updated to 1.0.4.1, uploaded in OP.

Quote from srdsprinter :

I'd like to try this if any servers have it up and running, my concern:

I run in-car camera with a narrow FOV (don't know off-hand the angle), on a 1680x1050.

My concern right now is that the display will completely obscure/block out my instrument/gauge panel, on my FZR at least. As of now my rpm/speedo are in the middle very bottom.

Perhaps having this information only become present to the racers when conditions change, as outside of directors/managers this info is not available IRL either?

I applaud the work here, and hope LFS may integrate trackside flashing yellows a la IRL at some point. For now, i think it needs some thought put into the display.

you can check it out on our server, [FG] Racing. i've allowed anybody to access the menu, so you don't have to be an admin on our server to test out the program right now.

Quote from DarkTimes :

The connection ID's are still there on a non-dedi host. In fact InSim should work identically for all hosts really, dedi or not.

that's what i thought too, but if someone could explain why these problems are happening, that'd be great. could it be a limitation of the LFSLib being used?

as far as my testing has gone, i think that buttons only work with a dedicated server, not a local game or non-dedicated, self hosted game. you'll notice that it says that it's connected, but the normal track and pitlane buttons that are on all the time do not show at all, despite trying to type $ovalAdmin.

EDIT: i think the reason why it doesn't work locally is because LFS sends the buttons to a specified connectionid, and a local or self hosted game doesn't have the connectionid's. but don't quote me on that , as that's what i've gotten from my testing. i tried running it locally, not connecting it to a server, and found the same problems.

Last edited by burnsy1882, Wed 26 Mar 2008, 16:50.

you can find the program here now: http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=40857

Race Director is a subset of our still under-development program intended to give admins a whole host of additional functionality to their servers. The idea of this subset came from a request for a program that would control the track condition and pit lane condition. There are buttons visible to every racer detailing if the pit lane is open or not, and if the track is green, yellow, red, or about to restart after a yellow. A racer will incur a penalty if they enter and exit the pit lane while it is closed. Subsequently, if said driver enters the pit lane while it is open, but leaves when it's closed, said driver will not incur a penalty.

All chat, RCM, button text, and penalty text are configurable. There are comments in the config.ini file explaining what each option does. The penalties for exiting the pit lane while closed is configurable in game while the program is running. You access the Race Director menu by combining the prefix and admin command (configurable to your desire) from the config.ini file. There you can change the penalty, change the track condition, and open and close the pit lane.

Please leave any comments and/or suggestions. They're always helpful to fix/add things that were not thought of.

NOTE: for use with a dedicated server only.

Changelog
1.2.0.0

• Added Hardcore qualifying mode. Configurable on/off in-game/in config file. Keeps track of racers, and spectates them if they have Shift+P/S during qualifying, and does not allow them to continue.
  
• Added Yellow Flag admin alerter. Configurable on/off in-game/in config file. Alerts admins of the server that a particular racer is causing a yellow flag and in what sector of track.
  

1.1.0.0

• Added Restart Button - Button to show message to racers, for example, that the Safety Car is coming in this lap, and the race is restarting to green flag.
  
• Various fixes and improvements.
  

1.0.5.0

• Fixed Bug: while the track is green and the program is configured to hide the buttons, if a racer connects to the server, they are shown the buttons.

1.0.4.1

• Program no longer pauses after clicking a button.
  
• Option to hide buttons during green flag condition.
  
• Ability to position the pit and track buttons.
  
• Chat/RCM messages and button text are now separate.

Last edited by burnsy1882, Sat 21 Mar 2009, 20:05.

that way they can continue to click buttons, while it waits the specified time they set until it clears the RCM messages in game. could probably do it with a timer too, but henry likes to make programs complicated

ok, here's the latest one with the fixes. still waiting to do the threading, but this at least works.

yeah, that error is because the program cannot connect to the specified ip address or port number you gave in the config.ini. make sure that both are correct for the specific server you want it to connect to. the insim port number to fill in the config.ini file is the one enabled in your dedicated server's setup.cfg file. and if you're running the program on your computer, you need to find out what the ip address of the server is to allow it to connect, otherwise if you've uploaded it along side the server, just leave it at 127.0.0.1.

you don't necessarily need to be the owner, but yes, you need to know the ip address, the insim port number enabled in the config file of the server, and the admin password in the config file. you'll have to ask the person who owns/rents it to tell you the ip address.

the other thing you could do is make the ip address 127.0.0.1 in the config.ini file, and run the program along side the dedicated server program on the physical server.

basically you need to know the ip address if you're gonna run the program on your computer to connect it to the server, or leave it at 127.0.0.1 if the control program is uploaded to the server.

Last edited by burnsy1882, Mon 24 Mar 2008, 17:21. Reason : more info

obviously you said it clearly enough, as i understood. ok, i'll see what i can come up with. having henry right now help me with some threading in the program to help speed it up.

not sure i follow you. are you saying that if a racer enters the pits while the pitlane is open, but then the pitlane is closed, the racer gets no penalty?

ok, here's just the newly compiled exe with the penalty at the exit of the pitlane.

i believe you can still do your normal pitstop, you have to complete the penalty the next time you go around to the pits, but yes, it can be changed to have it give the penalty on the pit exit if you'd like.

Quote from JO53PHS :

I can't get it to work

Probably because I'm an insim n00b. I type /insim= and then the port number. Then I open up the Application... and then nothing else happens... Am I stupid or is there something wrong?

Lol @ Falke - We're both having the same problem

sorry, it was late by the time i finished.

edit the config.ini file for the ip, insim port number, and admin password used on the server you want it to connect to.
then the other options allow you to change other optional functionality.

• rcm clear - enter the time in milliseconds to wait to clear the RCM messages on screen
  
• admin command - change this to whatever you want to access the admin menu, whatever you change it to, you add $ in front
  
• the language translations allow anybody to use the application with any language, and to change what the messages and buttons say
  

Quote from lizardfolk :

What's the penalty if we enter pit road when it was closed?

configurable on the program, so whatever is determined in the rules.

ok, here's the final version of the program. let me know if you'd like any changes to it, i'd be happy to do it. definitely give it a try and find any bugs that i wasn't able to. i tested it thoroughly, but bugs are sticklers. will be adding this to our main program as well.

Last edited by burnsy1882, Mon 24 Mar 2008, 01:46.

i'll be on our server, [FG] Racing, testing it out right now if you'd like to stop by and see it, and if you have other ideas, can tell me there. plus it'd help with bug finding.

ok, give me a little bit, got most of it done, just need to position the buttons, and make sure that racers are added to the db correctly. first, spend a little time with family, as it's easter.

i think this program may come in handy for other people too.

EDIT: just thought of something else to put in it...

how do you want it controlled? in-game buttons that only the admin can use, or a separate gui outside of LFS?

i'm curious if an engine file could be made for the XRR from a C6R? here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4PglbkiPVw

i'm sure it's an odd request, or that it's not possible, but it'd be neat to hear in LFS. i also know that the C6R is a V8 and the XRR is an I4.

anybody think it's possible? or has it been done and i didn't see it in this thread?

if you're looking for something that disallows restart votes and stuff, try our program: http://code.google.com/p/lfsservercontrol/

right now, it's hardcoded to stop allowing votes after 2 laps, but if you have a compiler, just delve into the source and change it to whatever you want. the program also adds other functionality to your server if you enable them in the config.ini file. NOTE: this program is still under heavy development, and bugs may still exist.

no problem. you can change that agreement.txt file how you like. you use the [H] before a sentence to indicate that it is a heading and it'll show that sentence in a different color. but if you do change the agreement.txt file, you must make sure you count the lines, and change the number of lines in the config.ini file, otherwise it'll either cut off the lines, or add extra lines.

Quote from burnsy1882 :

it's no where near finished

the prefix is for typing commands used with the program that are not shown in the chat messages. right now, $rules works to redisplay the user agreement thingy. i have plans for a $help menu to contain buttons to the other menus that are in my head . but right now, henry and i need to start migrating to mysql/sql express as we've kinda reached the limit of in-program hashtables and such (lots of asynchronous accessing problems going on). give us a some time, and many more features will be added soon, along with the fixed idle racer spectate feature (guess i'm not as smart as i thought ).

you could try out the program we're making. it's no where near finished, but has what you want. you could turn off the other stuff in the program to have just the auto restart. or you could download the source and compile just the restart function.
http://code.google.com/p/lfsservercontrol/