For now, it doesn't do anything. The Pegasus doesn't use it, but
that was a good guess. WL supports the Pegasus using a slightly
modified version of TenTec's own software so WL does not have
its own front panel for the radio. And the short answer to
the mystery is that the front panel menu entry in WL won't do
anything for a while.
Version 10.17 has hooks that allow it to host a radio-specific
front panel. And 10.17 modified all the rig drivers to be
extensible (using COM--a Microsoft technology used by the
rest of WL) so that, in addition to the basic frequency/mode
read/write behavior WL requires of all rigs, any given rig
driver can implement more features if they happen to be needed.
Like, for instance, if an on-screen front panel happens to need
the extended functions in the rig driver.
10.17 uses the extensions to support the Pegasus, but does
so on-the-cheap by using the existing Pegasus software. However,
there are other front-panel-less rigs that I could not accommodate
that way. Those rigs might some day have a front panel built into
WL. That is, if I find the time to build such a thing. Actually,
the rig driver architecture introduced in 10.17 enables WL to
host an on-screen front panel for any rig--even those with real
hardware front panels--as long as somebody is willing to code
the front panel and the driver extensions necessary. The bad news
is that, at least for now, that somebody would have to be me
because I didn't quite go all the way to making a software
development kit for it like I did for the per-contest software
modules. One person has expressed an interest in building such
things, but we haven't progressed beyond the discussion stage.
If anyone else is interested, let me know. By the way, the
technology used for the front panel is that its an
ActiveX Control--something that can be implemented not only
in C++, but also in Visual Basic.
Wayne, W5XD
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-writelog@contesting.com
> [mailto:owner-writelog@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Herb Rosenberg
> Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 22:16
> To: writelog@contesting.com
> Subject: [WriteLog] Writelog Radio Front Panel Option?
>
>
> Just noticed an option on the pull down menus for Radio Fron
> Panel, which
> when I select, is blank.
>
> What is this for? Just installed 10.17.
>
> Sorry if this has already been asked here.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Herb - KG6OK
>
> herbr@netcom.com
>
>
>
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