Improved group map markers for Arma 3

[VKing 12]

This is a re-release of my APP-6A markers that I originally made for Arma 2.

I've changed the style to match the A3 markers and made some other graphical improvements. I've also added neutral markers (square green ones) that can be used for the independent side.

The syntax hasn't changed, so it's possible to copy/paste code from old missions with no problems.

Features:

• A huge amount of markers for representing groups, with an even bigger number of possible combinations
  
• Ability to have markers track units or vehicles
  
• Blue Force Tracker functionality
  
• Full multiplayer capability, including JIP and TVT support
  

Requires CBA.

Download here or get it through Armaholic or PWS.

Edited November 29, 2013 by VKing

[james2464 177]

Very nice

[katipo66 94]

Cool, much better than default

[Guest]

Thanks for informing us about the release :cool:

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Improved group map markers



Community Base addons A3

================================================

You are not registered on Armaholic, or at least not that we are aware of. In the future we offer the possibility to authors to maintain their own pages.

If you wish to be able to do this as well please register on Armaholic and let me know about it.

This is not mandatory at all! Only if you wish to control your own content you are welcome to join, otherwise we will continue to follow your work like we have always done ;)

When you have any questions already feel free to PM or email me!

Edited November 7, 2013 by Guest

[docclf 12]

Cool thx. Is this based an a army (german, usa, etc) or is this more a random Mix?

[VKing 12]

Cool thx. Is this based an a army (german, usa, etc) or is this more a random Mix?

It's based on the NATO APP-6A / US MIL-STD-2525C standard.

[VKing 12]

Updated to 301

• Some backend cleanup
  
• Improved readability of some symbols
  
• Added "cargo" symbol for air groups and air vehicles
  
• Added "fighter" symbol for air vehicles
  
• Added markers for air vehicles
  - To use add "airunit" to the mod array.
  
• Added unknown style markers
  - Use "unknown" as type instead of a side
  

Updated download link in the OP.

Edited November 7, 2013 by VKing

[gagi 10]

Hello,

one question.

Is it possible to add markers like the ones available when you double clic on the map. And for example make that the "DOT" one is the default one.

This is a huge problem when you want to prepare a briefing, the GUI is not cool to prepare a briefing ...

just asking ! thanks for your help on this subject.

(I think I didn't understood your mod)

[VKing 12]

Sorry, no.

Because of how these markers are constructed (multiple separate parts put on top of eachother), I can't make them available through the double click interface. (Well, I could, but I'd have to make several hundred image files instead of a few dozen, and you'd have to scroll through all of them.)

I agree the support for placing markers during briefing/mission in Arma is lacking, but because of how scripts work during the briefing I don't think I can make a workaround possible. These markers are, and will be for the foreseeable future, only available through the scripting command.

[VKing 12]

I've updated to version 302. Link in the OP. The only change is that I added a missing texture file.

I also noticed the last update didn't include the server key in the zip, so it's now been included as well.

Edited November 7, 2013 by VKing

[Guest]

Thanks for taking the time to inform us about the update :cool:

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Improved group map markers v302



Community Base addons A3

================================================

You are not registered on Armaholic, or at least not that we are aware of. In the future we offer the possibility to authors to maintain their own pages.

If you wish to be able to do this as well please register on Armaholic and let me know about it.

This is not mandatory at all! Only if you wish to control your own content you are welcome to join, otherwise we will continue to follow your work like we have always done ;)

When you have any questions already feel free to PM or email me!

[ProDomo 10]

damn you and thank you the same time VKing!

Me as a complete scripting novice was working on something quite similiar for the past 2 weeks... now it seems I should've spent my time differently...

Can you pls provide some more information on how to apply your function correctly? where to put the *.pbo to begin with and how to implement the markers in mission-editing?

Thanks for your work and time!

Edited November 8, 2013 by ProDomo

[VKing 12]

The pbo goes somewhere in your load order. You should check the armaholic page, they add some good documentation.

You should read the included readme for an explanation of the full command structure, but the simple way to do it is adding

["unique markername", this, visual style (west/east/independent/"unknown"), ["types","of","graphics"], group size (from -1 to 11), marker scale, [side(s) of players who can see this marker], "Text visible on the map"] call vk_fnc_addMarker

to a unit's init field.

For example

["Blue1",this,west,["infantry"],1,2,[west,independent],"Player's squad"] call vk_fnc_addMarker;

You can drop everything after the first array if you want, they're optional. The marker will follow the unit around. If you want it to stay still instead, put in getpos this as the second parameter.

[ProDomo 10]

thank you very much for responding that quickly. I read the readme but was unsure where to put the call exactly. I thought it to be running automatically after some adjustments where made for each specific unit.

well then there seems to be a place for my script after all. If only it would work as intended yet^^

[VKing 12]

I'm working on making a way to create markers during missions.

It works by making a specific marker during the mission, using the regular double-click method, and you enter the type you want as the text.

It's pretty basic, and probably won't become much more advanced, but if it works out the way I hope it will work during briefings.

[VKing 12]

Update:

Version 303.

[*] Fixed an issue that could cause rpt spam when deleting or hiding markers.

[/List]

Download link updated in the OP.

[Guest]

Thanks for informing us about the updated release :cool:

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Improved group map markers v303



Community Base addons A3

================================================

You are not registered on Armaholic, or at least not that we are aware of. In the future we offer the possibility to authors to maintain their own pages.

If you wish to be able to do this as well please register on Armaholic and let me know about it.

This is not mandatory at all! Only if you wish to control your own content you are welcome to join, otherwise we will continue to follow your work like we have always done ;)

When you have any questions already feel free to PM or email me!

[sancron 32]

How i got this to work in Multiplayer? When i set up markers like this:

["kpz1",pz1,west,["armor","2"],-1,1] call vk_fnc_addMarker;

i see all when i preview my mission in the Editor. But when i use this

["kpz1",pz1,west,["armor","2"],-1,1,[west,independent],"",true] call vk_fnc_addMarker;

i do not see any markers at all. And both won't display on Multiplayer. Did i forget something? I was try several things and want that my Units / Vehicles are tracked. The first thing works also on empty Units in the Editor.

[VKing 12]

Hmm, that seems to be a bug.

Thanks for letting me know, I'll look into it.

[whiztler 137]

Bump, just wondering if VK Markers is (now) MP compatible?

[major woody 11]

This is very interesting... - does this work with the HC module...? :)

Edited March 29, 2014 by Major Woody

[major woody 11]

*bump*

[janus0104 3]

Any chance you can fix this script error? (Shows up when we start ArmA 3 with your markers)

[milliwar 10]

It's an old thread, but VKing has been inactive for a while, so I'll post what I've learned about some of the issues with this mod.

The first error message at startup is in file XEH_PostClientInit.sqf:

Suspending not allowed in this context
Error in expression < {
if (isNull player) then {
waitUntil {!isNull player};
};
;

vk_mods_markers_p>
 Error position: <!isNull player};
};
;

vk_mods_markers_p>
 Error Generic error in expression

The most obvious fix to a novice like me would be to wrap the code block in [] spawn {}.

Second issue I found was that on a dedicated server markers attached to AI units owned by the server did not update properly when the unit was killed and vk_mods_markers_gKilledType was set to "destroy" in init.sqf (i.e. replace the marker of a destroyed unit with a crossed out marker). I had a hard time debugging this one and I still don't know whether I found the real cause.

I think this happens because:

• The main marker loop, fnc_markerLoop.sqf, hides markers by calling the hideMarker function (defined in XEH_PreInit.sqf) if the player or AI unit, or the vehicle they are in does not have blufor tracking capability (i.e. vk_mods_markers_bft = false on the unit). Blufor tracking is disabled by default.
  
• The hideMarker function is executed locally on the client and modifies the variables of the unit without broadcasting the changes. It sets vk_mods_markers_markerArray to nil (_x setVariable [QGVAR(markerArray),nil,false];.
  
• When a unit is killed, fnc_killed.sqf is executed locally by the owning client. The script checks that both vk_mods_markers_markerArray and vk_mods_markers_markerData are not nil and exits if they are.
  

I concluded that since AI units have blufor tracking disabled they hide all markers including their own and do not broadcast these changes (of course). When the AI unit dies, fnc_killed.sqf exits because the unit's own vk_mods_markers_markerArray is nil and the script never gets to the point where it notifies other units about the death. Other units that have blufor tracking capability keep drawing the dead unit's marker like it was still alive.

The least likely wrong solution IMO is to modify fnc_killed.sqf by commenting out the nil check of vk_mods_markers_markerArray because the variable is not used in anywhere else in the script.

...

if (isNil "_markerData") exitWith {
TRACE_1("No markerData for unit",_unit);
if (!isNil "_markerArray") exitWith {
	_unit setVariable [QGVAR(markerArray),nil,true];
};
};
/*if (isNil "_markerArray") exitWith {
TRACE_1("No markerArray for unit",_unit);
_unit setVariable [QGVAR(markerData),nil,true];
};*/

EXPLODE_7(_markerData,_name,_mods,_type,_size,_scale,_visibleTo,_text);

...

I hope this helps someone, and I hope VKing finds time to look into this.

[2BIOS 0]

Hi @vking,

 

I've got a question if you still watch out for this thread.

My clan would really like to use this mod but our mission-builders can't afford to waste time by writing the code for each symbol. Therefore I would like to request your permission to write a tool that creates the code for a symbol.

 

Thanks in advance

2b