SDR# Mode Preset Plugin Display Help

[nj3h]

To The Wraith 2008,

Greetings,

I found the subject plugin quite by accident yesterday. It is something I had wanted as a plugin for a long time. All seems to work fine except for the displaying of the buttons, depending on the size of SDR#. Please see the attached picture. You will note that the buttons in the right-hand column are truncated. I can move the right-hand edge toward the left of the SDR# window and get rid of the 5th column, but then I couldn't see what was saved to those buttons. Stretching SDR# to the full screen size does not fully display all of column 5 either. I tried changing the number of columns and playing with it some more, but couldn't satisfactorily make the buttons display "nicely". Most of the time I have SDR# set about half the screen size.

What would be nice would be for whatever the plugin's open window size is, to have complete buttons (in my case, the number of columns set, distributed in the allocated space for them. For those that have the plugin stored on the side, then the same idea for the rows.

Is there anything that you can do to improve on button alignment and placement?

This is a super plugin and is very much needed. Thank you so much for having it available.


Regards,
George, NJ3H
Redmond, Oregon USA

 

[nj3h]

The issue I previously reported on does not occur on the Telerik version of SDR# (ver (1919). The newest version of SDR#, which is being called the minimal version (ver 1920) , no longer has telerik included. So the issue is that with telerik no longer being used in sharp, the display is messed up as I mentioned in my yet to be approved message.https://forums.radioreference.com/forums/software-defined-radio.193efully a fix can be made to this great plugin for the the new route that SDR# is taking.

Thanks,
George

 

[morfis]

What happens if you set it to four columns? Is the forth one truncated?

As you only appear to be using two presets, 1 row of 4 columns would still give you two more to play with....if you then want to add more then ass a second row.

 

[nj3h]

What happens if you set it to four columns? Is the forth one truncated?



As you only appear to be using two presets, 1 row of 4 columns would still give you two more to play with....if you then want to add more then ass a second row.

Hello Morfis,



Yes, the fourth one is truncated. I did say in another message, the you probably didn't see yet, that the display of the buttons was perfect in version 1919 of SDR#. That and many previous versions ran with telerik (some program built into SDR#).



In the last month or so, the author of SDR# has dropped using telerik. The current version, 1920, is the first one since telerik was dropped. This is the way SDR# is heading in the future.



The plugin in the previous version of SDR#, would automatically adjust the size of the buttons to fit the width of the plugin window where the buttons are displayed.



In the current version of SDR#, the plugin coding is incompatible.



I am in the process of adding data to at least 20 buttons. The idea of having push buttons is wonderful, so I am hopeful the The Wraith 2008 will be able to make the necessary graphical changes.

What happens if you set it to four columns? Is the forth one truncated?

As you only appear to be using two presets, 1 row of 4 columns would still give you two more to play with....if you then want to add more then ass a second row.

Hello Morfis,

Yes, the fourth one is truncated. I did say in another message, that you probably didn't see yet, that the display of the buttons was perfect in version 1919 of SDR#. That and many previous versions ran with telerik (some program built into SDR#).

In the last month or so, the author of SDR# has dropped using telerik. The current version, 1920, is the first one since telerik was dropped. This is the way SDR# is heading in the future.

The plugin in the previous version of SDR#, would automatically adjust the size of the buttons to fit the width of the plugin window where the buttons are displayed.

In the current version of SDR#, the plugin coding is incompatible.

I am in the process of adding data to at least 20 buttons. The idea of having push buttons is wonderful, so I am hopeful the The Wraith 2008 will be able to make the necessary graphical changes.

The new "minimal" version 1920 of SDR# can be found at:

https://airspy.com/downloads/sdrsharp-x86-minimal.zip

This is the version without the telerik graphic portion in the software.

Thank you to those that are willing to help. I do hope that TW2008 will see my messages.

Regards,
George

 

[morfis]

Youssef seems to make a habit of breaking compatability with his own api. The current beta being a perfect example of this in action.
You could tag @thewraith2008 to help bring your query to his attention (whilst contacting Youssef elsewhere to ask why he makes his api break so often!....be aware that he'll spit his dummy* out again though)

*pacifier in your part of the world

​

 

[nj3h]

Is this location correct for The Wraith 2008 to see this message thread? I didn't understand the way to send him a message that someone posted last evening.

 

[morfis]

Is this location correct for The Wraith 2008 to see this message thread? I didn't understand the way to send him a message that someone posted last evening.

He might see the thread or he might not. I added the tag in my previous reply using his actual user name as that's the best thing you can do here as he, understandably, doesn't accept PMs on the bulletin board.

 

[nj3h]

Thank you morfis for your help and highlighting it for TW2008.

All the best.

 

[nj3h]

The latest revision to the SDR# minimal version (minimal) released on 7 Apr 2024 has resolved the display problem with the buttons.

 

[thewraith2008]

SDR# minimal version was experimental.
This version no longer exists, it is now "sdrsharp-x86-next"

I did upload a fix (v1.4.5.0) for the issue with the buttons but looks like I wasted my time (again) .

 

[nj3h]

Hello The Wraith 2008,

Thank you so much for your efforts on this excellent plugin. I very much appreciate it.

I do have a question concerning the squelch setting. For the repeaters I have push buttons for, I have squelch enabled and to use squelch checkmarked. When I then push a button for a broadcast FM station (squelch is not enabled and squelch is not checkmarked for that FM broadcast station), I find that under the Radio Tab in SDR#, the squelch setting is checkmarked. When the FM broadcast button is pushed, why isn't the squelch un-enabled and squelch unchecked?

A minor thing, but I was just curious.

Again thank you for an absolutely wonderful and useful plugin.

Regards,
George

 

[thewraith2008]

When WFM is selected in SDR#, the squelch checkbox and threshold value are disabled. This is because of SDR# and not related to the plug-in.

I guess the thinking is that broadcast FM stations are continuous therefore the squelch is not needed to be available.

 

[nj3h]

Hello, I understand what you are saying. However, if I follow these steps:

1. In the plugin click on a pushbutton for 146.94 MHz, WFM, 10KHz, squelch is set on, enable is set on.
2. The Airspy R2 correctly goes to 146.94 and squelch is set in SDR#. PERFECT
3. In the plugin click on a pushbutton for 88.5 MHz, WFM, 192KHz, squelch is set off, enable is set off.
4. The Airspy R2 correctly goes to 88.5 but squelch is still set ON in SDR#. NOT PERFECT
5. I have to manually go to the Radio tab and then uncheck Squelch for weaker FM broadcast stations.


Maybe this cannot be fixed, but that is what is happening. In a perfect world, the 88.5 MHz pushbutton should turn off the squelch=on in SDR# left over from the previous station (146.94).

Anyway, can you see if you duplicate this on your end? My settings are attached. Thanks again!

Regards,
George

 

[morfis]

How about creating a dummy preset called "Squelch Off" (also set the threshold to a value below 20) on a quiet FM frequency? Does that carry over the squelch setting when you use it as an intermediate before tuning your weak broadcast station?

You could also ask Youssef to change the default behaviour of his software (but again be ready to catch the flying toys).

 

[thewraith2008]

OK, I can see what's happening.

In your right image (88.5), you have not enabled the Squelch (the left checkbox) which is used to update the Squelch enable and Squelch threshold settings in SDR#. So you need to set the Squelch enable=Unchecked.

When Squelch is not set, then the squelch will remain unchanged from current set state/value.

 

[thewraith2008]

When WFM is selected in SDR#, the squelch checkbox and threshold value are disabled. This is because of SDR# and not related to the plug-in.

I guess the thinking is that broadcast FM stations are continuous therefore the squelch is not needed to be available.

The above applies to SDR# at least up to and including v1716.

The above does not apply to newer versions of SDR# which now makes the squelch available in WFM.
I'm not sure exactly when that changed.

 

[nj3h]

TW2008 and Morfis,

Thank you for your prompt replies.

Having a no Squelch push button sure worked and of course setting the threshold = 0 did the trick as well.

I didn't understand the way the squelch and enable squelch check boxes worked. I didn't realize checking squelch and then not checking enable was the trick. I thought not checking squelch just told the program that squelch was off. Now I understand.

All is good and again thanks to both of you.

 

[nj3h]

Hello The Wraith 2008,

Please see the attached picture. I can no longer get the bottom row of push buttons to fully display. Changing the number of rows and extending the window downward does not help. I am using the lastest version of Node Presets (1.4.5.0) and the 25 Apr 24 version of SDR# 1920.

Can you offer any suggestions?

Regards,
George

 

[thewraith2008]

The latest version of the Mode Presets plug-in is v1.4.6.0 and it addresses that issue.
Please try it and let me know it you still have the issue.



Latest version (v1.4.6.0) can be found here: MEGA - Download

 

[nj3h]

Thanks so much! It seems the new version did the trick. Mode Presets is a wonderful and useful plugin.

Paolo, the guy who writes The Big Book at the Airspy download page should include it in his document. Most likely he doesn't know about it.

Regards,
George