SpacePilot Pro and Windows SideShow

[mbronto]

So I reviewed all the previous posts on this topic and have still not been able to get SideShow to work on my new SpacePilot Pro.

It does not show up under Windows Side Show in the control panel and it does not show up under "Programs" in the LCD Manager. Any other places to look or things to try? The SpacePilot Pro works perfectly inside my programs and the default bundled gadgets (Outlook, picture viewer etc) all work. It's just the Side Show thing that's not working.

Vista 64, 3DConnexion Driver 3.10.1 (the newest one)

Thanks for any help!
Mike

[UtaSH]

Hello Mike,

Microsoft's SideShow is not supported. You can find a list of all supported application here.

Developers have the possibility to integrate support to their application with our SDK. In this case probably an applet for the LCD Manager would help. The SDK for the LCD Manager can be found in the folder with the LDC Manager software (e.g.: C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\SDK)

[mbronto]

uludwig, thanks for your response....but how come 3DConnexion gives such different responses to the same question? Fred (Moderator), for example, clearly states how to enable SideShow in the LCD Manager in a previous post. Also, Logitech's own blog specifically says that in release 3.02, SpacePilot includes sideshow support: http://blog.logitech.com/2009/05/14/win ... keyboards/.

Is there a unified and definitive answer on this topic from 3DConnexion?

Thanks,
Mike

[ngomes]

Hi mbronto,

is there a unified and definitive answer on this topic from 3DConnexion?

Of course, yes. We're sorry for not being clear about this.

SideShow is not part of the feature set of the SpacePilot PRO as advertised by 3Dconnexion. In other words, we do not officially support the technology.

Currently, there are no plans to change the status. Having said that, we do listen to our customers and we take the feedback on-board to steer our product definitions.

To get your SideShow to work with your SPP is a somewhat involved process. Try this:

1. Install or upgrade to 3DxSoftware v. 3.11 or newer (as of writing, v. 3.11 is in beta and only available from the labs page);
2. Go to the Windows control panel and change the installation to remove the "Logitech LCD Manager" and "3Dconnexion LCD Applets for SpacePilot PRO" components;
3. Unpack the same 3DxSoftware installer;
   • Copy the 3DxSoftware package to an empty folder;
   • Open a command-line prompt (on Vista or Win7, it must be started using the "run as administrator" option);
   • Change to the folder where 3DxSoftware was copied
   • If on a 32-bit OS, execute the command:

     Code: Select all

     3DxSoftware32SPP_vX-Y-Z_r1234 /t:%cd% /c:"3DxSoftware32SPP /e /f.\unpack"

     where 3DxSoftware32SPP_vX-Y-Z_r1234 is the 3DxSoftware package file name (for example: 3DxSoftware32SPP_v3-10-1_r852).
     On a 64-bit operating system, replace the above file with "3DxSoftware64SPP" (note that there are two references to the file name).
4. Find the correct "LADPInst.msi" file for your system (see under sub-folder "unpack\components32" for 32-bit systems or "unpack\components64" for 64-bit systems);
5. Execute the following command:

   Code: Select all

   msiexec /i LADPInst.msi INSTALL_SIDESHOW=1

6. Find the correct "3DxLcdApplets" installer for your system (see under folder "unpack\components32" for 32-bit systems or "unpack\components64" for 64-bit systems).
7. Execute the following command for 32-bit:

   Code: Select all

   msiexec /i 3DxLcdApplets32.msi

   or the following for 64-bit operating systems:

   Code: Select all

   msiexec /i 3DxLcdApplets64.msi

8. Get the "devcon" tool from the Windows Driver Kit (download the WDK from here);
9. Copy the executable "devcon.exe" (make sure you have the correct file for your platform: "i386" for 32-bit and "amd64" for 64-bit) to the "SideShow" sub-folder of the Logitech LCD Manager (normally installed in %PROGRAMFILES%\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager");
10. Go the command-prompt, change directory to the "SideShow" sub-folder and run the command:

    Code: Select all

    devcon install LgLcdSS.inf "UMB\lgSSQVGA"

11. Reboot (probably not necessary but always a best-practice step on Windows);
12. Check that the 3DxWare driver is running: your SPP should work just fine with a demo;
13. Check the SideShow panel on the Windows control panel. See if you have find the SPP. Check the home screen of the SPP.

Mind the caveats:
The above might work. It might not. It is an untested configuration.

Again, this is an unsupported tech on the SPP. It should work but that's all that we can say.

Your mileage may vary.

-------
Edit 1: Added options to unpack 3DxSoftware contents in an empty sub-folder.
Edit 2: Added instructions to use devcon to create the device nodes.

[mbronto]

Nuno,
I just wanted to say thank you for your thorough and quick response. I do appreciate it.
I did try following your instructions but the main problem was that I only have "LADPInst.msi" and "3DxLcdApplets64.msi" from my original install CD. When I run LADPInst.msi, it says "there is a newer version of LCD Manager already installed.". Do you know how I could find the ones that would work with my (3.10.1 3DxWare) and (3.05.116 LCD Manager) install package?

Thanks again,
Mike

[ngomes]

Hi mbronto,

When I run LADPInst.msi, it says "there is a newer version of LCD Manager already installed."

Perhaps this easiest would be to completely remove your 3DxSoftware installation and reboot.

After that, make sure you have the latest installer for your SPP (check it here), run it and go to the "custom" installation panel: deselect the "Logitech LCD Manager" and the "3Dconnexion LCD Applets for SpacePilot PRO" components. Continue the installation.

Once the software has completed the installation, start from step 3 on my previous post and give it another go.

[mbronto]

Ok, well I do appreciate all your help but it appears to be futile, unfortunately.

Sideshow just doesn't want to work on my system. I have followed your instructions and also a few variations with no success. Every time I load ladpinst.msi, it starts to load but then just closes the install window after the "Gathering information" bar.

I'm disappointed because I was pretty sure one of the functions of the SPP was to make use of this handy display right next to your keyboard. The default applets are not useful to me at all. 3DConnexion also makes a point of saying that there are custom applets that can be used. Well, I've seen the SDK package but I am not a programmer. So where are all these extra applets?? I've searched all over and can't find anything. Can you point me in the right direction?

Anyway, it's disappointing that I needed to work so hard to try to get functionality that Logitech claimed it had to begin with (refer back to the original blog in the post where the SPP is mentioned by name in that article).

So while I'm not sure why Sideshow is not officially supported, it sure would be nice if it was. For that matter it would be nice if 3DConenxion would just release a small program that would allow me to make profiles for other software that isn't officially supported like After Effects, Premiere and others. It's not that fun having a $300 thing next to your keyboard that only works with one specific program.

Sorry for venting, but admittedly, I am disappointed....
Mike

[ngomes]

Ok, well I do appreciate all your help but it appears to be futile, unfortunately.

Well, I'm sorry but this is not a supported configuration. It's untested.

Are you running the "msiexec" commands from a command-prompt with elevated privileges? In other words, have you started the prompt with the "Run As" option and selected the admin user? You cannot install the SideShow drivers without administrator privileges.

If that does not work, you can try creating a log file when installing LADP:

Code: Select all

msiexec /i LADPInst.msi /lvx* ladplog.txt  INSTALL_SIDESHOW=1

Once you have the log file, please send me a PM and I will give you an e-mail address where you can send it.

[ngomes]

Hi mbronto,

Never mind the previous topic.

I'm also unable to activate SideShow support on Windows 7. For what is worth, it should just work...

I'm digging a bit deeper.

[ngomes]

Hi mbronto,

Every time I load ladpinst.msi, it starts to load but then just closes the install window after the "Gathering information" bar.

The LADP installation does not have a full user interface, so the "gathering information" is really all that one can see.

After installing LADP, check your Program Files folder: there should be a "Logitech \ GamePanel Software \ LCD Manager" folder with all the LCD Manager files. Can you find a "SideShow" sub-folder in there?

I was able to get the SideShow to work on the SPP on Win7 32-bit. I believe you're on 64-bit, is that correct?

[mbronto]

That is correct: I am on 64-bit Vista. I do not see a Sideshow folder under the LCD Manager folder. Is it possible activating Sideshow with the component64 version of ladpinst.msi doesn't work like the 32-bit version??

One thing I will say is that even when I completely uninstalled everything and then resinstalled while UNCHECKING Lcd Manager and Applets, it STILL installed the LCD Manager, but not the applets (they were gone). In a different attempt to just remove the LCD Manager, I ran the installer in "modify" mode to uncheck the item. Again, it said it completed the task but LCD Manager was still there and running when I rebotted.

I concluded that 3DXWare cannot be on my computer without LCD Manager running alongside it. In fact, in the Control Panel under the "uninstall tab", the LCD Manager doesn't even appear there as a seperate entity - there is only an entry for 3DConnexion and no other instances of anything related. You either uninstall everything or nothing... I don't know if that helps, but it was the only thing inconsistent with your instructions and what I was seeing.

Mike

[ngomes]

One thing I will say is that even when I completely uninstalled everything and then resinstalled while UNCHECKING Lcd Manager and Applets, it STILL installed the LCD Manager, but not the applets (they were gone).

We changed that behaviour in 3.11. This version is now available as a beta from our labs page.

Once you get the "SideShow" sub-folder in the LCD Manager installation folder, you then need to have the driver installed manually (as it appears this isn't working from the MSI).

That involves getting the Windows DDK/WDK devcon tool. You can get it from here. More info on devcon here.

Copy devcon.exe for your platform ("amd64" for Windows x64) to the "SideShow" sub-folder and run the following command:

Code: Select all

devcon install LgLcdSS.inf "UMB\lgSSQVGA"

Windows may complain that the drivers aren't signed. This is probably a show-stopper on 64-bit systems (but not on 32-bit).

You will need to run the command from a prompt that was launched using the "run as administrator" option.

If it seems to work, check the device manager: you should see a "Logitech GamePanel Devices (QVGA)" item in the "Windows SideShow" category. If nothing is in there, reboot.

I've not yet been able to check the above on 64-bit Win 7. It works on Win 7 32-bit and Vista 64-bit.

Here's the output of devcon for a successful install:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\SideShow>devcon.exe install LgLcdSS.inf "UMB\lgSSQVGA"
Device node created. Install is complete when drivers are installed...
Updating drivers for UMB\lgSSQVGA from C:\Program Files\Logitech\GamePanel Software\LCD Manager\SideShow\LgLcdSS.inf.
Drivers installed successfully.

[TimChege]

Hi All, I recently bought the Spaceball 5000 USB and therefore need to use @WitchDoctor's method of installing it in Windows 7. I have been able to get a copy of the 2.8.2 drivers from the 3DConnexion website but I haven't been able to get the 3.10.1 drivers. It seems as though they have removed it from there website even under Archived Software. Therefore, would any of you still happen to have a copy of the 3.10.1 drivers? I would greatly appreciate your help. Thanks