New Broadcast Overlay - overlay.html is blank

Discussion in 'Technical & Support' started by Marc Christopher Harris, Feb 14, 2021.

  1. Marc Christopher Harris

    Marc Christopher Harris Registered

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    Not sure if this is a common issue in v1124

    Control panel loads fine, can click through the cars, and change the camera angle.

    NOTHING on the right hand side works. overlay.html is blank both in a browser, and OBS (makes sense if one is blank the other will be)

    Game is running in windowed, spectator mode.

    Have set Inactive Sleep Time to -1

    Anything else?
     
  2. Marc Christopher Harris

    Marc Christopher Harris Registered

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    Turns out - unhelpfully on the instructions, https://docs.studio-397.com/users-guide/broadcast-overlays

    Although it mentions you have the option of customising the overlay by copying the default folder. It doesn't actually tell you, you need to download it to "the installation folder". Even that seems to be ambiguous, as it only seemed to start working when it was put in the root folder, not the installation one.

    Same old rf2, trying to alienate people from using it by making it as complicated as possible. But seems to work now.
     
  3. nickbalti

    nickbalti Registered

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    Always nice to see that you have to fix your own problems here.
     
  4. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    In the link that you have provided is written this
     
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  5. Marc Christopher Harris

    Marc Christopher Harris Registered

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    Not at any point does it tell you you actually have to zip that folder into there. Only if you want to create a copy of the original, you need to go to that folder and duplicate it.

    Further to that, its ambiguous, the rfactor2 installed folder - to me suggests it should be common/rfactor2/installed and in that folder with all the vehicles, tracks etc. Not just in the root folder.

    Why on earth would they tell people the overlays is available to use, and not install the files as part of the base game.
     
  6. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    Well...
    I agree with you.
     
  7. Marc Christopher Harris

    Marc Christopher Harris Registered

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    I agree with you too, and I think we are on the same page : I wasn't wanting to customise anything - just having it there. So the instructions should read:

    The overlay isnt installed by default, so the first step is to unpack default_december2020.zip into (insert folder name...)

    Ahhhh, frustrating. Its simple User Experience providing good instructions.
     
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  8. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    I agree.
    The rF2 should include the ..\rFactor 2 \Overlays\Default\... structure, by default.
    Only with this, the Overlay system would work opening the Control Panel.
     
  9. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    Guys, any news on this? Im a total newb when it comes to broadcasting but I want to get started & my pee brain can't figure out how to use the overlays while live streaming/broadcasting.
    I started here Broadcast Overlays - Users Guide (studio-397.com) but can't wrap my head around wtf to do ..lol
    It states that once the client is running in a session the overlay is on ..but ..?? lol all the localhost links in that are in that doc won't open whether the games running or not .. again i don't know what I'm doing lol. any suggestions or pointers would be greatly appreciated! :)
     
  10. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    So I'm guessing I have to manually creat an overlays folder in the rf2 main dir & then unzip the default into it first? lol:rolleyes: .. is there any documentation on this procedure?
    sry for being lame ..lol :mad::rolleyes::D
     
  11. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    Yes. This is what is written in the guide that you posted
     
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  12. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    Ya, thx Lagg,
    I just re-read all that .. :oops:
    I agree with the posts above .. :eek::D
     
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  13. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    Ok, I have now the folder created with the default folder un ziped into it = D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\rFactor 2\Overlays I renamed the default folder (should I leave it as 'default' if I'm not customizing?) anyway it says once the client is running and in a session you can connect to the control pannel .. I fired up my rf2, jumped on the server in spectate then tried to open the control panel on my laptop but it won't open i get the message>

    Desktop Screenshot 2021.09.22 - 12.27.22.79.png
    I get the same connection fail with the other localhost link .. I turned off all firewalls & anti-v ..
    I don't see any overlay in full screen as a spectator is this because I cant set it up because I can't get to the localhost addresses to tell it what to display?.. The way it reads it says you can run it from in the game once you set it up through the control panel, but I can't get to the control pannel lol. I'm joining our ded server. do I need to create/put the overlay folder in that install as well? I know I'm doing something wrong :eek::(:D Thx for any help
     
  14. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    The overlay has to be in the pc that you are going to use, to do the broadcast
    Unzip the file in the folder ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\
    You'll have this structure
    ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\default\
    ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\default\images
    ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\default\videos
    ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\default\config.json
    ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\default\standings.json
    ..\rFactor 2\Overlays\default\custom.css

    Open the rF2 (preferiblely in window mode)
    Maximize the replay window
    I don't know the name of this window. Is this one
    upload_2021-9-22_23-43-54.png
    Open in your web browser this url
    http://localhost:5397/overlays/controlpanel.html
    You should see the Control Panel
    Select the default Overlay
    upload_2021-9-22_23-49-51.png
     
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  15. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    Thx Lagg , its now working :).. I was trying to reach the control panel from my laptop while broadcasting from the game pc & once I used the gamer for both with alt/tab then it shows up ..doh .:eek::D So now I'm re-reading the puzzle, ur, um, instructions, to learn how to get it on the laptop as well.
     
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  16. Goanna

    Goanna Registered

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    From your laptop you’d need to replace “localhost:5397” portion of the address with IP address of your game machine, ie something along the lines of http://192.68.0.1:5397/overlays/controlpanel.html. Open a command prompt on your game machine and type “ipconfig /all” (without the “”) and look for the ipv4 line for the game machine ip.
     
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  17. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    If the control panel doesn't work in your laptop, disable the firewall in both pcs to check if something is blocking the connection.
     
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  18. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    Having jumped through a few hoops & needing to update the laptop (got the wify a new one so I have her old potato that has not fired up in months lol) its now working using the IP in the localhost spot :) wheew ..:D:D:D
    Now, I don't want to hijack this thread but It seems that's already happened so sorry about that ..but I think Im not the only one having 'a time' with this so maybe it can help others :rolleyes: .. I hope it's ok if i carry on with some more questions? or should I start a new thread?
     
  19. kro388th

    kro388th Registered

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    New Broadcast Overlay - adding custom images/vids not working | Studio-397 Forum
     

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