Project New MFD and more to come Soon

[tofitouf]

Hello space travellers.

I'm not really new on the community but It's a shame, it's my first post.
I use to be a develloper, and i've made a new MFD able to show every orbiting object in the orbiter world.
A kind of Complet 3D Map of the galaxy

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3992"]follow this link to download the mfd[/ame]

It could be used as a replacement of the orbit MFD (i'll add the orbit parameter shown soon e, PA Pn ....) But more interactive and animated.

This first version is not yet totally finished, in fact it's just a starting point. I've made this map to be inserted in new pilots mfd, But it could be used independently so It has been extracted in an independent MFD.

I tried to make it very intuitive, simple commands (very few buttons to clic) but amazing results.

I hope it can be useful or just fun for the good fellows of this community.

Send be reports, bugs, critics... everything is welcomed.

Best regards

Tofitouf

 

[streb2001]

Very pretty! This might work well as a HUD but I don't know if you can use multiple colours on the HUD.

 

[Andy44]

Welcome, tofitouf!

Just so you know, everytime someone uploads an add-on to Orbit Hangar, this forum creates an "auto-thread". The one for your new MFD is here: http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=8367

This is a beautiful MFD you've built, I love the colors and the smooth transitions, and I love the orerry view of the planets when you center on the sun.

I was wondering if you have found the best way to use it, but it sounds like you've anwered my question by saying it's a fancier Orbit MFD.

I've noticed that the bases and docks functins don't seem to work yet. Are you going to release any documentation?

This is one of the nicer little surprises to turn up on Orbit Hangar, really nice.

 

[Tex]

Hi Tofitouf,

Just a note, I moved your thread here from the general Orbiter forum to the Addon Development forum since you are still developing this. I left a redirect to the new location in the old forum which expires in 3 days.

Thanks for the great addon and once again welcome to the forum!

 

[Donamy]

Could you do something like this, for the shuttle MEDs displays of the SSU project ?

 

[tofitouf]

Thank you all for your nice welcome message and sorry for the wrong message place.
I've just added a very short documentation on orbit hangar but not much.

To answer to Andy 44 :
yes the dock are shown, when you zoom very close to vessel, just a simple representation of direction and position, but useful when you don't understand where it is.
The bases are not shown yet, but it will come soon.

thank you all and long live to Orbiter.

---------- Post added at 20:22 ---------- Previous post was at 20:19 ----------

Could you do something like this, for the shuttle MEDs displays of the SSU project ?

I don't know this add on, and sure i won't have time to.

But if you're interested all sources of this mfd are under sourceforge.
The Map itself is an independent component created to be used in many other project. And not only in MFD.

I will son add some information about that in the orbiter wiki.

See you soon
Tofitouf

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22 ----------

Very pretty! This might work well as a HUD but I don't know if you can use multiple colours on the HUD.

could be difficult because hud use opengl and MFD use GDI....
But my drawing tool are all located into a single class.
so not really a big deal
but not impossible. It could be a new project using the same sources.

 

[dougkeenan]

Wow! What a beautiful MFD! That's inspired, the way it moves from center to center. I am confused a little - when I hit BA(ck) should the center return to my previously selected center? That is, can a user toggle back and forth between center selections? And can the animation speed be tweaked?

Anyway, absolutely fantastic work.

 

[tofitouf]

Wow! What a beautiful MFD! That's inspired, the way it moves from center to center. I am confused a little - when I hit BA(ck) should the center return to my previously selected center? That is, can a user toggle back and forth between center selections? And can the animation speed be tweaked?

Anyway, absolutely fantastic work.

thanks a lot,

The Back touch is not well named it's for menu, sub menu and so on
Left should have been a better name. I'll fix it.
There is no history in your navigation.
The speed could be tweaked in theory, and wiill be in next release.
Thanks again for your return, It's very encouraging.

 

[tofitouf]

Map v0.2 is online

Ok Ok, the screen shot shown 0.1 but no matter. This is a 0.2

The main enhancement is the alignment with vessel orbit.
Documentation has also been added.
Download Here




Yet many work to make it really useful but the result is still nice.

 

[Scorpion_SK]

Excellent MFD. But can you use global variables to save current position of zoom, rotations, centered object and other view settings? When you scroll panels with Ctrl+Up or Ctrl+Down or select other MFD and after return to your MFD the view is always reseted to default view. This is not very comfortable.

 

[Andy44]

I may have found a bug: When running this in an external MFD window and saving the scenario, I tried to load the saved scenario and got a CTD. It seems that your MFD tries to save its state to the scenario file beneath the External MFD line; deleting that whole bottom section fixes it.

I like the new alignment with vessel orbit, very nice. As I was entering a polar lunar orbit it was very pretty. Can't wait to see elements or state vector!

One thing that would be useful would be a way to auto-scale the zoom level to fit the curent vessel's orbit on the screen, while still allowing zoom in or zoom out. (For closed orbits, of course)

 

[Keatah]

..what a nice looking mfd you got there!

 

[DeltaPilot63]

Thank you so much for your time and effort on this new MFD!! Its something that I have wished for for a long time and I find it very useful as a visual aid. The colors are wonderful as well the smooth transitioning of views. Well done!!

 

[Andy44]

This MFD reminds me of the tactical display in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Very cool, and essential for space dorks like me.

 

[tofitouf]

Excellent MFD. But can you use global variables to save current position of zoom, rotations, centered object and other view settings? When you scroll panels with Ctrl+Up or Ctrl+Down or select other MFD and after return to your MFD the view is always reseted to default view. This is not very comfortable.

Thanks you,
I know this is one of my work to do in the next evening. I'm too lazy :embarrassed:

---------- Post added at 10:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 AM ----------

I may have found a bug: When running this in an external MFD window and saving the scenario, I tried to load the saved scenario and got a CTD. It seems that your MFD tries to save its state to the scenario file beneath the External MFD line; deleting that whole bottom section fixes it.

I like the new alignment with vessel orbit, very nice. As I was entering a polar lunar orbit it was very pretty. Can't wait to see elements or state vector!

One thing that would be useful would be a way to auto-scale the zoom level to fit the curent vessel's orbit on the screen, while still allowing zoom in or zoom out. (For closed orbits, of course)

Thanks again and again.
Auto zoom on orbit is planned for next release. Elements also.
It's a real pleasure if you like this contribution I'll add anything that can be useful for obinauts

 

[Andy44]

I may have found another bug:

I launched the fleet space shuttle Discovery and entered a nominal orbit. While still in the Discovery I brought up the Galactic 3d Map MFD and saw the various objects in orbit, including Discovery's external tank, which hadn't yet re-entered. I accelerated time to 1000X to get to my rendezvous, but when the ET re-entered and crashed its orbit looked wierd on the MFD, and the sim froze up and CTD. Not sure if this will be repeatable.

 

[tofitouf]

I may have found another bug:

I launched the fleet space shuttle Discovery and entered a nominal orbit. While still in the Discovery I brought up the Galactic 3d Map MFD and saw the various objects in orbit, including Discovery's external tank, which hadn't yet re-entered. I accelerated time to 1000X to get to my rendezvous, but when the ET re-entered and crashed its orbit looked wierd on the MFD, and the sim froze up and CTD. Not sure if this will be repeatable.

Thank you, that really interesting. The tank is first seen as separate vessel. but I never check what happen when a vessel disappear. You did it.

thank you again, it helps a lot

 

[tofitouf]

I may have found a bug: When running this in an external MFD window and saving the scenario, I tried to load the saved scenario and got a CTD. It seems that your MFD tries to save its state to the scenario file beneath the External MFD line; deleting that whole bottom section fixes it.

How can you open external MFD ???? I've never did that.
I've got serious doubt about this bug because my previous version doesn't save any state at all.

---------- Post added at 15:30 ---------- Previous post was at 15:28 ----------

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3992"]At last I've posted a new release of my 3D Galactic map.[/ame]

Load and save feature is now complete,
many bugs are corrected,
Orbit information can be shown...
Elements too, state vector....

But.... still many things to do. and not of the less important.
The interface hasn't change since v0.2. And I know I have to. it is planned for next release, filtering of shown object too, centring on Pe and Ae too...........

stay in tune my friends.

---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 15:30 ----------

Excellent MFD. But can you use global variables to save current position of zoom, rotations, centered object and other view settings? When you scroll panels with Ctrl+Up or Ctrl+Down or select other MFD and after return to your MFD the view is always reseted to default view. This is not very comfortable.

it's now corrected

 

[Scorpion_SK]

I have some ideas:
1. Std orbit infos page must contain also ApA PeA parameters, not only ApR PeR. Or ability to switch this parameters like in Orbit MFD. And also is needed the ability to switch Inc parameter betwen equatorial and ecliptical inclination. Because ApA PeA and equatorial inclination is very useful parameters for piloting the ship.
2. The MFD must have the ability to set reference body separated from centered object selection. This will be good (for example for planing interplanetary flight) to observe all solar system but centered to some planet or ship not only to Sun.
3. Currently it displays the status for landed vessels - freeFlight. Maybe better will be make it display Landed status for landed vessels and make it do not show orbits for vessels which have status Landed and show only vessel on surface without orbit ellipse.
4. Maybe (if this is possible) to display surface bases on planet surface and infos about selected base.
5. About this

I brought up the Galactic 3d Map MFD and saw the various objects in orbit, including Discovery's external tank, which hadn't yet re-entered.

- it will be good to make special .cfg or .ini file which will contain vessel-class names which MFD will ignore and dont show. (For example Shuttle tanks, SRBs, XR-2 and XR-5 cargobays, Universal RMS, Universal Cargodecks, debris of crashed or ejected DGIVs, MMUs, animated launch complexes, flyby view camera objects, dynamicaly generated small asteroids and other space trash.)

 

[tofitouf]

I have some ideas:
1. Std orbit infos page must contain also ApA PeA parameters, not only ApR PeR. Or ability to switch this parameters like in Orbit MFD. And also is needed the ability to switch Inc parameter betwen equatorial and ecliptical inclination. Because ApA PeA and equatorial inclination is very useful parameters for piloting the ship.
2. The MFD must have the ability to set reference body separated from centered object selection. This will be good (for example for planing interplanetary flight) to observe all solar system but centered to some planet or ship not only to Sun.
3. Currently it displays the status for landed vessels - freeFlight. Maybe better will be make it display Landed status for landed vessels and make it do not show orbits for vessels which have status Landed and show only vessel on surface without orbit ellipse.
4. Maybe (if this is possible) to display surface bases on planet surface and infos about selected base.
5. About this - it will be good to make special .cfg or .ini file which will contain vessel-class names which MFD will ignore and dont show. (For example Shuttle tanks, SRBs, XR-2 and XR-5 cargobays, Universal RMS, Universal Cargodecks, debris of crashed or ejected DGIVs, MMUs, animated launch complexes, flyby view camera objects, dynamicaly generated small asteroids and other space trash.)

well many good ideas,
some of them are already planned
- Apa, PeA....
- Landed Vessels
- Bases shown and informations
- Accurate center mode (center on any visible object). But I don't know how to really perform it... What object to show... what to hide. For the moment I show all object in my reference influence sphere.

For the fake vessel (tank...) In next release I won't show other vessel orbits. Only if demanded (my vessel, or target vessel) there won't be any more trouble of this kind. (I hope )

thanks for testing and for the advices I'll try to take them all in account