Destroy all aircaft

[41Sqn_Banks]

Edit: Even better code to destroy all aircraft

if (GamePlay.gpArmies() != null && GamePlay.gpArmies().Length > 0)
{
foreach (int armyIndex in GamePlay.gpArmies())
{
if (GamePlay.gpAirGroups(armyIndex) != null && GamePlay.gpAirGroups(armyIndex).Length > 0)
{
foreach (AiAirGroup airGroup in GamePlay.gpAirGroups(armyIndex))
{
if (airGroup.GetItems() != null && airGroup.GetItems().Length > 0)
{
foreach (AiActor actor in airGroup.GetItems())
{
if (actor is AiAircraft)
{
AiAircraft aircraft = actor as AiAircraft;
aircraft.Destroy();
}
}
}
}
}
}
}

[Octocat]

The problem is likely not in aircrafts, but in the side actors such as smoke, debris and craters from bombs, which creates the game itself, and does not remove properly.

My variant of function:

private void DestroyAircrafts(IGamePlay game)
{
foreach (int army in game.gpArmies())
foreach (var group in game.gpAirGroups(army))
foreach (var item in group.GetItems())
((AiAircraft)item).Destroy();
}

[Octocat]

Also, small remark:

Generally, it is better to use explicit conversion, because in case Foo foo = something as Foo; if something is not Foo, operator "as" return null reference, and in the file log.txt you can get uninformative message "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

If you use explicit cast Foo foo = (Foo)something; if something is not Foo, cast operator throw an exception immediately, and in the log.txt you get more informative "Unable to cast object of type 'Bar' to 'Foo'".


I also want to say thank you for the source of DCE. Nice work.

[FG28_Kodiak]

However it doesn't work very reliable. I'm getting some "not destroyed actor" entries in the log. Does anyone know a more reliable way to remove all aircrafts?

If the entry in log looks like
NOT Destroyed actor: e40nRumWubHfA3gPCiI.h7LahLmVcZuiZk94t4i
it has nothing to do with the airplanes, it's a bug since one of the latest patches. The number of 'not destroyed actors' varies on the map in use, channel has 9 not destroyed actors others have 6 or 13. It is cumulative, after each mission the number grows (until restart the game), so hope for the next patch.

[41Sqn_Banks]

The problem is likely not in aircrafts, but in the side actors such as smoke, debris and craters from bombs, which creates the game itself, and does not remove properly.

The problem is that the not destroyed aircraft just sit on an airfield with empty tanks and guns and didn't move at all :)

Also, small remark:

Generally, it is better to use explicit conversion, because in case Foo foo = something as Foo; if something is not Foo, operator "as" return null reference, and in the file log.txt you can get uninformative message "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

If you use explicit cast Foo foo = (Foo)something; if something is not Foo, cast operator throw an exception immediately, and in the log.txt you get more informative "Unable to cast object of type 'Bar' to 'Foo'".


I also want to say thank you for the source of DCE. Nice work.

That's why there is a "if(something is Foo)" before the cast to prevent any exception :) But I agree if I'd forget the check the cast exception gives better feedback.

As a note to your example:


private void DestroyAircrafts(IGamePlay game)
{
foreach (int army in game.gpArmies())
foreach (var group in game.gpAirGroups(army))
foreach (var item in group.GetItems())
((AiAircraft)item).Destroy();
}


The functions of IGamePlay that return an array of something do not return an empty array but return null if there is nothing to return. In this case your code will throw a reference null exception. It's better to check the return value before using them in the foreach loop, e.g.:

if (GamePlay.gpAirGroups(army) != null && GamePlay.gpAirGroups(army).Length > 0)


About the initial problem: Looks like I have to look a bit closer to see what causes this.

[41Sqn_Banks]

Oh wait I had an idea:

If I destroyed the Aircraft this should change the content of the getItems() array. This will confuse the foreach loop and it will skip some aircraft.
Obviously the aircrafts are destroyed with a small delay, that's why it is working for some aircraft and some not.

Solution: Store the aircraft to destroy in a seperate list first. Then loop over this list and destroy the aircrafts in it. This way even if the content of getItems() is changed, the content of the list stays the same :)

I'll check this and report back.

[41Sqn_Banks]

Oh wait I had an idea:

If I destroyed the Aircraft this should change the content of the getItems() array. This will confuse the foreach loop and it will skip some aircraft.
Obviously the aircrafts are destroyed with a small delay, that's why it is working for some aircraft and some not.

Solution: Store the aircraft to destroy in a seperate list first. Then loop over this list and destroy the aircrafts in it. This way even if the content of getItems() is changed, the content of the list stays the same :)

I'll check this and report back.

This was the solution. I updated the code in the first post. I think this topic is something for Ataros scripting collection :)

[Octocat]

I am absolutely sure that group.GetItems() does not return a direct reference to an internal list of aircraft, but makes a copy. So the trick with the list is not needed.

[41Sqn_Banks]

Yes it returns a copy. However as I used a "for" loop I got the updated copy of the list for every iteration of the loop. Hence the list has changed for every iteration and the indices didn't match anymore to the updated list.

I changed the code to use a "foreach" loop. It's now the same code as yours, only added checks against null references.

[KG26_Alpha]

Ok

Whilst its nice of you to be putting these scripts up for general use...........

Edit: Even better code to destroy all aircraft



Perhaps for the sake of those that don't understand why you would want to have to use such a script,
you can in future put an explanation of the scripts use and reason of its need.

I understand clearing old aircraft frees up the missions resources and clears old planes from airfields etc etc.

Not everyone will know that though.

Thxz