TouchBuddy v1.0.0 Released

Firstly, if you already know about TouchBuddy and what it does, you can pretty much skip down to the change list at the bottom... all the stuff at the top you will already be bored with :)

Secondly, this software is free, so I am not trying to sell you anything...

Right, here we go....

I am pleased to announce the release of TouchBuddy v1.0.0. .... I am announcing it here in a new thread because so many people didnt find the early releases and chat for a long time in the monsterously huge "My New Toy" thread, which is worth a read anyway).

TouchBuddy is a programmable gamepad application that was designed to allow a small TFT touchscreen to (like the 7" or 8" units that you see in cars and kiosks) to work like a gamepad, allowing the user to press buttons on the screen, which will send keypresses and macros to the game or application. (This is not Lockon specific, it is being used in many other games in our testing, and existing users are creating their own profiles for new games).

TB is able to display user defined buttons with user defined images on user defined tabs. The buttons are created by loading user defined images and placing them on the screen. The user can group buttons together on seperate tabs, and click between them.

You can watch a movie of TouchBuddy being used to fly the SU-25T in Lomac HERE (~48Mb DivX AVI - requires DivX codec from http://www.divx.com )

TB can also display PDF files, web pages, movies, and play your MP3s using the ActiveX plugin:

TB also supports TeamSpeak via an inbuilt TeamSpeak module:

In the latest release, TB also supports "per-tab" background images:

TB now also supports "per-tab" background colors (sorry no screenies of that... )

TouchBuddy works in local mode, where the touchscreen is attached to your main game PC as a secondary screen, and also work in client/server mode, where TB runs a server version of itself on your gaming machine, and the client part (and your touchscreen) are on another PC, and send the commands across the network (connection secured via password, as well as an IP based access list). The client/server mode allows the use of the mouse on the second PC without affecting the game, and also bypasses the problem that some games have where they will not let the cursor outside the game window (*cough* iL2 *cough*).

While TB is "idle", it uses almost zero CPU time, and only using a few % CPU when pressing buttons (apart from the TeamSpeak module, which uses just a little bit more than that).

The config files are all plain text, and so editable in your favourite text editor, but if you dont like pain and head scratching, I recommend using Wild Bill Kelso's TouchBuddy Toolkit application:

Here are a few screenshots of users desks who are already using TouchBuddy on their touchscreens:

There are now forums for TouchBuddy, which are located here:

http://www.touch-buddy.com/forums/index.php

This time we have two downloads:

The full version, includes the core application, docs, a few profiles, images, Oscar's HTML Maps:

http://www.syn-ack.com/touchbuddy/releases/touchbuddy-1.0.0-20060623.zip

and the minimal version, which contains just the core application, the docs, and one profile that contains all the features that TouchBuddy supports:

http://www.syn-ack.com/touchbuddy/releases/touchbuddy-1.0.0-20060623-minimal.zip

(As this forum doesnt allow me to post more than 10000 chars in one post, I`ll have to continue in another one)

Here is the TouchBuddy change list for everything since the last public release:

v1.0.0

========

- ADD: 22nd June

Background and foreground colors on the TeamSpeak module

now use the window background and foreground colors (as

specified in the [new-window] section)

- CHANGE: 22nd June 2006

Ignores tspath if its not defined or if the file doesnt exist

Allows users who do not have TeamSpeak installed to view the

profile that have the TeamSPeak module.

- ADD: 22nd June 2006

Added "bgcolor = r,g,b" on a per tab basis.

If no tab bgcolor is specified, TouchBuddy will use the

background color of the window for those tabs

NOTE: You can mix bgimage and bgcolor on the same tab!

- FIX: 22nd June 2006

Background color in window actually works now (oops!)

- CHANGE: 22nd June 2006

Changed color references from RGB hex (0xffffff) to a much

easier r,g,b format (255,255,255) - values between 0 and 255

are valid for each value

- CHANGE: 22nd June 2006

Bumped up the version number to v1.0.0 to keep version numbers

in sync with TouchBuddy Toolkit (by Wild Bill Kelso).

#=======================================

v0.0.6.3 (contains all additions and fixes from v0.0.6.2 )

========

- REMOVE: 22nd June 2006

Remove the "close window" button from the *TB* tab

Just toggle the window titlebar and click on the close

icon in the titlebar instead.

- ADD: 21st June 2006

Added debug option in touchbuddy.cfg.

debug = [0|1]

If enabled (1), will write out debug info into the file

debug.txt in the directory that TouchBuddy was started in.

Enabling debug may slow the program down a little.

If it is left disabled (0), the file contains a very bare

minimum amount of info, only containing the start time,

environment variables, and any run-time errors (unable to

start, unable to open a file or image).

- ADD: 20th June 2006

Added "bgimage" option into [new-tab] definitions, to allow

images to be displayed behind the buttons on a tab. Images

are loaded and displayed in the top left hand corner of the

client area of the window. Switching between tabs will

display the relevant image, or will clear the background

if no image is defined for that tab.

NOTE: No image scaling or fit options yet, but it is planned!

- CHANGE: 19th June 2006

Removed the requirement to specify a "sendto" for each button.

If a button assignment has no "sendto" option, and

"default_sendto" is not defined, TouchBuddy will not check

to see if the window name exists, and will just send the

macros anyway. This means no more trying to find the name

of the window you need to send macros into. Now, the window

only needs to be active for it to receive the macros.

- HOLD: 17th June 2006

Setting Processor Affinity for TouchBuddy

On hold until I can work out why its crashing TB.

Maybe it doesnt like changing the processor affinity

of its own process while its running.

- ADD: 17th June 2006

Auto rename button name if it is used multiple times

First button name is kept unchanged

Each successive reuse of the button name will have a number appended

e.g. "Button", "Button_1", "Button_2", etc

- Change: 14th June 2005

Swapped original TeamSpeak button images for Ruggbutt's images

- FIX: 14th June 2006

(Requested by Wild Bill Kelso)

Extended the number of images allowed on a toggle button

from 0-9 to 0-1000

- FIX: 14th June 2006

(Found by Zorlac at a particularly unfortunate time :)

Fixed bug in *TB* tab -> Reset Button status, where

it would get upset if you loaded a second (different)

profile without restarting the program.

- FIX: 12th June 2006

(Yes, Yes, no coding done for a whole week!!)

Fixed another TeamSpeak problem, removed all the API calls,

and reverted back to the old way of doing things.

- FIX: 5th June 2006

Dumb Dumb Dumb logic bug with TeamSpeak routines

(So dumb, I wont even tell you what it was :)

- FIX: 5th June 2006

Better Error Handling in the TeamSpeak routines

#=======================================

v0.0.6.2 (beta release, not made public)

========

- ADD: 28th May 2006

Internally make tab names all lower case

also make the tab that buttons and plugins attach to lower case

This prevents upper/lower case typos in tab definitions to cause

TouchBuddy to complain about missing tab definitions or missing

tab names in the *.tbc files

- ADD: 27th May 2006

allow the use of hex codes in rawkey macros

(as well as rawkey names)

e.g. macro = rawkey:0xA3, KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY

- CHANGE: 27th May 2006

remove "text" option from [new-tab] sections

use the "name" option to create tab name

(as well as putting that "name" as text on the tab)

- CHANGE: 27th May 2006

move activex out of tabs, and into [new-plugin] sections

will allow the plugins to be inserted into existing tabs

(see the simple-layout.tbc file for an example)

- ADD: default "sendto" window name for a single *.tbc file

send all the keys to the default_sento window name

*UNLESS* a "sendto" is specified for an individual button

*.tbc -> [options] -> default_sendto = [window_name]

- ADD: config option for "flat" button style creation

*.tbc -> [options] -> flat_buttons = [0|1]

- ADD: Button on *TB* tab to Maximize/Normalize the window

- ADD: Button on *TB* tab to toggle the window titlebar

- ADD: window definition entry to define whether the titlebar is shown on startup

*.tbc -> [new-window] -> show_titlebar = 0

- ADD: Button on *TB* tab to close touch window

(Needed if you have turned titlebar off)

- ADD: Command line options to auto-run TouchBuddy

-m [local|client|server] -c <*.tbc>

"-m local" and "-m client" requires the -c option as well

server mode only requires the "-m server" option (no config required)

the -c option can be relative to where TouchBuddy is located

e.g. -c profiles\simple-layout.tbc

or a full file path

e.g. -c c:\touchbuddy\profiles\simple-layout.tbc

if the path contains any spaces, you must quote the path

e.g. -c "c:\touchbuddy directory\profiles\simple-layout.tbc"

If you have questions, feel free to ask, either here, or on the TouchBuddy Forums

(Good god, my web server just exploded :) )

Excellent job Zorlac and thanks to all who have participated in bringing this app into existance. The community is proud to have members like you.

In my great excitement of getting this posted, I forgot to mention a few people who have helped along the way:

Ruggbutt - for a superb set of images for my existing profile, plus adding his own profile and new images.

WBK - For working on TBTk without being asked (So glad you are doing it... otherwise I would have to! :) )

Dodger - For paying for the hosting of the web server and forums

Tonik - for allowing me to bounce some ideas off him during the entire period of development

Nice post Zorlac, lot's of good info here:

You can download a copy of the Toolkit Beta HERE.

I should have a new version out in a few days that has a nice editor for Modules and Plugins, and also a functional Profile Manager tab. :D

I also uploaded a 'patch' for TekaTeka's Lockon FC Training Videos that make it work in TB. The problem was that the videos popped up in MS MediaPlayer causing Lockon to miminize. I fixed it to play the videos in an embedded player in the wepbages so they don't cause the game to minimize.

So, now you can use TekaTeka's awesome Training webpages/videos with TouchBuddy WHILE you are playing the game!

Check it out HERE.

...Can't say enough about this product. It has enhanced my gameplay 100 fold. Thanks so much to Zorlac, WBK, ruggbutt, dodger, and many others who have brought this to the Lock On Community.

Where would one get that touchscreen LCD (and how much does it cost?)

And this thread.

Zorlac,

Thank you for your effort. S!

Nowi

oopps... think i found a bug with the "no longer need the sendto" option.... until I get a fix out, you will probably still need to set a sento or default_sento for each profile

This is really impressive! Thank you for the great contribution zorlac!

Do you know? Is anyone using this with Falcon4? Are there profiles for it? A touch screen just might have to be my next purchase!

Well done!

I want one of those. :cry:

Hmmm... X2 and X3 profiles. If I had the cash for a touchscreen, I'd make those.

Great idea, excellent implementation. I hope the project won't die before I get my own LCD touchscreen. :D

I've been watching this for a while.

Slick beyond belief. :thumbup:

Awesome job. Absolutely amazing.

Thanks!

amazing job!

and SO generous!

JEFX

just noticed that the TouchBuddy forums are currently unavailable (for an unknown reason).... sorry!

They have been down for a few hours now...

its dodgers site, and he is "idle" on his instant messenger, so I am logged in and trying to work out what went wrong (and fix it maybe)

you each deserve a Nobel Prize! :)

Reps inbound!

Cant wait to get mine running!

Dodger may be working on the site. Yesterday we were talking about improvments.

Touch Buddy

Please what are the hardware requirements ?

What port (connection) does the Touch Buddy require ?

Best regards,

well im sold , now I get to look around for a lcd :rolleyes:

The forums are working again now (theydown due to a problem at the hosting site):

http://www.touch-buddy.com/forums/index.php

i see no one yet has wanted to post thier A to A combat config :)