Advanced Question A question regarding IMFD GUI.

[Phil Smith]

Hey guys,

Some of you might know I’ve been building the simpit for a while.
I would like to incorporate IMFD as a default flight computer but have a question regarding its GUI.

In my design I need to shuffle MFD’s buttons around to accommodate hardware buttons arrangement (see Fig. 03). Usually it’s not a problem, if MFD in Orbiter has button functions written on top of them. But IMFD right buttons just with arrows, and function themselves are inside main MDF viewport.

My question can those function names be transferred to button as I’ve shown on Fig. 01?

One of possible buttons arrangement I need is shown on Fig. 02.
I'm able to move buttons around MFD, but I'm not sure about transferring text strings from MFD viewport onto button object.

P.S. Sorry, it is hard to describe, but I hope attached screengrabs will assist my inquiry..

Appreciate any help. Thank you in advance.

 

[jedidia]

But IMFD right buttos just with arroes, and fuction themselves are inside main MDF viewport.

I mean, they are presented in IMFD the way they are because they are variable. I.e. they do something different depending on what mode is selected, and so is their name.
It really depends on how exactly you map your button presses to Orbiter...

 

[Phil Smith]

I mean, they are presented in IMFD the way they are because they are variable. I.e. they do something different depending on what mode is selected, and so is their name.
It really depends on how exactly you map your button presses to Orbiter...

Currently MFD button mapping and their placement is done via VNCMFD addon.
I understand those "names" (Z+/Z-/etc.) are variables, but could they be put [in theory] in buttons instead of "<" symbol?

 

[jedidia]

Currently MFD button mapping and their placement is done via VNCMFD addon.
I understand those "names" (Z+/Z-/etc.) are variables, but could they be put [in theory] in buttons instead of "<" symbol?

In theory yes, but you'd probably have to modify IMFD directly. I assume this was done the way it was done because some cockpits present the MFD buttons as physical, and it would be weird if the label on a physical button suddenly changes. In fact, I would assume this way is more convenient for a simpit build, because what the buttons do is written in the display instead of the button?

 

[Phil Smith]

In theory yes, but you'd probably have to modify IMFD directly. I assume this was done the way it was done because some cockpits present the MFD buttons as physical, and it would be weird if the label on a physical button suddenly changes. In fact, I would assume this way is more convenient for a simpit build, because what the buttons do is written in the display instead of the button?

I've attached my very early rough prototype photo so you can see how those buttons is mapped. In the new design there are 4x MFD on one 24" screen, having buttons at left side + top side, right side + top side, right side + bottom side, left side + bottom side, instead of conventional left and right sides.

It is ok with most of Orbiter MFD (as you can see on my picture), but IMFD is an exception

 

[jedidia]

Ah, so you're displaying the buttons along with the MFD in the display. Makes sense I guess. But you might be out of luck, then. I don't think you can do that without modifying IMFD.
There might be another way... I'm not sure if I'm interpreting VNCMFD correctly (I've never used it), but as far as I can see you can configure the number of buttons per side. Sooo... I guess you could make an instance with zero buttons on the right side for IMFD, since IMFD writes the names into the display already?

 

[Phil Smith]

Ah, so you're displaying the buttons along with the MFD in the display. Makes sense I guess. But you might be out of luck, then. I don't think you can do that without modifying IMFD.
...

Knowing that is possible with amending the source code is a relief.
Have to contact the dev [jarmonik] then, because I could not find source files in SDK folder, except one .h file (IMFD_IPC_com.h)

...
There might be another way... I'm not sure if I'm interpreting VNCMFD correctly (I've never used it), but as far as I can see you can configure the number of buttons per side. Sooo... I guess you could make an instance with zero buttons on the right side for IMFD, since IMFD writes the names into the display already?

Hmm, that could work. E.g. keeping IMFD always at right part of the screen, then those function names inside MFD widow will be more or less aligned with their corresponding physical buttons