Create User Interface pages (UI)

Owned by Marc Lievin
May 27, 2024
4 min read

This document explains how to add Qt User Interface pages (UI) to the Vortex Simulator touchscreen Interface.

Simulator User Interface

When the simulator is running, the Vortex Simulator user interface is shown on the touchscreen. It will show the UI specific to the user when operating the equipment.

RunnigControlsDecorated.png

 

 

1

Controls page(s) tab. Visible if at least one page is configured in this category.

2

Tools pages(s) tab. visible if at least one page is configured in this category.

3

Information page(s) tab . visible if at least one page is configured in this category.

4

Options page(s) tab. visible if at least one page is configured in this category.

5

Page names in current category. Visible if at least two pages are configured in current selected category and the simulator properties multiple page enabled is active in the setup. (see simulator properties section below)

6

Pause/Resume. This button can be used to pause and resume the simulation. When simulation is paused all pages in control category will be disabled and greyed-out.

7

Stop exercise button. This button can be used to stop the exercise.

8

Current Page. Content of the currently selected UI Page.

Simulator Window Extensions

A Vortex Simulator can present the above-mentioned information based on the user’s role. The simulator’s setup file (.vxc) must contain the appropriate Main Window to behave properly.

For example, the visibility of the pause/resume button and the stop exercise button is only available to the operator, so it will depend on which Main Window extension is used on a station node.

User role / Station

Main Window Extension

Description

User role / Station

Main Window Extension

Description

Main Operator / Host Station

Simulator Main Window

The main operator station. This operator is in charge of logging in, selecting the equipment and the exercise and can pause the simulation and/or stop the exercise.

Tandem Operator / Joiner Station

Joiner Main Window

Optionnal Joiner Station in a tandem setup.

For details about how to setup tandem, see https://vortexstudio.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=TESS&title=How%20to%20Setup%20Tandem%20%28Crew%20Training%29

Instructor / Trainer Station

Trainer Station Main Window

Optional Trainer Station for the instructor.

For details about the trainer station, see https://vortexstudio.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=DOC&title=Intellia%20Drone%20View%202023%20Q2%20Documentation.

Simulator Properties

Each Main Window extensions have simulator properties that can be used to customize the user interface shown on the touchscreen :

MainWindowsSimulatorProperties.png
Main Windows Simulator Properties

Simulator Properties

Description

Simulator Properties

Description

Multiple Pages Enabled

enable or disable multiple pages in each category of the User Interface. This feature is enabled by default when adding a new extension to a vxc file.

Startup category:

  • Controls

  • Tools

  • Information

  • Options

The category page(s) tab selected at the exercise startup. The default startup category is Controls. If the configured category does not contain any pages, the selected category at startup will be the first non- empty one.

Page Categories

All UI pages are extensions in the setup file or the exercise content that implements the IQtPage interface.

The QtDesignerPageExtension, which can be created in the Vortex Editor, can be used with a Qt .ui file created with the Qt Designer, to produce a custom UI page.

UI page will appear on the Vortex Simulator user interface depending on its category. Category can be one of the following values:

  • None: the page will not appear anywhere (the widget is disabled).

  • Debug: the page will appear in the debug pages tabs widgets. The Debug Pages are available to the local admin user using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-D.

  • Controls: the page will appear in the page tabs of the controls category of the user interface.

  • Tools: the page will appear in the pages tabs of the Tools category of the user interface.

  • Information: the page will appear in page tabs of the Information category of the user interface.

  • Options: the page will appear in page tabs of the Options category of the user interface.

 

For additional details about IQtPage parameters, see https://cm-labs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VSD2404/pages/621490643/Adding+UI+Pages#IQt-Page-Properties

These categories have no effect using the Old Vortex Console.

Backward compatibility

For backward compatibility, the multi-page feature is disabled by default in the old setup files (.vxc). This new feature can be enabled with the new simulator property multiple page enabled.

 

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