Questions

[H8ter]

I have a couple real quick questions.

Do I need to know C++ to create screens? Is there the ability to just scroll plain text without programming knowledge?

Please tell me I am missing something.

[daks001]

Originally posted by H8ter
I have a couple real quick questions.

Do I need to know C++ to create screens? Is there the ability to just scroll plain text without programming knowledge?

Please tell me I am missing something.

In the user customized 631 screens reider posted a little screen setup that will scroll plain text.

C++ knowledge, no, not required at all. The screens are a custom "script language" just for cc2.
If I get a little bit frisky I'll see if I can dig up my previous post or post another (Unsanctioned use at your own risk) description of the screen sript format description. The it's just figuring out what all the different plugins need.
It's not for the faint of heart to create your own screens but it is no where near as complicated as writing a program in C++.

;)

[H8ter]

I actually have a 634. Thanks for the reply.

Figured that I can open .2004 files using notepad..... I should have it completly screwed up in about 3 hours.

[jc634]

That is the only way you will learn!

And, yes, Notepad is what I use to edit screens.

Jim

[daks001]

Originally posted by H8ter
I actually have a 634. Thanks for the reply.

Figured that I can open .2004 files using notepad..... I should have it completly screwed up in about 3 hours.

That is the must fun of all! ;)

reider's screens will still work as a basis for what you want with the scrolling text lines. Some things you'll have to edit are;

From the Mytext_center.2002 file for example

after the pre at the top;
the rows= 2 change that to a 4

leave these lines;

[r00]
options=5

[r00-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 1 of the LCD?"

[r01]
options=5

[r01-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 2 of the LCD?"

Now add these lines...

[r02]
options=5

[r02-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 3 of the LCD?"

[r03]
options=5

[r03-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 4 of the LCD?"

Now save it with a .2004 extension vs the original .2002 extension. And you should be all set. I can't test this here as I only have a 631 (for now, grin).

Hope this helps...

[jc634]

H8ter,

Perhaps you can tell us what you want to do and daks (who understands the neat things to do better than me:) ) and I can help you out.

Belgarius and reider are a couple of other resources to use.

And, of course, CrystalControl Admin knows it all!!!

Jim

[jc634]

[r00] : text to appear on Line 1

options=5 : Scrolling text option (correct, daks?)

[r00-i00] : Line 1 1st sting to display

[r00-i01] : Line 1 2nd string to display

string=: what you want to display

Is that cryptic enough?:)

Jim

[jc634]

daks,

Your example works fine on a 634.

BTW, H8ter, using the ! at the beginning of a string tells CC2 to ask for a user input prompt. If the text you want to display is known (or static), delete the !.

Jim

[daks001]

Originally posted by jc634
[r00] : text to appear on Line 1

options=5 : Scrolling text option (correct, daks?)

Is that cryptic enough?:)

Jim

I *think* options=5 for a row (not an item) means scrolling center.

CCAdmin?

; -- ROW OPTIONS
;ROW_SCROLL 0x01
;ROW_BOUNCE 0x02
;ROW_CENTER 0x04
;ROW_SCENTER 0x08

Have not played with that too much.
Will play later when I have more time.
Just got a 10 hotswap bay Clariion Raid server case that could probably fit 3 standard PC's in it (still in their cases!). Going to make a real fancy system out of it. Just finished gutting it and am now making the removeable motherboard trays. Still have to cut allot more steel out of this things as it weighs over 100lbs! Will be adding some more Crystalfontz displays to the case to monitor the raid servers in it. (will probably have a total of 5 systems in there when it's done, 2 servers and 3 PC's, 10 UW SCSI hd's and 5 IDE's then either 5-10 SCSI FC hardrives, I will used the 2 hotswap power supplies to feed the disk drives and the servers, 3 standard ATX power supplies for the PC's will also fit in there easy, and there is still lots of room!) I hope my hydro meter does not turn into a fan when all this turns on though. LOL

[H8ter]

wow.... so much to learn. I am gonna give it a shot to see what I can accomplish on my own, before I trouble you guys with it.

I may have no choice but to ask for help. So, be patient with me.

[daks001]

Originally posted by jc634
daks,

Your example works fine on a 634.

Jim

Cool, kind-of reminds me of when I had to program robots back at my plant in Canada when they had me over in Europe. I did not want to do it, but would log in through there WAN and change the program's script language (normally would just use teach mode when I was there) without ever being able to see the results of what I did. I would tell by boss that this was a bad idea and even asked him one time to take the phone over to the line where the robot was and hold up the phone (he was not too bright sometimes) as I executed the reset and start command. I guess someone asked him what he was doing so he got back on the phone and asked why I had him doing this, I told him that I wanted to find out if my program worked, he said that I could not see what the robot was doing so what good was this? I replied that I would still either hear the robot running or some very load bangs, crunches and screams if it didn't.... LOL

[jc634]

Originally posted by daks001

Just got a 10 hotswap bay Clariion Raid server case that could probably fit 3 standard PC's in it (still in their cases!). Going to make a real fancy system out of it. Just finished gutting it and am now making the removeable motherboard trays. Still have to cut allot more steel out of this things as it weighs over 100lbs! Will be adding some more Crystalfontz displays to the case to monitor the raid servers in it. (will probably have a total of 5 systems in there when it's done, 2 servers and 3 PC's, 10 UW SCSI hd's and 5 IDE's then either 5-10 SCSI FC hardrives, I will used the 2 hotswap power supplies to feed the disk drives and the servers, 3 standard ATX power supplies for the PC's will also fit in there easy, and there is still lots of room!) I hope my hydro meter does not turn into a fan when all this turns on though. LOL

OMG, is that for work or home? Based upon the servers they use where I work, that thing will probably sound like a jet engine when you do turn it on:D !!!

Jim

[daks001]

Originally posted by jc634
OMG, is that for work or home? Based upon the servers they use where I work, that thing will probably sound like a jet engine when you do turn it on:D !!!

Jim

Home :D

I know what you mean about the noise, It has 3 120mm 24V fans on the back!

[reider]

Originally posted by H8ter
wow.... so much to learn. I am gonna give it a shot to see what I can accomplish on my own, before I trouble you guys with it.

I may have no choice but to ask for help. So, be patient with me.

If you get really stuck then give a shout. I can rewrite it exactly as you wish for your model. The only thing is I would write blind, that is not be able to test directly. You could test though.

Steve

[reider]

Ok, thx for the start on the 634 model Daks. Here is the full code in case H8ter gets stuck. I was working on this but the original question pre empted it.

Ok pop pickers, here is the 634 model with scrolling text, anyone feeling like a guinnea pig? Currently, 1st line static, 2nd line scrolls, 3rd n 4th static. Unless you exceed 20 characters on any line, in which case it may scroll too. Don`t know what happens if you try n scroll more than one line at a time (edit instances of options to 7 under R00, R01, R02, R03 to play with this. Enter a space in the required text entry box to make that line blank. That should about cover it. Remove the screen and re-add to change the text to something else. Static and permanant text screens (manually entered as per my 631 model) to follow, when this is tested.

I haven`t tested this. I haven`t even seen it as I don`t have a 634 to test on, its written `blind`. If anyone can give me a full report then this would help before releasing it and other derivatives as per the 631 model.

EDIT: Due to an extra zero problem diagnosed by JC I`ve now attached a new file @ midnight on 20.12.04 Thanks again Jim

Steve

[jc634]

reider,

Change:


[r003-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 4 of the LCD?"

to:


[r03-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 4 of the LCD?"

You have an extra 0:)

Jim

[reider]

Thx Jim, if you get time can you tell me what happens when more than one line is selected for scrolling. On my 631 it only seems to scroll one line at a time even tho both have the same setting. I wondered what the comparison would be with the 634, so I can point it out in the instructions.

Steve

[jc634]

Using the corrected routine, I entered long amounts of gibberish:D on each line and each line scrolls quite nicely.

I have not tried the 631 version, so I don't know. i'll just modify your 634 code and be back in a bit.

Jim

[jc634]

Just modified 634 code as follows for the 631:

[pre]
rows=2
cols=20

[screen]
screen_name="Mytext631_scroll"
options=0
alt_delay=5000

[r00]
options=5

[r00-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 1 of the LCD?"

[r01]
options=7

[r01-i00]
string="!What is the text you wish in line 2 of the LCD?"

Worked just fine. Both lines scrolled quite nicely. What is option=7 supposed to do, anyway.

Jim

[reider]

Option 7 should give the scroll if less than 20 characters. If more than 20 characters it scrolls anyway regardless of the option (all moves one right or is it left?), hence running man does the Marathon/Olympics heh heh!

Steve

[H8ter]

HAHA!!

I was coming to get help and you already did it for me. That works great. If now I could only get MBM to work with the text on the same screen.

[reider]

Originally posted by H8ter
HAHA!!

I was coming to get help and you already did it for me. That works great. If now I could only get MBM to work with the text on the same screen.

So, am I right in saying you want something like a screen which shows a couple of lines of personal text and MBM temp data? If so let me know and I`ll have a look at it for you when I get back, on holiday at the moment. Done an Fdisk and Format for my Dad and logged in here to test the net.

Let me know if you want fixed permanant text (let me know what it is if so) or text prompt boxes so you can change it every so often, how many lines you want the facility on and which particular lines you prefer. What MBM screen you`re using and currently on how many lines. Please amend the template below to show your requirments.

Speedfan is better as far as I`m concerned, but that is a personal opinion. MBM is going now anyway, no more updates and support will gradually be phased out.

Line 1 Permenant text/text input/MBM Data (if permenant text then what text you want)
Line 2 Permenant text/text input/MBM Data (if permenant text then what text you want)
Line 3 Permenant text/text input/MBM Data (if permenant text then what text you want)
Line 4 Permenant text/text input/MBM Data (if permenant text then what text you want)
My current MBM screens in use are?

Steve

[H8ter]

LOL

If I could get speedfan to work I could tell ya. I guess I can figure that out later. I was trying to get cpu temp and speed on seperate lines, bargraphs or histos would be nice. 1st and 2nd lines respectively. Bare with me, I am supernoob when it comes to this. 3rd line text, any random input. 4th line, time and date mm/dd/yyyy format. time 12 hour format.

I think from that file I should be able to edit to anything I could ever want.

Thanks in advance

[jc634]

Originally posted by H8ter
LOL

If I could get speedfan to work I could tell ya. I guess I can figure that out later. I was trying to get cpu temp and speed on seperate lines, bargraphs or histos would be nice. 1st and 2nd lines respectively. Bare with me, I am supernoob when it comes to this. 3rd line text, any random input. 4th line, time and date mm/dd/yyyy format. time 12 hour format.



Download some of the screens I have uploaded. Most of what you want is there (in separate files). Copy and paste as desired to make the screen you want. If you want, I can make you one, except it would be better to make your own so that you can figure out the programming yourself.:)

I am not into histograms, but you simply change some bargraph entries to histograms.

Again, try it yourself. If you get stuck, upload your screen here and I am sure I can fix.

Jim

[reider]

Originally posted by H8ter
LOL

If I could get speedfan to work I could tell ya. I guess I can figure that out later. I was trying to get cpu temp and speed on seperate lines, bargraphs or histos would be nice. 1st and 2nd lines respectively. Bare with me, I am supernoob when it comes to this. 3rd line text, any random input. 4th line, time and date mm/dd/yyyy format. time 12 hour format.

I think from that file I should be able to edit to anything I could ever want.

Thanks in advance

As requested, its now done. However, I should be taking delivery of a 634 screen tomorrow (thankyou, ahem-Santa Clause!) and would like to test it on this as it is quite a complex file. I have no doubt JC will talk you through the MBM and CPU temp side as I`ve edited his screens to suit. Jim is purty good with that stuff, we have an excellent calibre of enthusiasts in here.

I warn you guys, its looking like lots more 631 and 634 screens will be appearing on a PC near you shortly, heh heh!

Steve

[reider]

Ok guys, have a play with this. It fits the bill except for the histograms etc, not implemented at this time. Text is by text entry box, on line 3. Four lines of data in the same order as requested. If you have any troubles with MBM then please address it in the main forum wherever the plugin was used, I simply utilised the ID numbers. Unfortunately MBM is no longer given the support it once had, many now prefer Speedfan (including myself). If you have any good/bad/indifferent comments on the screen in general then please post here. Not tested on the 634 yet but the plane is on its way as we speak!

Posted now to save anyone waiting too long. I welcome feedback as I have the following 634 screens waiting in the wings till Wednesday.....

Mixed 4 line screen as above, MBM based, English date
Mixed 4 line screen as above, Speedfan based, English date
Mixed 4 line screen as above, Speedfan based, US date

Regards and best wishes to all,

Steve

[H8ter]

WOW... that is way more difficult thatn I imagined. It works for me.. but I still get the unavailable data from speedfan. I will work through that. This is still gibberish when I look at it. I hope I can get to the point where I know what all these strings are for. Thanks guys, I keep you all posted.

BTW... I am super jealous of you two. I wish I had your knowledge.

[reider]

One thing I did find when editing the screens. Don`t keep more than one copy of a file loaded in a screen and/or more than one on a 631 and a 634 if they use the degree symbol. If you do then they are all vieing for the symbol from Cchar at the same time. If you have two examples loaded, say a speedfan one and a MBM one then unload both and reload one, then the degree symbol will work. i will take this up with CC admin/Tech directly, it is old software only and probably needs updating-though my implementation is a bit grasping, heh heh!

I had myfan.2002 on the 631 and a 2004 file on my new 634 with a degree symbol on and only one of them will show the symbol. Same with two seperate 2004 screens on the 634 or 2002 screens on the 631.

Got a few 634 screens almost ready to go. Be finished soon, when my head stops spinning. Lost my internet connection today (ISP problem), fought to get my email working as spam filters were stopping my own domain mail from working unless using webmail (ISP problem again) then got a virus trying to get in the door. Didn`t make it but I checked all machines as it got through two firewalls buried in an HTML page. Whoa, what a day!!!

In between, managed to install/test the new 634 screen (thanks again Santa!!!) and edit quite a few screens for it. Some instructions written and a problem log for the degree symbol started. I`m going back to work, its easier heh heh!

Steve

[H8ter]

Dang Steve... sounds like you were a good boy this year. You'll love the 634, I love mine. I just need to understand this programing thing. I have some ideas that I would like to see happening on my screen, Just have no clue right now. I guess I am just venting... not bothering you guys with it. ... ... ... ... yet

[reider]

Originally posted by H8ter
Dang Steve... sounds like you were a good boy this year. You'll love the 634, I love mine. I just need to understand this programing thing. I have some ideas that I would like to see happening on my screen, Just have no clue right now. I guess I am just venting... not bothering you guys with it. ... ... ... ... yet

OK H8, sounds like you want to get in on the fun. If CC Admin/Tech have no objection I`ll put some info up for you and others to play with. I`ll do it in such a way that its relatively safe to experiment without spoiling your setup. Just leave it a few days and we`ll see if there are any objections. I`m not the expert anyway, just a bodger at heart heh heh! Maybe it might turn into a group entry, who knows-some knowledgable chaps around here.

The forthcoming screen editor will probably supercede some of this but the knowledge is still useful in diagnosing problems etc....
Now, I`ve got four new screen edits to document and upload, then at least two more user requests to look at, so its chop chop busy busy work work bang bang! Only 11.30 and 5 more days off work so I should get some done.

Steve