Monitor .lua settings

[Talvid]

For all those who have a second monitor / multiple monitors who would like to put MFD screens or Indicators on one and the game view on the others

you can edit your monitor .lua in DCS game folder\config\monitorsetup\[file_name].lua to do exactly that

 

since your PC and DCS recognizes all your connected monitors as one screen with a combined number of pixels in width by a combined number of pixels in height, you first need to set the resolution in DCS settings to the overall width/overall height. The last option on the drop down menu for resolution in the DCS settings is automatically the overall dimensions. Next you'll code your monitors' .lua file to show the gameplay screen within the dimensions of pixels you want, which will allow you to place mfcd screens,etc in the portion of your displays that isn't covered by gameplay cameras, without getting obscured by the cockpit view, which is shown across the whole center display by default.

 

for example: say you have two screens, one on top with resolution 1920 x 1200 and one on bottom with resolution 1920 x 1080

 

the combined resolution is 1920 x 2280. but we only want 1920 x 1200 of the total monitor space to be gameplay screen, so we configure the height of the Center viewport to be only 1200 instead of 'screen.height' (which is 2280 with both monitors connected)

 

also notice how no code is needed for the 2nd monitor screen size/location. all that's required to get your MFCD screens to show is to set their y coordinate below the height limit of your gameplay monitor (usually 1200)

for example: set your LEFT_MFCD = {x=60, y=1260, width=399, height=399} is about the perfect settings for the Left MFCD screen to show up inside a Cougar MFD controller which is fastened at the top left of a monitor screen

 

If you want to export indicators (AMPCD, UFC, IFEI, DED, EHSI, etc) you must add a line of code to their .luas found in Mods\[airframe]\cockpit\scripts\indicator\[indicator.lua]

according to the instructions on this thread https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=70716 and/or this one: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=242228 I suggest you subscribe to these threads for easy reference.

 

 

Viewports = {

CENTER = {

x=0;

y=0;

width = screen.width;

height = 1200; --[[<- see the change I made? (1200 instead of screen.height)--]]

aspect = 1920/1200 --[[<- for the aspect just put in the dimensions, width /

height, of the size of the gameplay screen you desire. * If you don't update the aspect the picture will be compacted, out of proportion.--]]

}

}

LEFT_MFCD = {x=_, y=1260, width=_, height=_} --[[<- make sure the y coordinate is greater than the screen.height of your top monitor --]]

RIGHT_MFCD = {x=_, y=1260, width=_, height=_}

F_16C_DED_ = {x=_, y=1660, width=_, height=_}

F_16C_EHSI_ = {x=_, y=1260, width=_, height=_}

FA_18C_CENTER_MFCD = { x = 2648, y = 1284, width = 461, height = 428 }

FA_18_IFEI_ = {x=_, y=1660, width=_, height=_}

FA_18_UFC_ = {x=_, y=1600, width=_, height=_}

 

GUI =

{

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = screenwidth;

height = 1200;

}

UIMainView = GUI

 

the above .lua code puts the cockpit/ gameplay view on the monitor above and a blank background on the monitor below where you can position cockpit items like MFCDs, IFEI and UFC in the Hornet, or EHSI and DED in the Viper, and you Hawgdrivers know what you want to add etc.

 

 

 

it works for 3 screens too.

Once again, you don't have to write code for the extra /4th monitor screen , just set the height on your viewports to only cover the height of your gameplay view monitors (usually 1200) and make sure the y= coordinate, of your MFCD or IFEI etc., is greater than 1200 (so it will get positioned on your extra /4th monitor)

 

 

Viewports = {

Left = {

x = 0;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 3;

height = 1200;

viewDx = -1;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1920/1200;

},

 

Center =

{

x = screen.width / 3;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 3;

height = 1200;

viewDx = 0;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1920/1200;

},

 

Right =

{

x = screen.width * 2 / 3;

y = 0;

width = screen.width / 3;

height = 1200;

viewDx = 1;

viewDy = 0;

aspect = 1920/1200;

},

 

LEFT_MFCD = {x=_, y=1260, width=_, height=_}

RIGHT_MFCD = {x=_, y=1260, width=_, height=_}

F_16C_DED_ = {x=_, y=1660, width=_, height=_}

F_16C_EHSI_ = {x=_, y=1260, width=_, height=_}

FA_18C_CENTER_MFCD = { x = 2648, y = 1284, width = 461, height = 428 }

FA_18_IFEI_ = {x=_, y=1660, width=_, height=_}

FA_18_UFC_ = {x=_, y=1600, width=_, height=_}

 

GUI =

{

x = screen.width/3;

y = 0;

width = screenwidth/3;

height = 1200;

}

UIMainView = GUI

 

I included the GUI code and UI mainview here so you won't open DCS and get a loading screen that is blown out of proportion/ skiwampus, and you'll be able to see all the menu options etc.

 

you can set the x and y coordinates to whatever works for you, so the MFCD screens will show up inside your Cougar MFD controllers

 

I hope that helps some of you wanting to make your own totally awesome pit.

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by Thalvid
updated with my findings