How to control SA_WXR via FSUIPC buttons?

[Pantu]

Hi Pete,

I´m using SA_WXR (v1.2.2) and like to control it via FSUIPC virtual buttons but am a bit puzzled as the instruction from Florian isn´t so clear to me.

I just don´t know which offset type I should use as the "Offsetwordsetbits"

doesn´t work for me.

I used hex address 6D00 with the value 3 (bit 0 and 1 set) but nothing happened.

Could you just give an example for toggling the OFF - WXR - WXR+TF and for setting the tilt using a rotary switch.

Thanks a very lot in advance..

Best regards

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

I just don´t know which offset type I should use as the "Offsetwordsetbits"

doesn´t work for me.

I used hex address 6D00 with the value 3 (bit 0 and 1 set) but nothing happened.

Could you just give an example for toggling the OFF - WXR - WXR+TF and for setting the tilt using a rotary switch.

I don't use those options at all. Can you be more explicit about what you want to do with what offsets please?

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Hi again,

I found the information you must be referring to towards the end of the SA_WXR User's Manual. Unfortunately I don't really understand it either. For offset 6D00 he's provided two modes -- a switch mode where a bit=1 for switch set, =0 for clear, and a "toggle" mode, where I assume you have to change the bit to change the switch.

The problem with the toggle mode, if indeed he does mean you have to change the bit rather than just write to it, is that it appears that to change the Mode you have to write 0 to bit 7 and 1 to bit 1 as well as, at the same time, toggling changing bit 0.

Without writing a program to do this is isn't really possible -- certainly not with one control anyway.

Looking at the "switch" mode, it seems you have to set bit 7 to 1 (easy enough), but not change any of the bits you don't want to change the settings of. For the mode this makes it difficult (impossible) to do in one control yet again, because you need the lower two bits set 00 for OFF (i.e. CLEARING, not SETTING bits), 01 for WX and 10 for WX+T. Again, in every case you have to set some and clear others.

Without doing a simple write for the BYTE at 6D00 it cannot be done in one control. To write it in one byte you'd also have to write the correct bits for the Range and your OFP and GCS switches.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding all this, but to my reading it looks as if the interface is designed for programmers to use in interfacing a separate control program to SA_WXR. I cannot see any sure way of doing it with simple FSUIPC key or button programming.

You could TRY sending two controls per key or button press. That would mean editing the FSUIPC.INI file -- or for buttons you could, I suppose, send one on the press and another on the release and still program it in the dialogue. Whether this would work properly though, I really don't know. It seems unlikely to work consistently. To try this the pairs needed would be:

To set OFF:

---- Offset Byte Setbits, offset x6D00, param x80

---- Offset Byte ClearBits, offset x6D00, param x03

To set WX:

---- Offset Byte Setbits, offset x6D00, param x81

---- Offset Byte ClearBits, offset x6D00, param x02

To set WX+T (aha! One control only! ;-)):

---- Offset Byte Setbits, offset x6D00, param x83

To increment tilt

---- Offset Byte Setbits, offset x6D00, param x80

---- Offset SByte Increment, offset x6D01, param x01/x7f

To decrement tilt

---- Offset Byte Setbits, offset x6D00, param x80

---- Offset SByte Decrement, offset x6D01, param x01/x80

Without further help from Florian I'm afraid this is about all I can suggest. As I say, I have doubts that these sequences will work, because I don't know what the program will do "between" seeing each change. Maybe sometimes it will work (because it will see them as one change), whilst at other times it won't.

I recommend you ask the author, Florian Praxmarer for more assistance in this. Perhaps he can be persuaded to give working examples in his document.

Regards

Pete

[Pantu]

Hi Pete,

thank you very much for your reply.

I knew that your support is more than excellent but now I have a proof of a 7 days a week and 24h superb support.

Hope you still got some hours of sleep though.

Have forwarded my questions together with your reply to Florian.

Let´s see whether he´s got to sleep :wink:

Best regards

Peter

[Pantu]

Hi Pete,

now I have played another couple of hours and found a way to get it working as follows:

To toggle the WXR button: OFF - WXR - WXR+TURB

used: Offset word set bits at x6D00 (pushed) value x0003

Offset word clr bits " (released) value xFFFF

To incr. Tilt : " " " value x0102

" " " value xFFFF

To decr. Tilt : " " " value x0402

" " " value xFFFF

That works fine.

BTW according to the manual (v1.6) there should be keys assigned in PM CDU for tilt etc. They are not there!

However what seems somewhat strange is, that the radar picture itself does not disappear when switching the radar off. It is still there even the SA_WXR window displays OFF.

SA_WXR is supposed to export its wheatherfile to the Netdir of PM. All I find there is a file called "pmwx.dat" and another file which is named"xxx.xxx" (no porn file!) :wink: and it contains only xxx. Have you got a clue what it could be?

Best regards

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

now I have played another couple of hours and found a way to get it working as follows:

To toggle the WXR button: OFF - WXR - WXR+TURB

used: Offset word set bits at x6D00 (pushed) value x0003

Offset word clr bits " (released) value xFFFF

To incr. Tilt : " " " value x0102

" " " value xFFFF

To decr. Tilt : " " " value x0402

" " " value xFFFF

That works fine.

That's great! Well done! I shall make a note of that and maybe program some here too (but not WX mode -- see below). Thanks!

BTW according to the manual (v1.6) there should be keys assigned in PM CDU for tilt etc. They are not there!

I think there's some provision, deep in the PM CDU someplace. But I think it works differently -- doesn't the CDU program have to be run on the same PC as SA_WXR for that? I never got it working, but I don't run SA_WXR in either the PFD or CDU PCs.

However what seems somewhat strange is, that the radar picture itself does not disappear when switching the radar off. It is still there even the SA_WXR window displays OFF.

I switch the WX display on the ND using the WXR switch on the EFIS. i.e. from the PM side of things. I think the WX file stays in the ND folder whatever. The WX on/off for SA_WXR only controls its own display I think, except that obviously you need it ON to switch it ON or OFF in PM.

SA_WXR is supposed to export its wheatherfile to the Netdir of PM. All I find there is a file called "pmwx.dat" and another file which is named"xxx.xxx" (no porn file!) :wink: and it contains only xxx. Have you got a clue what it could be?

Sorry, I don't. A question for the PM webboard perhaps?

Regards,

Pete

[Pantu]

Hi Pete,

well to switch it on and off in PM is ok, but then the simulated warmup phase is useless for PM ND users.

Good idea to ask Enrico´s support forum about the missing keys in the CDU, but I´m afraight the support is in hibernation state as I asked some questions days ago but no reply from the support team sofar.

May be you have an idea what kind of font can be chosen in the CDU ini to improve the readability. Bold is too clumsy and normal becomes rather distorted for some characters when adjusting text and font size thru the display menu.

Thanks

Best regards

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

May be you have an idea what kind of font can be chosen in the CDU ini to improve the readability. Bold is too clumsy and normal becomes rather distorted for some characters when adjusting text and font size thru the display menu.

I'm not the person to ask as I don't like the OpenGL CDU display, even though it is more "realistic". I feel sorry for real Boeing users having to put up with it. I like the original PM CDU default "truetype" display, or whatever it was. I'm sure Boeing would too if they could get it! ;-)

Regards,

Pete

[Pantu]

Hi Pete,

sure it´s PM´s responsibility. Main reason I was asking is the "font = " entry in the ini file. What is it good for if you can´t change / configure it?

Unfortunately the default one can´t be adjusted to exactly fit the LSK/ RSK HW pushbuttons. If I´d known before I´d have build my hardware around the default one.

Best regards

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

sure it´s PM´s responsibility.

What is? Sorry you've lost me now.

Main reason I was asking is the "font = " entry in the ini file. What is it good for if you can´t change / configure it?

I've no idea. Sorry. This sort of question is best put to the PM support folks, surely?

Unfortunately the default one can´t be adjusted to exactly fit the LSK/ RSK HW pushbuttons.

Well, they've adjusted exactly enough on both my old B&W 5" monitor with the PFC CDU panel, and the twin colour 5" TFT ones built into the PFC cockpit. I think both the OpenGL and the GDI displays are fully adjustable in all sorts of ways. The methods aren't intuitive unfortunately, and don't ask me to explain them. But they do the job. I'm sure PM support will be able to help you.

Regards

Pete

[Pantu]

Hi Pete,

thanks.

Will try with PM support for adjustment procedures on the default.

Best regards

Peter

[RichardL]

I'm sure glad someone else has found the SAWXR offset information difficult to understand. If you Pete, are just a small bit confused with how to get offsets to work in SAWXR, I'll never figure it out. I've been trying for months with no luck.

I do appreciate the help you provided.

Regards,

Richard