Free for all: BVT control panel
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Hi guys,
I tried iFlyBMS and liked it but that was used in portrait (vertical) mode, which makes the IPC very small. Also, it requires paid software, and it’s only for iPad, no other touch devices. Last thing, it requires to change your BMS key-file which I don’t like because I have several HOTAS keybinds mapped in my Saitek software, which would partly have to be redone.
In short, I was looking for something that would work on my iPad, iPhone and potentially other touch devices; doesn’t cost anything; doesn’t require me changing keyfiles, horizontal for large ICP buttons and be flexible to other users.
So I searched some more and found an old html-javascript based app by forum member ‘killer’, named iFalcon.I decided to go that way, by making a high res panel with cockpit parts I find myself using often. It’s free (requires free download of Touchdown webserver application, which is included in my zip-file).
EDIT: seems Touchdown doesn’t exist anymore. I have found an old version in my backups. Here’s the file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vi12c966yycrkgo/TouchDown.zip?dl=0So I present a small beta Christmas present: the Belgian Virtual Tigers control panel for touch device
This is made for iPad 4 high res Retina display in mind, but perfectly usable on other iPads (I also have a first generation o which it works flawlessly) and could easily be adapted for other touch devices like Nexus 7 or something if you know basic html.
A small screenshot of my panel with all hotzones marked and how it looks in real life (bad pic)
If switches have more then 2 possible states, I assigned a touch area to each of them. If there are only two options, I used one big area to toggle.
DOWNLOAD links:
I have several versions currently, don’t know which one was WIP and which one was final :s
Really need to have a repository for this I think v7 was latest stable, v6 was same but with older version of the server touchdown app which didn’t work anymore, and v8 was a change which didn’t fully work yet. V5 is the latest I could find which still has the touchdown app included.- https://www.dropbox.com/s/vorspoviqulhfu1/app_v5_20121224.zip?dl=0
- https://www.dropbox.com/s/7hy2suwspeiizwh/app_v6_20131014.zip?dl=0
- https://www.dropbox.com/s/g5gwi8wko8ppifl/app_v7_20131112.zip?dl=0
- https://www.dropbox.com/s/rv01waxihuw6f03/app_v8_20140202.zip?dl=0
PS: I won’t take feature requests as I only made it for myself but don’t see a problem sharing it for others to use or alter for better experience. It only requires basic html knowledge to make changes…
Contents of the ‘read me’ file and installation proces:
Credits
This webapp is based on the work of “Awesome Force” his app “iFalcon” which uses the free webserver application Touchdown.
Also a big thanks to Roger Stich aka Rampage for significantly reducing the lag after touch by showing me how to use the onTouchStart()-event instead of links behind image maps.Requirements
Strictly speaking, any touch device with wifi and a Windows pc with access to the same wifi network suffice. This app however, in it’s current state, was made for iPad in landscape/horizontal orientation.Installation
Windows pc
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Download the package.
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Unzip the zip to a folder of your choosing (no installation required) and go into the folder.
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Change your BMS keyfile (a), or change key binds in the app to match your existing key-file (b):
a. Copy the .key-file you find in the ‘key’ folder to your BMS user config folder and load that file in the controls config page . Beware, the key file contains my keybinds for BMS so if your setup is different, that would be lost of course.
b. Or you can edit edit the key commands of the webapp to match your key settings in Falcon BMS (details for key commands see later).
4. Launch the WebServer application <webserver.exe>(TouchDown Web Server Beta 0.3.1.0)
a. Make sure the profile page is “index.htm”
b. Make sure the IP address is the LAN IP of your desktop machine (typically 192.168.X.XX or 10.0.0.X) where the Webserver is running and your Falcon BMS will be running.-
Go into the Setttings menu and choose “Allowed IP”
Enter the LAN IP address of your iPad (you can usually find this in your routers attached devices list or in your iPad via Settings -> Wifi -> blue arrow next to the connected wifi network) -
Click “Start Server”
iPad
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Make sure your iPad is in landscape (horizontal) mode and not in portrait (vertical) mode
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Open Safari
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Surf to the IP you have set during step 4 of the installation on your pc by entering the IP in the URL bar and hitting enter or go.
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Click on the icon to save bookmarks and choose “Add to homescreen”
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Open the app on your iPad homescreen, now it’s fullscreen.
Known issues & future plans
- If you are running “TeamViewer” shut it down, it conflicts with WebServer app.
- Future probably will also bring a slimmed down version so people with an iPhone can use it as a simple ICP.
EDIT: Rampage has a ICP only version optimized for the iPad mini. When I get some free time available, I’ll add it to the package together with an iPhone version. - I’m also looking into switches that actually change state when touching them, so you can see for example if master arm is safe or armed, or gear leaver is up/down etc. (but need to find spare time…)
4. I’m also thinking about optimizing thejavascript & css file with the macro’s in several ways but my technical skills are rusty and I seriously lack spare time for this.
a) using an array for callback (ID) and macro instead of multiple copy/paste lines of javascript ontouch-event;
b) using LESS, compass, SASS for easier css management. I had to change the top offset on all area’s for example. Would have been a lot easier with adjusting a variable instead of all the different items.
c) changing the ID’s in the html to the BMS sim callbacks; and then creating a small php script so one can upload his personal key-file and generate the javascript file for this webapp with his own macro’s already in place.
Entering your own key commands
It’s pretty easy, even for a techn00b. I’ve added a readme.pdf file in the ‘help’ folder.EDIT 2016: Do note, this is not under development or maintenance anymore as I have teamed up with Roccio for YAME64 (www.yame64.com) which also includes same logic as this but better (but that part is still under development, focussing on other parts of the software first).</webserver.exe>
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Thanks for your tool! It works great! Is it possible to make a Kolbe compatible key file? I dont understand how to do it by myself. See here https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?7441-New-BMS-keystroke-files
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Thanks for your tool! It works great! Is it possible to make a Kolbe compatible key file? I dont understand how to do it by myself. See here https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?7441-New-BMS-keystroke-files
Hi,
Glad it works for you
Not that hard to change actually.
You load the Kolbe keyfile in BMS. In that settings screen you have the list of all the functions and its assigned keys.
Open the index.htm file in notepad and change the parts in side javascript:macro(“”); to those keys.For example. Right now I have javascript:macro(“^c”); for master caution (control+C). If for example for the other keyfile master caution would be by shift+F11, you need to change that line to javascript:macro(“+{F11}”);.
More details on the key codes can be found at the TouchDown readme file (folder ‘help’, file key-codes_TouchDown.htm) or online. -
I’ve tried changing some of the commands to the ICP to test it out. I followed instructions which were very simple (so it seemed). When I save it and run it, it won’t load. So I try again and only change one command to see if maybe I mistyped a command, but get the same thing.
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I’ve tried changing some of the commands to the ICP to test it out. I followed instructions which were very simple (so it seemed). When I save it and run it, it won’t load. So I try again and only change one command to see if maybe I mistyped a command, but get the same thing.
Can you post of send me The changed file and tell me which item you changed and what The key combination should be?
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These are the changes I made just to the ICP
<area shape=“rect” coords=“7,7,161,93” href=“javascript:macro(”^c");" alt=“MASTER CAUTION” title=“MASTER CAUTION”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“836,10,990,96” href=“javascript:macro(”{SPACE}“);” alt=“CHAFF/FLARE” title=“CHAFF/FLARE”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“253,17,322,85” href=“javascript:macro(”+{NUMPADDIV}“);” alt=“COM 1” title=“COM 1”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“338,16,407,84” href=“javascript:macro(”+{NUMPADMULT}“);” alt=“COM 2” title=“COM 2”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“419,17,488,85” href=“javascript:macro(”+{NUMPAD7}“);” alt=“IFF” title=“IFF”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“503,17,572,85” href=“javascript:macro(”{NUMPADMULT}“);” alt=“LIST” title=“LIST”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“587,16,656,84” href=“javascript:macro(”+{NUMPAD0}“);” alt=“A-A” title=“A-A”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“671,17,740,85” href=“javascript:macro(”+{NUMPADDOT}“);” alt=“A-G” title=“A-G”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“288,104,357,172” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD1}“);” alt=“ICP 1” title=“ICP 1”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“374,104,443,172” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD2}“);” alt=“ICP 2” title=“ICP 2”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“466,105,535,173” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD3}“);” alt=“ICP 3” title=“ICP 3”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“287,193,356,261” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD4}“);” alt=“ICP 4” title=“ICP 4”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“374,193,443,261” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD5}“);” alt=“ICP 5” title=“ICP 5”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“466,194,535,262” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD6}“);” alt=“ICP 6” title=“ICP 6”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“287,281,356,349” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD7}“);” alt=“ICP 7” title=“ICP 7”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“374,281,443,349” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD8}“);” alt=“ICP 8” title=“ICP 8”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“468,282,537,350” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD9}“);” alt=“ICP 9” title=“ICP 9”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“559,282,628,350” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPAD0}“);” alt=“ICP 0” title=“ICP 0”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“588,105,657,173” href=“javascript:macro(”^{INSERT}“);” alt=“ICP RCL” title=“ICP RCL”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“588,193,657,261” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPADENTER}“);” alt=“ICP ENTR” title=“ICP ENTR”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“231,372,287,424” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPADADD}“);” alt=“ICP NXT” title=“ICP NXT”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“232,427,288,479” href=“javascript:macro(”^{NUMPADSUB}“);” alt=“ICP PREV” title=“ICP PREV”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“320,396,376,448” href=“javascript:macro(”^{DEL}“);” alt=“ICP RTN” title=“ICP RTN”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“433,395,489,447” href=“javascript:macro(”^{PGDN}“);” alt=“ICP SEQ” title=“ICP SEQ”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“389,359,420,405” href=“javascript:macro(”^{HOME}“);” alt=“ICP UP” title=“ICP UP”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“388,439,419,485” href=“javascript:macro(”^{END}“);” alt=“ICP DWN” title=“ICP DWN”>
<area shape=“rect” coords=“550,368,676,432” href=“javascript:macro(”^{PGUP}“);” alt=“ICP DRIFT C/0 NORM toggle” title=“ICP DRIFT C/0 NORM toggle”> -
Can’t check on pc right now but can already see à mistake. Javascript is in One word without The underscore.
Edit: strange i saw underscores in The mail, but not in This post above.
Will take à look at IT tomorrow -
Thanks…I didn’t change anything else except the key press. Don’t know how the javascript got changed.
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Thanks…I didn’t change anything else except the key press. Don’t know how the javascript got changed.
I just tested your version and it works fine. I see the correct commands coming in the TouchDown webserver app. So it must be something else that’s going wrong.
Can you tell me exactly what is going wrong? The page doesn’t open in your browser, or it gives errors (if so, what errors exactly), …
Does my original index.htm work oke?
Sure you didn’t edit the html file in an editor which produces markup like fonts/bold/font-size etc? It needs to be a plain text editor like notepad or Dreamweaver or Eclipse or programs alike. -
Yours worked fine. I used Notepad++ to edit the lines. I’ll try using just regular notepad and see how that works. The message I’m getting is 404 file not found.
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Yours worked fine. I used Notepad++ to edit the lines. I’ll try using just regular notepad and see how that works. The message I’m getting is 404 file not found.
Notepad++ is fine.
If it says 404 not found. It’s not The file that is The problem. Make sure The file you enter in The touchdown app is tje Same name As your altered page.Edit: damn typing english on iPhone with dutch autocorrect makes me sound like a idiot
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I’m saving it as a different name so I don’t lose the original file, but I’m using a different letter at the end such as indexa. Then I change the original file to indexb and change the other file to index. That way if I need to switch back to the original I can. I have no problem with the original, even switching the name back and forth. But what I’ll try is making the changes and just saving the file with the same name to see if that works.
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I’m saving it as a different name so I don’t lose the original file, but I’m using a different letter at the end such as indexa. Then I change the original file to indexb and change the other file to index. That way if I need to switch back to the original I can. I have no problem with the original, even switching the name back and forth. But what I’ll try is making the changes and just saving the file with the same name to see if that works.
You can save your file under another name, but then of course you also need to set that page as start page in step 4b of installation guide in first post (see image)
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I got it working now. Made the changes and saved it instead of save as. Works good now thanks!!!
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I got it working now. Made the changes and saved it instead of save as. Works good now thanks!!!
Good to hear it works. Enjoy!
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This works very nice.
If you want own layout just edit the panel picture with Photoshop or similar and adjust the keyfile.
Not yet found out how to get the panel 100% fitting on my IPAD screen. The original is bit bigger.
Edit: Got it……run Safari in fulscreen mode or use other browser. -
This works very nice.
If you want own layout just edit the panel picture with Photoshop or similar and adjust the keyfile.
Not yet found out how to get the panel 100% fitting on my IPAD screen. The original is bit bigger.
Edit: Got it……run Safari in fulscreen mode or use other browser.See my install notes at The end. Use save to homescreen in safari to launch full screen
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See my install notes at The end. Use save to homescreen in safari to launch full screen
Weird, didn’t work for me.
But just did find other solution:
http://www.ispringsolutions.com/articles/how-to-make-a-webpage-full-screen-on-an-ipad.html
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Weird, didn’t work for me.
But just did find other solution:
http://www.ispringsolutions.com/articles/how-to-make-a-webpage-full-screen-on-an-ipad.html
That’s weird. I’ve tested on iPad 1gen and latest 4.
Edit: The link you posted does exactly what I describe?
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That’s weird. I’ve tested on iPad 1gen and latest 4.
Edit: The link you posted does exactly what I describe?
I have IPAD3 WIFI 16 Gb, Jailbreak.
Only thing you need to do is add words “to HTML5” to the shortcut and it opens in fullscreen.
No hightech, even simple Dutchie as me can do