Report links

[Jade_Monkey]

Can someone explain how report links are different than events and how they work?

I read the manual but I still don't get it. Maybe if someone puts in in different words?

I also tried playing around with it in the editor and half of the time it wont even let me create a report link.

I suspect they can be very useful but I haven't quite cracked this one yet.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

-JM

[JimTM]

So, you read "Report Message Link" on pg. 9?

[Jade_Monkey]

Yes, I did.

 

You can tell a plane to go to the first waypoint by using a regular ontookoff event. What's the use for a report?

 

Also setting up a report seems a lot harder and I havent personally had any success doing it. Do you have to use the properties window instead of right click --> Add report?

[Gambit21]

Funny...I was wondering the same thing Monkey.

[JimTM]

OK, looks like I need to take another run at the report message doc.

 

I'm busy at the moment; can you go through the right click, add report procedure and let me know details on what steps are giving you trouble. Thanks!

Edited September 17, 2017 by JimTM

[Gambit21]

Monkey, the only time I've had to use "Report" so far is when using an aircraft Spawn event to trigger something as there's no on-spawned event.

I had to "find command" which was the spawn MCU and link to that, then output "Target" to the timer.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Gambit21

[JimTM]

OK, looks like I need to take another run at the report message doc.

 

I'm busy at the moment; can you go through the right click, add report procedure and let me know details on what steps are giving you trouble. Thanks!

 

Further to my last note, I gave some more thought to the difference between events and reports (other than how they are constructed) and I don't have a clear answer yet. Perhaps in certain situations, reports may result in simpler logic  The only thought I had re. takeoff and landing events vs. reports is that you (probably?) need to use an event to detect a player plane taking off or landing, but you could use either an event or report for an AI plane doing the same thing.

 

As I mentioned, please tell me which steps in the report link procedure give you problems and what those problems are.

Edited September 18, 2017 by JimTM

[gabuzomeu]

hello,

The reason is, perhaps, that the report is sent conditional of using a specific MCU instantiation.

Ie it means "send trigger when object is spawned ( foe example) by this specific MCU"

So if you have several ways to trigger an object this can lead to activate separate logics

Example:

A plane can be spawned by two different spawn mcu, and you want the plane to take off and follow two different waypoints etc....

What do you think?

[Gambit21]

It does indeed require the aircraft to 'report' to a specific MCU.

I can't think of a reason for it's existence though (other than for spawn since there's no "onSpawned" event)

but other than that there's nothing it allows that I can't accomplish with the 'event' funtion from where I sit.

[Habu]

It's a very good question. I don't use them too, because i don't really know what they do. I always thinking that report add a radio voice to the action, but i never took the time to test and check that.

[Jade_Monkey]

I agree completely with @gabuzomeu, I reached the same conclusion.

 

To me, the report seems to be mostly useful with the attack and areaattacked since you don't have to use timers to estimate when a plane will attack a target. You can have multiple attack targets in a mission and this would help.

 

The takeoff and landed are not as useful because most (SP) missions would only have a single takeoff and landing, so the events might suffice. I don't have any experience with MP missions so no comment there.

[Gambit21]

I agree completely with @gabuzomeu, I reached the same conclusion.

 

To me, the report seems to be mostly useful with the attack and areaattacked since you don't have to use timers to estimate when a plane will attack a target. You can have multiple attack targets in a mission and this would help.

Can you elaborate about what you're thinking please?

I'm trying construct the group in my head that would make use if this - two attack areas for instance.

Normally for area attack I'd just use a timer after a certain interval and send the flight on its way to the next waypoint, then another attack area, repeat. Or simply deactivate the first attack and activate the second.

I'm sure that I'm not quite understanding your idea though.

[gabuzomeu]

For example:

you may have two areas to attack (north or south) , depending on some conditions on the game.

Depending on the area to attack, you may want to trigger a different waypoint to go back "home" after the attack. 

behaviour like:

When attacked area north complete , next waypoint is North WP

When attacked area is south, next waypoint is South WP

This leads to simpler links than activating/deactivating, while I agree this can be emulated the way you describe

 

 

Can you elaborate about what you're thinking please?
I'm trying construct the group in my head that would make use if this - two attack areas for instance.
Normally for area attack I'd just use a timer after a certain interval and send the flight on its way to the next waypoint, then another attack area, repeat. Or simply deactivate the first attack and activate the second.
I'm sure that I'm not quite understanding your idea though.

Edited September 19, 2017 by gabuzomeu

[Jade_Monkey]

Can you elaborate about what you're thinking please?

I'm trying construct the group in my head that would make use if this - two attack areas for instance.

Normally for area attack I'd just use a timer after a certain interval and send the flight on its way to the next waypoint, then another attack area, repeat. Or simply deactivate the first attack and activate the second.

I'm sure that I'm not quite understanding your idea though.

 

I think most things with reports can also be done with events and timers anyways. I was just brainstorming.

[Gambit21]

No worries...always after that next little tidbit of insight is all.