Kneeboard limited number of pages? (256)

[Shaftoe62]

Hello, For some reason DCS AH-64D does not want to load more than about 256 (different) kneeboard pages.

Is this intended behaviour or is there something wrong with my install/configuration?

The kneeboard page counter shows the right amount of pages (770+) but passed somewhere around page 260 it starts repeating pages from the start.

 

I have no clue why this is.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Shaftoe62

[darkman222]

Do you want to read a novel book while flying the Apache?

256 is not a random number in the digital world. ( 16 bit etc) I would not wonder if the pages count was clamped at a certain amount of pages.

Edited June 2, 2023 by darkman222

[Shaftoe62]

I dont know the exact number. I guess it's 256 (or 255) for exactly that reason.

And I would like to have the complete "ChucksGuide" on the AH-64D available in the game.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a limit either but I can't find any documentation on it anywhere.

And if there is a limit it would be "moddable" in some way.

And I've tested it with the Spitfire with the same resullt.

I also tried to drastically reduce the file sizes but that didn't make a difference.

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Shaftoe62

[darkman222]

255 or 256 if the first page is 0 or 1.

Do you fly in VR, so you need it on the kneeboard? If youre using a flat screen and track IR you could use some program like "always on top maker" to superimpose he PDF in a corner of the screen.

... of course not as convenient as a kneeboard, but if its a limitation I doubt that you can mod it.

Edited June 2, 2023 by darkman222

[Shaftoe62]

I'll take a look at "that always on top maker" that might be a useable workaround. Will eat up performance no doubt but is mainly for during the learning process. So I can live with some performance loss. Thanks for the tip.

But still I would like to know if this page limit is real or if my configuration is at fault.

I'm just not the type of guy that will take any old assumption as an answer.

 

[darkman222]

Quick test here. I just created duplicates of my PNGs in the kneeboard folder to exceed 256 and it wont show more than about that number. I dont know the exact number beause it also loads the airport diagrams in , which add to the count. But, nope. Not more than about 250 pages.

Tested in the F16.

For me 30+ pages are enough, so I cant tell, but maybe this could help lowering the page count by sectionizing manuals as it shows on the start page.

https://dcskneeboardbuilder.com/

Good luck

[Shaftoe62]

Ok, thanks. At least now I know it's not my system/config that is at fault.

It was by using kneeboardbuilder in the first place that I came to that amount of pages.

Strange thing because he advertises that you can convert whole manuals but not a word about this limitation...

And I did section up the manual but that would oblige me to generate new kneeboards all the time. Not practical.

But I think I will work out a good "always on top" solution with the original PDF. That has the added benefit of the bookmarks (TOC).

That way I can use the kneeboard for the important stuff like this:
 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Shaftoe62

[darkman222]

Yeah I guess so. I think that was the way the kneeboard was meant to be used.

In the real world you would not sit with your aircrafts manual in your knee pocket. If you'd need that, something went seriously wrong in your pilot training

[Shaftoe62]

I have worked out an excellent solution.

For the PDF I use Sumatra PDF as a viewer. You can strip Sumatra down to the bare minimum interface you want.

Next I use a nifty little utility called "Launch On Top" which launches Sumatra PDF already "on top", helped with a bat file to give it the app's location.

To use it I have configured a Stream Deck macro that not only launches Sumatra PDF "on top" but it actually toggles it from "windowed" to "minimized" and back once launched.

And it also stores and restores the mouse position from before the button is pushed so I can use an in between mouseclick to ensure focus is kept on DCS.

This toggle button I have integrated in my Stream Deck AH-64 "Kneeboard" page and next to it I put up and down keys to scroll through the PDF and a Tab to switch between scrolling pages or bookmarks.

Works like a dream.

And now I have both the guide and the kneeboard available independently at the same time in a very user friendly way.

Best of both worlds, right?

And way less heavy on the performance than loading all those 2000 x 3000 px pngs generated by kneeboard builder.

Actually, I dont think it has any impact on performance at all. Sumatra PDF is very small and Launch On Top is only active when used.

I was completely barking up the wrong tree there.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction with this.

 

Stream Deck page with PDF toggle button

 

 

Edited June 3, 2023 by Shaftoe62