SPON Map v0.7.0 (ACCEPTED)

[Spooner]

SPON Map v0.7.0
- Released: 2009-06-03
- (mission script version) 100% scripts with no addon dependencies
- (addon version) Requires XEH 1.9 or higher (included in release).
- Requires: ArmA 1.14 (or higher) and SPON Core (v0.5.3 or higher)
- See attached README.html for full details

Videos (very old, but show the idea)
SPON Map v0.3.0 @ YouTube (Unofficial video; thanks to Woolridge!)
SPON Map v0.5.0 @ Xfire (Unofficial video; thanks to Delta99)

Overview
Map that allows players to make freehand drawings, as well as place markers in a more manageable/intuitive way. The choice of exactly who to send this information to is extended from the "vanilla" ArmA options.

* Much more intuitive interface with more tooltips.
* New dynamic notepad.
* New digital clock and digital compass windows.
* Line thickness settings and lines stay at a constant width at any zoom level.
* Many other new features added and old bugs fixed.
* IMPORTANT NOTE: This version is not compatible with Arma 2, but will be the last version for Arma 1, barring hot-fixes, before I port to Arma 2.

* Online manual
* Features (recommended so you know how to use the new features and probably some old features you never knew about!).
* Download @ Dev-heaven

[Spooner]

Updated to v0.3.0
Well, I've done a fair bit more work on this: adding a lot of snazzy new drawing features (ellipses, rectangles, straight lines; MS Paint, eat your heart out ;P), improving the GUI & killing bugs. There are still a lot of outstanding bugs and incomplete features, however, so I wouldn't consider it usable code just yet. I'm really interested in what people think about this script, what usability issues there are and what features people would really like to see implemented (or not see implemented!).

[loki72]

hahaha.. this is good!

 

[kju]

Only a small note so far. 

Please rename your readmes to YOUR_PROJECT_readme.html/txt or readme_YOUR_PROJECT.html/txt.
Cheers 

[Spooner]

That seems sensible enough, I suppose. I assume it is so that you can include all readmes in a single directory when you incorporate my scripts? Anyway, this seems sensible so I'll certainly do this with all future releases (not sure it is worth re-releasing anything for this minor change).

[Mr.Peanut]

I think it would be useful for tactical MP planning, for "serious" clans. Perhaps the ACE team would be interested in using it to enhance their mod?

[Spooner]

Absolutely what it was designed for! I also see it useful for mission-makers to draw nice mission-plans on the map for you at the start of the mission, rather than rely on simple markers and solid shapes that block out what is under them (this isn't possible yet, but needs to be added ASAP). I have already had interest from a few mods for this script; I'll see how that goes.

EDIT: You may have noticed that the drawing modes have text rather than icons on. This is because I cannot draw with a mouse to save my life (you can tell from the screenshot, can't you?). If anyone wants to volunteer their icon-making skills to make icons for me which are consistent in style with ArmA, then please contact me.

[Spooner]

No idea who Woolridge is, but he went to the effort of recording himself using SPON Map (Youtube). Thanks!

I greatly appreciate the interest and will gladly link to anyone else making videos (I just have the free version of fraps and I'm too busy scripting anyway :p ).

[Woolridge]

YOU ARE WELCOME!

I think this script is great, and I used this video to show the script to my clan and try to convince them to use it in ALL the coop missions we edit. 

[Spooner]

I've found a new bug in v0.3.0: If another window opens over the SPON map in the middle of you drawing something, future lines are corrupted (so don't open the SPON Core debug window, or any other window, while you are in the middle of something!).

Someone at BIS forums has complained that they couldn't open the map any more after they respawned. Most people have found it fine though, so I am assuming it is a conflict with another script or addon.

EDIT: I looked at the mission that i0n0s was having problems with. Apparently, SPON Core key handling is being overwritten by Norrin's revive script when you die, specifically when you run around in deathcam mode.

It would be relatively easy to fix, since SPON Core conveniently has a special SPON_addKeyEventHandler function that allows multiple scripts to share the single available key event. However, in actual fact, it is actually an easily fixable bug in Norrin's script, since he doesn't actually need to get key events that way, so I'll get on at him to fix it ASAP.

Thanks again for the bug report.

[Spooner]

New version: v0.3.1
A couple of bug-fixes, a few tweaks requested by users and a shiny new compass.

- Added
    * Added simple compass.

- Modified
    * Resized SPON Map control to be the same size as the vanilla map (i.e. slightly wider in widescreen modes).
    * Doubled width of line drawn to aid visibility when fully zoomed out.

- Fixed
    * SPON Map and vanilla map are not synchonised (that is, if one changes, the other does not update).
    * If another user dialog opens over the SPON map in the middle of you drawing something, future drawing is corrupted.
    * When more than one person has placed markers in MP, one player can have a situation where when placing new markers, one of the markers previously placed gains the colour of this new marker! [Reported by Claesson].

[kju]

Thanks a lot Spooner. 

[Spooner]

New release v0.5.0 - This is the first version available as an addon as well as a mission-script.
- Added
    * Now available as an addon, by popular demand!
    * Grid measurement overlays added (suggested by TheDog).
    * Mils are displayed, as well as degrees, when measuring angles.
    * GPS, which can show grid coordinates (with 2-8 digit map reference), height ASL (on ground) or height AGL (in air), centre map on player (air only) or auto-track player (air only).
    * Tools window, compass and GPS can now be dragged around the screen.
    * When placing markers, you can click a "Send" button, rather than having to press the <enter> key (suggested by Q.Proper).
    * When in an aircraft and looking at the map, an "EJECT" button is available.
    * Markers are sorted alphabetically in the list and can be filtered with Alt + letter (suggested by Q.Proper).

- Modified
    * Compass made transparent to make it useful as a protractor (suggested by TheDog).

- Fixed
    * SPON Map and vanilla map aren't synchronised properly.
    * Compass is shown even if it is disabled in the mission.
    * Compass direction marker goes over the edge of the compass.
    * Current time, and time of sending a message, are shown even if watch is disabled in the mission.
    * When querying tell, group and vehicle markers that you have sent, the target is shown as a nil error.

[ViperMaul]

Outstanding!

Thanks for this great contribution.
Any way to make the key for toggle top to work inside the vehicle just like the map.
Currently with the addon version I need to resort to the action menu, even when I initialize with the action menu off.

[Spooner]

I don't quite get what you mean by "toggle top", but the action should always be available, regardless of whether the player is on foot or in a vehicle. If it is ever not available, then there is a bug and I'd like to know about it.

Bear with me on the action menu thing. I'm trying to maximise compatibility with the addon version, but I'll add a way for it to be configured by the player as soon as I can. However, I'll post a temporary workaround later, when I have time to double-check it (EDIT: told you directly).

EDIT:
New Release v0.5.1
- Modified
    * Should have significantly reduced slowdown in query mode.

- Fixed
    * Error raised at start of mission, when playing on independent/resistance side (reported by SickBoy).
    * Two identical icon markers are drawn whenever one is placed, except in "self" mode.
    * When querying an item that has been sent by someone else to a specific target (tell/group/vehicle) the text for the target is either "0" or "true" (Actually fixed in v0.5.0, but not documented).