HawgTouch - Clickable MFCD frames for multi-monitor setup!

[MadTommy]

I have identified the bug!

 

The 2nd image pixel at 10x162 is a transparent color. The code tries to set the transparency key to that pixel but it can't be transparent because it has to be a solid color (.NET restrictions)

 

The bigger image has a grayish color at 10x162, a solid color, hence you see some missing "dots" when that one loads.

 

As explained in the previous post, this bug is addressed in the next release of HawgTouch :)

 

I'll be releasing it as soon as the UFC module will be ready. Hope this helps :)

 

Thanks ClearDark, i know what to look for now. Thanks for your work on this :thumbup:

[ClearDark]

Version 1.1 is out! Check out the main post!

 

Thanks alot to jeffyd123 for the UFC graphics!

 

I hope you enjoy this updated version!

Edited March 14, 2011 by ClearDark

[jeffyd123]

Hey Tommy,

 

I mean WOW! those graphics are great!

 

May I ask how you made that?

 

I was dissapointed how my UFC Buttons came out (I didnt make the rockers).

Edited March 14, 2011 by jeffyd123

[jireland607]

Version 1.1 is out! Check out the main post!

 

Thanks alot to jeffyd123 for the UFC graphics!

 

I hope you enjoy this updated version!

 

What a brilliant bit of kit. I've been using Touchbuddy and to say its clunky is bit of an understatement but this software is brilliant. You said before that you would be willing to share your source code so I could have a look at how its done. I would really appreciate it if that was possible.

 

As I've been using touch screen software for a while I may be able to offer some suggestions that I have seen crop up many times on the forums.

 

Play a sound on Keypress

 

Tabbed interface was useful but guess it would be easier/better to have an area to minimize one of you displays perhaps.

You could go on to include notes or a kneeboard kind of thing for note taking during flight.

 

Just a few suggestions.

 

I guess they will need to wait for the editor:thumbup:

 

Thanks for you time and effort in building this.

[jireland607]

Just tried version 1.1, this bit of software is brilliant.

 

I've been using Touchbuddy for a while now, and although it does a job (and its free) its far from perfect. I spent about 5 hours making my MFCD's and a CDU panel and thats without making the graphics. Its so easy to share panels with each other, with this community it won't be long till we've got the whole A10c done.:joystick:

 

Will you be working on a builder at all? I would have a crack at it but have very limited programming knowledge although I am trying to teach myself C# which you said you are using. As you stated before, would you mind sharing the Source code with me to see how its done behind the scenes?

 

I don't know how far you have thought about developing this, but just few ideas from my past experience with TouchBuddy:

 

* I use Tabs for when you have more content that display space, either that or a method to minimize a control panel to the title bar.

 

* Something a lot of people asked for is to add a sound on a keypress so you can have a "click"

 

* Switches that decrement when you right click

 

* With multiple position switches, you need a reset button or profile (For when you start on Ramp or Runway) so switches are in correct position when you start, maybe save current config to profile feature.

 

Just some suggestions but would definitely need a builder of some sort to implement that kind of complexity (Although I ended up configuring TouchBuddy by editing a text file because of restrictions.)

 

I'm sure I speak for all of us who view this thread - "Thank you very much for all of the time you have spent developing this" :worthy:

[seanie]

:thumbup:

I'm sure I speak for all of us who view this thread - "Thank you very much for all of the time you have spent developing this"

+1 on this great job just a small note what i found is that it wont work if your radio menu is open (key press i mean) this is not a complant just to let people know also when you whant to use long press ie to reload your weapons you have to use the in cockpit mfcd but great work guys keep it up :thumbup:

Edited March 14, 2011 by seanie

[ClearDark]

Thanks for the kind words guys!

 

I do plan on creating a profile editor. I planned that for a later stage so I can first finish up completing all the needed controls for cockpit management.

 

I also intend on exporting data from the sim using LUA and parse it in HawgTouch for more interactive gauges and indications.

 

Tabular control is a very good idea. I think its feasible within the next few days. I intend to keep HawgTouch as light as I can so it would consume the minimum amount of resources from your system while playing.

 

I was thinking about audible clicks but figured that since most of the controls actually have an in-game sound attached, the cue would already be given to the user. I could make it user defined so anyone could do what fits their flavor.

 

Reset switch is a planned feature and will be included in the next release. I already fixed a few bugs that are planned for the next build as well.

 

Decremental switches are also planned. Still thinking of how to implement it :)

 

Before releasing the source code I have to clean it up a bit. I will be putting it up on a public svn once I have it all ready to be "displayed". Same for the editor :)

 

Thanks for the great feedback guys. As long as people are using this tool I will continue improving it for the benefit of this great community! :D

[gabuzomeu]

Great program, congratulations and thanks.

However, I can't seem to manage to have the keys to work.

Game is configured OK for the OSB keys, as you request.

I suspect this has to do with the UAC you mention in first post, and tried to force "run as administrator" in Hawgtouch, but no success.

When I click on OSB key, the taskbar briefly flashes, that's it.

Could you be so patient as to detail a bit the run as admin thing?

Thanks! (and sorry to be a pain)

[shu77]

Great contribution. Thanks!

[MadTommy]

Hey Tommy,

 

I mean WOW! those graphics are great!

 

May I ask how you made that?

 

I was dissapointed how my UFC Buttons came out (I didnt make the rockers).

 

Thanks mate, made it good old photoshop.

 

I've started making a UFC panel too...early wip

 

[Thermal]

Is there any reason why we cant just use a screenshot for the UFC? Would ED have a problem with it if its a (free) community effort?

[MadTommy]

You can, no problem with that.

 

Its the animated buttons etc that you need to sort out. I'm looking to replicate the one in the pit as much as possible, this includes button animations. I find it easier and more satisfying do this from scratch than a screenshot. Gives me better results for me.

 

(edit: i'm sure everything that i'm doing can be found in a dds file somewhere within the game.. but it would probably take longer to find them than remake them)

Edited March 15, 2011 by MadTommy

[ClearDark]

Great program, congratulations and thanks.

However, I can't seem to manage to have the keys to work.

Game is configured OK for the OSB keys, as you request.

I suspect this has to do with the UAC you mention in first post, and tried to force "run as administrator" in Hawgtouch, but no success.

When I click on OSB key, the taskbar briefly flashes, that's it.

Could you be so patient as to detail a bit the run as admin thing?

Thanks! (and sorry to be a pain)

 

In the current build, HT searches for the DCS window, set it as foreground and send keys to it.

 

This is whats resulting the little "flashes". I've addressed that in the next build by setting HT as a non active window and sending the keystrokes to the currently focused window. This not only nullifies the "flashing" and sometimes keystrokes being missing but also enables HawgTouch to be used on any game that you are running.

 

If you are running the simulator under Administrator privileges, you will have to launch HawgTouch as administrator as well. To do so, Right click HawgTouch shortcut or executable and select "Run as Administrator" (should have a little shield next to it).

 

If you still can't get the keypresses sent try hitting multiple times and make sure that in your profile XML, the KeyCommand field is set to the appropriate key you mapped inside DCS A-10 control settings.

 

If it still doesn't work PM me and I will do my best to help you troubleshoot this issue.

 

+1 on this great job just a small note what i found is that it wont work if your radio menu is open (key press i mean) this is not a complant just to let people know also when you whant to use long press ie to reload your weapons you have to use the in cockpit mfcd but great work guys keep it up

 

I'm aware that long presses don't work currently. This issue have been addressed in the next version of HawgTouch.

 

 

Tommy, your panels look incredible. First the wonderful MFCD and now the UFC! Thanks for putting effort into this :D

[MackTheKnight]

If you are running nVidia, it's running hotter because when you have two monitors hooked to the same card, running at different resolutions, the card will remain at 3D clocks instead of downclocking to 2D mode. I cannot verify the resolution part, but my card goes up about 10c when I connect two monitors as well.

 

I ran into this issue too, with my two GTX 570's.

 

There's a fairly easy fix out there. Google Nvidia Inspector. Run this little app and right click the "overclocking" button and select "multi monitor power saver" or something like that. The rest is pretty self-explanatory. Basically this app will force your power states to P12 (Low power mode), when not running a 3D app. Dropped my temps by 15 degrees when idle and fan noise is near silent as a result.

 

The one and only downside is a slight screen flicker when changing power states, but it only happens when switching from windows desktop to a game or video. No biggie.

 

-Mack

[Druid_]

ClearDark, I have a problem and no doubt I am missing something obvious. I am running DCS in full screen mode on an ATI card in eyefinity on 2 screens. The MFDs screens export ok from my monitor.lua file but the HawgTouch bezels and UFC are in the background, the only way I can see them is to ALT-TAB which minimises DCS.

 

Basically, how do I force HT to run ontop of DCS ?

 

Many thanks for the effort you are putting into this

[ClearDark]

ClearDark, I have a problem and no doubt I am missing something obvious. I am running DCS in full screen mode on an ATI card in eyefinity on 2 screens. The MFDs screens export ok from my monitor.lua file but the HawgTouch bezels and UFC are in the background, the only way I can see them is to ALT-TAB which minimises DCS.

 

Basically, how do I force HT to run ontop of DCS ?

 

Many thanks for the effort you are putting into this

 

Make sure you are running HawgTouch as administrator.

 

HawgTouch is configured to run as a top most window which remains always on top. In addition to that I have implemented a timer inside the main loop which refreshes the windows position every few seconds.

 

It seems to me this issue is related to ATI Eyefinity setup. Can anyone else running the said configuration try out and let us know whats the verdict?

 

Also, if you can, PM me your monitor setups and resolutions. Ill try and replicate your conditions as far as I can and test it myself.

 

I'm sure we can work it out :)

[jeffyd123]

Ahh that looks great Tommy! I mae my buttons in Publisher and then exported and tried to clen them up in PShop.... which didnt work very well. Thats what I get for using a MS product for graphics LOL.

 

Great work T!

[ClearDark]

A little update for the next version of HawgTouch:

 

- Resizeable controls - You can now resize controls and panels to your liking without the need to produce complete new images for variant sizes. Of course down scaling will work better than up scaling.

 

- Support for full screen panels - Allowing you to define specific panel as full screen. Upon loading the specified panel it will launch in full screen mode on the chosen monitor (for users with more than 2 monitors)

 

- Tabs - Each profile will support tabs. All defined within the profile XML file, a tab switch control will pop up if the loaded profile has more than 1 tabs defined.

 

- Audible clicks - Optional setting, allowing you to hear an audible "click" sound when a button has been pressed on HawgTouch.

 

- Better key press engine which removes the "flashing" completely allowing a much smoother experience

 

HawgTouch 1.2 will be released sometime around this upcoming weekend:)

 

Oh and I'm still looking for a generous soul to maybe create a little logo and icon for this application due to my awful graphics skills :o

[CaptHawk]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS:thumbup:

This is shaping up to be great addition to the already amazing DCS A10C.

[jeffyd123]

U go Dark!

[Snoopy]

You can, no problem with that.

 

Its the animated buttons etc that you need to sort out. I'm looking to replicate the one in the pit as much as possible, this includes button animations. I find it easier and more satisfying do this from scratch than a screenshot. Gives me better results for me.

 

(edit: i'm sure everything that i'm doing can be found in a dds file somewhere within the game.. but it would probably take longer to find them than remake them)

 

I used the files from in the game to mod my helios profile....They are located in:

 

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS A-10C\Bazar\World\textures\A-10.zip

 

 

 

[MadTommy]

I used the files from in the game to mod my helios profile....They are located in:

 

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS A-10C\Bazar\World\textures\A-10.zip

 

Nice one..i'll have a look through there.

 

I've finished the graphics for the UFC panel, just need to compile the config.. but here is a preview. Buttons & Rocker switches have animated states. (depressed states)

 

[Succellus]

PaulKrii,

What are your monitors sizes ? The one you use for instrument replica.

[ClearDark]

Nice one..i'll have a look through there.

 

I've finished the graphics for the UFC panel, just need to compile the config.. but here is a preview. Buttons & Rocker switches have animated states. (depressed states)

 

 

 

Your UFC looks absolutely gorgeous! Can't wait for you to share it with us!

[jeffyd123]

Jeez Tommy, thats really great work buddy.

 

rep inbound

Edited March 16, 2011 by jeffyd123