AutoKneePads for Falcon BMS
-
AutoKneePads for Falcon BMS
Auto-Updating Cockpit KneePads for Falcon BMS.
- I’d already created the code for the Ice’s Falcon BMS Helios Profile so this is the standalone version.
- It auto-updates the Cockpit KneePads as shown in the screenshots below.
- It auto-updates the KneePads with any change detected in either the Briefing.txt or Callsign.ini files or the current Theatre.
- To update the briefing information select “PRINT” from the Falcon BMS mission briefing page.
- Note: The briefing file must be saved as a text file which is the Falcon BMS default setting.
- Extract the AutoKneePads folder from the zip file and run the AutoKneePads.exe file either directly or from a shortcut.
- Only if run from “Program Files” or “Program Files (x86)” is run as Administrator required, otherwise this is absolutely not required.
- AutoKneePads runs in the System Tray with options to Pause and Resume the KneePads auto-update.
- It auto-detects the latest version of Falcon BMS and creates the KneePads for that version.
- If you want to run it with an earlier installed version of Falcon BMS then just edit the Settings.ini file.
- Instructions on editing the Settings.ini file are included in the file itself.
- It creates LeftKneePad.png, RightKneePad.png and the KneePads.png combined file in the KneePads folder for other uses if required.
- It uses the Arial Narrow Fonts which are installed on most systems but if not download and install from the link below.
Latest Additions and Improvements.
- AutoKneePads now includes a built in Web Server to allow viewing the KneePads in a web browser.
- The System Tray menu now has options to Start And Stop the Server and to display the Server Local IP Address for use in a browser.
- On start-up AutokneePads uses the Web Server running status setting saved from the last session.
Download AutoKneePads 1.03 with built in Web Server
- Download from here for the latest version.
Download Arial Narrow Fonts if not already installed
- Download from here for the latest version.
Cockpit KneePads:
Left and Right KneePad Files:
System Tray Menu:
-
Interesting!
Happy to see ideas evolve. Maybe going retirement now.
Some ideas to make it even better:- Possible to highlight the columns of own flight in roster and package?
- Does it handle all theaters? (Was a pain to get right with ezboards)
- Can it serve the images over http?
- Maybe give it a more expressive app icon so it is recognizable more easily in tray?
-
@Logic said in AutoKneePads for Falcon BMS:
Interesting!
Happy to see ideas evolve. Maybe going retirement now.
Some ideas to make it even better:- Possible to highlight the columns of own flight in roster and package?
- Does it handle all theaters? (Was a pain to get right with ezboards)
- Can it serve the images over http?
- Maybe give it a more expressive app icon so it is recognizable more easily in tray?
Hi Logic, I didn’t mean it to replace EzBoards, especially with all of the work that you’ve put in, it was just the fact that I’d created all of the code for the Ice Profile so with just a few modifications I thought of offering it on here.
I created the code for actually drawing the KneePads a long time ago, and it’s a bit of a nightmare, so I don’t really want to revisit that part of it to do any highlighting.
It extracts the theatre name from the registry and then writes to the relevant theatre folder, so yes it handles all theatres.
Edit: The latest version can serve the images over http.
The icon isn’t great so may look at changing it.
-
Great work ! Inaddition to @Logic it would be great to add flight tacan and what UHF each flight is using. These details can be determined manually but who wants to do that when your task saturated already.
Just a few ideas for improvement.
-
@Todd1215 said in AutoKneePads for Falcon BMS:
Great work ! Inaddition to @Logic it would be great to add flight tacan and what UHF each flight is using. These details can be determined manually but who wants to do that when your task saturated already.
Just a few ideas for improvement.
I’m afraid it’s the same reply that I made to Logic, I created the code for actually drawing the KneePads a long time ago, and it’s a bit of a nightmare, so I don’t really want to revisit that part of it to add anything.
Apart from that there just isn’t any space left to add anything else, I remember just trying to fit in everything when I created it.
-
@linknet @Logic I’m not normally a zealot for FOSS but it would be nice for projects like this to have source available … especially ones that are likely to require updates as new versions of BMS rollout, over the years. It always makes me sad when some useful community-authored tool gets abandoned (RTTConfig, etc) and other folks want to fork and take ownership, or submit minor improvements, but can’t.
-
@airtex2019
At the moment I’d prefer not to make it open source, but If I ever decide to abandon it I’ll either transfer the code to someone else or failing that post it online. -
AutoKneePads for Falcon BMS
Updated 16 January 2023:
The first post has been updated with the latest Version 1.01.
- AutoKneePads now includes a built in Web Server to allow viewing the KneePads in a web browser.
- The System Tray menu now has options to Start And Stop the Server and to display the Server Local IP Address for use in a browser.
- On start-up AutokneePads uses the Web Server running status setting saved from the last session.
-
Thank you for your software.
Do I need Helios to make the two .PNGs appear on the pilot’s legs?
If not, can you tell me how to make them appear?
It should be obvious … but I did not find it . -
@Rouge1512
Helios isn’t required.You should just need to run AutoKneePads before you enter 3D and leave it running when it will automatically transfer the images to the pilots legs.
If you’ve tried it and it isn’t working then just let me know.
-
@linknet This works in VR too, right? Just checking as obviously can’t work with Helios when in VR. Thanks!
-
If the Pilot Model with the KneePads is visible in VR which it should be if you enable it, then it’ll work fine,
-
@linknet Thanks!
-
@linknet
Thank you for your answer.Mine is unfortunately no, it does not work following your prescriptions.
Before I discovered and tried your software, I used WDP and Ezboard. It is always the two pages of the latter (from the last time I used it) that appear respectively on the 1st page right and left on the legs of the pilote.
Maybe an interference with Ezboard?
-
@Rouge1512 said in AutoKneePads for Falcon BMS:
@linknet
Before I discovered and tried your software, I used WDP and Ezboard. It is always the two pages of the latter (from the last time I used it) that appear respectively on the 1st page right and left on the legs of the driver.Are you using Falcon BMS 4.37 and the Korea Theatre just to eliminate some of variables?
Presumably you did, but I need to ask, did you open and print the briefing for the new mission with AutoKneePads running?
Then check in the AutoKneePads\Briefing folder to see if the Briefing.txt file has been updated.
Next check in the AutoKneePads\KneePads folder and see if the KneePads.png file has been updated.
Finally if all of that worked check that this file is updating: Falcon BMS 4.37\Data\TerrData\Objects\KoreaObj\7982.dds
-
4.37 = yes
Korea = yes
Print the brief : yes
Briefing.txt updated : yes
KneePads png unpdated : yes
7982.dds updated : I don’t have any software to open .dds, but if I zoom in on the thumbnail displayed by Windows, it seems to me that no : I still have an image generated by Ezboard.
The same I get in 3D.Which sofware I need to watch a . dds ?
-
@Rouge1512
OK.
In the AutoKneePads\KneePads folder is it creating the KneePads.dds file and is this being updated? Just check to see if the file date and time change.If that’s being updated then temporarily rename the Falcon BMS 4.37\Data\TerrData\Objects\KoreaObj\7982.dds file and see if a new one is created.
Edit: I don’t suppose that the Falcon BMS 4.37\Data\TerrData\Objects\KoreaObj\7982.dds has somehow been set to read only?
-
@Rouge1512 Wait, just to be sure, you’re not using AutoKneePads and EZBoards for the same mission, do you? If so, they will compete for the same file!
-
I will check this out tonight, ASAP.
-
No, not at the same time and in the same mission
I was using EZBoard before I tried Linknet’s software