Question Racer Checkpoints mfd... possible to code?

[wehaveaproblem]

Great stuff, computerex, looking gooood. Really cool that we can have a max speed too, think that will add some nice possibilities.

So a few further layout tweak suggestions:-
-Remove the CP's long/lat from the top section, keep it only in the bottom section, to clear some clutter.
-Remove the Bearing from the bottom section (not relevant there imo - either that or change it to 'bearing from prev CP' rather than from player, if possible).
-Make the % complete bar a bit thinner and add Max Speed in under Alt Threshold.
-Move Elapsed Time to the top, under Status.
-Add a Total Race Distance (from CP1 - Finish) stat to the bottom section, under the CP Count.

That should all fit in, although, an alternative set-up could be to put all the stuff below the % bar on a 'race info' page of it's own, so that we can space it all out a bit more on both pages, but that would make things a little fiddly overall I guess.

keep up the excellent work mate.

 

[computerex]

So far:

(The max altitude blinks red when you are within 5 km of the checkpoint and going above the max velocity)

 

[wehaveaproblem]

That looks perfect mate, great job!

I know I keep adding stuff, but since you added that lovely blinking red warning, any chance we can have that for altitude too? And could they turn red if you are outside the threshold, then start blinking when within 5k distance and still outside? And can we have that 5k distance editable in the checkpoint file too? 5k is no good when there is only a few k between gates...

cheers mate.

 

[computerex]

Done, packing it up and uploading at mediafire.

Edit:
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=4057e582cc869e6fd2db6fb9a8902bda
(maxspeed of 0 implies that there is no max speed)

 

[wehaveaproblem]

excellent! great work mate, big pat on the back for this one.

 

[Dig Gil]

Just one question (vocabulary): What means "Altitude Threshold"?

 

[Woo482]

it means the lowest altitude you have to be at to pass the check point

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Dig, I think it actually means the amount of variance you can have from the "Altitude" and still pass the CP. So if the Altitude is 1000 and the Threashold is 500, to can be between 500 and 1500 m and still pass the CP.

That's right isn't it computerex?

 

[Woo482]

the Dictionary says its "the point at which something begins or changes"

 

[wehaveaproblem]

yes I know the definition. But if it was a min altitude, then it would be called min Altitude and max altitude, not altitude and threshold. It is the point at which you enter the active CP zone. Plus it is described in the checkpoint file as the 'tolerance'.

Maybe I am wrong, but from my flight tests, it seems that that my interpretation is how it works.

 

[Woo482]

ok

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Problem computerex. The new version doesn't seem to be recognised by orbiter.. I activatesd the module, but it doesn't show up in the mfd list...

 

[computerex]

Hi. Wehaveaproblem, your definition of altitude threshold is correct, it's essentially the margin you can have from the target altitude to pass the checkpoint. Otherwise you'd have to get it exact, that's that's quite difficult and not practical.

Wehaveaproblem, I think the reason why the MFD won't show up in your MFD list is because I think I compiled that module using debug libraries...Here, this should work: http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=7c11456bed916b34d2db6fb9a8902bda

EDIT:

It would be relatively easy for the MFD to create the checkpoint vessels. What do you think?

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Cheers for the update, I'll check it now and let you know it works.

So, you're saying the mfd could create the gates in-game when you load the relevant file? That could be a cool feature actually. I think you might want to consult Face just to check that won't interfere with his vessel ignore coding though, since I'm not sure how that operates. But this would be a good offline feature now.


EDIT: That version works. One bug report. The warning flashing doesnt seem to work. The stats turn red as they should, when I came within the warning distance, the red text just turned black (dissappeared), it didnt flash.

Other than that it works a charm, great work mate.

 

[computerex]

That version works. One bug report. The warning flashing doesnt seem to work. The stats turn red as they should, when I came within the warning distance, the red text just turned black (dissappeared), it didnt flash.

Other than that it works a charm, great work mate.

Hmm. I'll check. I think this is an issue with maybe the checkpoints you are using. Can you try the MFD with the default checkpoint file?

In any case, this has been tested on my end to be working as expected: http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=4119b6b37ec3a53ed2db6fb9a8902bda

 

[wehaveaproblem]

I get the same error with the rcpmfd, it dissapears instead of flashes, regardless of which scenario or chpt file I use. So maybe it is a graphical thing, or something silly I have done to my orbiter, since it seems to work fine on yours... It doesnt bother me if others don't suffer from it. Other than that it is working great.

 

[computerex]

Can you try this on a completely clean installation with nothing installed but the MFD? I would like to know weather this appears on any computer other then mine.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

I just tried it on a clean install, with only rcpmfd installed, and with only the rcpmfd module activated. I get the same anomoly as before. It doesn't flash, it just dissappears. So it must be something at either your or my end, pc-wise. Maybe just best to cut the flashing and only have the red, just to make things easier for you?

 

[computerex]

wehaveaproblem - The problem is with the refresh rate. Your MFD refresh rate is probably set to 1...So the thing is blinking, but the refresh rate is too low. Set it to 0.1, and it should work fine. Will probably have to document this...

 

[wehaveaproblem]

ah yeah good call. Though I've never tinkered with that so how do I do it?