WidevieW (FSX) network-panning using FSUIPC4 and WideFS

Requirements: Registered FSUIPC4 and WideFS

Summary of Process: When a panning-command (via Hat-Switch button) is applied at the SERVER, FSUIPC-WideServer sends a KeySend number to all networked Clients. At each CLIENT, WideClient receives the KeySend number and sends a key-press to FSX-FSUIPC. An auto-started LUA script intercepts this key-press and rotates the view appropriately using the SimConnect_CameraSetRelative6DOF function. Certain options in the wideviewx.ini file at the CLIENTs and SERVER need to be set to ensure that it does not interfere. A new Camera Definition is also installed on the CLIENT(s) to keep this option separate.
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(1) The WidevieW SERVER will require FSUIPC4 and WideFS-WideServer (both registered). On each WidevieW CLIENT we need to install FSUIPC4 and WideFS-WideClient as well (and because FSX is also running there we need to use a different Class Instance = 1). So the first few lines of the [Config] Section of each WideClient.ini looks like this:
[Config]
ServerName=SERVER
Protocol=TCP
ButtonScanInterval=20
ClassInstance=1
NetworkTiming=5,1
MailslotTiming=2000,1000
PollInterval=2000
Port=8002
Port2=9002
:
Note that each WideClient is linked to the SERVER FSUIPC

(2) On the SERVER, we set up the Hat-Switch to send KeySend numbers across the network (to activate panning at the the Clients). Here are the relevant entries in my FSUIPC.ini file on the SERVER, showing 5 buttons on my Sidewinder Joystick [left, right, up, down and trigger (for reset)] mapped to KeySends 2 through 6.
[Buttons]
43=RL,32,C1006,5     -{KEYSEND 5 for WideFS}-
44=RL,34,C1006,2     -{KEYSEND 2 for WideFS}-
45=RL,36,C1006,6     -{KEYSEND 6 for WideFS}-
46=RL,38,C1006,3     -{KEYSEND 3 for WideFS}-
47=PL,0,C1006,4     -{KEYSEND 4 for WideFS}-

(3) On each CLIENT, WideClient must receive these KeySend numbers, and transmit the mapped keystrokes to FSX-FSUIPC locally, so the WideClient.ini file at each Client has the following entries in its [User] section.
[User]
KeySend2=39,8,FS98MAIN
KeySend3=37,8,FS98MAIN
KeySend4=36,8,FS98MAIN
KeySend5=38,8,FS98MAIN
KeySend6=40,8,FS98MAIN

I have mapped the KeySends to the arrow (l/r/u/d) and home keys. Using FS98MAIN ensures that the keystrokes are sent to the FSX window.

(4) FSUIPC-LUA residing on the CLIENT intercepts these keystrokes from WideClient, and writes the rotated view-point to the appropriate FSUIPC offsets mapped to the SimConnect_CameraSetRelative6DOF function. Here is the LUA entitled networkrotation.lua:

-- initial values
lX = 0.0
lY = 0.0
lZ = 0.0
lPitch = 0.0
lBank = 0.0
lHeading = 0.0

-- increments
delHdg = 11.25
delPitch = 5


-- camera rotations
function rotate_right ()
	lHeading = lHeading + delHdg
	if lHeading >= 180 then
		lHeading = lHeading - 360
	end
	set_eyepoint ()
end

function rotate_left ()
	lHeading = lHeading - delHdg
	if lHeading <= -180 then
		lHeading = lHeading + 360
	end
	set_eyepoint ()
end

function rotate_up ()
	lPitch = lPitch + delPitch
	if lPitch > 90 then
		lPitch = 90
	end
	set_eyepoint ()
end

function rotate_down ()
	lPitch = lPitch - delPitch
	if lPitch < -90 then
		lPitch = -90
	end
	set_eyepoint ()
end

function rotate_reset ()
	lPitch = 0.0
	lHeading = 0.0
	set_eyepoint ()
end

-- set the eyepoint
function set_eyepoint ()
	ipc.writeStruct( 0x86A0 , "6FLT" , lX , lY , lZ , lPitch , lBank , lHeading ) -- X, Y, Z, P, B, H
end


event.key ( 39, 8, "rotate_right")
event.key ( 37, 8, "rotate_left")
event.key ( 40, 8, "rotate_down")
event.key ( 38, 8, "rotate_up")
event.key ( 36, 8, "rotate_reset")

You may notice that the LUA has been refined to allow continuous rotation (i.e. beyond +/-180 deg) in yaw, but limits the rotation in pitch to +/- 90 degree.

Here are the relevant sections of the Client's FSUIPC.ini:

[Auto]
2=Lua networkrotation

[LuaFiles]
4=networkrotation

(5) Okay, but we also need to ensure that WidevieW will not try to do the same thing. Since I came from a setup where WidevieW was previously doing the network-panning, I needed to go back into the wideviewx.ini file (on each Client) and change a few entries, till each airplane's section looked like this:

[WidevieW_Dummy Dash8-Q400]
ApplyCurrent=1
ApplyGlobal=0
RaiseLG=1
RaiseLGBy=18
p_headingdelta=45
p_pitchdelta=30
p_setviewangle=0
p_processreorientation=0
p_pitch=0
p_pitchf=0
p_heading=0
p_headingf=0
p_deltax=0
p_deltaxf=0
p_deltay=0
p_deltayf=0
p_deltaz=0
p_deltazf=0

The crucial lines are:
p_setviewangle=0
p_processreorientation=0

This ensures that WidevieW will not manipulate the view on the CLIENT, except for locating the aircraft correctly (which is its basic job). I did this for each airplane individually, rather than globally; above is my extract for the Majestic Dash 8 left-side-view Client.

[CameraDefinition.999]
Title = "WidevieW Virtual Cockpit"
Guid = {01021987-E220-6507-1024-462840738999}
Description = Specialised virtual cockpit view.
Origin = Virtual Cockpit
MomentumEffect = No
SnapPbhAdjust = Swivel
SnapPbhReturn = False
PanPbhAdjust = Swivel
PanPbhReturn = False
InitialPbh = 0.0, 0.0, -26.0
Track = None
ShowAxis = YES
AllowZoom = TRUE
InitialZoom = 0.7
SmoothZoomTime = 2.0
ZoomPanScalar = 1.0
ShowWeather = Yes
XyzAdjust = TRUE
ShowLensFlare=FALSE
Category = Cockpit
PitchPanRate=30
HeadingPanRate=75
PanAcceleratorTime=0
HotKeySelect=4

The initialPbh value in this case shows that this is the left view at -26 degrees from centre.

I found the following documents helpful to understand camera definitions:
http://www.fstipsandaddons.com/tutorials/understanding-fsx-cameras.html
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526984.aspx#CameraConfigurationFileFormat

(7) I use saved flights for each WidevieW Client airplane. So for the Dash8 saved flight (.FLT) I ensured that this particular camera view was linked:
[Main]
Title=WVD D8Q400test
Description=""
AppVersion=10.0.61472
FlightVersion=1

[Window.1]
Order=0
Active=True
Undocked=False
Maximized=True
ScreenUniCoords=0, 0, 8191, 2600
UndocCoords=0, 0, 0, 0
CurrentCamera={01021987-E220-6507-1024-462840738999}
:
:
[Camera.1.13]
Guid={01021987-E220-6507-1024-462840738999}
Zoom=2.5567879676818848
Translation=0, 0, 0
Rotation=0, -26, 0