Helios on Slave PC help needed: Gigurra, Morphine, Rouge and Ice Profiles
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A matter of days now.
Got both programs working - adding some ‘candy’ still.
like: info about the connection being still ok, enabling key repeat, buffer size, reconnection, etc.
Will be published as freeware at livrot.com.Many thanks to gadrocs, gigurra, rogues for paving the paths.
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I will post in the next 48hours
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I will publish my own sender and receiver apps in the next 20 hours
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Hi GT, the problem is under the settings within the touchscreen setup under windows, you need to go into settings and uncheck one of the boxes in the pen touchscreen settings under control panel in win 7/8. I believe the default is set too double click when taping on screen this box needs unchecking…… then your good to go!
I was an early adoptor of HELIOS and GT for use of usb LCDs as MFDs behind TM Cougar MFDs. I was forced to use two computers to deal with Windows and BMS’ inability to handle a both the main game monitor plus a LCD touch panel. In BMS you have set a BMS config file option to allow the mouse to go off the main game screen/monitor to reach the LCD touch panel with either the mouse or your hand. But in doing so, BMS loses its in game mouse focus and where you move on the touch screen moves the mouse on the main screen. I’m told this is a Windows limitation that cannot be addressed within BMS.
The work around is to use two computers:
1. The HELIOS PC (the non-BMS PC) runs Helios drives the usb LCD touch panel. The BMS PC runs BMS and your main monitor.
2. HELIOS runs the software ICP (I made to work on my 7" LCDs), and points to a Helios version of the BMS.key file copied on it and is identical to the one used on the BMS PC.
3. GPT keyboard rx/tx utility is used to send transmit the Helios and touch panel BMS keystrokes from the Helios PC to the BMS PC, and thus into BMS itself.In so doing, touch panel and Helios commands on the Helios PC can be made and inputted over to the BMS PC without affecting the main monitor and BMS mouse focus. Noting that we lock the mouse onto the main monitor connected to the BMS PC via the BMS config file mouse capture feature.
This works great, albeit a complex combination of PCs, software, and LCD setup. If someone else is using usb (DisplayLinked) USB LCD touch panel and a main monitor from one PC without running into the Windows and BMS mouse focus issue, I’d like to hear how that’s done from one PC. I’ve tried this with WinXP, Vista and Win7.
I finally got around all of this by making an usb hardware ICP I built.
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WOW - looking good!
I don’t want to spend much time on pitbuilding so I need the two computer and touchscreen solution.
Apps done but need some serious testing first - still not satisfied. -
keyboard receiver / sender apps done. no copy protection ATM.
EDIT: links removed - new thread -> https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?21062-LAN-keyboard-Touchscreen-tool-released
known restrictions:
- the scan codes are translated by my own switch … case function because the Win32.MapVirtualKeycode does not differ between ‘num7’ and ‘home’ for example
in order for this to work correctly the sender and receiver must have their input language set to english - US keyboard ! - num pad enter not different from ‘return’ key for raw input detection.
- ‘pause’ key not working because same scan code as ‘num lock’
- in notepad shift + ‘a’ produces ‘A’ but shift plus cursor keys does not select the position it went over ??? anyone?
- WIN key combination do not work (WIN - R), (WIN-L)… maybe only the microsoft hotkeys
- adjustable output delay
features:
both apps know and show if the other end is running
just close the window and the connection data and settings will be saved for next time
adjustable buffer size
‘no key repeat’ option
automatic reconnect on connection loss
uses TCP connection - worldwideI did land yesterday using the keyboard of the slave pc. Checked functions with helios, too.
enjoy
Livrot
- the scan codes are translated by my own switch … case function because the Win32.MapVirtualKeycode does not differ between ‘num7’ and ‘home’ for example
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Hi, AV8R that ICP looks great, touchscreen is a massive improvement over trying to click in 3d pit whilst holding head still. The press of real keys and switches would be even better. Is yours built from a kit or an own design? I am currently waiting for admin account registration over on viperpits to research this some more.
Livrot, you are a quantum leap ahead of me in IT skills if you can write your own key TX/RX but I can confirm after a week or so of NOOB tinkering that I now have a pretty useable version of ICEs HELIOS profile running on a second touchscreen PC.In order, I am running the GPT Shared Memory TX, Target script and MFDE extractor (server mode)on the Primary PC
On the Second PC I am then Running GPT Shared Memory RX, MFDE extractor (client mode) and Helios Control Panel (as admin) then starting Keycom TX before running the Helios profile.
Back to the primary PC, start Keycom RX and BMS then go kill sh**The above procedure works for me 100% so far:)
Primary PC is a i5 4670K 3.40GHz O/C to 4.00 Ghz currenty has triple 17" monitors on a 2gb Geforce and two 7" VGA monitors on an old 512mb Geforce card clipped into TM MFD using BMS native extraction for the dispay.
Secondary PC is an old 1.6 Ghz two core processor with with a 512mb AGP card running the single 22" touchscreen.
Seems to be pretty usable so far, 60+ FPS still according to the FPS counter in ICEs profile. Unfortunately it is now back to reality for me and work will stop play for a while:(
I currently have about 95% of the functionality to get from Ramp Start to Airborne without using a mouse. For some anoying reason the Avionics toggle switches refuse to play but the rotary INS switch is fine. Searched the forum and found a few threads about the correct order to switch the AV but still no joy getting these 6 switches to move using Helios!!??Thanks to you all that have replied to my posts for the help and input so far, I hope I can be of some NOOB help in return.
FYI the touchscreen double input issue and general poor response I had problems with was fixed by this procedure shamelessly copied fom Gadrocsworkshop… menus are slightly different in win 8.1 but disabling right click fixes it:)
By default Windows right clicks when you touch and hold on a touch screen. This is great for interacting with Windows explorer or other regular applications, but causes problems when you are trying to hold down a lamp test or push a MFD or ICP button in Helios.
From the start menu select “Control Panel” then open the “Pen and Touch” control panel.
On the Pen Options tab click on the Press and Hold pen action and then click on the “Settings” button.
Uncheck “Enable press and hold for right-clicking” then click the OK buttonOnwards and Upwards
GT
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FYI the touchscreen double input issue and general poor response I had problems with was fixed by this procedure shamelessly copied fom Gadrocsworkshop… menus are slightly different in win 8.1 but disabling right click fixes it:)
By default Windows right clicks when you touch and hold on a touch screen. This is great for interacting with Windows explorer or other regular applications, but causes problems when you are trying to hold down a lamp test or push a MFD or ICP button in Helios.
From the start menu select “Control Panel” then open the “Pen and Touch” control panel.
On the Pen Options tab click on the Press and Hold pen action and then click on the “Settings” button.
Uncheck “Enable press and hold for right-clicking” then click the OK buttonOnwards and Upwards
GT
you just solved my problem but i had to change the setting in touch screen input, not pen one.
Thanks anyway