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Alberto Zanot

ATC suggestion

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I will try to be more clear and simple.

Glynn, as i said on post number 5, THE WORKS VERY WELL in network config, i know it.

BUT

BUT

BUT

You have to control them via main fsx pc.

I want something that control the ATC ON THE CLIENT PC, with the other keyboard, ANOTHER PC.

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OK I think I understand what you are trying to do.

You want to send keypresses to Radar Contact (which is running on your FSX machine) from a keyboard attached to your Client PC ?

 

You can use WideFS's Buttonkeys facility to send the keypresses to Radar Contact.

You can use Showtext.exe to display the output from Radar Contact on your client machines screen.

 

Does this sound like what you want to do ?

 

ButtonKeys: making use of FSUIPC’s virtual buttons facilities
FSUIPC offers facilities not only for programming real buttons and switches, but also up to 288 “virtual buttons”, represented by
bits in part of its array of offsets. These 288 buttons are regarded, like real buttons, as being 32 buttons, numbered 0 to 31, on
each “joystick”, with nine such “virtual joysticks” numbered 64 to 72.
WideClient provides facilities, using the built-in Windows “hot key” facilities, to convert trapped key presses into changes in
FSUIPCs range of virtual button offsets. The effectively allows any controls, keypresses or other actions supported by FSUIPC
on the Server PC to be instigated by key presses from the clients.

This obviously has major attractions for those using keyboard encoders in their cockpits and wishing to attach these to
Networked PCs. Because the key presses are trapped using the standard Windows hot key facilities, their use is independent of
the current keyboard focus. The only restrictions are on the range of such keypress combinations which are valid, and the fact
that each such hot key is only validly claimed by one application, and once in that too.
To use these facilities, add the section [buttonKeys] to the WideClient.ini file. Then, for each virtual button you want to operate,
add a line in the format:
Tn=<keycode>,<shifts>

 

WideFS documentation:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fexpotec.de%2Fdb_dat%2FWideFS.pdf&ei=PCreVOuXLuXW7Ab90IHYCw&usg=AFQjCNEwoontUVmjyA05o3GmjhjminL29g&bvm=bv.85970519,d.ZGU

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Not exactly, but thanks anyway, looks like WideFS programming could be the way.

Not so easy, but one can try.

 

 

I'll try to be more specific and simple about what I would like to do.

 

I have a client pc, running some stuff thru WideClient and other stuff thru SimConnect.

WideClient sends data to FSUIPC in the server pc, the one running FSX. Everything works perfectly. Also ASN thru SimConnect.

As a casual simmer with FSX, I feel confortable with the default FSX ATC.

Now, I hate having to read and control the ATC on the main screen where I fly.

I would like to read the ATC on the networked client, and control it from there.

 

Hope I was clearer.

 

There is no ATC addon that can do this.

 

Now the answer could be: put a second monitor on the main FSX pc and drag the ATC there.

This is a waste of resources 'couse I want to get most from the network config.

Running FSX with two monitors drops the framerate and in DX10 got a lot of other issues.

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Alberto,

Radar contact and PFE will certainly display their output on your Client PC, thats the easy bit

Harder is getting your keypresses from the client to the server, I would think WideFS/Wideclient can do this, Check with Peter Dowson in his forum as he runs multiple PC's and Radar Contact.

If anyone knows how to do this it will be Peter.

 

I got round this by running Radar Contact and it's Showtext display on my client and running the audio output back to the Server through line out/line in and operating Radar Contact by voice.

I have ASN, Radar Contact and FSCommander on the client, VAC on the Server handling the voice.

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Both Radar Contact and PFE run very well on a networked PC,

I do not understand why you insist they don't.

 

All you need is Peter Dowsons WideFS http://secure.simmarket.com/pete-dowson-widefs7.phtml

And for the Radar Contact display on the networked PC you need Showtext (freeware) available from Peters site, http://forum.simflight.com/topic/66136-useful-additional-programs/

PFE ships with its own app to display on the client called  Remotetext.

Then all that is required to send the audio from your client Pc to your Sim Pc is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio lead.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-5mm-Male-Stereo-Audio-Cable-A/dp/B000Q6LT26/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1423840799&sr=8-2&keywords=3.5mm+to+3.5mm+audio+lead

I have been running both of these (mainly Radar Contact) on a network for years, both in fact run better this way.

 

If you also want to control either PFE or Radar Contact by voice rather than by keypress I can recommend VAC http://www.dwvac.com/

Once you have creatd a profile it works really well

 

 

 

As ATC software it is certainly not very well thought out, the procedures are about as far from real world as it is possible to get. it does not seem to use FAA or ICAO atc rules or anything close to them.

 

Well thanks for that. I have never flown in real life. My comment was based on the construction of the software. I have PFE and RC. I didn't like using either one. Now that is subjective. I don't expect anyone to agree with my comment.

 

Alberto, I think Glynn may be close to the mark with WideFS. I also use the button screen and if there are FSUIPC variables to control default ATC, you will be able to create a button screen, assign the controls in FSUIPC on your main machine, and there you go. When I get my simulator fired up, I'll try to assign some ATC activity and let you know.

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This is an interesting, if little confusing thread.  I finally understood what the OP was after, BUT.... to be honest, can't understand the WHY you would want or need to?

 

I have PFE (and all the others) running on my networked laptop.  I also get completely separate, and separately controlled voice commands from the client, through a set of headphones.

 

I can appreciate that also getting the screen output on the client might be more helpful, but why would you want separate control?  Surely, that would mean another keyboard and or mouse to control?  I NEVER have to physically toutch my client machine, apart from the 'on' switch;-)

 

As a slight, but related aside, I also use a BRILLIANT and TINY piece of software called 'Synergy', meaning I don't need ANY kind of KVM switch or controller to use just ONE mouse & keyboard to FULLY control BOTH mackines;-)

 

Phew!

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This is an interesting, if little confusing thread.  I finally understood what the OP was after, BUT.... to be honest, can't understand the WHY you would want or need to?

 

I have PFE (and all the others) running on my networked laptop.  I also get completely separate, and separately controlled voice commands from the client, through a set of headphones.

 

I can appreciate that also getting the screen output on the client might be more helpful, but why would you want separate control?  Surely, that would mean another keyboard and or mouse to control?  I NEVER have to physically toutch my client machine, apart from the 'on' switch;-)

 

As a slight, but related aside, I also use a BRILLIANT and TINY piece of software called 'Synergy', meaning I don't need ANY kind of KVM switch or controller to use just ONE mouse & keyboard to FULLY control BOTH mackines;-)

 

Phew!

 

+1 on Synergy. I use Multiplicity from Stardock...same idea. Best kept secret around.

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yep i also  use "mouse without borders" app from microsoft itself and it is great, i know.

the point here was completely different.

 

thanks for your kind help and thoughts btw.

 

i'm giving up on this.

maybe one day someone will develop a program that shows and controls the default ATC on a networked client.

 

have a nice flight!!!

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If you get a complete solution, let us know.

 

FYI, you can use the WideFS button screen to control ATC from your client. I set up a couple of buttons on my WideFS button screen and was able to select options from the ATC window.

 

Take a look at this link. It is a program that allows you to share your screen, a rectangle or a window, with another computer on your network. This may address your other requirement:

 

http://www.screenleap.com/desktop-screen-share

 

Best of luck.

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Thanks Graham!

I dont figure out how to set keystrokes in wideFS. When i open wideclient.exe on the client pc i only see an empty window.

Do you have any suggestion?

 

Thanks again!

 

PS: screenleap is nice, but i would have to have the atc open on the main fsx anyway. Need a way to show atc on the client via another way, maybe showtext.exe but i dont have ideas right now.

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Thanks Graham!

I dont figure out how to set keystrokes in wideFS. When i open wideclient.exe on the client pc i only see an empty window.

Do you have any suggestion?

 

Thanks again!

 

PS: screenleap is nice, but i would have to have the atc open on the main fsx anyway. Need a way to show atc on the client via another way, maybe showtext.exe but i dont have ideas right now.

 

 

Hi Alberto,

 

You have to setup the buttons in your WideFS.ini. It is described in the WideFS user guide in the program folder. I think it's around page 8. Once you have setup the buttons, load up a plane. When FSUIPC is running happily, open WideFS on the client computer. The buttons you setup will show. If you open the button tab in FSUIPC, and press a button on the button screen, it will show up in FSUIPC and you can assign an control to the 'button'. Then, while in the sim, if you press that button, whatever you assigned it in FSUIPC, will happen.

 

I have copied my basic setup below. You can use that as a reference when setting yours up. Don't copy mine. It won't mean anything for you. The text following // are my explanations.

 

[user]

ButtonScreen=yes  //this entry needs to be in this section

 

[buttonScreen]   //this is the section in the in file where you program the button screen
Size=10,6           //this is the number of buttons per screen. In this case it is 10 across and 6 down; for a total of 60 buttons per page/screen
 
 
Title1="Airbus"     //I have setup 4 pages/screens. These are the titles. They show up at the top of each screen
Title2="Airbus Cont"
Title3="GA"
Title4="HELO"
 
 
Colour2=52,115,90     ;toggle not set dark green    //These are the background colours of the buttons. They are user defined, to a point. See the manual. 
Colour3=153,247,171   ;toggle set light green       //Some are reserved. I changed the default toggle colours. The numbers after the = sign are RGB. There are several sites with colour pickers that give you the RGB numbers.
Colour4=52,115,90     ;dark green for buttons      //Ignore the semi-colons. They comment out FSUIPC/WideFS text
Colour5=200,200,200   ;grey for goto
Colour6=119,31,130    ;external use
Colour7=26,40,97      ;power down systems for true cold and dark
 
Here is a sample entry
 
0=4B"ADIRS 1\rOFF"  //buttonscreen entries start at 0. I'm not sure if it's mandatory, but I did it this way
 
0=   //entry number
4    //colour number. In this case it is 52,115,90; which is dark green. Background only. You cannot specify the foreground colour as far as I know
B   //this says that this is a button as opposed to a toggle
" "  //the button description must be surrounded by quotes
ADIRS 1\rOFF   //this is the description. The '\r' is an escape character telling WideFS to put OFF on the second line
 
So there's the 50 cent tour. It takes awhile to program, but if you've got a second computer setup on a network, I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I don't know why everybody doesn't use it. OK...the advertisement is over.
 
As far as seeing the ATC screen on the client and not the server; the only thing I could think of, would be to figure out how to get the text in the ATC window to print in a WideFS text screen on the client. I'm guessing it can be done. Best to look at the documentation and then, if you're still stumped get advice on the FSUIPC forum. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you ask a question there.
 
Perhaps it could work like this: open ATC window, with transparency set to 100%. Send the text on the window to a WideFS text screen. Control the ATC with WideFS buttonscreen controls.
 
Good Luck

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Graham, that is a very useful writeup.

thanks

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Hi Alberto,

 

You have to setup the buttons in your WideFS.ini. It is described in the WideFS user guide in the program folder. I think it's around page 8. Once you have setup the buttons, load up a plane. When FSUIPC is running happily, open WideFS on the client computer. The buttons you setup will show. If you open the button tab in FSUIPC, and press a button on the button screen, it will show up in FSUIPC and you can assign an control to the 'button'. Then, while in the sim, if you press that button, whatever you assigned it in FSUIPC, will happen.

 

I have copied my basic setup below. You can use that as a reference when setting yours up. Don't copy mine. It won't mean anything for you. The text following // are my explanations.

 

[user]

ButtonScreen=yes  //this entry needs to be in this section

 

[buttonScreen]   //this is the section in the in file where you program the button screen
Size=10,6           //this is the number of buttons per screen. In this case it is 10 across and 6 down; for a total of 60 buttons per page/screen
 
 
Title1="Airbus"     //I have setup 4 pages/screens. These are the titles. They show up at the top of each screen
Title2="Airbus Cont"
Title3="GA"
Title4="HELO"
 
 
Colour2=52,115,90     ;toggle not set dark green    //These are the background colours of the buttons. They are user defined, to a point. See the manual. 
Colour3=153,247,171   ;toggle set light green       //Some are reserved. I changed the default toggle colours. The numbers after the = sign are RGB. There are several sites with colour pickers that give you the RGB numbers.
Colour4=52,115,90     ;dark green for buttons      //Ignore the semi-colons. They comment out FSUIPC/WideFS text
Colour5=200,200,200   ;grey for goto
Colour6=119,31,130    ;external use
Colour7=26,40,97      ;power down systems for true cold and dark
 
Here is a sample entry
 
0=4B"ADIRS 1\rOFF"  //buttonscreen entries start at 0. I'm not sure if it's mandatory, but I did it this way
 
0=   //entry number
4    //colour number. In this case it is 52,115,90; which is dark green. Background only. You cannot specify the foreground colour as far as I know
B   //this says that this is a button as opposed to a toggle
" "  //the button description must be surrounded by quotes
ADIRS 1\rOFF   //this is the description. The '\r' is an escape character telling WideFS to put OFF on the second line
 
So there's the 50 cent tour. It takes awhile to program, but if you've got a second computer setup on a network, I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I don't know why everybody doesn't use it. OK...the advertisement is over.
 
As far as seeing the ATC screen on the client and not the server; the only thing I could think of, would be to figure out how to get the text in the ATC window to print in a WideFS text screen on the client. I'm guessing it can be done. Best to look at the documentation and then, if you're still stumped get advice on the FSUIPC forum. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you ask a question there.
 
Perhaps it could work like this: open ATC window, with transparency set to 100%. Send the text on the window to a WideFS text screen. Control the ATC with WideFS buttonscreen controls.
 
Good Luck

 

Great post - thanks Graham

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Thank you Glynn and Phil,

 

As I stated above, WideFS is a hidden gem. I have access to 288 buttons that would have cost a considerable amount of money had they been hardware based. It's not free. If you purchase WideFS and FSUIPC, it works out to about 25 cents a button. Of course then you get the full functionality of FSUIPC. And as with all things Dowson, it works as expected. I just wish LINDA would support it.

 

I keep advertising here...I'll stop.

 

I f anyone is interested and needs some basic help, send me a PM. I am by no means an expert, but I'll be glad to share what I know.

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Graham, you are the man. thanks al lot.

now it is all clearer. (tbh the widefs documentation is a little bit criptic)

im going to try making this idea of remote ATC and i'll report.

if everything works (also with showing the text on client) maybe it will be worth opening a thread about this utility.

thanks again friend, without your input i would be still in stall :D

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