Falcon BMS KneeBoard UPdater
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Mower, how did you get the check six watermark off in the right bottom corner? Is there a pay ware version that I’m not aware of that removes it?
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Downloaded this the other day and it works really well. Just what I needed. Many thanks!!
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OK, I just installed KneeBoard UPdater on my new PC and ran into the same problem Darkman posted in #49, eventhough I did everything as described in this thread, manuals, and videos. I even set it up just like the working install I have on my old PC - and still no joy!
After some trial-and-error, I got it working and maybe found a solution one might find helpful if the same error occurs:
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install WDP and KneeBoard UPdater as described
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now, use any text editor to open the Setup_k.ini file located in your KneeBoard UPdater directory. If this file is not present, run the program and fill out the configuration dialog. Setup_k.ini should be created in the process.
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delete all blank lines proceeding the actual text content of the file (if there are any)
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‘escape’ all backslashes in all file paths by inserting an additional backslash. The text should read like this:
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save the file
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run KneeBoard UPdater. The program should now initialize without any exceptions.
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check the configurations dialog. All fields should be populated as intended:
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try to update a kneeboard. Don’t get confused by the not-changing time stampt of your kneeboard texture (8019.dds located in ./bms/Data/Terrdata/objects/KoreaObj/ that is replaced by the dds texture generated by KneeBoard UPdater). The time stamp acutally changes, but it’s not obvious in Windows Explorer:
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now start the game (sorry, sim of course ;)). The texture should now be updated.
Cheers,
Eggs -
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very interesting idea but i don’t test this the moment
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OK, I just installed KneeBoard UPdater on my new PC and ran into the same problem Darkman posted in #49, eventhough I did everything as described in this thread, manuals, and videos. I even set it up just like the working install I have on my old PC - and still no joy!
After some trial-and-error, I got it working and maybe found a solution one might find helpful if the same error occurs:
-
install WDP and KneeBoard UPdater as described
-
now, use any text editor to open the Setup_k.ini file located in your KneeBoard UPdater directory. If this file is not present, run the program and fill out the configuration dialog. Setup_k.ini should be created in the process.
-
delete all blank lines proceeding the actual text content of the file (if there are any)
-
‘escape’ all backslashes in all file paths by inserting an additional backslash. The text should read like this:
-
save the file
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run KneeBoard UPdater. The program should now initialize without any exceptions.
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check the configurations dialog. All fields should be populated as intended:
-
try to update a kneeboard. Don’t get confused by the not-changing time stampt of your kneeboard texture (8019.dds located in ./bms/Data/Terrdata/objects/KoreaObj/ that is replaced by the dds texture generated by KneeBoard UPdater). The time stamp acutally changes, but it’s not obvious in Windows Explorer:
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now start the game (sorry, sim of course ;)). The texture should now be updated.
Cheers,
EggsMy solution was to edit setup_k.ini and change WDPDir to
WDPDir = C:\Users\Nils\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\WeaponDeliveryPlanner\Setup.ini
There’s something going on in my Windows 7 that moves the ini file for WDP (not running as admin) into my user appdata space - the original ini file that kneeboard updater loads if I use the WDP application dir contains only unset folder paths.
bad
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Mower, how did you get the airport map on there? Was it a cut/paste kinda thing as wdp puts out a separate map jpg?
Would be cool if there were tabbed pages, but I realize that would require code.
Open the .JPG file that is being produced, open a graphics tool (PhotoShop, GIMP,…) past whatever you want in there, use KneeBoard Updater…done.
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Hi
I didn’t get this tool working after all, had more exceptions and played with something that can update the kneeboard without interaction (command line).
IF you install Image Magick (highly recommended image manipulation application) then you can assemble a perfect kneeboard of choice through a simple batch file.
Here’s something I’ve been playing with - I have a copy in every WDP generated flight folder, double click mods the 8019.dds graphic (makes backup) - voila. Could be changed to accept arguments so one can use, say, symbolic links on desktop, etc.
Just some food for thought
Bad
bmskneeboard.bat
@echo off set bms=C:\Program Files (x86)\Falcon BMS 4.32 set im=C:\Program Files\ImageMagick set objects=%bms%\Data\Terrdata\objects\KoreaObj set kneeboard=%objects%\8019.dds set backup=%objects%\8019-original.dds REM texture and pixel positions of left and right page REM force aspect ratio: {width}x{height}!+{xpos}+{ypos} REM fit/keep aspect ratio: {width}x{height}+{xpos}+{ypos} set l_file=*left*datacard.jpg set r_file=*right*datacard.jpg set l_geom=954x1519!+54+117 set r_geom=936x1519!+1066+113 REM start echo Falcon BMS in %bms% echo ImageMagick in %im% echo Kneeboard is %kneeboard% REM check some assumptions if not exist "%bms%" ( echo variable bms="%bms%" does not point to Falcon BMS program directory exit /b 1 ) if not exist "%kneeboard%" ( echo no existing kneeboard "%kneeboard%" found exit /b 1 ) REM make a backup of existing kneeboard if not exist "%backup%" copy "%kneeboard%" "%backup%" REM make composite left/right kneeboard echo Composing kneeboard from: "%im%\convert.exe" -verbose "%backup%" "%l_file%" -geometry %l_geom% -composite "%r_file%" -geometry %r_geom% -composite "%kneeboard%" echo Done
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Also had problems getting the Updater to find the datacard in the WDP directory. All the browse paths are set correctly (i.e. all the mission data is shown correctly), but I keep getting the Error message “KneeBoard file not found!” when I hit Update.
I now just navigate to the file using the alternative image seeker and put it in that way. (Tried using the alternative setup.ini file in my AppsData folder but that didn’t work)
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Also had problems getting the Updater to find the datacard in the WDP directory. All the browse paths are set correctly (i.e. all the mission data is shown correctly), but I keep getting the Error message “KneeBoard file not found!” when I hit Update.
I now just navigate to the file using the alternative image seeker and put it in that way. (Tried using the alternative setup.ini file in my AppsData folder but that didn’t work)
Getting exactly the same issue (and use same solution). WDP was recently updated (13 Nov 2014 - from release log “- Changed, The name of the save datacard pictures got a Letter added. This to make sure the alphabetical sorting is better.”). I’m guessing KneeBoard Updater is looking for an image with the old name.
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Hey guys,
because of the filename change and one Picture for both pages, I wanted to adapt the script written by b4dshot.
I noticed with ImageMagick some problems
like the version installed two weeks ago was only capable to open one format at a time, every other format would end in a dll missing error,
now the new version works, but I can’t open the DDS result image with Gimp, and also in Falcon it looks a bit strange (tiny, offseted, some transparent lines) - I guess there are still some problems.
What ImageMagick version is b4dshot using so that I could test it with that one?Well, in the meantime I made a different approach:
You need gimp (I tested it with Gimp 2.8.14) for it.
My Package contains a template which will be used by the script, and a plugin needed in gimp in order to do the job.The script needs to know your path BMS+Theater, WDP folder, and the path to the gimp-console.exe
Afterwards it will scan automatically the WDP Datacard folder for the newest Datacard and create the texture in the theater needed.
I’d really prefer b4dshots script (with automatically finding the newest datacard) - but the situation above forced me to do it that way
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzHyxtkk-Tj_QzMzd09GdVFlNFk&authuser=0
in my Package there are a total of 3 files and one folder
wdp2bms_im.bat
wdp2bms_gimp.bat
8019_template.xcf
.gimp-2.8/plug-ins/makeKneeboard.pywdp2bms_im.bat is the most simple version.
It is a child of b4dshot.
I added an automatic scan for the newest datacard.
It depends only on ImageMagick and you only need to edit the 3 paths in the batch file.
ATTENTION: I wasn’t able to test this script because of the problems about ImageMagick itself!wdp2bms_gimp.bat
It depends on Gimp (tested with 2.8.14), the included plugin and the included template.
It also scans automatically for the newest datacard.
Copy the Plugin to your %USERPROFILE%.gimp-2.*\plug-ins
Then, edit the batch for the 3 paths. -
Hi Snowsky
I’m using
“C:\Program Files\ImageMagick\convert.exe” -version
Version: ImageMagick 6.9.0-3 Q16 x64 2014-12-30 http://www.imagemagick.org
Copyright: Copyright 1999-2015 ImageMagick Studio LLC
Features: DPC Modules OpenMP
Delegates (built-in): bzlib cairo freetype jbig jng jp2 jpeg lcms lqr openexr pangocairo png ps rsvg tiff webp xml zlibgimp seems to have a problem with the generated file but paint.net doesn’t - I believe I googled some problems with Gimp and DDS.
The scanning for the last updated data card is great, I shied away from the windows shell scripting, thanks!
For some confirmation of a problem please check the same version of Image Magick, maybe attach the ‘bad’ output you’re getting.
Cheers
bad -
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Version: ImageMagick 6.9.0-3 Q16 x64 2014-12-30 http://www.imagemagick.org
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gimp seems to have a problem with the generated file but paint.net doesn’t - I believe I googled some problems with Gimp and DDS.The scanning for the last updated data card is great, I shied away from the windows shell scripting, thanks!
For some confirmation of a problem please check the same version of Image Magick, maybe attach the ‘bad’ output you’re getting.
Cheers
badHi b4dshot,
I will test it with 6.9.0-3 when I come back homeThanks for your answer!
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Okay it’s done,
I have tested both now.The big advantage now - Not only it finds the newest Datacard, now you can also configure multiple theaters at once. This way you configure everything once and don’t have to take care afterwards while switching Theater.
GIMP Version
Pro: The holes and shade layer is transparent above the Datacard. It looks slightly better in my opinion.
Con:- Slower while generating (a few seconds)
- Besides installing gimp, you need to copy the plugin
ImageMagick Version
Pro:- Texture is generated faster (a few seconds)
- Only needs installation of ImageMagick
Con: The Datacard might overlap the holes. It looks slightly worse in my opinion.
Link should be the same ( https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzHyxtkk-Tj_QzMzd09GdVFlNFk&authuser=0 ).
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Gday Guys not sure if this is the right place for this question but here it is anyway, can you have the boards with out the pilot legs?
Thanks in advance.
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can you have the boards with out the pilot legs?
The kneeboards are part of the pilot model - you’d have to find a new mod that hangs up these cards somewhere else in the cockpit (which reminds me it would be super if that pilot model had flipping through multiple pages )
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It’s a texture on a model so you’d need SOMETHING for mesh to put the textures on. Maybe someone could make a floating kneeboard model that was minimal mesh.
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Also had problems getting the Updater to find the datacard in the WDP directory. All the browse paths are set correctly (i.e. all the mission data is shown correctly), but I keep getting the Error message “KneeBoard file not found!” when I hit Update.
I now just navigate to the file using the alternative image seeker and put it in that way. (Tried using the alternative setup.ini file in my AppsData folder but that didn’t work)
If You have this problem You must simply rename .jpg datacard file from Stud 3_C_Datacard to Stud 3. Everytime when You generate new file.
Other option is to use older WDP. -
Hi when update the Kneeboard Updater i get a error message saying Kneeboard file not found?
Anyone know how fix that or had a similer problem like that?