Zoom Settings via WideFS

[ckovoor]

Hello Pete,

I use registered FSUIPC-3.989c with WideFS-6.823 on a network of 6 computers:

(1) Server PC: FS9.1, FSUIPC, WidevieW Server, WideFS Server: 4 touchscreen monitors: used for Instrument panels exclusively

(2) Client PC: WideClient, Jeppesen Navigation Suite: 1 touchscreen monitor: used for Jeppesen Nav Tracking only

(3) FOUR Client notebook PC's: FS9.1, WidevieW Client, FSUIPC: used for Outside scenery views exclusively: driving 5 widescreen monitors across 180 degrees fov.

I have been having problems saving the zoom on the external-view oriented client notebook PC's. Even though I have changed the panel.cfg zoom settings to 1.10, and then saved the flights with a zoom of 1.10 set, when I re-load these flights I get zoom values of 1.05 or 1.07, and then need to manually change these to the 1.10 that I want.

First, would you know why this is happpening, and would you have any suggestions as to how I might force the clients to display the commanded zoom settings of 1.10? (Note that I have already altered the panel.cfg and saved the flights at the required zoom level.)

Alternatively, I am considering using the WideClient-equipped PC and button programming via WideFS on the network, to create a sequence of button commands which would re-set the zoom to 1.10 on each of the clients: perhaps in two stages: reset to 1x, followed by one increment up to 1.10. Would this be possible, and how would I implement it?

Lastly, if this is not possible via WideFS, would there be any other way of achieving this?

Thank you so much for your remarkable programme and for the help.

Chakko.

[Pete Dowson]

I have been having problems saving the zoom on the external-view oriented client notebook PC's. Even though I have changed the panel.cfg zoom settings to 1.10, and then saved the flights with a zoom of 1.10 set, when I re-load these flights I get zoom values of 1.05 or 1.07, and then need to manually change these to the 1.10 that I want.

First, would you know why this is happpening, and would you have any suggestions as to how I might force the clients to display the commanded zoom settings of 1.10? (Note that I have already altered the panel.cfg and saved the flights at the required zoom level.)

Sorry, I've no idea at all. Are you sure it isn't to do with WidevieW settings? I don't know anything about WidevieW these days -- I've not used it since FS98 days.

Alternatively, I am considering using the WideClient-equipped PC and button programming via WideFS on the network, to create a sequence of button commands which would re-set the zoom to 1.10 on each of the clients: perhaps in two stages: reset to 1x, followed by one increment up to 1.10. Would this be possible, and how would I implement it?

You'd need to run a separate instance of WideClient for each WideServer, with the server named explicitly for each. Apart from the one instance with which you wish to run applications (i.e. the one talking to the main simulator PC), the others need to have different "classInstance" values. They won't support applications, but will support a button screen.

The buttons have to be programmed in the respective FSUIPC buttons menu. You don't need steps. Assign to "Offset Word Set" with a parameter value of 64 times the zoom level needed. I'm afraid you'll need to press such a button for each PC you want so set.

If you used a hardware button instead you could program that same button in each FSUIPC and so only have to press the one, once. Each copy of WideClient will see the same button and relay it to their respective servers. That can't be done with button screens, which aren't sharable.

Regards

Pete

[ckovoor]

Dear Pete,

Thank you for showing me the way to the solution.

Could the hardware button you mention be a keyboard button on the WideClient PC? That is, could a keystroke be so mapped to the function? I ask because there are at present no joysticks attached to the PC running WideClient.

Thank you for your help.

Chakko.

[Pete Dowson]

Could the hardware button you mention be a keyboard button on the WideClient PC? That is, could a keystroke be so mapped to the function?

Yes. Check out the "ButtonKeys" facilities, described near the end of the WideFS technical document. That allows Windows "hot keys" to be used to send virtual button presses, much like the ButtonScreen would have in your original question.

The only thing I'm not sure of with Windows hot keys is whether, when more than one application registers the same hot keys, all get notified or only the first or last to register. You'd need to try it -- it's not something I've ever tried I'm afraid. If only one of the WideClients gets the one key you'd be in a similar boat to using the ButtonScreen, having to press a key for each client.

[LATER]

I've looked up what Windows does with multiple apps using the same hot Key .... they can't. To quote: "... the second instance will fail when it tries to register the hot key, since the first instance has already registered it.".

So this is not a perfect solution, though with 5 PCs I suppose it shouldn't be too much of a hardship to press 5 keys one after the other.

An alternative which may or may not work is to define the 5 different hotkeys, but program one of the resulting virtual buttons (probably the one directed to the main FS PC) to not only do the Zoom change but also to do a series of 4 KeySends. Then have those keysends programmed in the WideClient INI to press the other 4 hotkeys for you. I'm not sure if that will work because it depends where Windows traps the hotkeys, and it is a very convoluted method, but it may be worth a try. The button programming in that FSUIPC would need editing in the FSUIPC INI file where you can define multiple actions on any buttons.

In the end you might find it worth getting a dirt cheap gamepad or similar connected to that client PC so you have a button you can press. You could even program the other buttons on the same thing to do other interesting things ...

Regards

Pete

[ckovoor]

Dear Pete,

Thank you for the trouble you have taken over exploring the possibilities of a WideFS-based solution to my problem. I want to update you with what I finally decided to do.

I discovered this program: Input Director (http://www.inputdirector.com/) which enables control of all networked Clients via the Server's mouse/keyboard/keyboard macros. In fact a single keyboard macro applied once at the server can be transmitted to all the clients simultaneously. So, having started FS on the Clients, I now run the macro on the Server containing the button sequence which re-sets the zoom to 1.10, and it is implemented on all the Clients. It was quite easy to achieve this with Input Director, and the program is also useful for various other tasks related to controlling Clients from the Server.

Thank you all the same for enlightening me on the possibilities contained in WideFS.

I actually use WideFS with 2 client PC's now: the first running JeppView/FliteDeck/FliteStar-FliteMap with GPSOut, and the second running ActiveSky 6.5 and Radar Control 4.3. These programs massively enhance the overall realism of the simulation.

I just want to acknowledge and appreciate the central role that WideFS and FSUIPC, and also GPSOut, MakeRwys, AdvDisp/ShowText, and FStarRC play in the entire FS experience. Thank you, Pete!

Regards,

Chakko.