cTab

Commander's Tablet - FBCB2, Blue Force Tracker, UAV, Helmet Cam and Messaging Interface Initially created by Riouken, currently maintained by Gundy

Thanks to

• SpectreRSG - Graphic Design

• Capt Drumheller / Jester814 - Technical advisor / Ideas / Media

• LCpl C. Johnston - Technical advisor

• LCpl Schwanke - Technical advisor

• Knobee - Documentation

• Raspu - Tablet, TAD, Android and MicroDAGR day / night mode interface graphics and 3D models

• Killzone_Kid - for his many excellent tutorials

• Everyone else in the 15th MEU SOC and C-L-F for help with support and testing.

• BI - for ArmA 3 and all the opportunities to mod for this game.

Features

• Commander's tablet
• Working FBCB2 Blue Force Tracker system
• User placed makers - place markers for enemy, medical and general purpose
• Tracks all crewed Bluefor Military vehicles
• Tracks any dismounted troops with the proper equipment
• Android based Blue Force Tracker
• MicroDAGR hand-held GPS with Blue Force Tracking
• Commanders Tablet can view live UAV streams
• Commanders Tablet can view live Helmet Cam streams
• Vehicle mounted FBCB2 interface, Blue Force Tracking
• Tactical Awareness Display (TAD) for air vehicles, Blue Force Tracking
• This system is available to only one side at a time, there is a mission configurable parameter to choose sides
• None of the markers or icons show on maps, need one of the devices to view

Known Issues

• Switching to or from the full screen views while in a vehicle can cause issues (fixed by exiting vehicle) BIS issue with command, please vote for a fix
• If your are viewing yourself from the UAV or Helmet Cam in PiP screen, your textures can bug on your unit
• Even though items go into the GPS slot they are not required to be there for cTab to operate, they can go anywhere in your inventory, i.e. your vest or uniform
• Players that are experiencing conflicts with help screens (uses Has a key as well) are advised to rebind cTab IF_MAIN, for example to SHIFT+ H. This used to be an issue with Zeus but has been resolved as of cTab version 2.1. There might be other such cases though.
• Helicopter pilots (and co-pilots) that are using RAVEN's LIFTER mod are advised to rebind cTab IF_MAIN to something other than the default as H is used by that mod and cannot be changed (as of this writing).
• When a UAV is being actively piloted and a cTab user is already connected to the UAV's gunner turret, it is currently impossible to detect that there is a gunner connected in order to prevent a second player to connect to the same gunner turret. Wonky things happen to the player in the gunner seat if a second player connects and it might break the game. Please vote for a fix.
• When helmet cam item is added to the inventory prior to a mine detector, the mine detector will not work. Please vote for a fix here and here.

Required

• CBA_A3 1.20 or later

Optional

• ACE3

Media

Install

Place the @cTab and userconfig folders in your ArmA 3 folder (both on the server and the clients). Then start the game with @CBA_A3and @cTab. It can be done either by enabling the necessary mods in the game settings (Settings -> Expansions), or by adding the mod names to the game shortcut after the EXE file, i.e. ...\arma3.exe -mod=@CBA_A3;@cTab.

The keys folder is for the server key.

How to configure

Key Bindings

Key Bindings can now be configured via the CBA Keybinding system available to you from the configure controls screen once you are in game.

CONFIGURE > CONTROLS > CONFIGURE ADDONS
Select "cTab" from the ADDON dropdown

You can reconfigure the default keys in the configuration file, which can be found in the ArmA 3 folder ...\Arma 3\userconfig\cTab\ctab_settings.hpp. The file can be edited in Notepad or any other text editor. These are the default key bindings:

Keys	Action
H	This key is used to open and close whatever cTab device is available to you, showing the "small" version where available. It can also be used to close UAV view.
CTRL + H	Opens and closes the secondary view mode of the cTab device available to you. This would usually be the "large" version.
ALT + H	Opens and closes an alternative cTab device that you may have available (i.e. when a pilot carrying a tablet, this will open the tablet).
LEFT DOUBLE-CLICK	Opens dialog to place markers at mouse cursor location. Not available on MicroDAGR
DEL	Deletes the highlighted user placed marker under your cursor.
F1	Change to Blue Force Tracker on tablet.
F2	Change to UAV cameras on tablet.
F3	Change to helmet cameras on tablet.
F4	Change to Message mode on tablet.
F5	Toggles map tools (grid/elevation/range/direction to mouse cursor).
F6	Toggles map mode (satellite/topographical/black).
F7	Center map on current position.
CTRL + SHIFT + PAGE_UP	Zoom in on the "small" TAD, MicroDAGR and Android.
CTRL + SHIFT + PAGE_DOWN	Zoom out on the "small" TAD, MicroDAGR and Android.
CTRL + SHIFT + HOME	Toggle interface position from left to right on the "small" TAD, MicroDAGR and Android. Reset all "large" interfaces to default position.
ESC	Closes all interactive cTab devices (i.e. all but the "small" variants) as well as the UAV view.

Note: To unlock a UAV turret, use the lock / unlock control command available to UAVs (default CTRL + T) when controlling the UAV turret in full-screen mode (either via the UAV terminal or the UAV gunner view accessible from the tablet).

Define vehicle types that have FBCB2 or TAD available

To configure the list of vehicle types that have FBCB2 or TAD available, edit the cTab_vehicleClass_has_FBCB2 and cTab_vehicleClass_has_TAD arrays in the configuration file on the server, which can be found in the ArmA 3 folder ...\Arma 3\userconfig\cTab\ctab_settings.hpp.

class cTab_settings {
    cTab_vehicleClass_has_FBCB2[] = {"MRAP_01_base_F","MRAP_02_base_F","MRAP_03_base_F","Wheeled_APC_F","Tank","Truck_01_base_F","Truck_03_base_F"};
    cTab_vehicleClass_has_TAD[] = {"Helicopter","Plane"};
};

Note: This is a server-side setting, i.e. whatever is set on the client-side userconfig will be overridden by the userconfig on the server.

Define helmet classes with enabled helmet camera

To configure the list of helmet classes that enable helmet cameras, edit the cTab_helmetClass_has_HCam array in the configuration file on the server, which can be found in the ArmA 3 folder ...\Arma 3\userconfig\cTab\ctab_settings.hpp. It needs to be within the class cTab_settings (same area as above).

class cTab_settings {
    cTab_helmetClass_has_HCam = {"H_HelmetB_light","H_Helmet_Kerry","H_HelmetSpecB","H_HelmetO_ocamo","BWA3_OpsCore_Fleck_Camera","BWA3_OpsCore_Schwarz_Camera","BWA3_OpsCore_Tropen_Camera"};
};

Note: This is a server-side setting, i.e. whatever is set on the client-side userconfig will be overridden by the userconfig on the server.

For Mission Makers

Class Names

ItemcTab // Commander Tablet
ItemAndroid // Android based Blue Force Tracker
ItemcTabHCam // Helmet Cam
ItemMicroDAGR // MicroDAGR GPS

Add items to a box

Place this in the initialisation of an Ammo box to add 10 of each item:

this addItemCargo ["ItemcTab",10];this addItemCargo ["ItemcTabHCam",10];this addItemCargo ["ItemAndroid",10];this addItemCargo ["ItemMicroDAGR",10];

Add item to a unit directly

Place this in the initialisation of a soldier:

this addItem "ItemcTab";

Note: This will add the item to the actual inventory, but not assign it to the GPS slot. The unit will have to have enough space in its inventory to fit the item, otherwise it won't be assigned. addItem assigns the item to the next best inventory container that fits the item, in the order of uniform, vest and backpack. The Tablet (itemcTab) for example won't fit in most uniforms, so there has to be space in either the vest or backpack. Use addItemToBackpack to add the item directly to the unit's backpack and addItemToVest to directly assign it to the vest. To assign an item directly to the GPS slot (it has no space restrictions, but will still count towards the unit's total load), use ´linkItem´ instead.

This will for example assign the MicroDAGR to the GPS slot and place the Tablet into the unit's backpack:

this linkItem "ItemMicroDAGR";this addItemToBackpack "ItemcTab";

Set cTab side-specific encryption keys

If you wish multiple factions to share cTab data, you will have to set their encryption keys to be the same. These are the variables that hold the encryption keys with their default values:

cTab_encryptionKey_west = "b";
cTab_encryptionKey_east = "o";
cTab_encryptionKey_guer = "i";
cTab_encryptionKey_civ = "c";

Note: It is advised to keep the encryption keys as short as possible since some actions use them to exchange data across the network, so by keeping them short, there is less data exchanged.

So if you want to have for example OPFOR and GUER share cTab data, put this at the TOP of your init.sqf:

// set GUER encryption key to be the same as the default BLUEFOR encryption key
cTab_encryptionKey_guer = "b";

Note: If GUER is set to be friendly with either WEST or EAST, GUER will by default have the same encryption key as the friendly faction. Set cTab_encryptionKey_guer = "i"; to override.

Override vehicle types that have FBCB2 or TAD available

If you wish to override the list of vehicles that have FBCB2 or TAD available, put this at the TOP of your init.sqf:

// only make FBCB2 available to MRAPs, APCs and tanks
cTab_vehicleClass_has_FBCB2 = ["MRAP_01_base_F","MRAP_02_base_F","MRAP_03_base_F","Wheeled_APC_F","Tank"];

// make TAD available to all helicopters and planes with the exception of the MH-9 Hummingbird and AH-9 Pawnee
cTab_vehicleClass_has_TAD = ["Heli_Attack_01_base_F","Heli_Attack_02_base_F","Heli_Light_02_base_F","Heli_Transport_01_base_F","Heli_Transport_02_base_F","I_Heli_light_03_base_F","Plane"];

Override helmet classes with enabled helmet camera

// Only have BWmod helmets with a camera simulate a helmet camera
cTab_helmetClass_has_HCam = ["BWA3_OpsCore_Schwarz_Camera","BWA3_OpsCore_Tropen_Camera"];

Change display name of a group

Groups are displayed on cTab devices with their groupIDs. To define custom groupIDs, add the following code to the group leader's initialization:

// Change the unit's groupID to "Red Devils"
this setGroupId ["Red Devils"];

Change display name of a vehicle

By default all vehicles will be shown with their group names next to them. This can make it difficult to distinguish multiple vehicles of the same type when they are in the same group. To change that, use the following code in the vehicle's initialization:

// Change this vehicle's identification displayed on all cTab Blue Force Trackers to "Fox"
this setVariable ["cTab_groupId","Fox",true];

Changelog

2.2.2

• Fixed message composition and display elements having a black background after ArmA3 1.46 update

2.2.1

• Added variable message decay to notification system (new-marker notifications are now shown for longer)
• Fixed error regarding the helmet cam icon when looking at a cTab-box placed with Zeus
• Fixed issue with notification system upon marker creation
• Marker menu will now stay inside the device screen boundaries
• Moved marker menu above brightness layer to allow it to show tool-tips properly
• Tweaked marker menu size on Android

2.2.0

• Added ability to increase / decrease screen brightness of TAD (via BRT+/- rocker on lower right)
• Added ability to message oneself to take notes
• Added ability to switch interface position of TAD, Android and MicroDAGR in overlay mode from left to right default CTRL + SHIFT + HOME)
• Added new and improved tablet interface background and 3D model, both made by Raspu
• Added night mode to Tablet, Android and MicroDAGR (switches automatically based on light conditions outside), graphics mad by Raspu
• Added night mode to TAD (switched via the DAY/NIGHT switch on the lower left), graphics mad by Raspu
• Added on-device notifications that will appear when for example a message has been received or a new marker was added
• Changed the way names are displayed in messaging to be more in line with Helmet Cam screen
• Changed to brighter MicroDAGR interface background, made by Raspu
• Changed to reworked Android and MicroDAGR 3D models, both made by Raspu
• Fixed icons in list of messages being black
• Fixed marker text alignment (some recent ArmA update changed the default from right to center)
• General performance improvements
• Immediately stop showing team-members when player is leaving the group. Note: When joining a new group it will take up to 30 seconds for any cTab carrying group members to appear
• Interactive mode (large interfaces) screen position will now be remembered and restored on load (can be reset to screen center using default CTRL + SHIFT + HOME)
• Interface will now be closed if player is unconscious and ACE3 Medical is used
• Interface will now be closed if player lost the required device and ACE3 is used
• Minor interface tweaks
• No longer closes small MicroDAGR or Android interfaces when exeting a vehicle
• On-foot team members that have been assigned to a fire-team will now be coloured accordingly. If no fire team has been set, they will show up as the standard blue (slightly different colour than the blue fire team).
• Reclassified helmet cam item to show up as a generic item in Arsenal. You will find it by for example selecting your vest and selecting the + icon on the right side of the screen
• Speedup of interface startup
• Updated all device iventory icons to match, made by Raspu

2.1.1

• Support for updated CBA keybinding API (introduced with CBA 1.20 RC6)
• Prevent TAD from being accessible when using a parachute
• Added 500m zoom-level to small TAD
• Fixed player's camera breaking when exiting UAV full screen view while in a vehicle
• Fixed control of new target designator turrets (introduced with marksman DLC) from the Tablet's UAV screen
• Immediately terminate UAV cameras if UAV is distroyed
• Added own helmet cam back into the list of accessible helmet cams (to reduce confusion)
• Sorted helmet cams by group ID
• Made area around the map gray instead of black to increas readability of off-map markers / units
• Made TAD map tools follow mouse cursor instead of map center. This also allows for measuring distances to off-map destinations.
• Discrepancies between cTab client and server versions will now be reported to RPT on both client and server via CBA versioning
• Available UAVs / helmet cams are now automatically refreshed on tablet whenever the lists have changed (lists are updated every 30 seconds), eliminating the need to switch modes or close and reopen the tablet for the display to refresh
• Added UAV type to list of available UAVs to help with orientation
• Re-Categorized helmet cam item to show up as face-wear (goggles) in Arsenal. Note: It can still be moved anywhere else in the inventory without losing its capability
• Fixed keybinds not working in Zeus and causing RPT errors after update to CBA 1.20 RC6

2.1.0

• Added basic TvT support, so now cTab will work on any side out of the box. Note: A stolen enemy device will currently not provide you with enemy intel, instead the device will inherit your encryption key.
• Provided encryption keys that can be set by the mission designer to allow or disallow cTab data to be shared.
• Improved Zeus support when remote controlling AI
• cTab can now be operated as Zeus even with default keybinding H
• Added MicroDAGR hand-held GPS. It features a self-centring small view mode that can be kept visible while navigating and a large view mode that allows for user interaction. The small view mode can be kept open while navigating and zoomed in and out using the Zoom_In and Zoom_Out keys. Only units with a cTab device in your own group are displayed. The MicroDAGR can also operate as a companion device to the Tablet (i.e. you are carrying both) and in that case the MicroDAGR will show you the same BFT data as your Tablet.
• Added configurable server-side list of helmets that define the presence of a helmet camera, defaulting to vanilla ArmA 3 and BWmod helmet models with a camera.
• Improved co-pilot seat detection for helicopters as previously the TAD could not be accessed when in the co-pilot seat of some community provided helicopters
• Enabled support for CBA Keybinding system to make key bind changes more user friendly and changeable without a restart. Userconfig settings now define the default keybinds.
• Helmet Cam item no longer occupies the radio slot when added to inventory. This is to prevent complications with TFAR.
• Changed weight of all items to be close to their real-world equivalents (before everything did weight 45g)
• Updated Android background graphic and added 3D model (for when you drop it on the ground)
• Completely reworked Android user interface
• Added messaging to Android interface
• Sent messages are now kept with the list of received messages
• Message receive notification has been made a lot less intrusive, both visually (now a small white envelope icon on the right side of the screen) and audibly (a humming sound similar to that of a mobile phone vibrating)
• The "delete messages" function will now only delete selected messages (instead of all)
• Added "small" version to Android interface, so you can now keep it visible while navigating
• Reworked Tablet user interface, switching modes feels a lot more natural now
• Reworked UAV camera positions, gunner and driver camera will now reflect what the UAV gunner and driver actually sees. Gunner camera now uses FLIR (white/hot) mode.
• Added function to lock the currently selected UAV gunner's camera to the location double-clicked on the map (select from double-click menu on BFT map). This is only available to the tablet.
• Lists of UAVs and helmet cameras are now alphabetically sorted
• Reworked helmet "full-screen" view to only occupy the whole screen of the Tablet instead of the whole screen
• Added ability to remove marker at mouse cursor position. The marker currently under the cursor will be highlighted and removed upon pressing DEL (delete on your keyboard).
• Made significant improvements to marker network synchronization. Instead of having an individual client manipulate the list of markers and then send it to every other client, a marker addition / deletion request will now be sent to the server and the server will inform all clients of the change by sending just what has changed.
• Players sitting in the back of the trucks (HMTT and Tempest by default) now no longer have access to the vehicle based FBCB2
• All interfaces are now restored to last mode of operation operation (BFT,Messaging,...) on open
• All interfaces will now restore last map position and zoom level on open
• Added topographical map mode to all devices
• Added black map mode to TAD
• Added switch (F6) to toggle map modes (satellite, topographical, black) via the "large" versions of the devices (the "small" versions will use the same setting)
• Added switch (F7) to center map on current player position
• Added current in-game time to all interfaces
• Added current grid location as well as current heading in degrees and octant to all interfaces
• Greatly enhanced user placed map markers to properly scale when zooming the map (including the directional arrow and group size denominators) as well as making sure the directional arrow does not interfere with the time-stamps
• Added new marker types for infantry (Rifle, AT, MG), static weapons (MG, AT, AA, Mortar) and wheeled MRAPs/APCs
• Added an "Exit" menu entry to the map double-click dialog (the one you place map markers with)
• Added map tools (can be toggled using F5) that show grid and elevation at mouse cursor as well as distance and direction from the current position to the mouse cursor position.
• Island sizes are now dynamically detected, no more waiting on islands being supported
• Tweaked map visuals to be easier to read
• General performance tweaks
• Added new keybinding (ALT + H) to allow access to alternative interface (i.e. to get access to the Tablet that is being carried while in one of the pilot seats of a helicopter)
• Infantry carrying a cTab device in your own group will now show with a smaller infantry icon that points in the direction of the unit as well as the index of that unit within the group (instead of a square infantry symbol with the full group ID). To anyone outside this group, there will only be a single icon shown for the group at the position of the group's leader (if equipped with a cTab device, otherwise the next unit in line).
• Infantry groups will now automatically show the group strength with dots above the icon
• Changed BFT list generation and display functions to help de-clutter everyone's view. For example transports will no longer show overlayed icons for other units with cTab equipment that are mounted. Instead, the names of groups and the group indices of units from your own group will be displayed to the left of the transport's icon.
• The arrow on the inner TAD range circle (that used to show north) will now rotate with the direction of the aircraft to help show the current direction of travel
• Made large TAD interface movable
• Excluded static weapons from showing up on BFT
• Added ability to define custom names for vehicles via the mission or scripts

2.0.1

• Fixed "_chk_all_items" script error that could appear during Zeus (and probably other) missions

2.0.0

• Reduced network traffic by moving the list generation of tracked elements from the server to the clients The server now sends an update pulse to all clients every 30 seconds (previous update interval was 20), instead of sending the whole list to every client. The clients then generate the list locally. This lessens the server load a little (shifting it to the clients), greatly reduces cTab related network traffic, while hopefully keeping the list content the same across clients since they update (almost) at the same time.
• Addition of messaging system (currently on Tablet only) Send text messages between team members equipped with tablets.
• Addition of cTab equipment box to be used in editor A simple box filled with your favourite cTab equipment. Includes 5 Tablets, 15 Android devices and 25 helmet cameras. The box is also available to Zeus.
• Tablet, Android and helmet camera are now available in Zeus when editing the contents of boxes
• Addition of TAD (Tactical Awareness Display) for use in air vehicles. There are two variants, one is small and can be kept visible while operating your aircraft, similar to the GPS but populated with information from your cTab network. The map will be kept centred on your current position. In the upper right hand corner of the screen you can see the current scale represented by the radius of the outer circle. The inner circle is exactly half of that. The other variant is a larger representation of the same TAD, but in an interactive mode and you will lose your vehicle controls while open. Overall the TAD has been modelled to have a similar look to the TAD found in the DCS A-10C module. All friendly aircraft icons are replaced with a little circle that has a small line attached to it, representing the current orientation of that vehicle. When in one of the pilot seats of an aircraft, press IF_Main to open or close the small TAD. Use the new Zoom_In and Zoom_Out keys to zoom the small TAD. IF_Secondary opens the large TAD.
• Addition of userconfig for key bindings This frees up the previously used UserAction12.
• Addition of vehicle arrays to userconfig (server side) to define vehicles equipped with on-board FBCB2 or TAD The lists will be read by the server and distributed to all clients. It can also be overridden by mission makers.
• cTab now closes when exiting a vehicle or when the player is killed
• Added Ifrit, Strider and Tempest to the default list of FBCB2 enabled vehicles.
• Players sitting in the cargo area of an FBCB2 enabled vehicle will no longer have access to the vehicle based FBCB2. The currently known exceptions are the trucks (HMTT and Tempest), they are working as before. We are waiting on a new command in ArmA3 release 1.26 to hopefully be able to address this.
• Fixed error appearing when helmet cam screen was selected on the tablet for the first time
• Added artillery and mortar symbols
• The increase / decrease font function now actually resizes the fonts (in addition to the symbols as before)
• General performance improvements and bug fixes

Download / Links

Armaholic ArmA World withSix BI Forum GitHub