Advanced Question Orbiter running without graphics?

[fred18]

Hi all,

I apologize if there have been already threads on this topic, but i was not able to find an answer to my question.

Is it possible to run orbiter completely without a graphic client and call the client only when needed? For example if i want to make a realtime mission i could let orbiter run on my computer displaying only numbers in a dos window, and then if i wish to know what is the current mission state open the client and check it visually as usual. It would be also a lot more stable for very long missions played realtime.

Maybe it is a silly question, if so sorry

Thanks in advance

Fred

 

[meson800]

That's exactly what Orbiter_ng.exe is (orbiter no graphics).
Even though we normally run it with a external graphics client, it can be executed without one.

When you run orbiter_ng without a client, all information is outputted through the console. The console is limited (see commands with "help") and can only do things like change time acceleration, see current time, and see current vessels. You cannot see orbital elements of vessels, fuel state of vessels, etc.

Based on what you want to do, I would run orbiter_ng without a graphics client, use the console to set whatever time acceleration you want, etc and let it run until you want to check it. Checking the "visual" state, as you describe it, would involve closing orbiter_ng and restarting Orbiter (either Orbiter or Orbiter_ng with a graphics client enabled) and loading the Current Scenario file.

Hope that helps!

 

[fred18]

It helped a lot thank you very much!

I was thinking this : let s assume that now. I write a very simple plugin which is capable to save state every minute for example, not in the default folder, but in a online shared folder, like dropbox, or best of the best to upload the scn directly online somewhere...

At that point, anyone in the world who knows the name of the scn file could be able todownload it and check if the mission is doing just fine, while the my pc should not be overloaded by the graphic for the whole time... I checked the frame rate with no graphics... Something between 6000 and 8000, incredibly high and much more precise on the result.

We'll see if i can figure out how to do something nice with this, thanks a lot

 

[dgatsoulis]

If you don't want to keep your computer running, there is an addon that updates the vessels in a scenario every time you run it.

[ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4331"]Real Time Update [/ame]

It works by tracking the realtime that passed since the last time you run the scenario, adds it to the MJD and timewarps/propagates the vessels' states for that time.

The only problem is that upon scenario start it jumps instantly to x100000 (if there is a 100000 seconds difference since the last time). The vessels in orbit have no problem, but landed vessels tend to get flung in the outer solar system, especially in computers with low frame rates.

You can read how to fix that problem here.