has some idiosyncrasy that requires a kluge!

regards

LaLa

I presume you are referring to this!
https://www.bmsforum.org/forum/showthread.php?28958-Helios-issues&highlight=helios+setup

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... what you are doing is way out of my present league, as I'm not familiar with several of the things you are referring to are, but I think using 2 PC that are interacting with an app on a single device gets tricky my limited understanding at this point is that Helios is merely an overlay, and only communicates with the simulator app thru keystrokes, these keystrokes are held in memory (which device/PC) are they the same? Since they dont share the same memory this could lead to potential problems, Windows 10 maybe using different/more secure memory model, this is only a BIG guess. If you have changed several things at once... ie added a 2nd computer a new os, and an additional output device, try going back to one computer, or Win 7 and 2 computers. Add one issue at a time and confirm it works before progressing to the next step. You may have already done this and still no luck, but things get complicated with multiple devices and memory that's not shared.

These are just some of my initial thoughts!

Good luck

LaLa

Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/21/16 12:17 PM

No, I need scripts for things like syncing the LG in Helios with the LG in the sim. This is done already for the LG and for the parking brake which is really cool, next to work on the autopilot switches. The end goal is to be able to sync most switches between Helios and the sim.

As for the keystrokes, this is a long-time issue but it's the first time I noticed it on this particular callback... I could swear it worked fine in the older version of BMS, but I've not flown for over a year so I could very well be wrong.... plus once the HMCS is on, the only time it gets turned off is either when I eject or when I powerdown the aircraft after a flight. So again, I've not tested the "off" mode very much. Anyway, back to Helios, it doesn't like stuff being mapped to certain keys so I've learned over time to avoid putting commands on those keys. This is the first time that it seems like BMS itself did not like certain keystrokes.

With regard to my networking issue, this is really confusing. I could type out entire messages on the keyboard and it'll be sent to the main PC fine. I can also use the touchscreen keyboard and it works fine. In Helios, I could click on buttons and it works fine. But when using my finger to activate stuff (which is the whole point of a touchscreen!!!!) that's when the double-activations register. More testing needed, but it seems like it'll be a novelty project now since I'm running 5 screens off my main PC and the fps hit is.... 2-3fps? Maybe 4? So not too bad at all considering I'm pushing that many pixels.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/21/16 01:13 PM

I'm certainly no expert here, but I know that touch senitive screens are sensitive to time and distance from the finger tip to the device, and the shape of the pointer can make a difference, ie the tip of the finger vs the flat part of the finger, to long contact may double click. What about touch pad sensitivity settings? Do you have a stylus for your touch screen?

If it was too easy, you must have forgotten something or done it wrong! :-)

Good luck!
Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/21/16 04:54 PM

Well, why does it work on a single PC but goes berserk over network? dizzy
Posted By: sobe

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/21/16 06:50 PM

Slippery Rat

Just followed this thread and added these buttons to a blank profile so that I am ready to add them to Capt Z's new Mig 21 profile when he publishes it.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 11:20 AM

Great to hear your feedback Sobe, feels better when your efforts are appreciated by others.


Regards,

LaLa
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 11:39 AM

Originally Posted By: - Ice
Well, why does it work on a single PC but goes berserk over network? dizzy


Yesterday, I was reading the YAMES64 installation, I seems quite a few places where, there could be communication problems using the client server model. I saw in the YAMES64 manual there is no Keyserver manual yet!! Ooops!

Are you using Leavu too?

Leavu too problem for me, as seen below.

Link -> Leavu Misbehavin!

I dont really expect any answers from the fora, seems difficult to get any response.

regards LaLa

I had BMS crashing problem too, but solved that, somehow extracted windows had invalid dimensions, length and width with negative numbers etc, somehow got corrupted, not me, but OK now. ;-)
Posted By: sobe

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 06:37 PM

It took me weeks to get Leavu 2.1 to work after a lot of help from an Australian computer person. I finally got Leavu 3 to work. Here is the forum post for Leavu 3:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=164329&highlight=leavu

and here is my instructions from post 347 in leavu 3

The simplest way to run both Leavu3 and Helios on a second touch screen is the following:

Make sure you have java 8 or greater installed
Download dcs-remote2.zip and leavu3.zip
Unzip both where you like
Copy the files inside the dcs-remote2/lua/ folder into your DCS/Scripts/ folder
e.g C:/Users/<username>/Saved Games/DCS/Scripts/
If you don't have a 'Scripts' folder - create one.
Change the name of the export file in dcs-remote2/lua folder and copy the only line in it to the export file made by CPT Z and paste the line at the end of CPT Z’s export file and put his export file (as modified) in the Scripts folder
Launch dcs-remote2.jar on your game PC
Verify a tray icon appears (black square with the text oo DCS inside it)
Prepare 3 folders, one for each of the Radar, RWR and the SMS/HSD modules.
In each folder put a copy of dcs-remote2.jar, leavu3.cfg, leavu3-debug-log and leavu3-log.
Modify each of the 3 config (JSON) files to your liking. Here is the first part of my Radar module:


"title" : "Leavu 3",
"x" : 2197,
"y" : 0,
"width" : 397,
"height" : 397,
"borderless" : true,
"noFocusOnClick" : true,
"alwaysOnTop" : false,
"forceExit" : false,
"vSyncEnabled" : true,
"gameDataFps" : 40,
"dcsRemoteAddress" : "127.0.0.1",
"dcsRemotePort" : 12340,
"aaSamples" : 4,
"instrument" : "se.gigurra.leavu3.mfd.Mfd",
"symbolScale" : 1.50,
"rwrSeparateSrTr" : false,
"units" : "imperial",
"initialQp" : 0,
"qps" : ["FCR"], <Note only the radar will appear in this module
"use3dBscope" : true,
"hsd-hsi" : true,
"hsd-modes" : true,
"hsd-heading" : true,
"osbs" : true,
"dclt" : false,
"keyInputEnabled" : true,
Launch leavu3.jar in each of the 3 folders and a module should appear for each one.
Click INF to get to the INFO page and verify Dcs Remote is connected
My modules keep the boarders so I can resize them in the game and move them around.

· Get CPT Z’s F15 Helios profile and in the Profile editor for the monitor properties, uncheck “Behavior-always on top”
In the monitor config file in the game, you only need to set up the monitor as a single monitor as you are not exporting any dials or the radar to your second screen. Just set up Helios to run on your second screen.

· Now you should have the Helios profile and the 3 Leavu3 modules on the second screen

I have not used this in a long time, but if you want to go over this, just let me now.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 07:34 PM

Originally Posted By: sobe
It took me weeks to get Leavu 2.1 to work after a lot of help from an Australian computer person. I finally got Leavu 3 to work. Here is the forum post for Leavu 3:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=164329&highlight=leavu

and here is my instructions from post 347 in leavu 3

The simplest way to run both Leavu3 and Helios on a second touch screen is the following:

Make sure you have java 8 or greater installed
Download dcs-remote2.zip and leavu3.zip
Unzip both where you like
Copy the files inside the dcs-remote2/lua/ folder into your DCS/Scripts/ folder
e.g C:/Users/<username>/Saved Games/DCS/Scripts/
If you don't have a 'Scripts' folder - create one.
Change the name of the export file in dcs-remote2/lua folder and copy the only line in it to the export file made by CPT Z and paste the line at the end of CPT Z’s export file and put his export file (as modified) in the Scripts folder
Launch dcs-remote2.jar on your game PC
Verify a tray icon appears (black square with the text oo DCS inside it)
Prepare 3 folders, one for each of the Radar, RWR and the SMS/HSD modules.
In each folder put a copy of dcs-remote2.jar, leavu3.cfg, leavu3-debug-log and leavu3-log.
Modify each of the 3 config (JSON) files to your liking. Here is the first part of my Radar module:


"title" : "Leavu 3",
"x" : 2197,
"y" : 0,
"width" : 397,
"height" : 397,
"borderless" : true,
"noFocusOnClick" : true,
"alwaysOnTop" : false,
"forceExit" : false,
"vSyncEnabled" : true,
"gameDataFps" : 40,
"dcsRemoteAddress" : "127.0.0.1",
"dcsRemotePort" : 12340,
"aaSamples" : 4,
"instrument" : "se.gigurra.leavu3.mfd.Mfd",
"symbolScale" : 1.50,
"rwrSeparateSrTr" : false,
"units" : "imperial",
"initialQp" : 0,
"qps" : ["FCR"], <Note only the radar will appear in this module
"use3dBscope" : true,
"hsd-hsi" : true,
"hsd-modes" : true,
"hsd-heading" : true,
"osbs" : true,
"dclt" : false,
"keyInputEnabled" : true,
Launch leavu3.jar in each of the 3 folders and a module should appear for each one.
Click INF to get to the INFO page and verify Dcs Remote is connected
My modules keep the boarders so I can resize them in the game and move them around.

· Get CPT Z’s F15 Helios profile and in the Profile editor for the monitor properties, uncheck “Behavior-always on top”
In the monitor config file in the game, you only need to set up the monitor as a single monitor as you are not exporting any dials or the radar to your second screen. Just set up Helios to run on your second screen.

· Now you should have the Helios profile and the 3 Leavu3 modules on the second screen

I have not used this in a long time, but if you want to go over this, just let me now.



Thank you Sobe, I put Leavu on hold while I focused on BMS, YAME64 on Ices BMS Profile, thats all running 99% now so will try again with Leavu tomorrow!

Anyway, thank you very much!

LaLa
Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 07:47 PM

Keyserver is their way of sending inputs to the sim by using a browser-based method; not exactly what I was looking for. Also, Helios goes berserk whether using YAME or MFDE or just Helios by itself.

Sobe, are you using Helios on a networked PC? What is this Leavu software?
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 09:08 PM

Thinking about what you are trying to achieve, you are a bright guy, and you know that computers are stupid with regard to connections, one comma out of place invalidates all your thoughts!

Remember the app that has focus, during the game (probably BMS) is in control, but a program like YAME64 is intercepting and interpreting your commands! The outcome is determine by their interaction! Probably your response is intercepted by YAME64 and sent on to BMS.

That's what make this difficult, what is the outcome when the input is a variable, that interprets its value?

I admit that this is my interpretation of MY understanding.

regards LaLa
Posted By: sobe

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 09:49 PM

-Ice
Leavu3 See>>>>>>>https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=164329&highlight=Leavu3

It puts the missing RWR and HSD in the F15 module along with other things for the F15. If it were networked then it could act as a real HSD and locate the bad guys, but I believe the networking feature is no longer supported so it is like playing in single player mode. I also believe that it does not pass the security test for DCS so it does not work in multiplayer. However, in single player, coupled with Helios, it is neat to use.

What is YAME64?
Posted By: sobe

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/24/16 09:57 PM

-Ice
I used to play BMS with your Helios profile, but have not done so for awhile. I noticed that you recently stated that your BMS profile should work with U2 so I may try BMS again. However, I noticed on your web page that there has been no updates since Nov 2015. Is that correct?

I am not running anything on a networked computer. Just 2 screens on one computer.

I have always wanted to thank you for your BMS profile.
Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 08:56 AM

Lala, no interaction occurs between YAME and Helios. And Helios goes berserk whether it's running alone or with other programs. So that's been eliminated from the possible factors.

sobe, so the Leavu is just to extract RWR and HSD? Does it do anything more?

Thanks for your kind words regarding my profile. It does indeed work on 4.33.2, but I would suggest trying out Weepop's profile as well. He's taken my work and improved on it a bit. My current work is adapting my profile to my new setup (2 touchscreens) so I may not "improve" my single touchscreen setup for a while. I've basically taken the year off from flying and Weepop has made improvements to the base profile in that time.

Here's a little preview of the new one:
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 09:06 AM

Originally Posted By: - Ice
Lala, no interaction occurs between YAME and Helios. And Helios goes berserk whether it's running alone or with other programs. So that's been eliminated from the possible factors.

sobe, so the Leavu is just to extract RWR and HSD? Does it do anything more?

Thanks for your kind words regarding my profile. It does indeed work on 4.33.2, but I would suggest trying out Weepop's profile as well. He's taken my work and improved on it a bit. My current work is adapting my profile to my new setup (2 touchscreens) so I may not "improve" my single touchscreen setup for a while. I've basically taken the year off from flying and Weepop has made improvements to the base profile in that time.

Here's a little preview of the new one:


Yeah, Ice my mistake, I knew there was no connection between the two overlays (Helios and YAME64)

If you can point me to the script that does the synch on the LG I will take a look.

LaLa
Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 09:44 AM

Select the LG, then go to BINDINGS > INPUT > BINDINGS and you should see the script for it.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 10:05 AM

OK you are referring to

Snippet, of the Input> Interfaces> Falcon> Landing Gear> Gear Handle> Indicator Change> Set Gear Indicator

if(TriggerValue) then
return 1;
else
return 2;
end

So you want DCS to update Helios autopilot switches, when you change their values, correct?

LaLa
Posted By: Fakum

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 02:28 PM

Thank you La La for steering me to this thread. The problem is, I can not find the keybindings for the "Helios Control Center" RESET button. If I knew what it was , then I could just implement that onto one of my spare hidden buttons in my profile, Since I cant seem to open up the "Helios Control Center" in the Profile Editor, I cant find out what the keybindings are? I read through the initial posts, but I certainly cant seem to open up the "Helios Control Center" in the Profile Editor to find out what it is. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 02:49 PM

Originally Posted By: Fakum
Thank you La La for steering me to this thread. The problem is, I can not find the keybindings for the "Helios Control Center" RESET button. If I knew what it was , then I could just implement that onto one of my spare hidden buttons in my profile, Since I cant seem to open up the "Helios Control Center" in the Profile Editor, I cant find out what the keybindings are? I read through the initial posts, but I certainly cant seem to open up the "Helios Control Center" in the Profile Editor to find out what it is. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.


Study the first picture on page one of this thread:

1. First select your button (assuming you have one already) if not drag one out from the toolbox and select it in Layers.
2. Select the Output tab to see the bindings
3. Expand the Interfaces option by clicking on the > to reveal Profile
4. Again click the > next to Profile to expand it
5. Immediately under Profile you should see Reset
6. Click and Drag Reset in Actions to Pushed in the Bindings
7. Save


Done
Posted By: Fakum

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 04:03 PM

Well,,, that certainly did the trick! I was taking the wrong approach and attempting to implement keybindings. Thank you very much!
Posted By: - Ice

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 07:09 PM

Originally Posted By: Slippery_Rat
OK you are referring to

Snippet, of the Input> Interfaces> Falcon> Landing Gear> Gear Handle> Indicator Change> Set Gear Indicator

if(TriggerValue) then
return 1;
else
return 2;
end

So you want DCS to update Helios autopilot switches, when you change their values, correct?

LaLa


BMS, not DCS. Unfortunately, not all swiches are implemented. Also in this instance, I can't get the LG light to activate.
Posted By: Slippery_Rat

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 11/26/16 07:22 PM

The lua code is very simple, I wonder if BMS is just not listening for input, or it requires a specific format.

Strange to see the use of 1 and 2 in lieu of 0 and 1 for computer code. This might require some playing but at present I'm not certain BMS receives anything from my Helios monitor 2, so reluctant to playing with code til that resolved!

regards

LaLa
Posted By: sobe

Re: Helios Pause and Toggle Helios Control Center - 12/14/16 12:13 AM

Slippery Rat
Just wanted you to know that I used your method to place the radar in the new Mig 21 profile done by Capt Z and also I used your idea of placing pause, active pause and the Helios control button in the profile.
Thanks
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