DIY Head Tracker For A Tenner

[Vulcan24v]

I have that already set up and running. I'm using a Logitech G300 mouse, and one of the buttons on the right side I use to recenter the tracker.

I'm using Microsoft's own devcon.exe command line device manager to check if an Arduino device is using a COM port, and if so, which port it is. The rest is simply sending commands over that COM port, as pocketmoon has pointed out.

Here it is again:
http://lbsoftware.bplaced.net/EDTracker_2/reset_tracker.zip

It's currently set to Numpad 1 and only works from within the game.



PS:
And now it even supports freely selectable hotkeys. Same download link.

How do I use this?
I downloaded it and have a folder with reset tracker.exe in it.
How do you activate it when in game?

 

[Omegahunter]

Dan, Dor and I will be at Lavecon to down a few beers and plan World Domination with a compact, cheap , EDTracker Pro

First one to do an evil laugh, stroke a cat or put finger to mouth and say "One million dollars" should be made to buy all the rounds for the night

 

[Lee Storm]

How do I use this?
I downloaded it and have a folder with reset tracker.exe in it.
How do you activate it when in game?

Using a macro to run the exe, depending on what software you have.
Then assign the macro to a key or trigger, depending on the hardware your using

 

[Lasse B.]

How do I use this?
I downloaded it and have a folder with reset tracker.exe in it.
How do you activate it when in game?

When you start "reset tracker.exe", it lets you define a hotkey. Simply press this hotkey when in game and it should reset your EDTracker.

 

[ZZleeZZ]

I have that already set up and running. I'm using a Logitech G300 mouse, and one of the buttons on the right side I use to recenter the tracker.

I'm using Microsoft's own devcon.exe command line device manager to check if an Arduino device is using a COM port, and if so, which port it is. The rest is simply sending commands over that COM port, as pocketmoon has pointed out.

Here it is again:
http://lbsoftware.bplaced.net/EDTracker_2/reset_tracker.zip

It's currently set to Numpad 1 and only works from within the game.



PS:
And now it even supports freely selectable hotkeys. Same download link.

Having some trouble with this myself.

Running it on its own as a test I get the message "EDtracker not found". Is there a website that gives some starting knowledge for this software?

 

[Vulcan24v]

Having some trouble with this myself.

Running it on its own as a test I get the message "EDtracker not found". Is there a website that gives some starting knowledge for this software?

I get the same EDTracker not found message.

 

[Lasse B.]

Lasse, is this link pretty solid? If so, and you don't mind, I'll link it from the EDTracker.org website (kudos given, naturally)...

It is pretty solid. I've been using this hoster for like two years now, and they show no sign of weakening

All I have to remember though is to use the same file name for the archive when uploading an update to my webspace. I could simply rename the executable inside the archive to reflect updates.



There are a couple of items on my to do list however:

• make EDTracker hardware detection more robust so it works with any number of Arduino devices connected to the system and not just hook up to the first one found. Might also be a good idea to let users choose between EDTracker devices if several are found, just in case
  
  
• make it so that the hotkey can be activated outside of games should a user wish to do so
  
  
• the reason it is currently only triggering a reset when playing E is to have the button that is used as a hotkey revert back to its original function when not playing the game. Normally, when a button is assigned a hotkey function, the button's original function is disabled. I imagine people would go crazy if they used e.g. numpad 1 to reset the tracker while playing, but have a seemingly non working button when they try to edit Excel tables

 

[brumster]

First one to do an evil laugh, stroke a cat or put finger to mouth and say "One million dollars" should be made to buy all the rounds for the night

I could so make a joke there but I'd get banned and my missus would slap me so hard....

 

[Lasse B.]

Having some trouble with this myself.

Running it on its own as a test I get the message "EDtracker not found". Is there a website that gives some starting knowledge for this software?

I get the same EDTracker not found message.

There is no website, as I've written this myself, for myself. Well, up until now at least

The message you guys get is a rather generic one. The function that spits it out relies on a couple of things without much error checking, like your EDTracker being named "Arduino Micro" in the Device Manager of Windows and the supplemental tools and libraries are all present and accounted for. Gimme some time please, and I'll get it sorted.

 

[n0ahg]

There is no website, as I've written this myself, for myself. Well, up until now at least

The message you guys get is a rather generic one. The function that spits it out relies on a couple of things without much error checking, like your EDTracker being named "Arduino Micro" in the Device Manager of Windows and the supplemental tools and libraries are all present and accounted for. Gimme some time please, and I'll get it sorted.

All you need to do is echo 'R' to the COM port

 

[Lasse B.]

All you need to do is echo 'R' to the COM port

Certainly, but if I do this properly I have to make sure the recipient is in fact an EDTracker and not some other Arduino device. Luckily pocketmoon thought ahead and implemented "I", which returns an identifier I can link to.

 

[ZZleeZZ]

There is no website, as I've written this myself, for myself. Well, up until now at least

The message you guys get is a rather generic one. The function that spits it out relies on a couple of things without much error checking, like your EDTracker being named "Arduino Micro" in the Device Manager of Windows and the supplemental tools and libraries are all present and accounted for. Gimme some time please, and I'll get it sorted.

Take your time mate! Your efforts are much appreciated.

For the record my device manager names my EDTracker as "Arduino Leonardo".

 

[Lasse B.]

Update to Reset EDTracker



The cause for the error message that ZZleeZZ and Vulcan24v experienced before should be fixed now. Was a tough one to track down as it refused to trigger on my system, and when it finally did I wasn't too sure what was causing it. But I think I got it sorted.

I rewrote most of the more important parts, dumped devcon.exe in favor of simply scanning the active COM ports, and added some more specific error checking. It still works only from within the game. This is something I'm going to work on tomorrow.

As the EDTracker is the only Arduino device I have so far, there are a couple of things I couldn't test, like if it really picks the EDTracker if other Arduino devices are connected as well.

Just tell me how it works for you, and please let me know if you run into any problems using it.



Download link is the same as before:
http://lbsoftware.bplaced.net/EDTracker_2/reset_tracker.zip

 

[ZZleeZZ]

Update to Reset EDTracker



The cause for the error message that ZZleeZZ and Vulcan24v experienced before should be fixed now. Was a tough one to track down as it refused to trigger on my system, and when it finally did I wasn't too sure what was causing it. But I think I got it sorted.

I rewrote most of the more important parts, dumped devcon.exe in favor of simply scanning the active COM ports, and added some more specific error checking. It still works only from within the game. This is something I'm going to work on tomorrow.

As the EDTracker is the only Arduino device I have so far, there are a couple of things I couldn't test, like if it really picks the EDTracker if other Arduino devices are connected as well.

Just tell me how it works for you, and please let me know if you run into any problems using it.



Download link is the same as before:
http://lbsoftware.bplaced.net/EDTracker_2/reset_tracker.zip

Superb work Lasse B!!

Works as advertised. This and the fix for staying in head track mode are going to make a massive difference, now I just need some time to actually play

 

[Vulcan24v]

Yep I can confirm, working as it is supposed to.... :smilie:

 

[Lasse B.]

another Update to Reset EDTracker



This time I added the option to make the hotkey you selected work not just in E, but anywhere. Simply right click on the tray icon and deselect "limit hotkey to game".

Please remember that as long as the hotkey is active, the button assigned to the hotkey will lose its normal function, e.g. numpad 1 won't type 1 anymore but recenter your EDTracker instead.

PS:
I also added the ability to change the hotkey via right clicking the tray icon.


As always, the download link is:
http://lbsoftware.bplaced.net/EDTracker_2/reset_tracker.zip

 

[Major Plonker]

Hmmm hobbycomponents are out of stock of the arduino board, anyone know compatible boards (or pair of boards even better) quickly available in the UK?

I have easy access to maplin/rs/farnell/mouser/digikey and pretty much any component suppliers, I just have zero experience with arduino so I don't know what's compatible and what isn't. I don't mind paying a bit extra, I just want to try one sharpish.

The image on page one of this thread show signal names on the sensor board but just numbers on the arduino board. Are those numbers standard for the ports they bring out, or if I get a different 32u24 board is it likely that "3" won't be serial clock?

Edit:
I found an "Arduino Micro" P/N A000053 in stock at a couple of places, anyone know if this will do?

I found a schematic for this board so finding the right pins on the connectors wouldn't be a problem if I know which processor ports EdTracker uses.

 

[brumster]

If you want to use our board, then it needs to specifically be a SparkFun Pro Micro, or a clone of it - it needs to be pin compatible obviously. If it's not got an Atmel mega32u4 microcontroller on it and a micro USB connector, then it's not for you.

If you're building it up on a separate piece of breadboard/prototyping it, then obviously the layout of the pins isn't important. In this case, provided it is a mega32u4 microcontroller and it has the Arduino Leonardo ("Caterina") bootloader on it, you're good to go. And if you've got an ISP programmer, you don't really have to worry about the bootloader, because you can flash it in yourself.

 

[Rog]

Hmmm hobbycomponents are out of stock of the arduino board, anyone know compatible boards (or pair of boards even better) quickly available in the UK?

I have easy access to maplin/rs/farnell/mouser/digikey and pretty much any component suppliers, I just have zero experience with arduino so I don't know what's compatible and what isn't. I don't mind paying a bit extra, I just want to try one sharpish.

The image on page one of this thread show signal names on the sensor board but just numbers on the arduino board. Are those numbers standard for the ports they bring out, or if I get a different 32u24 board is it likely that "3" won't be serial clock?

Hi

You probably want a 'Pro Micro' compatible board. Some other 32u4s might not have a compatible bootloader.

Cheapest UK one on ebay I could find: HERE

Edit: Here it is on their non-eBay store. Never used them personally.

Off topic: do you know if there's a way to order the odd component from Mouser or Digikey without being nailed by a large delivery fee?

 

[Major Plonker]

If you want to use our board, then it needs to specifically be a SparkFun Pro Micro, or a clone of it - it needs to be pin compatible obviously. If it's not got an Atmel mega32u4 microcontroller on it and a micro USB connector, then it's not for you.

If you're building it up on a separate piece of breadboard/prototyping it, then obviously the layout of the pins isn't important. In this case, provided it is a mega32u4 microcontroller and it has the Arduino Leonardo ("Caterina") bootloader on it, you're good to go. And if you've got an ISP programmer, you don't really have to worry about the bootloader, because you can flash it in yourself.

Hi Brumster and Rog, thanks for your replies.
Nah I was just going to wire it up using a piece of veroboard I have in my drawer. The board I'm looking at is definitely a 32u4, I think its the "official" arduino micro, not sure what bootloader it uses, will have to look some more over the weekend.


Rog, no I don't unfortunately, we spend 10s of thousands a year with both of them and the charge still applies for orders under £50! It's annoying be we usually get around it by finding other bits to add to the order.