How to use on-off switches with "toggle" controls

[Steku]

Some controls in FS2004 are „toggle-only” type. E.g. there is:

TOGGLE_BEACON_LIGHTS

and some are “full” controls e.g.:

STROBES_ON

STROBES_OFF

STROBES_TOGGLE

I’d like to program a switch (which stays stable in off or on position and looking at this switch I can have visible reference if something is on or off without searching on the displayed panel) to control lights in my plane.

With “full” controls it’s easy thing to do:

assign STROBES_ON when switch goes from off to on position,

assign STROBES_OFF when switch goes from on to off position.

But how can I do this with “toggle-only” controls? I want to have my lights on when switch is in on position and off when switch is in off position. But with “toggle-only” control I’m only toggling the control whenever switch goes from off to on and on to off. This way (depending of switch position and aircraft state when FS starts) I can end up with lights off when the switch is in on position.

Is there any way to check the actual condition of control in FS (e.g. to check if lights are actually on or off) and then to program in FSUIPC conditional button to eliminate this problem?

After all FS knows that lights should be on when switch on the panel is in on position :)

Steku

P.S.

I’m really impressed by the quality of your support. You answered my pervious question in five minutes regardless it’s Saturday evening!!! Maybe your are like me – preferring writing to people on the Internet than watching “Dumb and dumber” (just now my wife is laughing downstairs). :lol:

Or maybe you are doing special favor to me? I live in Poland and today it’s our first day in European Union. :D

[Pete Dowson]

I’d like to program a switch (which stays stable in off or on position and looking at this switch I can have visible reference if something is on or off without searching on the displayed panel) to control lights in my plane.

With “full” controls it’s easy thing to do:

But how can I do this with “toggle-only” controls? I want to have my lights on when switch is in on position and off when switch is in off position. But with “toggle-only” control I’m only toggling the control whenever switch goes from off to on and on to off. This way (depending of switch position and aircraft state when FS starts) I can end up with lights off when the switch is in on position.

Yes, you are completely correct. I'm afraid the only overall answer, short of writing to FSUIPC offsets to control these things, is to get your switches synchronised with their state in FS at the start (load) of an FS flight. There is no other way.

If you want to be adventurous, you could investigate using the facilities in FSUIPC to write values and set or clear bits in specific FSUIPC offsets. There are special controls in the drop-down list for these. They are documented in the Advanced User's Guide to some extent, but to know the offsets and what they do you'd need also the Programmer's Guide from the FSUIPC SDK (see http://www.schiratti.com/dowson).

Is there any way to check the actual condition of control in FS (e.g. to check if lights are actually on or off) and then to program in FSUIPC conditional button to eliminate this problem?

Not without writing a program. But most things are controllable with specific 'on' or 'off' actions via the offsets. Almost everything is possible, but some things are more complicated than others.

After all FS knows that lights should be on when switch on the panel is in on position :)

Yes, but the controls you mention are all the controls that FS itself offers. FSUIPC has expanded on this list, but I am not going to expand it forever. The things you want are possible, it just takes a little more effort. Okay?

....maybe you are doing special favor to me? I live in Poland and today it’s our first day in European Union. :D

No, I'd do the same for any one. But many congratulations, in any case, and welcome. I hope it all works out for you all!

Regards,

Pete

[Steku]

After reading your answer I downloaded FSUIPC SDK and then discovered the power of offsets :shock:

Now I can control (or damage :wink: ) nearly everything in FS.

Thank you.