HISTORY / WHAT'S NEW


FROM VERSION 2000 AND 2000 LITE TO 2002 - WHAT'S NEW

FROM VERSION 4.0 AND 2000 TO 2000 LITE

FROM VERSION 4.0 TO 2000

FROM VERSION 3.0 TO 4.0

FROM VERSION 2.1 TO 3.0

FROM VERSION 2.0 TO 2.1

FROM VERSION 1.0 TO 2.0

 

FROM VERSION 2000 AND 2000 LITE TO 2002

1) Added support to FS2002

2) Working landing / taxing lights

3) Spot Camera view works again

4) Possibility to run FS2000 and 2002 in mixed combination

5) Possibility to run FS98 on the server and FS2002 on the clients, using a special module available on request

6) The views are reoriented from the panel.cfg file, no longer from WidevieW

 

FROM VERSION 4.0 AND 2000 TO 2000 LITE

1) Works only under FS2000.

2) Much more easy to use and to configure. More efficient.

3) The weather can be updated automatically, without have to issue manual commands.

4) More data handled.

 

FROM VERSION 4.0 TO 2000

1) The older WidevieW 98 4.0 and the WidevieW PRO Extension are now fully integrated into a single new module called WidevieW 2000 (wideview.dll), featuring a user-friendly interface, full bi-directional communication, multiple communication channels, etc. Users of the PRO extension no longer have to edit the INI file manually and to install a separate module.

2) WidevieW can now access the simulator's state data using the direct memory access and/or by accessing the "named variables". The second method should ensure a better compatibility with FS2000 (and with future releases of the simulator) and it is easier to use. Moreover it is possible to handle virtually every simulator's state data currently documented in the Microsoft Panel SDK.

3) Developers of add-on gauges / modules can export the variables from their DLL/GAU, in order to handle it with WidevieW 2000.

4) The external views can be reoriented by using WidevieW. The orientation will be stored in the configuration file and will be applied automatically each time that the simulator starts.

5) Many minor improvements.

Future upgrades: I will try to add the long waited keyboard support.

 

FROM VERSION 3.0 TO 4.0 - WHAT'S NEW

1) WidevieW now includes two modules. The first is an upgraded version of "wideview98.dll" with some minor improvement, and the second is the totally new "wideviewpro.dll" extension module.

2) With WidevieW Pro Extension module, it is possible to define up to 20 communication channels, each of which can handle from 1 to 1024 bytes of data: virtually every simulator's state data can be exchanged over the network, if the user known its memory address. Users are no longer forced to select from a pre-built list of data to handle: even a single variable can be bound to a communication channel, and more variables can be handled in any combination between them. In addition to the basic "Server" and "Client" roles used by WidevieW 98, now the communication channels can be also configured as "full bi-directional". This means that a setting made locally, will not be overwritten by the data coming from a remote PC, if that PC was configured as a "Server" of the same data type.
Using a full bi-directional channel it is possible, for example, to operate a radio stack on two PCs (by two pilots) and the tuned-in frequencies will be kept automatically aligned on the most updated values, on all the PCs.

3) Added the possibility to exchange the turn coordinator's ball position using "wideview98.dll".

3) The two modules "wideview98.dll" and "wideviewpro.dll" can be used alone or together for the maximum flexibility:

 

FROM VERSION 2.1 TO 98 3.0

1) It is no longer necessary to run WidevieW as an external program. WidevieW is now fully integrated directly into FS98 as a custom DLL module.

2) Clients PCs are now a little more smoother.

3) WidevieW is now compatible with FS-Clouds 3.0 PRO. The remote clouds can be updated automatically or manually during the flight.

4) It is no longer necessary to issue manual commands for updating the remote clocks. Now, on all the clients, time, date and season are kept aligned automatically with those on the server.

5) Is is no longer necessary to issue manual commands for hiding the remote's "slew" coordinates, and to set the remote PCs in PAUSED or in SLEW mode, depending on their function.
Now, the remote PCs are automatically set in a special PAUSED mode during the flight, and this mode is fine for displaying both the instruments (speeds) and/or the external views.

6) More data handled: now the remote panels are a little more accurate, as the handling of many other variables has been added (Mach number, Pitot heat, Lights, Parking brakes, Engines 3,4, Altimeter setting, Meteo areas, etc.)

7) WidevieW no longer requires FS6IPC.DLL in order to operate.

8) The documentation is much more easier to browse, as it has been translated into HTML format.

9) WidevieW 98 is compatible with both Flight Simulator 98 and Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator.

10) QuickGOTO is no longer included as a built-in feature, but it is now available as a separate module (quickg30.zip)

11) This version may work with Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator, but it is currently UNTESTED.

11) Note for the developers: the applications created for the previous version of WidevieW will no longer run with WidevieW 98. Unfortunately, in order to optimize the program and for increasing the number of the variables exchanged over the network, I was forced to totally change the structure of the packet. A new SDK will follow, if the users will ask for it.

 

FROM VERSION 2.0 TO 2.1

1) Improved performance and smoother clients. A "Priority" parameter is provided through the config dialog. This parameter can be used to select the priority of WidevieW over the other running processes, allowing a fine tuning of the overall system's performance.

2) More data handled (IAS, TAS, V/S, winds, temperature, pressure).

3) Improved documentation. A section explaining how to configure a system for a full bi-directional communication is now included in the manual.wri document (a server can also RECEIVE from a "client", and a "client" can also send).

4) Improved SDK. The "IPX Wizard" OCX is now included: it can be used to access the IPX protocol with just a few line of code (even the WidevieW's packets can be captured and processed).

5) Fixed a bug in the "Update clocks" function. Now this feature can be used also with the French version of FS98.

6) A French version of "English.fll" is available to who will request it (courtesy of Pascal Martin).

 

FROM VERSION 1.0 TO 2.0

1) More data handled (tuned-in frequencies, autopilot, engine#1-2 gauges, fuel qty., control surfaces - including flaps, gear, spoilers, etc.)

2) Support for keyboard-less and mouse-less clients. With a single mouse click on the server, it is now possible to: - hide the slew coordinates on every client, - update the clock of every client, - shut down and turn off every client.

3) A totally redone user-friendly interface: now include an intuitive menu, a status display, and an easy to use configuration dialog box.

4) A "Quick GoTo" utility. This feature can be used to keep a simple database of the most frequently used departure locations, so that the user no longer have to search for the airport through the FS98's airport menu (and he/she no longer have to manually slew the aircraft to the departure gate each time).

5) A modified version of the FS98's "english.fll" file is provided. It can be used on the clients to remove the annoying "SLEW" message from the screen (work only with the english version of FS98 - please contact the author if your FS98 is in a different language).

6) This version don't require to run from the ..\wideview folder. Now you can install wideview where you want.

7) Now WidevieW can be started before or after FS98.

8) The user no longer have to edit the .ini file manually. All the options can be selected through the configuration dialog box. Clientex.ini and serverex.ini files are no longer supplied and no longer needed.


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