Pete Dowson

Seems your tutorial was very poor. Just follow the easy numbered steps in the User Guide calibration chapter. Always calibrate left to right. The buttons set the values according to the axis position. They increase left to right. The left hand value must be the lowest. It won't accept values out of order. Followv the instructions. Pete

The devices referred to by the letters are determined by the device name and GUID. Are all those devices identical in that respect? If you are truly using Joy Letters then all you'd need to do is check the [JoyNames] section. Any correction is simply done there, but unless you have some identical devices that should not be necessary. Pete

For #1, the DLL is not able to take different actions for fast and slow turning of a multi-position switch. That sounds more like confusion in the firmware. Isn't that similar to where you said you occasionally got '3' for the '0' position of the TankSelect? I'll see if the log makes any sense of all that. #2 must surely be a firmware problem? No way would the default baro adjust be wrong. Or is okay with default aircraft, just not with your add-on one? If it isn't with defaults I need the log showing that, before you added macros please. For #3 I would need the crash log from Windows. You don't appear to be using macros related to those switches. This is really getting a bit much for me at present, as I have loads of other stuff on my plate. I think you must be the only user of this hardware using FSX or P3D? Maybe you'll need to contact PFC about some of this? I simply don't have any hardware to test with and they have evidently changed it quite a bit in the last 10-15 years. I'll see if I can glean anything reasonably quickly from logs, though this time I do really need the FSUIPC log as well, please, with 0D6C and 0D70 being monitored (as S32 and ASCIIZ respectfully), and event logging enabled Pete

x0000FA7B = 64123. Is that the parameter you want? Parameters for offsets are expressed in hexadecimal because the main content and use of offsets is more relevant in that radix. x66C0 = 26304, but, again, offsets are more known (and documented) in hexadecimal. Pete

FSUIPC logging (available even to the unregistered) will log controls associated with switches even if moved by mouse -- Log events checkbox. And in the FSUIPC Documents folder there is a list of all FSX/P3D controls (known at date of publication), all of which can be assigned in FSUIPC and which is actually a lot more extensive than those listed in the sim's assignments dialogues. But with PMDG aircraft, and many other sophisitcated add-on ones, the built-in controls do not work. FSUIPC also offers "mouse macros" which do the same as the mouse for some add-on aircraft, and also access to "L:VArs" (local panel varaibles") which can be used with some others. There are almost always solutions, and even more so with P3D4 as that develops. I'm sorry, but in what context? I still don't understand what you mean. I kmow you are continuing, and you keep asking the same question in the same way, a way that makes no sense on its own. A rotary encoder switch will show as a button on way and another the other. For a multiposition switch each position will normally have a different button number. But I can't believe this is still what you want to know! Pete

FSUIPC is a toolkit. You can do almost anything you like, some things by assignments and conditionals, so by plug-in programs, as I said. You are asking about specifics. those aren't "built into" FSUIPC. Switch positions are switch positions, that's all, and can initiate or change almost anything if accessible in the simulator. Value for what? Sorry, your question is still not clear. If you need to do a lot of research before spending so much money, I really suggest you take a look at what others have accomplished. Peruse the entries in the User Contributions subforum above, for instance. I am not about to act as a salesman and persuade you to part with your hard-earned cash. You really have to make your own mindup. read the documentation as well -- if you've installed FSUIPC you already have that (see the FSUIPC Documents folder withing the Modules folder). Pete

Sorry, this is rather out of context. Can you show what you have tried in your "struggle"? Pete

Well, yes, it is possible. you can go through a whole sequence of different controls with just a simple push button. It would need either editing the FSUIPC settings file (the .INI) to add multipl lines for that button or switch, with different actions being conditional. The condition might be via using flags or by using user offsets (any in the range 66C0-66FF) to remember where you are up to. The details of all these facilities are in the FSUIPC Advanced User guide, in the section about Button Assignments. Another way, and possibly easier to understand, but more wieldy, is to use a plug-in written in Lua, which can use variables to keep track of where you are in the switch setting. For the PMDG aircraft it could even read the offset containing the current switch position. (Actually, thinking aboutr it, the offset conditions for the INI file method might be able to use those too). Well if the switch has enough positions it becomes easier, doesn't it? Each position will look like a different button, so you assign each appropriately. If you mean a rotary encoder only giving two button numbers (clockwise and anti-clockwise) then you are back to the single press solutions above, but with two single press buttons so you don't need such complicated logic. Sorry, I don't understand this question. What "value"? Is a left-right switch somehow different from an up-down switch other than the way it is oriented? You'll get instructions, and you will already have the Installation guide as it was in the ZIP with the Installer. I suspect you should try walking before running. It sounds like you want to jump into complex matters before even trying basic ones. Pete

ADD them, as it says (and I think I said earlier)! See the + ? That means "add" as always. Engine start is normally alot more complex than just one switch. On a 737NG it invloves several -- the two main ones being the GROUND-OFF-CONT-FLT rotary, one per engine, and the CUT/IDLE switch, per engine, allowing the fuel in at the right time. but before that you have to have fuel pumps on on some means or furning the props -- APU bleed air or ground compressors. If you want just a simple way then default aircraft start with Ctrl+E (I think that's right -- long time since i resorted to it). Pete

Yes. It will be okay, but i'm not allowed to say any more at present. Nudge nudge, wink wink! Pete

You are not looking at the controls list, which is at the end. But the large table of data which can be read out -- all read only. FSUIPC does read all of that and place it in offsets for programs to use. Those offsets are detailed in a document in your FSUIPC documents folder. If the base number is from the list near the bottom 9I thonk it says #define for each line). Is 152 after a + in the #define for the switch you want? If not, where are you plucking 152 from? On PMDG aircraft the parameters are reiated to what the switch does, and are often to do with the mouse action you'd use. For a knob or multi-poisition switch it might be a left or right button value depending on the direction you are turning it. (doesn't the PMDG aircraft change the mouse pointer to curly arrows to indicate this?) Pete

PMDG aircraft contain their own systems. Very few of the built-in controls will work with it. They've programmed the systems in the aircraft separately in order to provide increased realism -- the reason you purchased it, I assume! PMDG have provided a complete set of controls, which have control numbers falling outside of the range of the built-in ones. FSUIPC does contain special code to allow these to be used. But you would need to purchase an FSUIPC registration. The control numbers are only listed by PMDG in a text file (the one with a .h filetype( in the SDK folder of your aircraft installation. Look towards the end. You have to calculate the number by adding a decimal number to a "Base" number which is given at the top of the list. Then, in FSUIPC button and key assignments you can select the <custom control> entry (at the top of the drop-down list) and enter the control number you calculated. Note that many entries need a parameter, maybe something simple like 1 for on and 0 for off, but some are more complicated and actualy need a "mouse" code -- those are also listed in that .h document. For more assistance with this, when you get that far, you might be better off in the PMDG support forum. Note that for many switches you might be able to use an alternative method -- "Mouse Macros". Look in the FSUIPC User Guide (which is installed for you in any case). Pete

You don't need to uninstall. Just re-run the Installer. You can enter your Registration details then, in the Installer. Make sure you have the latest Installer version -- 4.974. Pete

Well it runs and runs and runs on P3D and FSX. I am pretty sure it isn't specifically a Lua interpreter bug. I think it is some glitch. And it must be very timing related. It could also be something to do with the fact that the Lua plug-in is running in a separate thread asynchronously from the offset reading part which has to be in the in FS9 thread in order to call correctly the internals. Sorry, I've really got no more ideas. BUT I think you should be using events rather than a tight loop. It looks like you only need those values when they change. the rest of the time your plug-in need not do anything. For example, converting your code over to using events: By all means try that. If it still doesn't work, why not use 0x30C instead, which you did mark as "ok". dev = com.open("COM3",115200,0) vsOne = 0 vsTwo = 0 function checkvals(off, val) if off == 0x028C then vsOne = (val*60*3.28084)/256 else if off == 0x030C then vsTwo = (val*60*3.28084)/256 end if vsOne > 5000 then vsOne = 5000 elseif vsOne < -5000 then vsOne = -5000 end sentence = string.format ("vert%04d", vsOne) com.write (dev, sentence) --ipc.log(sentence) ipc.display(sentence) end event.offset(0x02C8, "SD", "checkvals") event.offset(0x030C, "SD", "checkvals") By all means try that. If it still doesn't work, why not use 0x30C instead, which you did mark as "ok". Sorry not to be able to solve the original problem. Have you ever thought of moving on a bit? FSX, FSX-SE, even P3D? Pete

The message saying it isn't overwritten just means there's already a copy installed which is the same or a later version. If your key is not recognised then you are most certainly making a mistake. First, though, check that you ARE using the current version of the FSUIPC4 Installer (there is no "FSUIPC4.EXE") -- version 4.974. When you register you MUST enter Name, Email and Key all exactly as stated for your SimMarket registration. It isn't just the key, all three parts must be correct! Pete

Your settings are saved in the FSUIPC5.INI file ("configuration settings"), in the same folder as FSUIPC itself (Modules). Take a look. There should also be an FSUIPC5.LOG file (the "text"file), and your registration.which is in FSUIPC5.KEY (maybe labelled as a Registry file, but it isn't). If there are those files, show me your LOG and INI files please, as it would then probably be down to profile names. If those don't exist, then the problem is that your P3D installation is in the Program Files folder (the default, but always best to be avoided), and you might have to run P3D "as administrator" to give it privileges. Alternatively, check the Properties of the Modules folder, and change the Security settings as follows: (Note: the FSUIPC5 installer should have already done this, but perhaps you didn't run that "As Administrator", per instructions?). Security tab -- Edit button, enter Everyone and confirm. then below check all "Allow" options. Active Sky doesn't use FSUIPC in any case, and 5.141e is the latest interim update available here, in the Download Links subforum! But maybe Active Sky also has problems with the security settings on your P3D folders. It is always best to install any Flight Sim outside of "Program Files". Mine are all on a separate partition altogether, P3D4 in "E:\Prepar3D v4". Pete

Good. thanks. I'll get on with other stuff now. Good flying! Pete

Well, the changes don't seem too drastic and hopefully would not stop my DLL running properly. Don't know about TO/GA though. Did you try my updated DLL yet? Pete

I'll try the original here, on P3D, without the COM stuff, probably later today. Pete

Try this one (but you need to decide what to do about your unexpected (?) 4th position, the one returning 3. Maybe macro that too, just in case?(. PFChid64_512_TEST.zip Pete

Okay. I've delved deeper. The PFC specification tells me that "Tankselect" has 4 positions, not 3: 0 = Off, 1=All, 2=RtoL Crossfeed and 3=LtoR Crossfeed. It is because of the Crossfeed specification that only 0 and 1 are taken as they are. The two crossfeed values take another course. I don't know why your Cirrus appears to be so different, nor why PFC haven't altered your Firmware to match correctly the different switching you have. If you only have 3 real positions howw is it providing all 4 of those values (at least for Tank Select 1? The reason i couldn't reproduce any such problem here with the HID devices I have is that whilst I have multi-position switches (eg the Autobrake, which has 5), none of the others are tagged for special treatment for Crossfeeds. (My 737 crossfeed is on the forward overhead, a CockpitSonic product, also with my own drivers). I shall see if I can make an exception to the Crossfeed settings to give you your /2 and /3/ Pete

It seems that the switch is returning 0, 1, 2 and 3. My code isn't inventing those numbers, they are what arrives. Are there definitey only 3 positions? If so there's something a bit wrong with the device or its firmware. I don't know about the FSUIPC logs, but I think your log names for the PFChid program are the wrong way around. As far as I can see, the Tankselect2 log is for TackSelect1 and vice versa. Otherwise nothing make sense! It is odd. But now we have results for both switches, it looks like it only accepts 0 and 1. The return' for 2, and that odd 3, give the 'default' without the /n part. I can look for exactly that now we have some details. Maybe the macro coding was only ever tastest with only two positioned switches For any other logs, please do both together, not separately. The way you've done it makes it harder working it all out for me. it might be clearer for you like that, but best for you to test as you wish without any macros, and for me with the full set of macros. I'll be looking at this in the morning. Pete

Okay. I need to know first whether it still crashes if you comment out the com stuff (com.open abd com-write lines). Otherwuse I would need to find some way of making one of my COM ports valid. Also, I assume there's and 'end' at the end? Pete

With event.textmenu you'd be able to read the menus, the item placing in the menu itself, and, possibly just as importantly, the textual prompts outside the menu. A plug-in could handle other programs with menus too, whether they have L:Vars you can use or not. So, I've decided it might be very useful and so I am adding this capability now. It will be in the next update for FSUIPC5 (only). Not sure when yet -- there are other things we are doing -- but probably within days rather than weeks. Pete

Actually, I don't see any reason I cannot add it to the FSUIPC5 Lua event library. There just never seemed to be any point before. I can implement that for the next 5.14 update. So, you don't read the text of the menus, you just relay on the L:Vars? The event.textmenu facility would give you texts as well, not just for menus but also Simconnect messages and contents of message windows. Pete