External MFDs for Orbiter

[ZXS2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamaz

 If you can't turn it off, use Autohotkey to move the window so the title bar is outside the screen.

any way of using the ini file to place the MFD's at an exact location (ie off screen) I've got the two Mimos working well but i have to drag each VNC screen to the desired screen after connecting. if I can get it to do this automatically would be great. there will be no keyboard or mouse in my simpit.

I tried setting up the ini file to draw the screen at location outside 1024x768 but it failed. (series of error messages which if you cant answer the above i will re-create and see if you can offer help)

[kamaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZXS2000

 any way of using the ini file to place the MFD's at an exact location (ie off screen) I've got the two Mimos working well but i have to drag each VNC screen to the desired screen after connecting. if I can get it to do this automatically would be great. there will be no keyboard or mouse in my simpit.

I tried setting up the ini file to draw the screen at location outside 1024x768 but it failed. (series of error messages which if you cant answer the above i will re-create and see if you can offer help)

It appears that you don't understand how VNC works.

VNCMFD creates a virtual screen (framebuffer). The INI file describes the size of the framebuffer and the location of the MFD screen and buttons inside the framebuffer. Of course, neither the MFD screen nor buttons can be placed outside the framebuffer; that would defeat the whole purpose. (In fact, I'm quite amused that Orbiter didn't simply crash when you did that.) Note that the framebuffer has no location on your physical screen; it is a purely virtual construct.

When the VNC client connects to VNCMFD, a copy of the framebuffer is sent to the client. VNC client then open its own window and draws contents of the framebuffer to that window. Now that client window is placed somewhere on your physical screen. However, since it is drawn by the client, then the VNC server (i.e. VNCMFD) does not care (or know) where that window is.

The width and height of the framebuffer set in the INI file should correspond to the intended width and height of the client window (strictly speaking, to the width and height of the framebuffer area of the client window, as the client window also has the title bar and other control the client adds). If they don't, then the client will rescale the image, which looks ugly. But of course nothing bad happens

So what you want to do is to automatically place the VNC client window on your MIMO screen. To do that, one of the following programs should help:

http://www.autohotkey.com/
http://winsize2.sourceforge.net/en/index.html

[kamaz]

Here is a new release, which allows you to pretty up the display:

- a bmp file can be used as background
- button colors are configurable, both for all buttons, and for each button separately.

Add furry dice and pimp up your ride! See VNCMFD.ini to learn how.

[ZXS2000]

Thanks, gimme a few days to download and have a play with it!

[Ripley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZXS2000

 any way of using the ini file to place the MFD's at an exact location...if I can get it to do this automatically would be great...

Not with the ini file, but with Autohotkey:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthr...44&postcount=1

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamaz

 Here is a new release...

Why not on OH?

[kamaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripley

 Why not on OH?

Because a decent release would require proper documentation, which I don't have time to write at the moment, while a lot of useful info is contained in this thread

If someone starts googling the subject, they will find the thread anyway.

OTOH, if someone would like to write and contribute a user manual, it would be very much welcome

[ZXS2000]

just about to start on modifying my ini file, quick question Im assuming the bitmap is to be stored in the orbiter root directory?

Here's the first one, quick and basic, should be able to fit 2 per touch screen @ 600x500 each on a 1024 x 600 touch screen (1 of 2 I will be installing in my orbpit)


I plan to have slightly different bitmaps per MFD, can you see any issues I might have doing this?

[kamaz]

Nice work

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZXS2000

 just about to start on modifying my ini file, quick question Im assuming the bitmap is to be stored in the orbiter root directory?

Yes. Although you should also be able to specify absolute or relative paths in the ini file. (Didn't test, but should work).

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZXS2000

 I plan to have slightly different bitmaps per MFD, can you see any issues I might have doing this?

No, decorations are handled independently in each MFD.

[ZXS2000]

Did test run with bitmap above...
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/picture...pictureid=9179

It's the same bump over four MFD's

My touch screens are 1024 x 600 in portrait to try and get maximum sized mfd screen and keeping the aspect ratio correct.
As you can see in this picture I'm getting a fair amount of overlap
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/picture...pictureid=9178

With my very limited coding skills how can I reduce the size of the strip at the bottom of each VNCMFD (SEL,MNU & EXIT within GUI frame) together I'm guessing they are taking up about 150-200 pixels of valuable screen real estate. I really only foresee a need the EXIT which I hope to replace with a Hotkey later anyway.

thanks in advance

[kamaz]

Wow, cool setup.

Is it ORC you're using as a client? The source code is included, load Sources\OrbiterRemoteControl\OrbiterRemoteControl. sln into Visual C# Express, then use form designer on form called VNCForm. Rearrange, rescale or remove buttons as you see fit. You can even use your own bitmap on the form

Also, see post #54: you can run ORC with /stacked option which will give you two MFDs in one window in vertical. If you want to redesign this form in Visual, it's named YagniForm, in honor of yagni01 who requested the feature

Alternatively, use VNCMFD.INI to remove PWR, SEL and MNU buttons from the MFD screen, since you have them in the client (Button100Disable=1, Button101Disable=1, Button102Disable=1, decrease YSize and cut the bottom part of your bitmap).

[ZXS2000]

Thanks, I'm using ORC, I do have the free 2012 version of Microsoft C++ if I can open the form I will see if I can remove the client buttons, plan B would be to drop them from the MFD
the stacked function has never worked for me, I assumed its because the main screen resolution on the laptop is a crazy 576 x 800 or something similar, which may not be the issue as I also tried stacking on my work laptop which is a standard 1024 x 768 and it didn't work.

Do I have to modify the yagni01 form to make the stacking work?

Originally I wanted to place a bitmap in the form, but decided since jus to create separate bit maps, a little easier for my brain to track my changes.
Btw I'm having a great time playing with this addon, when I complete my setup I will be putting together some documentation. I will flick you a copy. May not completely suffice your documentation needs but may prove a good starting point.

Cheers!

[kamaz]

You can download Visual C# Express for free

Also, what do you mean that stacked mode does not work -- what command line parameters did you give when starting ORC and what happened?

[ZXS2000]

Been a while since I tried the stacked option, will retry in the next week and get back on that one

[Donamy]

Will this be updated for D3D9 ?

[kamaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donamy

 Will this be updated for D3D9 ?

It works with D3D9. (Strictly speaking, it worked with RC44/RC45 when I last tested). If it doesn't, please feel free to report

There was also a report upthread that it works with D3D11.