Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“

Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“ and placing/positioning different view-ports 1.0.X

It's 16 pages and should cover all aspects for a successfully Multi-monitor set-up.

The first two pages:

This is version1.0.X - I will probably change some things.

Please let me know if everything is logical correct and if you found some bad typos/grammar.

I only read it three-times up to now.

And I was writing it all today.

So please give me a slag if everything is not absolute top-notch up-to now.

And some things are still missing.:P

File: Dummies Guide for the “MonitorSetup.lua“1.0.2.pdf.zip

Size: 1.54 Mb

[download]

This pre-sets will switch on the export of avionics to dedicated view-ports - just by simple copy'n'paste.

And will remove any conflicts between A10C and Ka-50

>>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1541311#post1541311

...and there is no need to set your left screen as Main in a 'windowd' setup if you don't want to.

Use the 'Phantommonitorfix' to align the DCS simulation screen in your Top-Left corner of your whole desktop - even if your left monitor isn't the main-screen.

Tip - place the exe or a shortcut of this skript it in your startup folder ,

C:\Users\>User Name<\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup to lower your workload .

So it is loaded when your system boots and you don't have to manually start it any more. - It uses no measurable recurrences and only gets active when DCS.exe is loaded.

Many thanks for taking the time to do this, Peter.

Great Work! Thank you for that!

Regards

Terrorvogel

Thanks! -

I really didn't expected 80 downloads after 24 hours.... (OK - that means nothing - as the question is : How many really read it?!;))

I will add next weekends probably 3-4 more points that show how to enable and use additional view-ports that at default not available, like e.g PVI, CDU, ect.

And we will take a look at setting up a a system with two usb-monitors. -as this seems to be the most frequently asked question on the forum.

And than even a example with Helios together - and when I have still skin on my fingertips after typing this, I will give a brief overview about SoftTH to run everything in full-screen mode.

-that's the plan.

And I want to excuse myself for my grammatical in-perfection and typos... I just stared at it too long (and I changed too often the entire structure - until it seems to be "right")...

I read it today again and had to LoL sometimes...

... sorry I was always better at maths than language - even in German.

(did you know?!: multiply a number with five - and it will always have a 5 or a zero at the end.... - see... , you can't do this with grammar ! :D)

I talked today with a US-American speaker and he promised me to cross-check it when finished. :)

But please feel free to tell me -novice or experienced user , this doesn't matter- what may to change - where you have the biggest difficulties to comprehend /follow.

... I'm so used to edit things like this that I might miss important steps to explain because some things are absolute natural for me and I didn't think to mention them.

Short: constructive criticism is very welcome!

Nice work Peter :thumbup:

Hi Peter,

Thank you very much for this good and easy understanable tutorial! I rarly tought about using my second monitor as a MFCD/Abris, but with your tutorial I got it to work in a few minutes. :thumbup:

Danke!

EDIT: Is it normal that I can't use the F2, F3, etc to change to the outside view anymore, after setting up windowed mode?

EDIT2: Sorry, I think I had the comms menu open, and I was clicking arround in there instead changing views.

Sorry, once me again. I have another two little problems left, after I set up the screens like you described.

-When I press a key on my keyboard DCS does what it should, but I can also hear a "ding" (the "ding" windows makes when you press a key while you are on the desktop). That is not a huge problem, but it would be nice if I could fix it.

-The bigger problem I have now, that I can't use my mousewheel any more. I am able to toggle swithes, with both, the left and the right button, butt I can't turn any dials anymore.

Also, it would be awsome if you may have a solution for this problem.

BTW: I have read a little bit about SoftTH and it sounds if it would be able to solve my problems, because I am back in fullscreen then, wouldn't it?

Thanks!

This has nothing to do with DCS - it seems that DCS is not the top window and the key-presses will run at desktop level- sorry cant help you. - you have to check that DCS is always the active window. - and maybe others windows are open that can get activated by a combination of key-presses or scripts.

About SoftTH: please follow the appropriate link - everything you want to know/ask is already explained there.

Well, you have to dig a little - or simply ask your question over there.

Edit: PMed with xxJohnxx and everything is now working as it should - it was a classic PEBKAC.

Great Job :thumbup:Thx bro:music_whistling:

Thanks Peter, great info for those new to multi monitor setups.

Can you tell me how to stop displaying the MFDs in the cockpit? Had it like this pre DCSW, and now i find it very distracting having them displayed twice.

Check the link-list:

All Exports On in A10C for DCS World 1.2.1

• This pre-sets will switch on the export of avionics to dedicated view-ports - just by simple copy'n'paste.
  

One of the pre-sets will also disable the in-cockpit MFCDs for better performance.

i read your guide twice to make sure i didn't miss it, but failed to follow the links :doh:

many thanks, you are a great asset to this community.

Agree with LiveBait

PeterP - you are a great asset to this community

Thank You PeterP. Really thanks a lot. With your instructions I got it and did it. Thanks.

But I wonder, can we 'display' some (one or two) gauges on other a monitor? Can this be done?

EDIT:

Download Helios here: http://www.gadrocsworkshop.com/helios/latest

>>> Free Helios Download/ questions thread

>>> SC Simulations HELIOS how to videos

Thanks for links. But it's interesting that none of them are woking.

Its not "interesting" - that's simply bad! ...I didn't know that Helios is off-line at this moment as I posted this links.

Tip: register yourself on SCS-simulation forum and ask why the Helios download is off-line and/or simply post this question in the links I gave to you.

(BTW: I willing to help but I can't do everything for others)

I have a Helios-installation.zip on my HD but don't know if I'm allowed to load it up.

EDIT:

Download Helios here: http://www.gadrocsworkshop.com/helios/latest

The downloads are at gadrocsworkshop...

I'm working on updating the scs versions.

Thank you all guys. PeterP & Flim.

And thank you Flim for the Gadrocsworkshop.

@Peter,

A dummies guide that uses pictures and explanations is well done.

That being said, you asked for opinions, so I will offer some to help you help others...

What you've done is really just the tip of the iceberg. I exhort you to think about going the

next level to applying HELIOS both for VGA and displayLinked USB (LCD) monitors. Ive

done this for both DCS-A10c and FalconBMS, so it can be done. Maybe these pictures will

inspire you and others...

DCS-A10c with two USB LCDs as MFDs and TM Bezels as OSBs, plus 1 touch panel USB LCD as CDU (Helios + LUA scripts)

FalconBMS with 2 USB LCDs as MFDs (GPT Extractor) and 1 touch panel USB LCD as the ICP (Helios)

Heres yet another idea, running the BMS ICP off an iPad which is a touch panel monitor itself

So yes, VGA main monitor plus USB monitors can be made to co-exist. Also, native sim

monitor extraction (be it DCS or BMS) can be used in conjunction with HELIOS or other

remote solutions like SPLASH XDISPLAY to display on an iPad for example.

@Peter,

 

A dummies guide that uses pictures and explanations is well done.

That being said, you asked for opinions, so I will offer some to help you help others...

What you've done is really just the tip of the iceberg.

I exhort you to think about going the

next level to applying HELIOS both for VGA and displayLinked USB (LCD) monitors. Ive

done this for both DCS-A10c and FalconBMS, so it can be done. Maybe these pictures will

inspire you and others...

... I will start some research.

- If you like: post some pics of DCS including the in-cockpit view and I will add them to the guide if you allow this . :)

So yes, VGA main monitor plus USB monitors can be made to co-exist. Also, native sim

monitor extraction (be it DCS or BMS) can be used in conjunction with HELIOS or other

remote solutions like SPLASH XDISPLAY to display on an iPad for example.

Serious : I wrote already big parts of the Helios part - and how to in-cooperate it in a mixed render-surface including a Virtual-display drivers and the native outputs of a GPU.

Well , all needs still a lot of polishing.

So:

Can you please tell me what was the hardest parts to do it with DCS - so I can check if I have included everything. -such kind of feed back would be really nice.

:)

@Peter,

You want some A10c cockpit pics...

So here's some year old pics I made when I was doing this for DCS-A10c

Cockpit with MFDs

Cockpit with CDU as I was making work on an USB touch panel + Helios

What is not documented...

Helios is powerful but is poorly documented and thus presents a steep learning

curve for those not familiar with it and combining DCS' LUA scripts and Windows

display positioning. The whole display exportation and replication methodology

as it applies to our flight sim use is assumed and not handled well.

That's where you come in.

What I found difficult was creating an USB touch panel CDU...

The trick is to use Helios art that has a cutout for the CDU data rather than

using the screen replicator that is used to display MFDs. MFDs can be done

either with Helios software bezel and OSBs, or as I have done as LUA displayed

data plus TM Cougar MFD hardware with push button OSBs.

The other hurdle is getting Windows and the video card propeties to consistently

position and display the monitors exactly where Helios and DCS' LUAs expects them to be.

I know you are well aware of this and is what you've painstakingly wrote about.

It extremely frustrating to do when using 32 bit Vista and also throwing DisplayLink

into the mix. Then there s getting each monitor a black background so that the portions not

being displayed on don't show up as your Windows background.

Exporting from Falcon presents more challenges as its older software, but the latest BMS

coding and third party utilities make it possible to do what DCS does via LUAs. Helios

brings out the cockpit art with selectable button callbacks, to either sim. Too bad the

IL2 series didn't make it into these.

All the pictures are done via a single Q6600 computer with one nVidia

cheers

@Peter,

 

You want some A10c cockpit pics...

So here's some year old pics I made when I was doing this for DCS-A10c

Thanks for the pics!

Can I use them ? - especially interested in the first :"Cockpit with MFDs" - as it shows the usual workspace of a desktop-pilot. :)

It extremely frustrating to do when using 32 bit Vista and also throwing DisplayLink

into the mix. Then there s getting each monitor a black background so that the portions not

being displayed on don't show up as your Windows background.

Spurious- you should upgrade to Win7-64 asap - it is alto easier to do such things .

and you should also have a look at SoftTH >>> as it can help immense to streamline your render-data and help to maintain a good fps in DCS.

Enjoyed your cheeky responses, cheers

never mind.

-----------------------------

now something complete different:

This is how you render a black square inside DCS:

(check the negative width/height ...and it has no impact on FPS)

...and here is a example in which kind of setting it can be very useful:

>>>> http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1490580#post1490580

@Peter,

Of course you can use my pics, that was my contribution to your effort. I would hardly think my

rig is representative of very many, but its a poor man's way to have individual MFDs and CDU or

ICP touch displays. Some would rather just put them on large VGA screens with soft OSBs or

even velcro attaching TM Bezels on to the monitor's screen itself. I would think the VipersPits

crew are likely to have individual monitors for each MFD like I did in some shape or form.

Regarding the blackout boxes...

Im not a fan of using the cockpit in a manner that doesn't look realistic, so they don't look good

to me. Just my opinion of course. That being said, I can imagine two uses for it that would be

beneficial:

a. An ATC role

b. RIO back seater or trainer mode

The Helios part of the equation is pretty poorly documented, so if you are a documentation guy

maybe you can write a section in your dummies guide to help others. It looks like you have

the main screen spread out on multiple monitors well thought out. Probably in my next PC I

will go that route when I have the horse power to run it all.

Remember, bring the hay off the loft down to the floor where it can be enjoyed by all. Thats

the goal of an applications note and good writer.

Cheers from Southern California

:pilotfly:

@Peter,

So SoftTH isnt just for "triple head to go" hardware configurations only...

In the dummies guide, it mentions this, but does not go further:

"SoftTH NEWS

– ain-sightoverviewaboutSofTH.SoftTHisdonation-wareandletyoudowhatthe big GPU company's don't allow you to do or only at high costs.

SoftTh let you render every monitor combination at High FPS in full-screen mode. You can even Mix SoftTH with AMD-Eyefinity and/or TH2GO,NVIDIA-Surround ! Especially interesting for DCS. -SoftTH let you use full-screen Mode If you export MDFS/ABRIS ect. on additional screens . You are not forced to use Windowed mode any more.

Even Helios is working with DCS in Fullscreen on all secondary heads. And Yes , it will gain your performance!"

these links get into the details, spread out in long customer support like threads (you've earne you right to be cheeky)

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=71710

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=69791&page=4

there's alot to read through in these threads, including what dlls you need and where they go.

Do you intent to augment your dummies guide's to condense this into one application's note, or is that for another

Not-so-dummies-guide follow on project? This would be what I'd be interested in.

It appears that SoftTH could be used to run any sim in full screen mode, as long as the sim has what to support it?

What do you think about Oates' CoordManipUlator script? (Have you tried it)

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1086335&postcount=10