Need some help with programming Goflight and PMDG 737

[Cacoman]

Hello Pete, although I am an avid user of FSUIPC (of course registered one), this is the first time I need to address to you with a specific matter.

First, congratulations on all the things you have done for the FS and thank you.

Ok. let´s get down to business.

I have the Goflight MCP and the 737. I am already using the GFDisplay and read through your manual.

I can get working the CRS and it matches the display from the panel to the display in the MCP.

After playing a while I discovered that the offset value of the CRS works fine with the default inherent to FS. But for the other values PMDG used different settings.

I loaded a default FS aircraft and the Goflight MCP works just fine with GFDisplay with the default programming you provided.

I downloaded the FSinterrogate to look for the offset value that PMDG used to display the HDG IAS/MACH VS and ALT. But the only offsets I found are those of the default FS. Such as 07CC for the HDG.

Is there a way to find to correct PMDG offset values using FSinterrogate in order to substitute the default offset values for the ones that PMDG is using to get the correct readout in the goflight MCP?

And another question:

Is there a way to use FSinterrogate to get the value for example for the APU starting switch and get it programmed in FSUIPC?

Thank you Pete for your great job and dedication.

Emilio Hernandez

[Pete Dowson]

I downloaded the FSinterrogate to look for the offset value that PMDG used to display the HDG IAS/MACH VS and ALT. But the only offsets I found are those of the default FS. Such as 07CC for the HDG.

PMDG use proprietary internal data which they currently keep secret and will not publish. I think some parts have been "hacked" and published somewhere on the 'Net, but I am sorry I cannot help you there. PMDG say they don't want hardware manufacturers to take 'unfair advantage' of the many man-years of programming they have invested in their aircraft systems.

Having said that, have you checked with GoFlight? I did see that GoFlight had done something for the LevelD 767 (which is in a similar position except they have published an interface). Maybe GoFlight are in the process of doing something with PMDG by now? Sorry, I don't really know -- best to ask in the GoFlight support forum.

It seems on the surface that PMDG regard their system as being entirely contained within the PC and don't see the home-built or even commercially-built cockpit market as something they are interested in, unfortuately. This is why, though I use PMDG aircraft I don't use any of their panels or systems, only Project Magenta. It is rather a shame for such an otherwise excellent system.

Regards

Pete

[Cacoman]

Hi Pete, thanks for your prompt response.

After doing some trial and error. FSinterrogate came with the 3scan option with this offset:

622B

In your original file I substitute your Condition 7 for this one:

7=X622B U16*360/65536 ;FS's HDG nonzero?

and in the MCP section this one:

D1.1=!C0 C7 X622B U16*360/65536 D30

D1.2=!C0 !C7 "360"

With this, now when I turn the knob for the Heading in PMDG 737 there is a readout in the goflight MCP, and it changes as I turn the knob The strange thing is that:

First the heading of the FS does not comply with the heading in the GFMCP. The numbers are different but it changes as I turn the knob in both the GFMCP and in the PMDG HDG knob. For example: If I have 52 in the heading in the panel the readout of the GFMCP is about 280.

Second. If I change one degree in the PMDG panel, it will change one degree in the same direction in the GFMCP and viceversa.

But If change 10 degrees in the PMDG panel, it will change more than 10 units in the GFMCP.

I know you told me PMDG don't want to give their offset setting to control the airplane with hardware at least not all of them.

But I am as stuborn as a mule.

If I can get this working now there is only three more displays to go I will apply the same dose.

Any ideas?

If I can get to work the GFMCP with the PMDG 737 I am sure I will give something back to the sim community. :)

And by the way, how can I program a switch with the offsets I am getting in the FSinterrogate in your FSUIPC in order to lets say start APU?

Thanks again

Emilio Hernández

[Pete Dowson]

First the heading of the FS does not comply with the heading in the GFMCP.

...

I know you told me PMDG don't want to give their offset setting to control the airplane with hardware at least not all of them.

...

But I am as stuborn as a mule.

...

If I can get this working now there is only three more displays to go I will apply the same dose.

...

Any ideas?

Sorry, no. Really, I have a good relationship with PMDG and really cannot actively help folks hack their secrets. I suspect they encode the values in some way, or use different units in any case, to make hacking more difficult. All I can advise you to do is seek help on the 'Net. I think this sort of thing has been worked out by others, or at least it was for the original 737NG release. They may have made it more complex in later updates.

Regards

Pete

[Cacoman]

Ok. Pete I understand. My intention never is to hack developers that provide us with good software such as PMDG and to give away their secrets. I just thought that getting to work my hardware with my license software wasn't hacking. But if this is hacking I will nor longer insist. I will stick to what it is published by the authors.

But talking about other panels that are freeware.

I have the Paul Golding's MD panel who was written originally for FS2002 I downloaded freeware from Flightsim. There is an upgrade in flightsim for making it work for FS9. It has an APU switch.

How can I program a GFtoggle switch in order to activate the APU?

Thanks again for your prompt response.

Emilio Hernandez

[Pete Dowson]

Ok. Pete I understand. My intention never is to hack developers that provide us with good software such as PMDG and to give away their secrets. I just thought that getting to work my hardware with my license software wasn't hacking. But if this is hacking I will nor longer insist.

IMO there's nothing wrong with hacking for your own purposes, or if it is okay with the authors. After all most of what I've done with FSUIPC and my other modules was through hacking into FS code. Luckily Microsoft don't mind (they like it -- it does good for the product).

I don't actually agree at all with PMDGs stance. I think it would be good for their product too. But I can't go against their stated policy. You can, but in private.

I have the Paul Golding's MD panel who was written originally for FS2002 I downloaded freeware from Flightsim. There is an upgrade in flightsim for making it work for FS9. It has an APU switch.

How can I program a GFtoggle switch in order to activate the APU?

If there's a keyboard shortcut you can. If it uses FSUIPC offsets you can. If it is only mousable you'd need something like Luciano Napolitano's "Key2Mouse" program.

Regards,

Pete

[Cacoman]

Thanks Pete.

One probably last silly question.

How do I know if it uses FSUIPC offsets?

Thanks again

Emilio Hernandez

PD

I already downloaded the key2mouse. Seems I will be registering it tomorrow.

Thanks again. Twice :wink:

[Pete Dowson]

How do I know if it uses FSUIPC offsets?

It is most unlikely they have in any case unless their programming is split into more than more module/program. Even with multiple gauges they can use systems provided in the PANELS subsystem to maintain local named variables with shared access. Those that use FSUIPC data space do so as a way of communication between otherwise completely separate parts -- Project Magenta is the main example.

You can of course use FSUIPC's Logging (IPC read/write) to see what traffic there is between FSUIPC's offsets and everything else. In order to see the wood through the trees you'd want to cut FSUIPC users down to the bare minimum.

Regards

Pete

[Cacoman]

Ok, Pete.

Finally I could find an offset value for the MD panel and already programmed it in FSUIPC and it works with my GFMCP.

You surely are the best in support. Nobody answer me as fast as you ever.

Thank you very much for taking time to answer me all of my questions and get me out of the nebula of offsets, asignments, mouse clicks, claks and cluks.

Hope this Padwan will become in time a Jedi.

It is time for me to go and learn and practice.

Hope to came back to you in a time where we can discuss more than elemental and get into deep.

Thank you very much for your time and explanations.

If I find something in the matrix I will be pleased to tell you.

Emilio Hernandez