Projection setup
- DryFire will not work with a projector unless you have installed the Projection add-on.
Without the add-on things will not work correctly - you will see both laser and projected targets on the projection screen and they will not line up with one another.
- If you purchased your DryFire system with the Projection add-on it will be enabled already.
- If you purchased the Projection add-on separately your invoice will contain a key to enable the function.
With the DryFire software running, select "Settings", "Add ons", enter the key in the "Apply key" field and click on "Apply".
Quick setup
Before setup
- Ensure you have DryFire working with laser targets before you start to set up for projection. More ...
- Ensure your projector meets the requirements for DryFire. More ...
- Ensure the projector's aspect ratio is set to "Native" or "Auto" and that any "Image shift" or "Zoom" features are set to zero.
- Ensure your projector is working with your PC in "extended mode".
With hundreds of different projectors Wordcraft cannot help to get your projector working with your PC/laptop. Check the projector manual or speak to your supplier if you have problems.
- Ensure the image generated:
- is truly rectangular - a spirit level comes in handy here,
- fits within the boundaries of the screen - nothing off the top, bottom or sides,
- is not distorted - check for keystoning,
- is not cropped in any way - this is critically important.
- Check all your measurements in "Settings", "Calibration", "Full calibration". Double check "simulator to wall/screen", "simulator from floor" and "shooter from wall". If you have entered any other measurements select "Advanced setup" and check them again.
Warning: entering a simulator height of "700" in metric mode will make DryFire think it is 700 metres above the floor! With one exception (see below) DryFire operates in metres so this should be 0.70m.
Note: you don't have to enter any measurements relating to the size of your screen or the projected image. Other values are established during the three step procedure described below.
Setup
- Select "Settings", "Calibration", "Full calibration", "Advanced setup" then "Next".
- Select "I'm projecting".
- Carry out the three step alignment procedure as described in the on-screen instructions:
- Use your mouse with the movement pad on the screen to align a projected cross hair to a laser dot,
- Measure the length of a projected vertical line in millimetres (mm),
- Use your mouse with the movement pad on the screen to move a laser dot to the tip of each of four projected arrows as it is displayed. Your projector is cropping the image if you can't see the arrow tips.
Extended mode
PC/laptops can work with projectors in two "modes":
- "Duplicated mode": the image projected is the same as the one on the PC/laptop.
- "Extended mode": the projected image will be entirely separate from the one on the PC/laptop.
You must use "extended mode" for DryFire.
The extended mode procedure for Apple Mac is described here.
The extended mode procedure for Windows 10 is described here.
The simplest setup for Windows 10, assuming your projector is plugged into your PC and has power on, is:
- Press the Windows Logo key plus the "P" key.
- Click on "Extend". You'll see everything across both screens, and you can drag items between the two.
An easy check for extended or duplicated mode
If the projector is set up correctly the PC display should not be the same as the projected display.
DryFire's left-hand sidebar, with the "Settings" button in the bottom, must appear only on the PC screen when the DryFire software is running with the normal simulation background displayed.
Things are wrong if you see the "Settings" button on the projected display.
Two displays but one mouse cursor
There is only one mouse cursor shared between the two displays - and you will probably lose it sometimes.
Keep moving the mouse left and right until the cursor appears on the screen you wish to access - it may be hiding in a corner or at the top or bottom of the screen.
Hint: a bigger cursor may help so on Windows 10 click on the Windows logo key (bottom left), then "Settings" (the gear icon), then "Ease of access", then "Cursor and pointer" (from the sidebar), then "Change pointer size".
Wrong image size
You must set up your projector so:
- the whole PC extended display image is visible and not cropped in any way,
- the projected image fits within the screen area - and does not go beyond it.
Checking for cropping
Follow this procedure if, during projection setup, the tips of the four arrows are not shown on the projection screen.
With the DryFire software running and your projector working, select "Settings", "Support", "Advanced", "More options", "Check projector settings" then "Open check page".
- You are using "duplicated mode" if the PC screen and the projected image are the same. You must use "extended node". (See above.)
- The image is being cropped if you do not see a red border on all four sides..
Cropping must be corrected before carrying out the DryFire projection setup. Check your projector's manual or speak to your projector supplier..
Ensure the projector's aspect ratio is set to "Native" or "Auto" and that any "Image shift" or "Zoom" features are set to zero.
The Internet has many articles on the general use of projectors, for example: here and here. For more articles do a browser search for "pc projector cropping and scaling".
Illustration of the procedure
The drawing below shows:
- The projected image within the boundaries of the screen or wall. (Please see photos here.)
- The "Simulator from wall/screen" distance.
- The "Shooter from wall/screen" distance.
- The vertical line projected on to the screen - this must be measured when requested.
- Each of the four arrows that will be projected in the corners of the projected image - the laser dot must be moved to the tip of each one as it is shown.
Important:
See the note above about "Cropped images" if you can't see the tips of the arrows on the wall/screen.
Setup procedure in detail
- A red laser dot will appear close to the centre of the screen along with a projected image of a cross-hair cursor. Use your mouse or touchpad to move the projected cursor so its centre is over the dot, then click left.
Note: you will need to move the cursor from your main screen on to the projection screen, which will usually be to the right of your main screen, but may be above, below or to the left.
- Next you will see a vertical white bar projected in the centre of the image. Measure its length in millimetres (mm) and enter the value on the PC screen. The measurement should be accurate to the nearest millimetre.
- The software will project four large arrows pointing to the corners of the projected image - starting with the top left hand corner - and the simulator will display a laser dot close to the tip of each arrow in turn. (See above if you can't get all four arrows visible.)
If the laser dot is more than 150mm from the tip of the arrow, it suggests that one of the measurements ("simulator from wall/screen", "simulator height", "shooter from wall/screen") is wrong, so restart the calibration process.
- The PC screen will show a pad to control the location of the laser dot using up/down/left/right buttons for you to click on with your mouse or touchpad. Move the laser dot so it is as close as possible to the tip of the arrow then click on "Next".
- Important note: the procedure must be followed for each arrow.
- Once this is done you can go through the muzzle alignment process, select targets and start shooting.
Report of problem with Windows 10 and extended mode
Note: you will need to move the cursor from your main screen on to the projection screen, which will usually be to the right of your main screen, but may be above, below or to the left.
If the laser dot is more than 150mm from the tip of the arrow, it suggests that one of the measurements ("simulator from wall/screen", "simulator height", "shooter from wall/screen") is wrong, so restart the calibration process.
We received the following from a DryFire user in South Africa who was having problems with his projector. Unfortunately Wordcraft cannot help with Windows problems but we are really pleased it got sorted out in the end - and we now have an enthusiastic DryFire user!
- Resolution was set to 1080 for both screens but the computer was saving the projector and laptop resolutions differently. Windows also failed to save settings entered into the extended screen options.
- My computer guy reinstalled Windows and changed some advanced settings which had caused the extended screen to switch back to duplicate screen as soon as I opened any program including DryFire.
- The refresh speed on the laptop was at an odd setting which was causing delays between the projector and the laptop. Now sorted.
- Needless to say, once it was working I shot until I couldn't lift the gun any more!
- I am so impressed with this system I hope it never breaks as I now using it every day.
- More importantly, I am going blind in my right eye which was dominant. Within 4 days I have taught myself to shoot left-handed with 90 percent scores on most trap setups.