can you have F4 track monitor and F8 switching appear when you start OR

[LionelDave]

I would like to have the "Track monitor" (F4) and "Switching (F8) menus appear when I start an activity.

Can this be done?? I couldn't find the option for doing this.

Dave

[OTTODAD]

I would like to have the "Track monitor" (F4) and "Switching (F8) menus appear when I start an activity. Can this be done?? I couldn't find the option for doing this.

I think that most users of ORTS and MSTS prefer to have the choice of where to put them after starting an activity, placing them where they prefer to see them without getting in the way of what they want to see, like in my case, shown below !

The F5 HUD could be showing less, given users of ORTS another choice to show only essential for driving data when the cab console is not displayed !

[LionelDave]

OTTODAD Your right I like the way OR remembers the last position of these menus It's nice not having to drag them to where you want them. I just hope there is a way to have them automatically start when you start an activity instead of having to hit "F4" and then "F8".

Dave

[seagoon]

.... I just hope there is a way to have them automatically start when you start an activity instead of having to hit "F4" and then "F8".

How strenuous is it to tap F4 and/or F8?!
If you are using a keyboard then you are constantly making keystrokes anyway.

I'm just puzzled as to why you would place importance on not wanting to press two keys in order to bring up the two displays.

[R. Steele]

On current large flat screen monitors (I'm using a 27" diag which is not considered large) the on screen HUD displays are smaller and take up less space than on MSTS, relative to the screen space.

Also I just saw a keyboard designed for gaming that has 18 programmable gaming keys plus other keys specifically for gaming, so the initial comment about tapping F4 and/or F8 seems a little over the top relative to current gaming protocols.

By the way Otto - your screenshot shows F4 and F8 HUDS not the F5 Hud (which is used to cycle through other HUDs via Shift+F5). Mine never intrude on the cabview the way you show.

Image00001.jpg Otto - how do you get your screenshots to appear large? - must have missed that in the FAQs

[OTTODAD]

By the way Otto - your screenshot shows F4 and F8 HUDS not the F5 Hud (which is used to cycle through other HUDs via Shift+F5). Mine never intrude on the cabview the way you show. How do you get your screenshots to appear large? - must have missed that in the FAQs

I do not like the F5 Hud obscuring much of what I see ahead when running an activity in ORTS, other movable F windows and the cab view showing. All I want to see in the F5 Hud is the Time, Speed, Direction Throttle and Trainbrakes % !

To enlarge the attachments move your mouse pointer over one and read what the pop-up window says !

ORTS-F5-HUD.jpg PROGRAMMABLE-KEYBOARDS.jpg

[R. Steele]

[COLOR=#000000]

I do not like the F5 Hud obscuring much of what I see ahead when running an activity in ORTS, other movable F windows and the cab view showing. All I want to see in the F5 Hud is the Time, Speed, Direction Throttle and Trainbrakes % !

To enlarge the attachments move your mouse pointer over one and read what the pop-up window says !

Now I understand, thanks for the clarification. You'll have to forgive me, sometimes I find digital communication such a PinTA (pain in the a#$) - lacks all the facetoface subtlies the "two legged critter" has been using for 10's of thousands of years.

You know having the F5 HUD initial display as the abbreviated - "only the essentials" you propose and also the ability to move the text is IMO a darn good idea. But what do I know? If you don't mind I'm going to toss out the idea (source attributed of course) in another OR forum.

And thanks for the tip on enlarging attachments....now if I can only learn how to move the mouse (duh!)

[OTTODAD]

You know having the F5 HUD initial display as the abbreviated - "only the essentials" you propose and also the ability to move the text is IMO a darn good idea. But what do I know? If you don't mind I'm going to toss out the idea (source attributed of course) in another OR forum.

Here is the moded by me MSTS F5-Hud to show you what difference reducing it does to the view of the scenery, compared with the ORTS F5-Hud !

MSTS-OTTO-F5-HUD.jpg ORTS-F5-HUD.jpg

[LionelDave]

It's not really a big deal I just keep forgetting to do it until I start looking for those menus. then I'm in a hurry and it bugs me that I have to stop and do a F4 and a f8. . If there was a option to have them show up automatically it would be two less things I can mess up at the start of an activity. (I guess I'm spoiled by MSTS LOL.)

Dave