Request Docking hotkey

scadh

scadh
Sorry to ask a question that must have been asked a million times before... but can I jury-rig a request docking shortcut?

I've started using VoiceAttack recently and find it's a great addition to the game. I initially intended to use it only for commands that I don't already have bound to my HOTAS, but am finding myself switching pretty much any command that would otherwise require me to take my hand off the stick or throttle (e.g. button on the stick base). It's easier and faster, and 25 times cooler (math: it's actually 5 times cooler and 5 times nerdier, but multiplied together that's like 25 times).

I currently have the Nav Panel mapped to a hat switch left (1 button press). Depending upon which tab I was last on, it could be up to two tabs over (2 presses, mapped to HOTAS paddle). Then highlight the station (1 press, hat down), highlight the command (1 press, hat right) and finally select request docking (1 press, stick button 1). That's 6 clicks to accomplish something you have to do constantly. Even if I'm already on the Contacts tab, that's 4 clicks.

If the Nav Panel always displayed with the same tab selected, this could be automated with a macro in VoiceAttack. But it doesn't, it seems to remember (most of the time) the last tab I was on. Or if there was to hotkey the Nav Panel > Contacts tab, it could be automated, too.

The issue is different but equally annoying by playing in VR because I hate the "enable panel by looking at it" functionality. Especially the Comms panel, which I wish I could disable altogether. I find the Nav and Internal panels to be too far to the left and right; I'm old and have a bad back and dislike turning my head that far!
 

MarkAusten

MarkAusten
Okay, Off the top of my head add without the advanced programming whereby you track the tabs you are looking at, set up a VA macro to do this:

open exterior panel
tab right twice times
spacebar
panel right once
spacebar
panel left once
spacebar
tab left twice times
close exterior panel.

For my bindings this is:

1EE<space>D<space>A<space>QQ1

I usually set the keypress delay to 0.02s and set a pause of 0.5s between each key press command.

Alternatively, use the Record Macro option in VA.

Note, the above only works if you do not have any other panel open at the time of running the macro.
 
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scadh

scadh
MarkAusten said:
Okay, Off the top of my head add without the advanced programming whereby you track the tabs you are looking at, set up a VA macro to do this:

open exterior panel
tab right three times
spacebar
panel right once
spacebar
panel left once
spacebar
tab left three times
close exterior panel.

For my bindings this is:

1EEE<space>D<space>A<space>QQQ1

I usually set the keypress delay to 0.02s and set a pause of 0.5s between each key press command.

Alternatively, use the Record Macro option in VA.

Note, the above only works if you do not have any other panel open at the time of running the macro.
Click to expand...

I want to believe you, but how is the success of this not directly tied to which of the tabs happens to be open when the Nav Panel is opened? Or is this one of those weird forumulas where it makes no difference where you start, you always end up in the same place? :)
 

Llandrenel

Llandrenel
It does matter which was last opened, but this particular formula (though it's a lot easier to use 1>E>E>SPACE>D>SPACE>E>1) If you start from the nav panel, will always return it to the nav panel. I use one myself with VoiceAttack. So while you need to make sure your last interaction with the left panel was nav when you press it, it's not too much hassle to do so.
Be a lot easier if you could specifically open the local contacts tab in the left panel, but I don't think there's a button for that.

Though I gotta admit I wouldn't mind having a single button press to request docking, as it's not like there is ever more than one place to dock at any given instance. Or at the very least, none in range if you're planetside with 2 bases on the ground.
 
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Faded Glory

Faded Glory
scadh said:
I want to believe you, but how is the success of this not directly tied to which of the tabs happens to be open when the Nav Panel is opened? Or is this one of those weird forumulas where it makes no difference where you start, you always end up in the same place? :)
Click to expand...

Not quite, but the left panel will be at the nav panel assuming you've jumped in from another system. Otherwise just make sure that's where you are in the left panel.

These keybinds are I think the default ones for navigating the HUD, but I don't ever use them manually as I play in VR and use hats on my joystick for manual navigation. This command however works 99% of the time to request docking...

1 > E > E > D > Space > 1

This correlates to Open left panel > Tab Right > Tab Right > Move Right (to select Request Docking and assumes you have the station targeted) > Select (Request Docking) > Close left panel
 

MarkAusten

MarkAusten
scadh said:
I want to believe you, but how is the success of this not directly tied to which of the tabs happens to be open when the Nav Panel is opened? Or is this one of those weird forumulas where it makes no difference where you start, you always end up in the same place? :)
Click to expand...
The trick is always to return the panel to the first one at the end of every macro. There is currently no way to find out what tab on the panel is showing without using variable to keep a count of the tab positions currently open.

I use VA macros extensively and have keys set for each separate tab on the interior and exterior panels and for messages on the communications panel but in order to use them I have to also have a reset macro in VA to reset the various counter variables in VA to a known state for when things go screwy.

I also have a docking request button, one to transfer the file from my ship to my carrier and one to plot and request a carrier jump.

But in 99% of these macros, there is little or no feedback from Elite to tell VA if it worked so you have to watch what they do in case they don't.
 

Quantis Trap

Quantis Trap
OP, this is easily addressed with VoiceAttack or VoiceMacro.

Frontier needs to be focused on more important issues such as fixing bugs, making Odyssey great, finally fiixing multi-player and many more.
 

Llandrenel

Llandrenel
CMDR QUANTIS TRAP said:
OP, this is easily addressed with VoiceAttack or VoiceMacro.

Frontier needs to be focused on more important issues such as fixing bugs, making Odyssey great, finally fiixing multi-player and many more.
Click to expand...
While true as far as it goes, pretty sure they can probably spare 1 guy to work on a single extra QoL keybind, no? Beside, whatever else you believe they "should" be doing instead, doesn't stop people asking quesitons on a forum and saying, "oh, hey, you know what'd be great?..."
 

cmdr chequers

cmdr chequers
scadh said:
Sorry to ask a question that must have been asked a million times before... but can I jury-rig a request docking shortcut?

I've started using VoiceAttack recently and find it's a great addition to the game. I initially intended to use it only for commands that I don't already have bound to my HOTAS, but am finding myself switching pretty much any command that would otherwise require me to take my hand off the stick or throttle (e.g. button on the stick base). It's easier and faster, and 25 times cooler (math: it's actually 5 times cooler and 5 times nerdier, but multiplied together that's like 25 times).

I currently have the Nav Panel mapped to a hat switch left (1 button press). Depending upon which tab I was last on, it could be up to two tabs over (2 presses, mapped to HOTAS paddle). Then highlight the station (1 press, hat down), highlight the command (1 press, hat right) and finally select request docking (1 press, stick button 1). That's 6 clicks to accomplish something you have to do constantly. Even if I'm already on the Contacts tab, that's 4 clicks.

If the Nav Panel always displayed with the same tab selected, this could be automated with a macro in VoiceAttack. But it doesn't, it seems to remember (most of the time) the last tab I was on. Or if there was to hotkey the Nav Panel > Contacts tab, it could be automated, too.

The issue is different but equally annoying by playing in VR because I hate the "enable panel by looking at it" functionality. Especially the Comms panel, which I wish I could disable altogether. I find the Nav and Internal panels to be too far to the left and right; I'm old and have a bad back and dislike turning my head that far!
Click to expand...

I would head over to HCS voice packs site and buy the Astra Voice pack which has every command you will ever need already programmed.
You can also turn off the panels,just click on the dropdown and set it to do nothing.
 

NomadRomeo

NomadRomeo
If OP still needs it, I made this one and so far I had no problems.
If it fails or jumps any keys, you'll probably need to increase the pauses.

Here's what I've been using.
1609468349752.png
 
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Deleted member 38366

D
I don't understand why the "Recall Fighter" Hotkey can't be mapped for the same function.

  • it already dismisses and recalls the Ship when in the SRV
  • it already recalls the SLF

The exact same Hotkey could
  • request Docking
  • launch an SLF

That'd be quite useful and doesn't really require alot of trouble to change. Small QOL update basically.
 

evanevery

evanevery
I made a request. Many years ago, here it is again if anyone is interested...

- Add a simple option to the game config so folks could disable the "wrap around" of the ships onboard menu's. Right now, if you "right arrow" your way continuously, you'ld "wrap around "the "back of the menu" and come back onto the "front" and then start moving right again.

- Turning this "wrap around" off would provide a a "wall" that automated tools like Voice Attack specifically could run up against when scrolling up, down, left, or right.

- This gives them a menu location that would always allow them to locate an "Upper Left", "Upper Right", "Top option", "Last Option" etc on the ships menu system. They simply over-swipe in a particular direction and they can easily hit any top, bottom, left, or right of the menu system.

- Now they have a coordinate system, from a reliable known good location, to a reliable location of the desired entry in the menu system.

- This solves so many of the "memory and tracking challenges" when Voice Attack tries to remember what you last ASKED it do vs what you did MANUALLY when it wasn't watching.

- ..and it could simply be an optional menu behavior just in case it might break something for some other tool.
 

Darth Ender

D
certain decisions are made to make bot creators have to jump thru ever more complex hoops to get their cheating bots to work reliably.

The less actions tied to hot keys ...the more reliance on visual recognition systems (which are fairly complex) or relying on assumed game states (which may not be reliable) they are.

That's worth the extra 5 seconds to jump thru menus vs press a button.
 

evanevery

evanevery
Sure, make it tough for all app developers (inc VA) just to be sure the bad actors can't use it either. That just means we have less reliability for the "Legit" apps we intend to use.

Most folks writing "decent" bots aren't too worried about the menu system. They are working much deeper in the code than that.
 
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