Target Autolock OXP

Overview

A little OXP that offers a software upgrade to the standard scanner targeting enhancement (which is of course required). This adds the functionality that if the ship is attacked by surprise, or any other situation where there is currently no target set, then the attacking ship is automatically targeted.

The modification is designed for bounty hunters and other hard-edged combat veterans to enable swift location of the hostile craft using the Scanner Targeting Enhancement's directional arrow and/or more simple usage of missiles and other ordnance. Note that this update offers target lock not laser lock; that kind of aiming still needs to be done manually.

Automatic Target Acquisition is available from all good tech 13+ systems for the small price of 200 credits.

STOP PRESS!

It has recently been announced that this piece of equipment has been upgraded and improved, with the ship's current target (no matter how acquired) being highlighted on the scanner in grey/blue.

Requirements

This OXP requires at least test version 1.79 of Oolite.

Download

Available on the Expansion Manager and here: Target Autolock Plus v1.14.

Version History

21/04/2009 - Version 1.00

Initial release.

19/08/2009 - Version 1.01

Minor script tweak to deal with attacker getting destroyed before autolock.

14/04/2010 - Version 1.10

Update for scanner colour marking. Now requires Oolite v1.74 or higher.

15/04/2010 - Version 1.10

Added scanner colour-marking of current target.

23/06/2010 - Version 1.11

Scanner colour markers now easier to change in script. Also script check for self-locking included

13/02/2011 - Version 1.12

Removal of upper limit, to allow running with 1.75

25/11/2020 - Version 1.13

Updated license to remove the "Thargoid clauses" after Thargoid allowed modification when retired from maintaining his OXps (https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17085).
Discards the use of a mission variable to indicate the equipment installation in the player ship and keeps the purchased equipment.
Resets the highlighting of the target in the scanner if Scanner Target Enhancement is damaged.

30/11/2020 - Versiion 1.14

Fixes typo that prevented resetting scanner when target is lost
Some optimizations to avoid repeatedly setting up the target scanner display colors.

Tweaks

If you are seeing copious repetitions of this:

(time) [script.javaScript.exception.unexpectedType]: ***** JavaScript exception (targetAutolock 1.14): TypeError: ptarget.scannerDisplayColor1 is null

in your latest.log

you can remove them by commenting out this in the script.js file

   if (this.$oldTarget && ptarget == this.$oldTarget && 
       ptarget.scannerDisplayColor1.toString() == this.$scanColor1.toString() && 
       ptarget.scannerDisplayColor2.toString() == this.$scanColor2.toString())
       return;

See here (2022)