Using the Vortex Launcher and Simulator interface

Owned by Jean-François Emond
Jan 04, 2024
6 min read

The Vortex Launcher is a Vortex Studio tool that acts as a hub to start equipment simulator products. Vortex Launcher can be started using a shortcut on the desktop, added at installation.

Vortex Launcher and Simulator pages

This section describes each page and the function of the interface’s elements.

Login Page

The entry point of the Vortex Launcher. The user is invited to log in.

 

1

Close

Closes the application.

2

Name Field

Input a user name. This field is optional. If left blank, the user name will be Guest.

3

PIN Field

Input a Personal Identification Number. This field is only necessary to log in as the local administrator.

4

Start

Launches the applications with the provided user name. 

Logging in

  1. Launch the application.

  2. Enter your name, then click Start.

  • The name will appear on the generated report. Note that no authentication is done by the local machine.

  • If no name is entered in the Login ID field, the generic name "Guest" will be used instead.

  • The PIN field is not needed for operators.

The user will land on the equipment selection page.


Equipment Selection Page

1

Logout

Logs the current user out.

2

Admin Settings

Opens the simulator's settings.

This option is only available when logged in as the local administrator.

3

Screen Orientation Override Control

Controls the orientation of the simulator's screen.

This option is only offered on simulators supporting equipment with different screen orientations.

4

Selected Equipment

Displays which equipment is selected.

5

Next

Launches the simulator with the selected equipment and settings.

6

Equipment List

Displays all equipment that can be selected for training.

Changing the Screen Orientation

Some simulators can support different screen orientations to give a wider field of view on the horizontal side or the vertical side.

The current orientation is highlighted in grey.

The orientation marked with a star indicates the recommended orientation as set in the Equipment Document.
This will be the default orientation unless changed by an administrator.

  1. On the equipment page, select the desired equipment.

  2. Using the screen orientation button, select the desired orientation.
    The orientation will be highlighted in grey.
    The change will be saved until the user switches to another equipment.

  3. Manually rotate the screens to the selected orientation.

To change the default screen orientation for all users, log into the simulator as the local admin and select the new default screen orientation for each installed equipment.

Selecting equipment for an exercise

  1. Select the desired equipment from the equipment list.

  2. On supported simulators, ensure the screens are physically oriented to match the selected orientation.

  3. Click Next.
    The simulator will launch.

Exercise Selection Page

Select the exercise for your training session.

1

Exercise List

The list of exercises available for the selected equipment.

2

Back Arrow

Return to the Joystick Identification page (Edge series only).

3

Chosen Equipment Label

Displays which equipment has been selected.

4

Change Equipment Button

Closes the simulator. The user will land back on the equipment selection page.

5

Current Selection Step

This image indicates the current selection step. Exercise Selection is the second step in the process.

6

Next Selection Step

This image indicates that the next and last selection step (Exercise Options Selection) remains to be done.

Selecting an exercise

  1. Select an exercise by clicking on the corresponding thumbnail. This will lead to the Exercise Options screen.

     

1

Exercise thumbnail

The current selected exercise thumbnail.

2

Exercise description

Current selected exercise name and description.

3

Exercise options list

Options list for the current exercise.

4

Selectable values for an exercise option

Only one value is selectable for each option.

5

Load exercise button

Load exercise with selected options.

6

Back-step button

Return to the exercise selection page.

7

Equipement selection step

Equipement selection is done. Click on this step to return to the equipment selection page.

8

Exercise selection step

Exercise selection is done. Click on this step to return to the selection exercise page. (same as the back-step button).

9

Options selection step

Exercise options selection is the current step. This step is not clickable.

  1. On the Exercise Options screen, choose the desired option.

  2. Click Load to confirm the selection and start the exercise.
    It may take a moment for the exercise to load.

  3. Cutscenes will play on the simulator to explain the nature of the exercise, and the Cutscene screen will appear on the touchscreen.

    1. Skip cutscenes by pressing Start Exercise (2) or Next Cutscene (3).

      1. The exercise begins once the cutscene ends.

    2. Click Cancel (1) to return to the exercise selection screen.

Once the exercise is started, the Exercise Running screen appears, displaying the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for the equipment.
The operator may proceed with the exercise. 

Exercise Running Page

1

Controls Tabs

Displays the equipment’s HMI.

2

Info Tabs

Displays the information (e.g. control mappings) for the equipment.

It’s optional

3

Content Interface

Displays the HMI or the mapping.

4

Pause Button

Suspends the exercise. 

5

Stop Button

Stops the exercise and opens the stop confirmation dialog. 

 

Pausing or ending an exercise

  1. Press Pause Exercise.
    Once activated, the button turns to green and will say Resume. Press it again to resume the exercise.

  2. Press Stop Exercise.

  3. End the exercise by pressing Stop again.

Exercise Report Screen

Once the exercise is completed or stopped, the operator will land on the report page. Reports are generated at the end of an exercise with details about the user’s score, faults, and other information from the session.

The operator can redo the same exercise, go back to the exercise selection page, or log out and return to the login screen.

 

1

Summary Bar

Displays the information on the completed exercise.

2

Detailed Metrics

Displays detailed information on the metrics collected during the exercise.

3

Redo Exercise

Redo the same exercise again.

The report will be closed and the same exercise with the same options will be reloaded.

4

Select New Exercise

Closes the report. The user will land back on the exercise selection page.

5

Logout

Closes the report. The user will land back on the login page.

6

Download

Download the report in .pdf format.

Administrator Settings

Logging in as the Local Administrator

The local administrator permits the user to change some settings of the simulator. Once modified, the settings are saved on the local computer.

 

  1. Launch the application.

  2. Enter your login ID and your PIN.

  3. Click the login button.
    The user will land on the equipment selection page.

Local Administrator Credentials

ID: localAdmin
PIN: 12345

 

The login ID is case-sensitive.

Equipment Selection Screen

Some simulators can support different screen orientations to give a wider field of view on the horizontal side or the vertical side. Each piece of equipment comes with a preferred orientation, but the administrator can permanently change it for each module.

In the top right corner, the current orientation is highlighted in grey.

Changing the Screen Orientation

  1. On the equipment page, select the desired equipment.

  2. Using the screen orientation button, select the desired orientation.
    The orientation will be highlighted in grey and saved for this equipment.

  3. Repeat the process for other equipment.

Accessing the administrator settings

  1. On the equipment selection page, click the gear icon.
    This will open the administrator settings screen.

Administrator Settings Screen

From the Vortex Launcher, administrators may change the system of unit measurement for the simulator.

Changing the administrator settings

  1. On the left-hand side of the page, select the desired category.

  2. Click on the setting to change and set the desired values.

Repeat these steps for all settings.

Admin Settings - Units Screen

1

Save and Exit Button

Closes the admin settings page and returns to the equipment selection page.

2

Settings List

Contains the simulator's settings. These settings are automatically saved on the local machine.

3

Settings Interface

Displays the available options for the selected setting.

4

Units Systems

The unit system used for the reports. This option affects displays of Units during the training and in the report.

Quitting the admin setting page

  1. Press the Close button or the Exit Settings button.
    You will land on the previous page, such as the equipment selection page.

Logging Off

  1. Click Log Out in the top right-hand corner.

You will land on the login page.