Current Best Way to Toggle to Desktop While in ED/VR?

WindWpn

WindWpn
I found a thread noting use of Bigscreen, running alongside ED in VR, and use of an autohotkey script to toggle between two apps in VR. However, this does not appear to work for me using SteamVR with Vive. Basically, while in ED, when I hit the f8 key to toggle Bigscreen, steamVR simply shuts down ED and opens Bigscreen.

Thus, as of today is there a way to either allow multiple VR apps to run in parallel, or is there a more modern method to allow access to desktop and ED while in VR space?
 

Chromezero

Chromezero
I'm currently using OVRDrop to access my desktop while in ED. This can be purchased from the Steam store and works well.
 

TorTorden_VR

T
WindWpn said:
I found a thread noting use of Bigscreen, running alongside ED in VR, and use of an autohotkey script to toggle between two apps in VR. However, this does not appear to work for me using SteamVR with Vive. Basically, while in ED, when I hit the f8 key to toggle Bigscreen, steamVR simply shuts down ED and opens Bigscreen.

Thus, as of today is there a way to either allow multiple VR apps to run in parallel, or is there a more modern method to allow access to desktop and ED while in VR space?
Click to expand...
I know it's less than ideal, but SteamVR already has a desktop view in the steam menu.
 

WindWpn

WindWpn
TorTorden said:
I know it's less than ideal, but SteamVR already has a desktop view in the steam menu.
Click to expand...

Indeed it does, but cannot read it, unless there is a way to zoom in?

with BigScreen, can set it up to have the desktop pulled in natively to see browser content easily. also I am hoping to use it for EDEngineer, and TCE, along with viewing ED toolbox.
 

Chromezero

Chromezero
If you're hoping to have just a single window overlay, you might also check out UVROverlay. I use this to overlay my music player(Winamp), so that it appears to be a part of my cockpit. Then for general "desktop" access, I use OVRDrop.
 

WindWpn

WindWpn
Chromezero said:
If you're hoping to have just a single window overlay, you might also check out UVROverlay. I use this to overlay my music player(Winamp), so that it appears to be a part of my cockpit. Then for general "desktop" access, I use OVRDrop.
Click to expand...


With OVRDrop, can u zoom in or see your desktop easily? For example, want to ensure I can read text on say a chrome window set to ED Toolbox, Inara, EDDB, etc...? would definitely be cool if could simulate a ED panel tab to simply call it open via VA... but first step would be to simply have a solution to easily see a browser window with readable text.
 

Chromezero

Chromezero
WindWpn said:
With OVRDrop, can u zoom in or see your desktop easily? For example, want to ensure I can read text on say a chrome window set to ED Toolbox, Inara, EDDB, etc...?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can absolutely "zoom" in. The window in your VR environment can be resized and moved around: up/down, left/right, tilt/rotate, forward/backward, and so on. It took me a bit of tinkering to get it positioned where I like it but I find it works well. I have my desktop located where the SRV panel is, although it's sized much larger. It covers most of my cockpit view. I use F1 to toggle open/close and can also use VA as well.

As for clarity of text, we are somewhat limited by the HMD resolution. I just have to lean in a bit or make the window a little larger if I'm having troubles reading. I use EDDB and other websites on a regular basis while in-game and like my current setup.
 

WindWpn

WindWpn
It seems the bigscreen solution would work quite well; however, I find that I simply cannot run two Steam apps at same time. Is there a Steam setting to allow two or more apps to run in parallel?

for example, I have Bigscreen running.... it shows as running in Steam. I start up ED, and for a moment both show as running on Steam. However after about 20 seconds, Bigscreen closes (stops running in Steam) and only ED runs. This occurs also vice versa.

Thus, is there a setting to allow two apps to run in Steam together? I assume there must be as it would be necessary for utilities such as OVRDrop which is a steam hosted app?
 

Chromezero

Chromezero
I've not had the problem that you're describing. Out of curiosity, are you launching these apps from "Steam Home" with the Vive controller or just using your mouse on the desktop to launch, as you would with a non-VR game? My initial guess is that Steam Home will only run one app at a time. Try launching from Steam menu, outside of VR perhaps.
 
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TorTorden_VR

T
WindWpn said:
Indeed it does, but cannot read it, unless there is a way to zoom in?

with BigScreen, can set it up to have the desktop pulled in natively to see browser content easily. also I am hoping to use it for EDEngineer, and TCE, along with viewing ED toolbox.
Click to expand...

Indeed, it's more of a "Soooo close, and yet so useless".....
The trick for making it almost ok, was to stand all the way to the back of my play area, open the menu and then walk forwards until you could read the text....

I honestly don't know why it works for me to start Bigscreen in the oculus home, and then to start ED and be able to switch between them.
But I sure don't mind being able to :p

I do start Elite from the virtual desktop like a normal game launcher via my perfectly regular desktop shortcut.
It is simply, well weird...

As far as I am concerned. Oculus could just drop the Home environment entirely and run everything from ...
 
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Chromezero

Chromezero
TorTorden said:
Indeed, it's more of a "Soooo close, and yet so useless".....
The trick for making it almost ok, was to stand all the way to the back of my play area, open the menu and then walk forwards until you could read the text....
Click to expand...
Why not just pull the screen closer to your face?
 

TorTorden_VR

T
Chromezero said:
Why not just pull the screen closer to your face?
Click to expand...

In virtual desktop programs yes.
But this isn't an option in the steamvr menu.
It open at a fixed distance from where you push the button and the ONLY way to get it closer is to actually get closer.

Which is why I most definitely prefer an alt+tab solution.
 

ziddan

Z
I use the steam desktop, have it set to appear about a metre or so in front of me and size it down to 1.2 meters wide with the steamvr advances settings program.

To change its distance you need to edit condig files but when its set up just hitting the button on the side of my vive hovers my desktop in front of me and its very usable.

Initially i was messing about with virtual desktop with happy memories of my time in elite on the dk2 back in 2015 when you could tab between vr apps, good times.

Heres is how to use the steamvr desktop for this, ive just pasted a reddit post i wrote this spring:
"Did some more searching and apparantly its possible to change the distance:

https://www.google.se/amp/s/amp.red...nd_a_workaround_for_difficult_to_see_desktop/

TL;DR: open Steam\steamapps\common\OpenVR\tools\content\panorama\dashboardlayout.json and change distance to something lower

Gonna give this a try combined with making the desktop smaller using advanced settings when i get home from work.

If this works it would be a lot smoother but would look a bit less cool, worth it tho.

Thanks for prodding me to look around :)

1
wurrkop • 165d
Ive done some testing and this solution does what i need very well but its not as pretty as an ingame window :p

The changes i made to dashboardlayout.json are as follows: "distance": 2.0, changed to "distance": 1.0, and "dashboard_offset": [ 0.0, -0.7, 0.0 ], changed to "dashboard_offset": [ 0.0, -0.3, 0.0 ],

In Advanced Settings the desktop overlay width i use is 1.8.

I start up steamvr and use a controller to choose desktop, the i rightclick the controller in the steamvr thing and choose power off.

Now i can just hit the button on the headset to bring up the desktop."

NOTE: since i wrote the reddit post ive changed my preference for distamce and width, i now use 1.2 width and i cant recall the distance, might be 0.7 or something like that
 
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Aekero

A
bumping this for a more current response hopefully, anyone have experience using ovrdrop with rift? all I really want is to be able to alt tab (or hit whatever button) and view a browser for engineers etc, doesn't have to be part of my in game hud...that and I don't want it to affect performance if possible :p
 

Morrigan Forge

M
Hey folks. So, I tried this out to be able to access the TCE extension while in VR and it works great, but there is one problem. Switching ED to Win 7 Compatibility mode on my Win 10 PC seems to cause substantial graphics glitches to the VR rendering of the game. Especially when I open one of the in game interface windows (navigation, modules, carge, etc...). I even see the steam VR environment for a moment or two when loading the galaxy map. It doesn't affect the overlay, and the mirror window on my desktop is rock solid. The graphics glitches only seem to exist in the occulus display. It also, doesn't seem to matter what kind of in game graphics setting I apply.

Specs:
Core i7 Extreme
64 GB Ram
PCI Express 1.2 TB SSD
Nvidia 1080 TI 11GB

Anyone run into this issue, or have any ideas?

Morrigan
 
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