Hi everyone,

You may find it asks to install .NET Runtime 8 on first startup, this is required for our new launcher which is not fully implemented yet and only used for the installation process at the moment. That's the main purpose of this post!

Added:
- New user-friendly installed that's not just a command prompt.

Changes:
- Removed various unused processes and made modifications to avoid a Windows Security false positive.
- Made various changes to 'help avoid' OVR Toolkit remaining open after closing SteamVR.


So like... Why no more frequent updates?

Well, a lot is in the works under the hood. We're currently undergoing a large UI overhaul to make our design language consistent and more professional as well as improve usability overall.

This'll mean that, finally, all Window Settings have been moved onto the overlay itself instead of the 'phone like' legacy Edit Mode menu. The legacy Edit Mode menu will be removed entirely.

The Global Settings will be a pop-out settings window that can be dragged around and will be a lot easier to navigate as well.

The upcoming changes also plan to fix some longstanding issues such as OVR Toolkit not closing on Steam when closing SteamVR, as well as resolving issues with the wristwatch not switching hands when changing between different pairs of controllers.

Motivation is hard to come by, it's very easy to feel overwhelmed and simply not achieve anything, but... Work is getting done slowly but surely. Hopefully it's all worth while in the end and it helps keep OVR Toolkit as the go-to VR desktop overlay for years to come. ^^

Thanks again everyone for sticking around, it's always greatly appreciated. Remember to post your feedback and suggestions in our Discord server!

11-09-2024:

Added:
- Added build version to Global Settings. (Bottom near the credits)

Changes:
- Removed legacy 'Spotify window title' method of getting media information as this is now totally replaced by the Windows Media API.
- Improved loading experience in the Set Contents menu, no longer needs to reload the list unless something has changed and now loads top to bottom not bottom to top.
- Removed Skeleton binding from default bindings to improve experience in VRChat.
- Cropped windows now have a dark gray mask instead of white.
- Removed 'Advanced' window cropping mode as it was barely functional, hard to use, and generally had little purpose.

Bug fixes:
- Fixed an issue where the window settings panel could sometimes be attached to the wrong device.
- Hopefully fixed various issues with desktop captures not recovering after a physical monitor disconnect.
- Notifications should no longer block cursor input to other overlays or the game.
- Fixed cropped windows blocking input to the Settings menu.
- Fixed an issue with reloading cropped windows which resolved in the cropped area being offset.
- Fixed an issue with input on cropped windows where it was difficult to interact with the edges of the window.

API:
- Fixed an issue with SendNotification not working from a Module plugin.
- Added SendNotification icon support for Module plugins.

16-06-2024

Bug fixes:
- Fixed a Windows 10 specific log spam. (Oops)
- Fixed HMD icon becoming left controller icon after reconnecting the HMD.
- Fixed an issue where old Windows notifications would appear in VR on app startup.

28-03-2024

Changes:
- Re-styled notifications, they now consider accent colour as well!
- Wristwatch will now show album art when available.

Bug fixes:
- Notifications will now queue correctly instead of having the text of a previous notification replaced whilst it's still open.

Developers:
- Added a way to send custom battery values to OVR Toolkit. (To support specific devices that don't send battery values to SteamVR)
- Added a websocket API to send custom battery values and notifications to OVR Toolkit. (See our wiki)
- Fixed 'SendNotification' not working in the modules API when called on Start.


Apologies for the lack of updates recently, I've been busy with life stuff!
Hope you're all doing well and having a mostly smooth time with OVR Toolkit!

As always, please post your issues in Discord so I can make a note of them and fix them as soon as I can! :)


Use VRCX?
Try enabling OVR Toolkit notifications in VRCX's next stable release!
(Thanks for implementing this support!)

11-12-2023

Added:

• Added new methods to the Plugins API. (See our wiki)
  
• Plugins API can now be used to display custom device battery levels on the wristwatch.
  
• Added 'hmdBattery' OSC parameter for Steam Link HMDs.

Changed:

• Steam Link HMD battery will now show with a HMD icon instead of a tracker icon on the wristwatch.

27-11-2023

Added:

• Plugins API. (Custom wristwatch modules created with .NET/C#, see our wiki here![wiki.ovrtoolkit.co.uk])

Changes:

• Temporarily removed webcam capture options in Set Contents to fix a crash related to Wacom graphics tablet drivers.

Bug fixes:

• Fixed CPU usage display on Windows 11. :)
  
• Custom Apps will no longer endlessly ask for permissions.
  
• Fixed an issue where curved overlay input was affected by the overlay settings panel being invisible after toggling edit mode off with the panel visible.
  
• Fixed wristwatch sidebar sometimes being visible on application start.

For the fellow nerds out there:
Here's a quick demo plugin I built to test the Plugins API.

This plugin is written in C# (.NET Framework 4.7.2), it adds some simple controls that interact wtih the Sensibo web API to control my office air conditioning from within VR.

Maybe some of you can implement something for your own home automation setups?

At this time... These plugins will not be on the Workshop due to security risks. Any plugins you install from Github are at your own risk! Stay safe and only run plugins from known sources. :)

The plugin API is super basic right now, with very limited customization beyond adding buttons and text, but it's a start. Let me know in our Discord what you'd like to see added to this!


As usual, please report issues in our Discord server! <3

10-10-2023

The Spooky Skeletons mini-game has RETURNED for the 4th year! Last year's champion was Rebind, hoping to beat him this year for your chance to win a Steam gift card? Give it your best shot in everyone's favourite extremely low-effort and buggy Halloween mini-game!

Open Edit Mode and click the SPOOKY pumpkin icon! Wo0o0o0o~

(Make sure you're in our Discord if you do win! Winner will be announced at the end of the month!)



Added:
- Added Spooky Skeletons mini-game, again! :pumpkincute:


Bug fixes:
- Grip Resizing now works when in Edit Mode with windows toggled off.
- Window pin and block input icons now update when in Edit Mode with windows toggled off.
- Pinned windows will now disable when unpinned whilst windows are toggled off.

Web API:
- Fixed a Web API bug that prevented pinned windows from appearing when overlays are toggled off.

31-08-2023

Changes:
- Implemented OSCQuery to better find VRChat and other compatible games OSC port.

Bug fixes:
- Fixed 'Play music while loading' not working as of a recent VRChat update which changed a log print we were looking for.
- Spotify advertisements should no longer be sent to the VRC chatbox media output.
- Misc fixes. (In other words, it's been months and I forgot what I did)




Hey everyone!

Sorry for the insanely long time between releases, if you're having issues, please check in our Discord issue tracker that it has been reported as that's what I'll be running through slowly but surely!

I apologize greatly for the lack of changes, some life issues came up and I got into a pretty low place, work became the least of my concerns.

Thankfully, things are improving and I should be able to get back into this and ensure OVR Toolkit remains the 'least bugged' overlay application on the market and that I continue to support you guys! :)

Thanks for your understanding everyone.

20-06-2023

- Fixed battery reporting breaking due to Sime device names containing a backslash. (Always sanitize your strings kids)
- Wristwatch can now be moved with Edit Mode open and windows toggled off.
- Edit Mode now works like expected with pinned windows. (Pinned windows can now be moved and their settings will appear when in Edit Mode with windows toggled off)
- Added Events button to the Edit Mode bar.
- Fixed events icon selector not allowing 128x128 or 256x256 resolution icons.

Hello everyone!

Today's update is pretty big, and hopefully works pretty good! I've had good feedback from the people in the Open Beta, so I'm finally ready to release it!

The goal of this update is to make OVR Toolkit easier to use, both for existing users and new users, without sacrificing any functionality. OVR Toolkit's primary audience is still power users and always will be, I'm never going to 'dumb things down', but... There's a lot that could be done to make things easier to use without having to make things dumber!

With this update, the Edit Mode UI (The phone thing) has started the first phase of being deprecated. Edit Mode's common functions like spawn window and recenter windows have been moved to the 'Sidebar', this is a new UI that appears beside the wristwatch when you click the gear icon. When this is open, you are in Edit Mode. No more giant phone blocking your view! Though at this time, the giant phone blocking your view is still used for many things, it just shouldn't need to be used often for core functions of the application like spawning windows or editing basic window settings.

What's that? Editing basic window settings without the phone UI you say?
Well well well... How the tables have turned. Mr. "Settings on windows are dumb" over here has finally seen the light. Clicking the gear icon below a window when in Edit Mode will now show commonly used window settings. Clicking the advanced settings button will open up the phone UI like before to show all Window Settings and allow you to edit windows from afar just like before.

You know what is a commonly used 'window setting'? Changing the content of a window, it's literally the first thing you do when spawning a new window, this is dumb. How have I made it less dumb? Windows now spawn with the set contents panel already visible on them, again dodging the phone UI.
(p.s - yes I know the list has to load each time you open a window, W.I.P)

You know what is ALSO a commonly used window setting? Turning off Eco Mode!
I've made Eco Mode less dumb, it now disables whilst you're looking at an overlay. Hopefully no more "why my youtube video 2 fps" comments! As a result, this setting is not included in the new quick access settings menu on windows.

Overall... These changes make OVR Toolkit 'flow' a lot nicer.
Spawn window is quicker to access, it's quicker to set the content of the window, and it's quicker and less confusing to edit the settings of the overlay.

Hopefully you all like these changes! Please let me know your thoughts in our Discord server! :)



20-02-2023

Added:
- Edit Mode sidebar to the wristwatch.
- Common window settings can now appear on a window itself by clicking the gear icon below it when in Edit Mode.
- Added tooltips to parts of the wristwatch.

Changes:
- When opening a new window it will now default to a 'Set Contents' screen instead of Desktop 1.
- Edit Mode is no longer the 'phone UI', it is now a sidebar beside the wristwatch.
- Eco Mode is less annoying now. (Will disable when looking at a window)

(And a lot of small things, too many to list)