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ArtBurkeN4PJ

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  1. You could do what I did - although it would most likely require to buy even another product! One of my numerous gadgets is a Hagstrom Keyboard Encoder. One of the switches is programmed so that it shuts off the main throttle, then engages the thrust mechanism. I don't know about other encoders, but mine (KE-108USB) will handle up to 64 keystrokes in one "command." I'm currently only using 41 of the 108 available positions - my next projects on the horizon are to build a small keypad exclusively for ATC (the canned variety in FSX) and a specific control mechanism for the GPS 500. Once upon a time I did some moderately serious programming, but not any more. I've gotten to the point if I can't solve it with hardware, I don't do it! Good luck on your own project. Art - N4PJ
  2. I have (I think!) installed LINDA properly and got it running - a couple of displays with a "console" and been able to log a few things here and there, but can't seem to find hide nor hair of a manual/tutorial, etc. There's a section on the main panel of LINDA about "manual.pdf" but clicking on it only produces a very small dialog box that apparently has something to do with "creating" an airplane configuration for LINDA to use. I can't seem to locate a support forum or anything similar. Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  3. Thanks for the advice on the encoders Pete. According to the manual for my encoder board, the existing rotary inputs are: "2 Quadrature Rotary encoder Inputs - 4 position MTA header .100" spaced pins." It sounds like what you describe can be accommodated by the KE-USB108 encoder board. They also offer an accessory that will handle up to five (5) rotary encoders and apparently they can be daisy-chained for those who need even more. I've decided - for the moment - not to go quite as overboard as I did several years back. My wife bought me a beautiful desk as a present. Before she could say "WTF" it was covered with a yoke/throttle system, a couple of monitors, a home-brew switchbox, and a host of Elite Simulations and GoFlight equipment! At the moment, the desk is only slightly junked up, LOL. Since the new encoder board interfaces more easily than the old one did, I can remove it with little fuss when I'm not flying. With all the manipulations going on between the encoder board and FSUIPC, I feel more like a programmer than a pilot. When my wife complains, I throw you under the bus - LOL! Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  4. Years ago I bought a Hagstrom keyboard encoder board. It had to be loaded using a bona-fide serial port and the programming had to be done in DOS. Recently, I "upgraded" to a newer, bigger, better version - point and click to make your assignments. And super quick to load different versions for different planes. Coupled with FSUIPC you can almost throw the keyboard away! Well, bigger and even better things dawned on me. My encoder board will support two rotary encoder inputs. They make an accessory that will handle up to five (5). it seems to me - and my programming skills are only sufficient to make me dangerous! - that there should be a way (or two) to use a couple sets of encoders and make them look like radio dials - use one knob for the integer portion and another knob for the fractional portion. With four knobs, you could take on the "appearance" of two radios (COM1 and NAV1) and further switching could give you access to either COM2 or NAV2. Of course, if you want to track something on both NAV radios *and* maintain comms..... Others have undoubtedly done this already. There have to be a lot of people out there who've built some pretty sophisticated cockpits. I went the easy way when I bought some stuff from Elite Simulations, some CH Products and GoFlight. Just kind of thinking about it, it just seems like it wouldn't be that difficult to build your own frequency controls so you can reach over and turn the knobs instead of clicking with the mouse - or rolling the mouse wheel - or squinting like a son-of-a-gun because the "+" key is just too stinkin' small. LOL Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  5. Once upon a time, I had a bunch of GoFlight stuff. Traded one hobby for another and the GoFlight stuff got sold. I barely understand how rotary encoding works - basically identifies which way the knob got turned and how many "clicks?" The new keyboard encoder board I bought has some support for rotary encoders. It seems to me that with some nifty programming, two pairs of rotary encoders could be use to "drive" several different radios - two at a time so you could have COM1 and NAV1 active at the same time. By having four rotary encoders and using a "program/macro" you could control radios (NAV, COM and ADF and even the transponder) by making only "active" whatever you need to be active at any given time. Is there some place someone could direct me to obtain a bunch of knowledge about rotary encoders? Thanks. Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  6. JoyLetters is a dream! The USB gremlins still attempt to trash my joystick data, but, since the gremlins are concentrating (apparently) on using numbers, they're not upsetting my button/key assignments. There's been so much to relearn since my last foray into this environment. My last keyboard encoder had to be programmed in DOS - at least this new one reads Windoze! I'm amazed at how many people don't know what they're missing. When I got back into simming, I mentioned FSUIPC one day. The guys - every one of them - thought FSUIPC only had something to do with weather. They were astounded when I showed them some of my button/key assignments. The power of your utility is like the average Joe having access to a multitude of joysticks and buttons - and all without ever having to futz with the keyboard! Now I've gotta find a way to learn something about L:var and Lua - looks like I'll have to put my programmer's hat back on! Thanks again for your help and for your great utility. The registration fee is still one of those unbelievable bargains! Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  7. Thanks Pete. I *do* remember seeing the part about Joy letters in the docs. I suspected the joystick #s was the culprit. I now see your point about the assignments. I'll go back and make certain that my joystick numbers (or letters) and button assignments match up. It's probably as simple as realizing that all my assignments were to joystick zero and now that joystick has become #1 - therefore none of the assignments are valid! Before I gummed everything up earlier today I was really enjoying the fruits of my labor. Can't tell you how many times I've waded through certain sections of your docs. My first thought is that it's frustrating that Microsoft has gobs more of option numbers (like Cnnnnn) that never show up in FS. Of course, then I have to remind myself that Microsoft abandoned FS a long time ago. Thanks for the job of the brain in the right direction. Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  8. I was having great success with button programming in FSUIPC. Using "profile" I was able to dedicate buttons to generate specific windows regardless of the aircraft being flown, i.e., the GPS is panel #4 in one plane, but panel #6 in another. By coding them in FSUIPC, I could always use the same buttons to get the same panel view. Nice. However.... Today I introduced a Hagstrom keyboard encoder (the USB108). I thought at first I "lost" the joystick (a LogiTech Extreme 3D Pro). Turns out that FS wants to play with the Hagstrom (thinks it's a joystick!). Several times I had to manually select the LogiTech joystick, but even then, I've lost access to the last six buttons? I still have control over the first six, plus all three axes. I had to go back into FSUIPC and comment out some lines, replacing them with CONTROLS - OPTIONS, etc. in FS. Here's a couple of snippets from my FSUIPC.INI file. [JoyNames] AutoAssignLetters=No O=<< MISSING JOYSTICK >> 1=Logitech Extreme 3D 1.GUID={A1771B00-D104-11E5-8001-444553540000} 0=KE-USB108 Joystick 0.GUID={E0B64150-E5FF-11E5-8001-444553540000} [Axes] PollInterval=10 RangeRepeatRate=10 [buttons] PollInterval=25 ButtonRepeat=20,10 1=P0,7,C65580,0 2=P0,6,C0,0 [AutoSave] Next=1 Interval=60 END OF FIRST SNIP [Profile.F1_Pilatus] 1=F1_Pilatus_PC-12 exec [buttons.F1_Pilatus] 0=P0,7,C65580,0 ;autopilot master on 1=P0,6,C65725,0 ;autopilot heading hold on ;2=P0,11,C65909,0 ;display overhead panel ;3=P0,10,C65913,0 ;display throttle quadrant ;4=P0,9,C65914,0 ;display GPS ;5=P0,8,C65911,0 ;display radio stack END OF SECOND SNIP - you can see where I commented out lines 2 thru 5. I "reassigned" them via FS to display the appropriate panel. LAST SNIPPET [Profile.DC-3 HSI] 1=DC3-NH2 [buttons.DC-3 HSI] 0=P0,10,C65907,0 ;display GPS window 1=P0,9,C65914,0 ;display radio stack 2=P0,7,C65580,0 ;Autopilot Master 3=P0,6,C65726,0 ;Autopilot Altitude Hold On 4=P0,6,C1017,0 ;incr alt on Ap fast (+1000) 5=P0,6,C1017,0 ;incr alt on Ap fast (+1000) None of these will work in their present state since I can't "get" to the buttons. I have nothing in the way of a joystick enabled in the Hagstrom encoder board. Why does FS think it's a joystick? Why suddenly would another USB device lock me out of the use of certain buttons on my joystick? I think I can do a work-around by assigning functions to keys (again - those statements will have to be inside FSUIPC) and then macro-programming what I want (or what I *think* I want!) in the Hagstrom encoder. Frustrating! Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  9. Goodie! A positive statement from an expert! Thanks Pete - and thanks for a great contribution to flight simming! Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  10. I've seen lots of posts about FSX and FSX:SE. I bought a used version of FSX and only got a single installation out of it! Fortunately, it was cheap! After hearing about problems with FSX under Windows 10 (I'm still running Win 7 at the moment) I've got the heebie-jeebies about how long my installation might last. Will FSUIPC support the Steam edition as well as it supports FSX? Also been sneaking peeks at X-Plane and been thinking about the lowest level license for Prepar3D. Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  11. Well, I certainly made a mistake by posting in the wrong area. Didn't realize I was in a sub-category. I thought I did include the plane - it's the Flight One Pilatus PC-12. So definitely an add-on. There is a host of "hot-spots" to display or further "open" instruments - much like many other add-ons, of course. Yes, it did work fine even before the "Window=" statement with TAB while writing the mouse macro. I was excited when I found that part of the documentation. Maybe there's still hope. In the meantime, I think maybe I've found a work-around. The window I want to click on is beyond the SHIFT+# - it's window#9 - so it's "just out of reach" of a "regular" button/key push. However, window#5 is one that is very seldom accessed - the brake panel has the parking brake and a clock - neither are importing for starting/takeoff, etc. If I "swap" window positions between these two, I can access the "large" version of this gauge in a normal manner. Without too much difficulty, I can use the six buttons on the side to get something like 16 buttons (#6/#7 on/off, both on, etc) with the other four buttons will allow a lot of combinations - without any futzing with the mouse. Thanks for your alert reaction to my mis-post. I'll try to be more careful about where I put posts. I managed to dig out some of my paper documentation (back when I had my cockpit) for my previous equipment and the coding I had done - but none of it ever involved any mouse programming. Thanks again for getting my post into the right spot. Art - N4PJ Leesburg, FL
  12. MOVED FROM FAQ SUBFORUM WHERE IT WAS INCORRECTLY PSTED! Pete, I have mounted the tiger - and can't get off! I've gone carefully through your explanation about mouse programming in both the standard and the advanced user manuals. I'm able to create the mouse click on the appropriate "hot spot" on the screen. When I test with the TAB key, it works like a champ. But the macro never works in the plane under live conditions. Here's the actual macro I ended up with: [Macros] Module="F1PC12.GAU" Window="Alt Alert large" 1=ALT_ALERT_ENG=RX8990*X83cc This macro appears in the "Modules" directory and is referenced in the FSUIPC.ini file. My version is registered - 4.949f and I'm trying to mouse program on the 2D panel version of the Flight One PC-12. Everything in the above macro was created by FSUIPC except the "window" statement I added - pursuant to your advice in the manual. The title of the window is literally from the panel.cfg file - including the lower case in "large." I wanted no uncertainty about the window being referenced. By the way - the altitude alert gauge appears in two different sizes. But, according to your comments in the user guide, that should not matter, since I'm specifically referencing that "large" version of the gauge. Lost in Leesburg (Florida) Art My FSX is installed in F:\FSX. i thought maybe FSUIPC was getting lost looking for a different installation, but FSUIPC is in the F:\FXS\Modules folder - I think that's right. A number of years ago I had a lot of experience programming some of this stuff - had a radio stack with autopilot and was using a Contour Shuttle to control my Garmin GPS. Not a newbie, but it's been a long, long time since I was last simming!
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