External app for X4 Foundations game.
Shows real time logbook entries, mission offers, currently active mission details and player information.
Application is served on a local port, so it can be run locally or on multiple network devices at once.
Created to be displayed on external device (monitor, tablet or smartphone).
Note: lua module supports only Windows named pipes, so currently it will run exclusevly on this platform.
-
Install SirNuke's Mod Support APIs
https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/503 -
Download SirNuke's Python Pipe Server
https://github.com/bvbohnen/x4-projects/releases -
Install X4 External App mod
https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/818 -
Download X4 External App server
https://github.com/mycumycu/X4-External-App/releases -
Run SirNuke's Python Pipe Server, it will create
permissions.jsonfile.
Add X4 External App ID (ExternalApp) to the permissions file:
{
"instructions": "Set which extensions are allowed to load modules, based on extension id (in content.xml).",
"ws_2042901274": true,
"ExternalApp": true
}
That's it, you should be good to go.
- Start SirNuke's Python Pipe Server (via the
X4_Python_Pipe_Server.exefile) - Start the X4 External App server (
x4_external_app.exe). - Start the game and load your save file.
So there should be two console windows open - one from SirNuke's Python Pipe Server and second from X4 External App. Don't close it during playing.
X4 External App will serve application on a local port. If default port (8080) is busy - a new, free one will be found.
App will automatically open in default browser.
If you want to access it from a local network - change localhost to local IP address of a machine running X4, e.g. http://192.168.1.120:8080.
Application will detect and output the exact network address in console window.
App UI supports unrestricted filtering the latest logbook entries.
You can also define phrases that should be excluded or feartured in logbook panel.
To define such phrases, click on clog icon: 
Possible settings for each rule include:
- on/off toggle - defines if certain rule is enabled
- phrase - phrase to look for. All phrases are case-insensitive.
- type - excluded means that an entry containing such a phrase will not be displayed, while highlighted means that it will be marked with a color.
- blink - makes entry's title blinking
- title only - when disabled, search will consider also message text and a faction name
Important logbook messages (e.g. property under attack or being destroyed) will automatically blink catching attention.
All changes are stored automatically.
Mission offers can be filtered similarly to logbook entries.
Also, you can define which mission difficulties should be displayed.
To do so - just click on clog icon:
Setting window will open.
User can choose from several predefined application layouts by switching column order and/or increase font size.
Changes made are stored automatically.
Application will automatically adjust the height of the mission and logbook containers to fit the viewport height.
Layout is responsive, so it should look good on any device.
External App mod (MD + LUA) collects and sends data to SirNuke's Pipe Server (Python) custom module.
Then this module creates another named pipe, allowing the (Node.js) server to read data from this pipe and serve it to a (Vue.js) SPA application.
A big word of praise for SirNuke - without his work this data communication wouldn't be possible.
SPA application was created with Vue.js (v3) using Bootstrap (v5) and all data is provided dynamically.
In order to build executable of X4 External App server yourself:
- Clone this repo with the command:
git clone https://github.com/mycumycu/X4-External-App.git - Change dir:
cd x4_external_app - Install packages:
npm install - Create .env. file from existing .env.example file
copy .env.example .env - Build exe with:
npm run package
Output executable will be created in \dist folder