[Hamza97]

This is from cvf of a 3D Cab with digital readout that I have made:

		Digital (
			Type ( SPEEDOMETER DIGITAL )
			Position ( 303 313 38 32 )
			ScaleRange ( 0 180 )
			Accuracy ( 1 )
			AccuracySwitch ( 0 )
			LeadingZeros ( 1 )
			Justification ( 1 )
			PositiveColour ( 0
			ControlColour ( 10 240 10 )
			)
			ORTSFont ( 10 0 "Digital-7" )
			NegativeColour ( 0 )
			DecreaseColour ( 0 )
			Units ( KM_PER_HOUR )
		)

You should call the part SPEEDOMETER:0:5 for e.g. where the last number would be the SIZE of digital readout. Similarly second speedometer would be called SPEEDOMETER:1:5 (5 or any other size you want, its mostly trial and error) .... :)

[SYogurt]

Hamza97, on 02 May 2019 - 09:37 PM, said:

This is from cvf of a 3D Cab with digital readout that I have made:

		Digital (
			Type ( SPEEDOMETER DIGITAL )
			Position ( 303 313 38 32 )
			ScaleRange ( 0 180 )
			Accuracy ( 1 )
			AccuracySwitch ( 0 )
			LeadingZeros ( 1 )
			Justification ( 1 )
			PositiveColour ( 0
			ControlColour ( 10 240 10 )
			)
			ORTSFont ( 10 0 "Digital-7" )
			NegativeColour ( 0 )
			DecreaseColour ( 0 )
			Units ( KM_PER_HOUR )
		)

You should call the part SPEEDOMETER:0:5 for e.g. where the last number would be the SIZE of digital readout. Similarly second speedometer would be called SPEEDOMETER:1:5 (5 or any other size you want, its mostly trial and error) .... :)

Does the part have to be a specific size? I guess my question is more on the geometry side of things. I have an object that represents the digital screen, so on that screen I should have a plane named like that?

I appreciate the help, just piecing it together in my brain.

[superheatedsteam]

The geometry can be just a single face and size is not a factor. The important thing to understand is that the digits are not displayed on the geometry itself, but where the pivot point for that geometry is located and how that pivot point is rotated.

With my digital display for the digital speedometer I had a singe face called 'SPEEDOMETER:0:13'.

SPEEDOMETER is a type of display as defined in the CVF file located in the CABVIEW folder. The :0:13 numbers mean that this is the first (and in my case, only) speedometer and it is to use a font size of 13. If you had a second speedometer in your cab you would call it 'SPEEDOMETER:1:13'.

For convenience, I placed this single face just behind where it would appear on the actual screen in the cab but would not be visible by the player. In reality you could place the object under the floor of the cab if you wanted. The pivot point for that single face was then moved just in front of the display screen where the speed would be displayed and the pivot point rotated to match the angle of the display screen.

I would initially set the pivot point a couple of centimetres in front of the display screen initially and then test in game. Then go back into the modelling program and fine tune the location of the pivot point and test again in game till I was satisfied with the orientation of the digits.

I think it is still the case that you also need to ensure that the 'SPEED.ACE' file is located in your CABVIEW3D folder, otherwise the digits will not display. You can get this ACE file from the example 3D cab which can be downloaded from https://open-rails.r...atest/cabs.html

OR will use some of the values in the .CVF file located in the CABVIEW folder for the range, units, accuracy, etc that are relevant to the 3D cab display.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Marek.

[SYogurt]

superheatedsteam, on 03 May 2019 - 04:30 AM, said:

The geometry can be just a single face and size is not a factor. The important thing to understand is that the digits are not displayed on the geometry itself, but where the pivot point for that geometry is located and how that pivot point is rotated.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Marek.

Wow - super useful! I'll give this a try later. Just as a sanity check, actual moving equipment such as reversers, train brakes, headlights, etc, all need to have their animation frames match the number in the .cvf, and be named in the same convention as has been mentioned? Position information doesn't need to be in that .cvf, I'd presume, so should position lines just be removed? Thanks guys.

[mrmosky]

For reversers throttle etc. you just create a shape in the normal way and position it where you want it in your cab. (call it throttle:0:0) Then you can animate it to turn through whatever angle you desire, using as many animation frames as you need. I use 8 in TSM. The CVF file just lists the control types and pretty much nothing else is needed, although I usually leave the position etc lines in there even though they are not used.

The thing to remember is that a lever will be normally animated in rotation about its pivoting end. Then in the cab view, the mouse will activate on the pivot point, which is not what you really want. You want the mouse to activate the handle end of the lever. So you need to move the pivot point of the lever to the handle end. Now the lever will be rotated, but also needs to be translated after each rotation step to put the pivot end back on it's centre. This is a bit of a pain to do, but the result will be that the mouse will pick up the activation at the handle end of the lever.

I can post a diagram or two if that's not clear.

In essence, you need to jump in and try these things out, rather than trying to get it straight in your head beforehand. The 3d cab feature is great, but the manual has not been written yet. I guess we are all learning how to do it.

Geoff

[darwins]

It would be good to see some 3-D steam cabs,

For most British steam locos it would be good if we could include a separate control for the large ejector.

For those with steam reverse it would be good if it were possible to model the behaviour of a steam reverser control.

To begin with it should be possible to make a cab that does not require either of these. At present rate of working I will not be starting on one for at least another year anyway!

The list of controls includes separate front and back dampers - although with 2-D cabs as with MSTS there seems to be only one functional damper setting.

[tooltroll]

mrmosky, on 03 May 2019 - 07:22 AM, said:

. . .Then in the cab view, the mouse will activate on the pivot point, which is not what you really want. You want the mouse to activate the handle end of the lever. So you need to move the pivot point of the lever to the handle end. Now the lever will be rotated, but also needs to be translated after each rotation step to put the pivot end back on it's centre. . .

3D cabs are the next thing I want to look at trying in Blender, so this caught my eye. I get how you're doing it, but I'm also wondering about how close the mouse has to be to the pivot for it to activate; Surely there's a bit of tolerance? Once you've moved the pivot to the handle end, you don't have to grab that exact spot with the mouse, but be within n pixels or something, yes? Just wondering how fine that tolerance is, and whether it's adjustable, and on what basis (one setting for the whole cab, or individual settings for each control?)

Bob

[mrmosky]

The mouse does have a bit of tolerance in grabbing the pivot point. It's not adjustable as far as I know.

Geoff

[SYogurt]

I am really struggling to get the speedometer to show in my locomotive. Or any instrument, for that matter, but I'm just trying to get the speedo first.

-I created a plane, and moved it's origin/pivot point out in front and to the side of the plane, floating in space above the desk in the cab.

-I named this plane "SPEEDOMETER:0:13". I left it untextured, as that shouldn't matter since the sim just uses the pivot point to place the digits (I think)

-I placed "SPEED.ace" in the CABVIEW and CABVIEW3D folder (Both in case it's necessary)

-I exported the file to the CABVIEW3D folder, with the name "cab.s". The .cvf is also named "cab.cvf" and I have made sure the .eng says the same. In my locomotive's .eng, I've included this:

ORTS3DCab(
ORTS3DCabFile ( cab.s )
ORTS3DCabHeadPos ( 0.76 3.7 8.15 )
RotationLimit ( 40 60 0 )
StartDirection ( 0 0 0 )
Sound ( "..\\..\\Virturail_Sounds\\GE_Genesis_Sounds_V2\\P42DC_Cab.sms" )

Right before the sound and effects definitions. Not a single thing. I'm pretty bewildered, this really should work by now - are there any troubleshooting steps?

Also - this is in the .cvf: Digital (
Type ( SPEEDOMETER DIGITAL )
Position ( 213 258 25 10 )
ScaleRange ( 0 200 )
Accuracy ( 0 )
AccuracySwitch ( 10 )
LeadingZeros ( 0 )
Justification ( 1 )
PositiveColour ( 2
ControlColour ( 255 255 255 )
SwitchVal ( 100 )
ControlColour ( 255 255 0 )
)
NegativeColour ( 0 )
DecreaseColour ( 0 )
Units ( MILES_PER_HOUR )
)

[ErickC]

Shouldn't it be SPEEDOMETER:0:0:13? I could be remembering the digital gauge directions incorrectly since everything I do is analog, but I seem to remember the first two digits (definition:iteration) being the same whether it's analog or digital, with the third set for digital gauge type size.