LCDHype

Realtime visualisation equipment LCDHype (Programmer: ViRuSTriNiTy)

The software display mode of LCDHype:
Lcdhype2

The G15 hardware solution with LCDHype:
Lcdhype1 Lcdhype4

I was often asked to make a little window where you can watch the port outputs of the synaptrix and the used interfaces. So I though about this advice and made a big step further to this. With this section you come to the big community of so called dashboard/gauge enhancements. There are many people out there which have collected all information’s about cheap number LCD panels with about 16 up to 40 numbers. Also they enhanced their software to pixel LCD panels with about 200x100 alphanumeric symbols.

What is LCDHype:
logo4   LCDHype home page: http://www.lcdhype.de

LCDHype is the biggest DIY freeware software if you search for small LCD panel control. Normally they are designed to show you some necessary values from your computer like the numbers of e-mails in your mailbox or the current temperature of your processor.

Here is a sample of a G15 computer overview solution:
lcdhype3

LCDHype offers three possible solutions for you:

1. Software emulation of a dot matrix display for your desktop
2. Connection of a DIY numeric or dot matrix display via parallel port (LPT)
3. Connection of a commercial LCD display like the one in a G15 keyboard

Hardware modules:

General you have to differ between text displays and dot matrix displays. The colored dot matrix displays could be very expensive and a normal 15” computer VGA LCD display could be cheaper than using such a solution. What you choose is what your decision.
Numeric displays use the HD4470 compatible chip. This is the most used chip of this LCD type and all hardware developer will normally use this standard chip in their displays. If you are lucky, you find such one in a old control device.
You will find many tips and tricks for background lights and dimming or colored lights on this home page.
My decision was the G15 keyboard which additionally offers four keys to switch between four screens.

Emulation:
LCDHype offers a software preview window that could be zoomed in to about the double size. If someone like this as a non hardware desktop display you have to avoid the automatic closing of this window in the setting menu and change the foreground mode. As module simulation I have chosen the G15 hardware as you can see above.

Installation:
First you have to download and install the latest LCDHype software package. Now you have to make the startup setup of LCDHype with your hardware LCD panel or you select the G15 plugin as software simulation mode. You will find a plugin for LCDHype in the “other stuff” directory of your X-Sim2 installation. This plugin has to be copied to the LCDHype “plugin” directory. After you have done this the plugin is callable out of the LCDHype script window like the command list below will show you. The sample script for the G15 directory has to be copied with the sub folders “gfx” to the “script” directory of LCDHype. Then you are able to load this script with the upper load button in LCDHype.

If you are lucky and all is working you can continue with the scripting job to personalize your display:

A sample script:

#Header
/Common Header Info/
%CleanUp.ClearInputBuffer(All)
%CleanUp.ClearVRAM()
%LCD.Gfx_SetTextArea(0,0,160,43)
%DefVar(buttons=0)
%Param.FastWrite(1)
%Common.SetPriority(50)
%LCD.Gfx_LoadBitmap(gfx\joystick2.bmp,0,0,0,0,160,43,0,NONE)
%Param.RenderMode(Full)

#EndHeader


#GfxMode

%LCD.Gfx_SetFont('Tahoma',7,1)
%LCD.Gfx_SetOverlayMode()
%Common.CreateNewLine(1,45,1)"Axis1"
%Common.CreateNewLine(1,45,11)"Axis2"
%Common.CreateNewLine(1,45,21)"Axis3"
%Common.CreateNewLine(1,100,1)"Axis4"
%Common.CreateNewLine(1,100,11)"Axis5"
%Common.CreateNewLine(1,100,21)"Axis6"
%Format.Bar(Horizontal,30,4,0,234,%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV01),1,0,55,4)
%Format.Bar(Horizontal,30,4,0,234,%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV02),1,0,55,14)
%Format.Bar(Horizontal,30,4,0,234,%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV03),1,0,55,24)
%Format.Bar(Horizontal,30,4,0,234,%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV04),1,0,115,4)
%Format.Bar(Horizontal,30,4,0,234,%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV05),1,0,115,14)
%Format.Bar(Horizontal,30,4,0,234,%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV06),1,0,115,24)

#EndGfxMode

In the #Header area is the main initialation of the shown display. Here you have to select the background picture and used variables.
If you are using such a dor matrix display you have to write your output text in the #GfxMode area. All the outputs there have a x and y position counted from the left top start pixel. You can use progress bars (here %FormatBar()) and graphicall features like “LineTo” for a moving gauge line.
For every command you can call the short help information for the syntax with a right klick on your mouse. They are very informative ...
If you like to use a X-Sim value, then you have to write %UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll',GetVAxisV01) at the position you like to see it.
The “GetAxisV01” is a command for the X-Sim Plugin to display the current math value mapped in the program section.


Commands for the X-Sim plugin (use the correct spelling, else there is a “invalid” dentence returned):

%UsePlugin('lcdhype-xsim.dll', ->place here the command<- )

Simulator axis positions command (Math setup values):
“GetVAxis01” (Current math value which is maped in the program section of the profiler)
“GetVAxis02” (Current math value which is maped in the program section of the profiler)
“GetVAxis03” (Current math value which is maped in the program section of the profiler)
“GetVAxis04” (Current math value which is maped in the program section of the profiler)
“GetVAxis05” (Current math value which is maped in the program section of the profiler)
“GetVAxis06” (Current math value which is maped in the program section of the profiler)

Input setup section value command:
“GetGaugeV01” (Values out of the gauge setup section of the Profiler2 application, the number is shown on the right box)
up to
“GetGaugeV40”

As the desktop gauge system, you are able to design ONE dashboard and use it  with all games without changing the setup of LCDHype.
You will be able to see the ingame values in realtime out of the game and the ingame cockpit dashboard can be closed.

Post your script in the x.simulator forum to help other users with this addon !!
Attention: The values comes out of the Profiler2 application. So you have to start this first.
Is the hardware display update rate to low, you have to increase the frames per second value in the LCDHype window. Not all displays can update with this fast changing values, so you have to find the fastest solution for every LCD display.