Flare hangtime

[Knight Trane]

Hey Guys,

Is there a way to change the hang time of 40mm Flare?
 
I want to create a tripwire effect.  I want to use a "F_40mm_red".  I can get it to illuminate, but it goes out when it hits the ground.  I would like to set it at 3m hieght and have it hang there until it burns out.  Any thoughts?

[Luke]

Try using the FIRED eventhandler to get the flare,
then setpos it where you want it.

Luke

[Knight Trane]

I know nothing about EventHandlers.  Could you link me to a good starting point?

Will a Fired eventhsndler work for a flare that was "fired" using this in a triger init field:

Code: [Select]

flare1 = "F_40mm_Red" createVehicle [getPos tresflare1 select 0, getPos tresflare1 select 1, 50];

[Luke]

That could work as a spawned object.
Dunno if the flare will fall from that point,
so you may need to loop it

For getting fired flares check this out.

Luke

[Knight Trane]

Alright,
The flare spawns and falls a bit before it ignites.  It goes out as soon as it hits the ground, if it doesn't go out on the way down first.  So, Luke you were right about the "Looping".  It works great.

Got this from =Odin=, over at BISforums:http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?s=918f705eb632bf046f11e7906bc49248;act=ST;f=71;t=76436

flare.sqs
Code Sample
_cnt = 0;
flare1 = "F_40mm_Red" createVehicle [getPos tresflare1 select 0, getPos tresflare1 select 1, 35];
~3.5
#loop
; _cnt == "amount of times loop is run befor it ends"
?(_cnt == 400) : goto "end";
flare1 setPosASL [ (getPosASL tresflare1 select 0) + 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 1) - 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 2) + 2];
~0.001
_cnt = _cnt + 1;
goto "loop"
~1
#end
exit

This worked like a champ.  Now does any one think this would work in MP?  I know there has to be a variable sent out to all machines so everyone sees the flare.  How would I do that?  Does it go on the trigger or the flare?  Or both?
Any thoughts would be appreciated. 
Cheers!

[Luke]

Try to stay away from .sqs at least for later.

So your flare.sqs"

Code: (flare.sqs) [Select]

_cnt = 0;
flare1 = "F_40mm_Red" createVehicle [getPos tresflare1 select 0, getPos tresflare1 select 1, 35];
~3.5
#loop
; _cnt == "amount of times loop is run befor it ends"
?(_cnt == 400) : goto "end";
flare1 setPosASL [ (getPosASL tresflare1 select 0) + 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 1) - 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 2) + 2];
~0.001
_cnt = _cnt + 1;
goto "loop"
~1
#end
exit

instead try:

Code: (flare.sqf) [Select]

publicvariable "flare1";
_cnt = 0;
flare1 = "F_40mm_Red" createVehicle [getPos tresflare1 select 0, getPos tresflare1 select 1, 35];
sleep 3.5;
while {_cnt < 400} do
{
//_cnt == "amount of times loop is run befor it ends";
   flare1 setPosASL [ (getPosASL tresflare1 select 0) + 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 1) - 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 2) + 2];
   sleep 0.01;
   _cnt = _cnt + 1;
 };
exitwith{}

does the same thing with better formatting,
plus I belive publicvariable makes it run on all machines (MP).

Luke

[Knight Trane]

I got an error:

'|#|sleep 0.01;'
Error generic error in expression

 

[Luke]

I think I typed it right.

How did you execute it?

didi you use

Code: [Select]

[] execvm "flare.sqf"?

Try that.

Luke

[Knight Trane]

Still a no go.

I put this in the Init field of the trigger:

Code: [Select]

[] exec "Flare.sqf"
when I try:

Code: [Select]

[] execvm "Flare.sqf" I get  an erreor in the editor.  "Type script, expected nothing".

I also tried:

Code: [Select]

[] execVm "Flare.sqf" and

Code: [Select]

[this] execVM "Flare.sqf"The editor accepted that but then I got the same original error in the mission.

Its so close I can taste it.

[Odin]

what about

Code: [Select]

this = execVM "Flare.sqf"

[ModestNovice]

yes when executing from a trigger you need a 'something' = exec bla bla.

Ex:

Code: [Select]

nil = [] execVM "flare.sqf";


[Luke]

Still a no go.
...
Its so close I can taste it.

That it is.

You always have to name the script something.

Do what Da Chevs did.

Though I'm away from arma computer so I don't know whether the sleep is a genuine error or not.

Luke

[Knight Trane]

It works to a point.  I get an error at the start of the trigger.

Code: [Select]

'...sleep 0.01;
_cnt = _cnt + 1;
};
exitwith|#|{};'
Error Missing ;
File C:\Documents and settings|Knight Trane\My Documents|ArmA Other
Profiles\Knighttrane\mpmissions\FlareMPtest.Intro\flare.sqf, Line 17
I ran it with some mates.  Six at one point.  It produced six flares miliseconds apart.   

Would the multiple flares go away if I ran this on a Dedicated server?
I'm really lost on this multiplayer stuff.

[Odin]

Hiya again

Try the SQF file this way with an if statatment to exit instead of just "exitwith{};"

Code: [Select]

if (isServer and (isNull player)) exitWith {};
publicvariable "flare1";
_cnt = 0;
flare1 = "F_40mm_Red" createVehicle [getPos tresflare1 select 0, getPos tresflare1 select 1, 35];
sleep 3.5;
while {_cnt < 400} do
{
//_cnt == "amount of times loop is run befor it ends";
   flare1 setPosASL [ (getPosASL tresflare1 select 0) + 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 1) - 0.199, (getPosASL tresflare1 select 2) + 2];
   sleep 0.01;
   _cnt = _cnt + 1;
 };
if (true) exitwith {};
Also the server check at the start of the script should make it only run once on the server not all clients.

Odin

[Knight Trane]

OK!  Seems to work just fine.

I need to get some testers to check it in MP,  but it looks good.  No errors.  I can't tell you how much I like no errors.

Thanks guys. If the MP test works out I'll put the "solved" on it, and post in the BIS topic.

This is gonna be cool.