Disabling SteamVR's HMD Requirement

Disabling SteamVR's HMD Requirement

The following is an excerpt from the SteamVR Hardware Section. Please check out the full article for more information on SteamVR Hardware tracking!

The Required SteamVR Change.    

SteamVR will initially load to show you a message like this with a blank screen. It will not recognize any VR hardware until it recognizes a headset plugged into the system.

Because SteamVR is purpose-built for entertainment VR, it assumes that your installation and use will be for an HMD setup and will not work immediately until you disable this requirement. Thankfully, we have three different ways to do so.

Using The SteamVR Component’s One-Click Button.

If SteamVR is still set to require an HMD, then this button will be enabled for you to use.      

You can find it by selecting/adding the SteamVR Tracking component to your ARFX Camera, at the very top of the list of settings in the ARwall section will be a button labeled “Patch HDM Req.” This button, once clicked, will find your SteamVR install and edit the configuration file to disable the default HMD requirement to use SteamVR, reporting either success or failure when complete.    

If the operation succeeds, you will have to restart SteamVR if it is running already for the setting to take effect. If the operation fails, it is recommended you make sure SteamVR is installed and you run it at least once before trying again.

If it continues to fail or you do not have access to this option, then you will have two more options to use.

Using The Patch SteamVR Button in the Options Menu.    

Found within the SteamVR section of Setup in the Options Menu, the highlighted button and its status text below will ensure that SteamVR is ready to use.  Found within the SteamVR section of Setup in the Options Menu, the highlighted button and its status text below it will ensure that SteamVR is ready to used.

If you are using one of ARwall’s built scenes or are in Unreal Editor, you can access the options menu at any time by pressing Escape, Backslash, or Start on your gamepad. Within the SteamVR Setup section, you’ll find a button with some status text below it, as shown in the image above.

If the system detects that you already have disabled the HMD requirement, then the button will be unusable, and the status text will be green. If it is not, then the button will be clickable, and the status text will show a yellow text saying, “SteamVR is unpatched!”.  

This button, once clicked, will find your SteamVR install and edit the configuration file to disable the default HMD requirement to use SteamVR, reporting either success or failure when complete. If the operation succeeds, you will have to restart SteamVR if it is running already for the setting to take effect. If the operation fails, it is recommended you make sure SteamVR is installed and you run it at least once before trying again.

If it continues to fail or you do not have access to this option, then you will have to modify it manually.

Important

The SteamVR section will not be present if you are using FreeD tracking or if there is no SteamVR component in your ARFX Camera in Unreal Editor.

Manually Edit the Configuration File to Disable the HMD Requirement.

This will require some file explorer navigation to do.  

• Start by finding the install directory of Steam, typically found within __”C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam”__

• Open the __config__ folder.

• Find the file named __steamvr.vrsettings__.

• Create a backup of the file and then open the file in Notepad.  

• Find and replace __""requireHmd"":true__ with __""requireHmd"":false__.

• Save and reopen SteamVR.

It may still show that an HMD is not connected, however as soon as your trackers are on and connected, those messages will go away and you are free to start tracking without the HMD.