Java Guncam Help File

Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

To use this guncam, you will need to have Sun's JRE 1.3 installed on your PC (Note: some Win2000 and XP users reported problems with then latest JRE, version 1.4 -- if this describes your problems, go back to JRE 1.3.x). You can get it by downloading and installing the file located here. It's about a 5 meg download.

Installing Java Guncam

Download and unzip the file, jguncam.zip, somewhere on your hard drive (example: C:\guncam\). You can then start the program by double clicking the jar file in the directory you just extracted to. If you want a shortcut for your desktop or start menu, create it using the following info:

  • Target: "C:\guncam\jguncam.jar"
  • Start In: "C:\guncam"

    The above settings will vary depending on where you extracted your files to.

    Java Guncam Settings

    Upon double clicking the shortcut you created(or the jar file directly), you should get the screen below. Here is a break down of the settings with what they do and how they work:


    ACTIONS

    Storage Folder

    This will be the name of the folder (under C:\guncam\) that the output files will be saved. The file names themselves will be named "frame#.jpg" where # starts at 10000 and increments. So for example: frame10000.jpg, frame10001.jpg, frame10002.jpg, etc., will be created in a folder located at C:\guncam\session\. In the event that folder exists, Java Guncam will create a folder with the name you chose, plus an integer (like "session2"). This keeps you from accidentally over writing files from a previous session.

    Activate Camera

    Pushing this button accepts your settings, saves them for use next time, and starts the guncam running in the background.

    Finish Developing

    Push this button after leaving your game. It will then process and save out the jpg files (that may have not been saved using the save command). When it is done developing, the program will tell you to exit. Exit the program before using Java Guncam again.

    View Results

    Using this button will launch your internet browser and display the latest captures after developing is done.


    PROPERTIES

    Resolution Width/Height

    This is the width and height of the resolution that you play your game at (example: 1024x768). This is not your desktop resolution, although it might be the same.

    Film Size Width/Height

    This is how big the capture will be in pixels (length and height)

    Offset Verticle/Horizontal

    A requirement for Java Guncam is that you run your game in a window and not full screen. The pictures do not always come out right when playing in full screen mode, although some pictures turn out OK if you want to try it. NOTE: Several users of high-end machines report good footage running in full screen mode. So you can use this setting to move around your area of film taking A setting of 0,0 will be the center of the screen. A positive X will move you right and a positive Y will move you down.

    Delay Between Frames in miliSecs

    This is the delay between screenshots. Do note that if the setting is faster (low time delay) than your PC can handle, it will take them as fast as it can with a 10 millisecond 'sleep time' added on. This sleep time is necessary to let Warbirds do its thing. In testing if I just let the camera go as fast as it could, it bogged down the game's fps. This is why I give the PC at least those 10 milliseconds. If your PC can handle your setting the sleep time is figured after each frame take to give the PC as much time as possible while taking screen shots at your speed. Do be aware that this is not an exact science and your timestamps may not match your delay speed exactly.

    Trailing Frames

    This is how many frames the camera will take after you release the trigger. Then the film will show what happens after you let go the trigger (like bails, explosions, maneuver, etc.). When making this setting, consider your camera speed (the next setting).

    Threshold

    This setting determines the number of captures to do before doing an auto save. It is useful because if the program overloads your RAM, it crashes. This setting will keep that from happening. The larger your captures and less RAM you have, the smaller this number should be. If threshold is reached, you may get a gap between captures and experience a slow down as it does its saving. You can put a value of 1 to save images as they are taken.


    IMAGE PROCESSING OPTIONS

    Add Timestamp to Film Frames

    This simply adds the time in the form hour:minute:second.milisecond to the upper left corner of your film. You can use this to see how fast your PC is taking pictures, or have it as a reference when reviewing your film after a long mission. This is the only image setting that may decrease the speed your PC can take pictures.

    Brighten Colors

    If your images come out looking too dark, use this option. It is advisable (but not necessary) to use this function when creating grayscale images as they usually appear too dark.

    Grayscale (black and white film)

    By default, the output is in color. By checking here your output will be like a black and white film.

    Age and Distort Film

    This does 2 things. It will add 10 white specs to each frame randomly and also put a gray line down the frame that randomly moves back and forth. This gives the look of historical guncam footage.

    Blur Output

    Pictures can come out looking 'fake' and too clean. I added this functionality to blur the image to make it look more realistic. It does a basic smoothing of colors across the images.

    JPG Quality

    You can change the quality of your output from 0 (small sized file, high compression) to 100 (large sized file, low compression). 75 is a good place to start.


    JOYSTICK and KEYBOARD CONTROLS

    Joystick Buttons

    This is referring to the generic 4 joystick buttons where the trigger is usually button #1. This will vary by analog joystick and how you set up your digital joystick. For digital joysticks, you must map your button to emulate joystick#1, button#1 on the system level.

    Hotkey

    You can optionally assign a key press to work like a trigger. The film will roll while the key is depressed.

    Save Film

    This function saves out the current images and then purges the memory. It is advisable to do this (or a straight purge) after each sorty to avoid memory overflow errors.

    Purge Memory

    This function simply purges images currently in memory without saving them. If you know the film you just shot is not good, just use this.

    Pause Usage

    Activating this will turn off the guncam from joystick input. Using the run and stop commands will still work.

    Unpause Usage

    This will re-activate joystick input for Java Guncam after a pause was done.

    Run Film

    Using this function will start and run the taking of images indefinitely, irrelevant to joystick input. Careful, images collect quickly. Do frequent stops and saves.

    Stop Recording

    This will stop the taking of images after a run command was issued.

    TYPICAL RUNNING

    In a typical session, you would:
  • start up Java Guncam with your shortcut, choose your settings, and then click "Activate Camera" to start it.
  • Then you would start game, in a window if possible.
  • Play the game, doing saves and purges as you go.
  • After you are done shooting and playing, exit your game.
  • Now, press "Finish Developing" and wait until it tell you exit the program.
  • Exit the program by clicking the 'X'.
  • Then using a gif animation program (that can read jpg's), convert the pictures you took to an animation.
    The jpgs will be in your C:\guncam\{naming convention} folder. Careful, it can fill up fast with screen shots. The images are jpg's, so any type of graphics editor should be able to see them.

    TROUBLE SHOOTING

    This is just a quick reference to things people have had problems with and their resolution. Do note that Java Guncam will work on most anything displayed on your desktop. So, when testing, there is not a need to start your game, just pull the trigger and take some shots of your lovely desktop.

    Joystick Problems

    The following sentences describe the key to getting your joystick buttons to work. Analog joysticks should have no problems, and if you do, I would start with the drivers for it. However, everyone who has an analog stick working in a game as said it works with Java Guncam. Digital sticks have been the problem for some people. The key is to set up your digital on the system level as opposed to changes in a particular game. You should be able to do this through software that came with your joystick. Most are reporting they had to assign their digital joystick as joystick #1 and then assign a button as button #1(or whatever button combo you are going to use). When trouble shooting joystick issues, I would check all the buttons in the guncam setup and play with your system setup of the joystick. Then, once that is working, verify your game still works, and if not tweak for the new trigger setting. If you are using a shortcut, verify that it is pointing to the correct location. If it points to the wrong folder, this may cause joystick problems.

    Only Takes 1 Frame or No Frames (on XP)

    This seems to be a Windows XP problem. Reading input from XP users seems to point to a problem in how the joystick button data is read. Try assigning only 1 button to use to take the pictures. Users reported issues when multiple buttons are being pressed. I hope to have more info on this in the future. Make sure you have the JRE specifically for XP.

    Guncam Starts Up OK, but When I Quit My Game, It Has Disappeared (or locked up)

    This most likely is due to Java Guncam encountering a memory error. In the event this happens, Java Guncam will write out the pictures it did take and then exit. To avoid this problem, use the save and purge commands (referenced from setup page). I suggest using these commands before every sorty. You should also set your threshold lower so that it does your cleaning for you before the error can occur. If you are still having problems, try decreasing your film size and increasing your delay between frame takes. Or, you can increase your RAM size. :)

    Double Clicking the Jar File Does Nothing but Bring up a "Open With..." prompt

    When the JRE is installed it associates .jar files to it. Either you do not have the JRE installed, or it installed incorrectly. If you believe the JRE install was good, you can try launching from the DOS prompt. Go to your shell prompt and then navigate to where jguncam.jar is. Then type (no quotes) "java -jar jguncam.jar". If that does not work, the JRE is not working. If it does work, the association of jar files may be wrong.

    My Folder of Frame jpgs is not There (or were put in some other folder)...

    You may have the working directory set up wrong in the shortcut you are using. This will also cause the joystick and keyboard to not be read.

    Some of My Frames Are Distorted or Blank (or just plain wrong)

    This is because you are running in full screen mode. While some report great results in full screen mode, most medium range machines will have a bad frame every 10 or so. Running in a window (uncheck full screen mode) will always turn out 100% good frames.