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Release: TouchBuddy v1.3.0 (revision 9)


zorlac

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Hi all

 

After rather a bit longer than we had imagined, and also with more features added than we had planned, here is the release of TouchBuddy v1.3.0.

 

This time round, we are making two different downloads available. The smaller file is the "core" build, and contains the core TouchBuddy application, plus the supporting DLLs, and the demo-profile (and images). The larger file is the "full" build, and contains everything in the "core" build, but has some of the better user supplied profiles bundled in with it.

 

As the release notes are now just so vastly huge, I wont be posting them in here, but I will quickly go over some of the new features:

 

  • Button Tooltips
  • A sent "macro list" available on the *TB* tab
  • Button visual "Feedback" (optional)
  • Remembers the last mode and profile used
  • No more "lost" events when multiple buttions are pressed quickly
  • Lomac Active Modules (TEWS, Payload, MCP)
  • Active "click-through" Module
  • Selective Transparency on a per tab basis *
  • Selective Translucency on a per tab basis *
  • Hold "expiry" times
  • "Iconify" TouchBuddy to display the window contents behind it
  • New "clone" button type
  • Keyboard shortcuts to bring up the *TB* window or Iconfify it
  • Progress bar during profile loading
  • Ability to use multi-frame GIFs (with ImageMagick) *
  • sending macros when entering/leaving tabs
  • "invisible" tabs
  • And much more...

 

(* - Transparency/Translucency and ImageMagick animated GIFs only supported on Windows 2000 and higher)

 

For the full list of what was added/fixed/broken/fixed-again, please take a look through the RELEASE_NOTES.txt file.

 

You can find both the core and the full downloads in **HERE**

 

WBK will be along shortly and will post the link to the new and improved Toolkit that supports the new features in TouchBuddy v1.3.0

 

Enjoy!

 

(I`ll post a couple of "how-to" messages soon, to explain how to get the Lomac TEWS working, and also a more in depth look at the active "click-through" module, how it works, what it can (and cant do), etc....)

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And the TouchBuddy Toolkit v1.3.0

 

The new 1.3.0 version has been posted in the Downloads Section ==>HERE<==. Be sure to use the same version number when using TouchBuddy and the TouchBuddy Toolkit, as they are designed to work together.

 

Info. Screenshots:

profilemanageray0.th.gif selectscreenvx8.th.gif multiplepluginsandmodulfu7.th.gif

tabeditordt4.th.gif buttoneditorbuttonspecifl8.th.gif showhidetabstripandstatju0.th.gif

 

 

Info. Videos:

1) WBK's Toolkit Demo Movies: Create a Simple Profile Download videos here.

The download contains 2 videos:

  • Creating a Simple Profile - Create the graphics in just a few minutes, and the profile in even less time.
  • Using the Simple Profile - This demo shows both the Touchscreen and the Game screen at the same time.

Or watch these videos on Google Video here:

  1. Watch 'Creating a Simple Profile' on Google Video.
  2. Watch 'Using the Simple Profile' on Google Video.

 

2) Zorlac's Toolkit/TouchBuddy: Lomac Active Modules Demo Download Video Here.

A short video showing how to add active modules in the Toolkit to an existing profile. In this case, it is adding active TEWS and simple payload modules. Then right after that, the movie shows these modules in game.

 

(Even though it is mentioned in the audio, I would just like to mention again that the update speed of the active modules is a lot slower than normal due to my PC being hammered (playing the game, running FRAPs, running TB and Snaggit to capture the TB window). Normally the updates are once every second or so (depending on the entries in the touchbuddy.cfg file).)

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Many thanks to Wild.Bill.Kelso and zorlac!

 

These guys are fantastic and have developed these great flight addons.

Buy a touchscreen, fire up the FREE TouchBuddy software, use one of

the fantastic profiles from there web site or create your own with TouchBuddy Toolkit.

 

Experience simulations as never experienced before !

Greetings

krel01

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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new release, 1.3.0, there goes my weekend :)

 

congrats on the latest release, look forward to trying out the new tews and other features implemented in this revision.

 

to zorlac, WBK, and ruggbutt (and others behind the scenes).

this has to be one of the most amazing free addons to gaming ever.

the toolkit is awesome and suprisingly friendly to navigate, the user profiles are great and by the sounds of it about to get better, no doubt ruggbutt will be making his f15 profile to incorperate the new tews, can't wait.

 

thanks again for every second you guys have spent on creating this great app.

full respect:thumbup:

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Quick question:

I don't have the default LOMAC install directory and the TEWS display in touchbuddy is not working. Are there any files I need to move over to LOMAC?

 

Thanks

 

BTW great product Zolac....and if we have a TEWS failure is the FI (Fault Indicator) in the lower left going to click over to white?

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I have not used the Active Modules yet, but I saw in the TouchBuddy.cfg file that you have to change a line to point to the Lomac output file. Did you do that? Other than that, Zorlac will have to help you.

 

Yes I changed the directory for the lomac_data_file = f:\Lock On\touchbuddy-export.dat and copied the dat file over to LOMAC.

 

I see there is a LUA folder with TB and a touchbuddy-export LUA file. I tried moving to folder and file to LOMAC, but that did not help. I'll have to wait for Zorlac to post some notes.

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ah yes, i never did get around to posting my TEWS FAQ. Read the first few lines of the "touchbuddy-export.lua" file, which explains how to get it working:

 

-- The following script was adapted for TouchBuddy Active Lomac TEWS export

-- Just copy this file into your Lockon/Lomac "Config\export" directory

-- and add the following line to the end of the existing export.lua file

-- dofile("./Config/export/touchbuddy-export.lua")

-- and it will automatically get run whenever you fly.

 

Right now, I have two users that have some very strange "slowness" when TB is running, taking several minutes to load a profile, and several second delays between pressing the screen and the macros being sent. I have no idea so far as to what is causing it, I cannot recreate the problem on any of my machines, and the two users in question are nowhere near me so I cant even pop over and take a look myself. Its frustrating to say the least, but I will be spending a LOT of time looking at my code, and talking to the two affected users in an attempt to work out wtf is going on and how I can fix it.

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Right now, I have two users that have some very strange "slowness" when TB is running, taking several minutes to load a profile, and several second delays between pressing the screen and the macros being sent. I have no idea so far as to what is causing it, I cannot recreate the problem on any of my machines, and the two users in question are nowhere near me so I cant even pop over and take a look myself. Its frustrating to say the least, but I will be spending a LOT of time looking at my code, and talking to the two affected users in an attempt to work out wtf is going on and how I can fix it.

 

Hi zorlac,

 

Could you ask those users if they are running NOD32 antivirus?

 

In that case tell them to

 

Disable the amon module in NOD32.

 

 

The amon module is the file system scanner in NOD32 and ive realized, for me, those two dont work well together. You could hook me up in PM and maybe we could work something out.

 

Edit:

Whats up with the "debug*.txt" file in the touchbuddy folder? Is it part of the program or is it a logfile? The constant (re)writing (for me) of that file "floods" the amon part of NOD32. This is whats making the program computer creepy crawl i think.

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if debug is disabled (i.e. debug = 0) in both touchbuddy.cfg *AND* touchbuddy-local.cfg, then the debug-<HOSTNAME>.txt file should only be written to at startup to show some basic info. After that, it should not be written to during run time. I am just double checking this right now on a "clean" machine. With debug disabled, the debug text file should only be 10-20 lines long. If its being written to during program run, then either debug si still enabled, or my code is screwey :)

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Hmm, touchbuddy-local.cfg aint in my TB folder. For touchbuddy.cfg debug = 0. Is touchbuddy-local.cfg a mirror of the touchbuddy.cfg file?

 

Yes debug is enabled for me me. The debug-<HOSTNAME>.txt file is constantly beeing written to. Downloaded TB from your site and extracted to desktop.

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OK, what does humble pie look like? anyone know the recipe? :eek: :confused: :(

 

Even though I have disabled debug, its turning itself back on again, so yes, its spitting out shedloads of text to disk. New build on its way shortly, once I can convince my code to behave

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note: the demo vids are very helpful, definately watch them

 

got the new download, and have so far made a profile or 2 (quick edit off ruggbutts f15) and added the tews but it remains stale :)and counting, as does the simple load.

 

i tried it across the th2go, but i am having trouble making the window res any wider than 3200, i was trying for the full 3840x1024.

is that a limit we can increase somewhere?

will do more testing after i complete a fresh install with new hdd, which i am doing now.

i also tried running 3 instances of TB using the f15 lft,ctr,rgt tabs and including the tews and the simple load, but this seemed to pause my game slightly everytime the stale counter ticked over.

 

loving the editor, already made my own profile from scratch, very basic but its a start, so dam easy thanks to WBK:thumbup:

 

as you can see not much joy is coming my way getting this and other external apps working properly so that is why the format is happening.

 

all the teething aside i have to say i am most impressed, even clicking the screens and watching in game responces is magic, take for example how simple it is to send your wingman a message/command.

so many other once difficult commands now made easy.

 

this will consume me now you realise :) :book:

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i`m not aware of any limitation on window size (I certainly dont impose one anywhere)... ah.... just found out that the Toolkit imposes this limitation (3200 is fine, 3201 and a warning messages pops up). I`ll mention this to WBK (if he doesnt spot this first)

 

The first 6 weeks of TocuhBuddy development was done without a touchscreen. I knew the idea should work, but if I was handing out a lot of money for a touchscreen, I needed to be absoluetly sure my idea would work. The first time I hooked up the touchscreen, started lomac, and pressed a button on the touchscreen was quite magical to me.... i couldnt quite get over the fact that (a) it worked and (b) the WOW factor.... you have no idea how long I spent on the runway, opening and closing my canopy :) press.... whirrr....woohoo!... press... whirr... woohoo!... press... whirr... woohooo (repeat over and over again). There was a HUGE grin on my face for hours after that.

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just reading that story made me smile, it must have felt great to see it actually worked :smartass:

 

after a full format, reinstall of everything, fresh install of fc 1.12a

i still fail to get the tews working.

 

i have buttons talking operating gear, flaps and all that so i am half way there.

what the hell can it be.

i must need a TB tews for dummies:doh:

 

very glad your found the toolkit was the limiting factor with the width, would be great to just have one skin the full 3 screens, then who needs tabs :)

 

so after a seemingly wasted in more ways than one afternoon, i am back to where i left off 8hours ago, no tews action, stale and big pauses approx every 1 second.

 

ps: zorlac, does that temp/error log reset or anything, like when are you checking it, while the game is running or after you exit to desktop?

 

sigh :(, pls :helpsmilie:

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here goes:

 

For "local" mode only:

 

- copy the touchbuddy-export.lua file from the touchbuddy\lua folder into the "C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Eagle Dynamics\Lock On\Config\export\" directory

 

- open the file "C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Eagle Dynamics\Lock On\Config\export\export.lua" in a text editor, scroll RIGHT down to the VERY bottom and add the line:

 

dofile("./Config/export/touchbuddy-export.lua")

 

- As someone else has pointed out to me, you may also want to open the file "C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Eagle Dynamics\Lock On\Config\export\config.lua" and ensure that the "EnableExportScript = true"

 

- open the touchbuddy.cfg file in a text editor, and change:

 

lomac_data_file = .\touchbuddy-export.dat

 

to read

 

lomac_data_file = C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Eagle Dynamics\Lock On\touchbuddy-export.dat

 

For client/server, you need to do the above on the "server"... i.e the PC running the game, and the TB client will request the info from the TB server.

 

That should do it. Obviously, if you lockon is installed somewhere other than in the default location on C: then you will have to make allowances for that when reading the above instructions

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i tried it across the th2go, but i am having trouble making the window res any wider than 3200, i was trying for the full 3840x1024.

is that a limit we can increase somewhere?

I don't know about any limit on the resizing, but I'll put a note to check the code. Since I don't have the ability to resize it that large, all I can do is look at the code.

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i also tried running 3 instances of TB using the f15 lft,ctr,rgt tabs and including the tews and the simple load, but this seemed to pause my game slightly everytime the stale counter ticked over.

 

new version going up as we speak that allows you to define the priority that TouchBuddy will run at.

 

- (v1.3.0 Rev. 12) - ADD: 14th January 2007

Added new option in touchbuddy.cfg to allow users to decide what priority

TouchBuddy should run at

# Set the process priority of TouchBuddy. This option can be set to:

# below_normal

# normal

# above_normal

# high

# (I *REALLY* do not recommend using the "below_normal" option in Local mode)

# NOTE: above_normal and below_normal are not supported under NT, Win95/98/ME

cpu_priority = normal

 

TouchBuddy is always fighting for a slice of processor time, and its fighting a program (the game) that never sleeps and is always trying to run on the CPU. If TouchBuddy does not get that CPU time often enough, it will appear "sluggish".

 

Hopefully with the above option, you can fine tune this problem. Running it at "high" will give TouchBuddy some CPU time, but at the expense of CPU time for the game. I would try "above_normal" if you are running in local mode.

 

Give it 10 minutes or so and the full and core builds will be uploaded and available.

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good to see you guys are on the job :thumbup:, thanks for taking note of my problem with the wide res and thanks for the install guide.

 

from what you wrote out in that walk thru, i cannot see why mine isnt working, and tomorrow is another day.

 

i like the priority idea, i look forward to messing around with the dual core cpu and getting things like touchbuddy on one core and the game solely on the other.

 

following your walk thru to the letter, fingers crossed.

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Zorlac,

 

It seems the rotating heading indicator on the TEWS scope is rotating in the wrong direction as you turn and the heading display in lower right is wrong.

 

Should be easy to fix for you :smilewink:

 

As Rugg has mentioned, this got fixed yesterday (how this one got missed I do not know!), so go download the latest version (v1.3.0 revision 12), and all should be working correctly.

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remember back in the day, typing basic for 3 days on the C=64 just to get some lame game to work, and almost without fail a syntax error or line 382 or whatever.

 

well the point is my problem all along was a simple typo.

ignoring other sub folders the default install is apparently "Lock On", i have mine in "lockon"

unsure if the code is case sensitive but i am pretty sure it noticed the space.

 

so for anyone still having problems getting the tews module communicating i would suggest checking the path in the touchbuddy.cfg file and ensure it is pointing to the correct location of the touchbuddy-export.dat

 

this one, mine for example reads

 

lomac_data_file = d:\games\lockon\touchbuddy-export.dat

 

only took 2 days for me to find a space :D

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