Bindulator

Bindulator is a MS Excel based tool for Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) keybind visualization. The Bindulator uses a mix of Excel, PowerQuery and VBA actions, macros and scripts and works together with a free PDF editor.

After countless binding, rebinding and unbinding binds in DCS World (+formats +uninstalls +DCS bind bugs) I lost track what function on which airplane is bound on which button of my controllers. Unfortunately I have never found any tool for DCS World bind visualization (nor PDF nor kneeboard) so I made one for myself and my friends. Supposing it could also make some of the DCS World community happier, I have decided to make it public. I am not a professional programmer so please bear that in mind and use the Bindulator at your own risk. If my effort inspire you to make a better, standalone program that does not need DCS HTML exports, MS Excel, PDF editor - I am already a fan of your work!

All rights to the Bindulator are reserved by 'norekdcs2020' (GPLv2). I do not consent to any paid or commercial use of the Bindulator. Contact me via:

Github,
Email: [email protected],
ED forum thread: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=4282144,
Hoggit: https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/fz6n55/bindulator_tool_for_dcs_world_bind_visualization/.

Donate

Also, taking my friends' suggestions' into consideration, here is a link if you would like to support my work:

Compatibility

The Bindulator has only been tested and confirmed to work in this software configuration:

PDF-Xchange® Editor Version 8.0 compilation 336 Portable (download free "Editor Portable Version" and proceed accordingly to the program license). The Bindulator could use any other free PDF editor but it needs to be modified in such manner,
DCS OpenBeta 2.5.6.45915,
MS Office Professional Plus 2019 PL (Polish) Version 2003 compilation 12624.20382,
MS Windows 10 Pro PL (Polish).

Features & limitations

Whole workbook:

Visualize any DCS World aircraft binds - on PDF and on kneeboard (VR tested!),
Support to visualize binds of up to two Controllers per a Template,
The Bindulator relies on DCS World HTML exports because it was easier for me to make the tool work,
Binding only one function to a button is accepted + modifier 1 + modifier 2 (no support for more modifiers, sorry!),
Big red/green/yellow text fields giving you feedback about current Bindulator state,
DUAL Templates (two controllers on one page) will not be readable in VR (too much stuff going on),
Remember it's just an amateur MS Excel file - please be patient and restart if necessary.

YELLOW worksheets:

Marking in red not supported multiple functions per button binds,
Marking in violet not supported multiple buttons per function binds,

ORANGE worksheet:

Marking in red not supported multiple functions per button binds,
(Advanced) After initialisation you can edit the names of functions before the PDF creation to suit your needs.

Support for controllers + created templates:

Thrustmaster Warthog Stick,
Thrustmaster Warthog Throttle,
Thrustmaster T.16000M Stick,
Thrustmaster T.16000M FCS Stick,
Thrustmaster TWCS Throttle,
Thrustmaster Cougar MFD (Left),
Thrustmaster Cougar MFD (Right),
Virpil (VPC) MongoosT-50CM2 Stick,
VKB Gunfighter Stick,
Logitech Force 3D Pro Stick,
Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Stick,
Saitek X52 Stick (read lower Warning),
Saitek X52 Throttle (read lower Warning),
Saitek X52 Pro Stick (read lower Warning),
Saitek X52 Pro Throttle (read lower Warning),
Saitek X56 Rhino Stick,
Saitek X56 Rhino Throttle.

Warning for Saitek X52 users

As far as I know your setup (Stick + Throttle) is always understood by DCS as one, combined controller. Using the Bindulator is possible by choosing your combined HTML file once at Controller 1 only. Then select appropiate X52 Stick template for Stick bind visualization and follow the other Bindulator steps. After that select appropiate X52 Throttle template for Throttle bind visualization and once again follow the other Bindulator steps.

Todo

VPC T-50 CM throttle.

How to use

Check the brief tutorial video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwfaliH3OC8,

OR:

PDF bind visualization creation

Export DCS aircraft binds via the "HTML Export" (fortunately, at the moment, it is one click per aircraft),
Open Bindulator. The GREEN worksheet should appear,
Choose your controller setup and aircraft type via drop down lists at No. 1,
Choose the exported DCS HTML files for controller 1 and controller 2 (if you need a controller 2 on the same Template) at. No. 2 and No. 3 with according buttons. The paths to the HTML files will appear in the F column,
Press the Initialise data button at No. 4 and wait for data refresh start and end prompts. If a DUPLICATES PRESENT text appears next to No. 4 button, correct your binds,
Now you have imported your data to the YELLOW (raw import data) and ORANGE (processed import data) worksheets. If you don't like the DCS function names present in ORANGE worksheet, this is the time to change them at Funkcja field (the Kategoria funkcji is only a helper column),
Choose your compatible Template at No. 5 button. The path to the Template will appear in the F column,
Choose the folder for saving bind visualization PDF files at No. 6 button. The path to the folder will appear in the F column,
Point to the .exe file of your PDF editor at No. 7 button. The path to the .exe file will appear in the F column,

WARNING BEFORE NO. 8! AFTER YOU PRESS THE BUTTON DO NOT TOUCH THE MOUSE, NOR THE KEYBOARD - UNLESS PROMPTED ON THE SCREEN OTHERWISE. IF YOU CHANGE THE FOCUS OF ACTIVE WINDOW, BAD THINGS COULD HAPPEN. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Press the No. 8 button and watch how the Bindulator does the job,
Now you can either use the PDF created (if something is wrong or not optimal, you can correct it now manually) or go further and export the file as a kneeboard in DCS,

Kneeboard export from PDF files

Check if the path to your newly created PDF file at No. 9 in the F column is correct,
Choose the DCS World main kneeboard folder at No. 10. If the folder Kneeboard does not exist in the /Saved Games/DCS.openbeta/ path - create it. After choosing the kneeboard folder with the Bindulator, the path to the folder will appear in the F column,

WARNING BEFORE NO. 11! AFTER YOU PRESS THE BUTTON DO NOT TOUCH THE MOUSE, NOR THE KEYBOARD - UNLESS PROMPTED ON THE SCREEN OTHERWISE. IF YOU CHANGE THE FOCUS OF ACTIVE WINDOW, BAD THINGS COULD HAPPEN. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Press the No. 11 button and watch how the Bindulator does the job,
Check if everything works in DCS World. Do not forget to bind keys for Kneeboard ON/OFF or GLANCE and NEXT/PREVIOUS kneeboard pages. Your kneeboards should appear after pressing the NEXT button for a few times.
Profit?
Repeat previous steps if needed for different controllers and aircrafts.

Changelog

v0.305 - added support for VKB Gunfighter Stick, small graphic fix for MFD Cougar Left Template,
v0.304 - added support for Thrustmaster MFD Cougar (mirrored Left and Right versions) + added adequate Templates,
v0.303 - wait delay unification, minor fixes,
v0.302 - bold font fix,
v0.301 - added ED Forum thread link,
v0.300 - initial version of the Bindulator that was made public.

Known bugs

Only one color available (other than black) while using button modifiers - cannot change font colour in PDF-Xchange Editor by keyboard shortcut,
Sometimes Excel loses focus after the Bindulator initialisation or bind visualization (the icon of background task does not appear) - you just need to press the mouse on the open Excel file,
Often the initialisation process takes some time (~30 s), maybe too much but hey - it works (and you do not need to use it every day). I believe that the cause is multiple PowerQuery queries for showing binding errors of multiple functions per button and multiple buttons per function,
There is a chance that you will experience different axis and button naming on your controllers - please let me know if it happens. If you are using hardware producer's software, try to change the assigned axis and buttons to fit the template ones,
There might me a problem with different Excel language than Polish - due to obligatory using ";" instead of "," in formulas. Please let me know how it turns out...

Credits

Woytek,
nielu,
PanDziad,
mikkeboss,
specol,
Aden,
3Mydlo3,
Varios,
Madin,
veteran29,
DCS_Forces,
ArmaForces.

and please let me know if you would like to appear here (and why ).

yehtutlwin / bindulator Goto Github PK

bindulator's Introduction