Offset 0BD0 for FSX

[Achilles Philippopoulos]

Hi Pete,

I still can not figure out who to arm my spoilers at fsx. I use fsuipc 4.40. I build a throttle unin with phidgets and fs2phidgets. I use a potensiometer for the spoilers. I set up the spoiler with the OBD0 offset.

Spoilers control, 0 off, 4800 arm, then 5620 (7%) to 16383 (100% fully deployed).

The 4800 value is set by arming. Values from 0 to somewhere close to, but below, 4800 do nothing. The percentage extension is the proportion of the distance in the range 4800 to 16383, even though values 4800 to 5619 cannot be used—7% seems to be the minimum.

I configured the offset to work from 0...16383 and when I move the spoiler to arm position I get the 4800 value but actually the offset 0BCC 4 stays at 0 meaning that spoilers are not armed.

I have a logic that when spoilers are armed and when Aircraft on ground flag then the logic to be true but never comes true because of the spoilers never armed.

Just for your information, with the same setup, everythink is working apsolutelly fine at fs9 with fsuipc 3.85.

Any tip that you can provide?

Thanks in advance

Achilles

[Pete Dowson]

I still can not figure out who to arm my spoilers at fsx. I use fsuipc 4.40. I build a throttle unin with phidgets and fs2phidgets. I use a potensiometer for the spoilers. I set up the spoiler with the OBD0 offset.

...

I configured the offset to work from 0...16383 and when I move the spoiler to arm position I get the 4800 value but actually the offset 0BCC 4 stays at 0 meaning that spoilers are not armed.

If you are using the offsets, I think you need to operate the 0BCC value as well. When you set that non-zero, the value at 0BD0 goes to 4800. It would be up to you to check the spoiler notch range if you have no microswitch for that.

Just for your information, with the same setup, everythink is working apsolutelly fine at fs9 with fsuipc 3.85.

Hmm. That's interesting. In my drivers, for instance in the PFC drivers, I always do the 0BCC setting myself.

I'll check the FSUIPC3 code to see if I'm doing anything with 0BCC based on writes to 0BD0. I don't think I am, but you never know. Maybe if FS9 does this for you but FSX doesn't, I need to add some code to FSUIPC4 to make them behave the same?

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I have a logic that when spoilers are armed and when Aircraft on ground flag then the logic to be true but never comes true because of the spoilers never armed.

Okay. I have tested and compared the actions on FS9 and FSX. They are different, a little, and in fact FSX is better, more consistent.

With FS9 writing 4800 to 0BD0 does Arm the spoiler (0BCC goes to 1), but unusually, when on the ground, FS9 is not then immediately raising them. This is actually inconsistent, because if you armed them using an axis (via the Spoiler Axis inputs calibrated appropriately), they do automatically raise if armed on the Ground.

With FSX, the action is the same whether you control the spoilers via 0BD0 or via an axis input. If you are on the ground and you write 4800 to 0BD0, the spoilers will immediately deploy, and 0BD0 will actually change to 16384 (for 100%), not 4800. This is consistent with the way the spoilers behave using an axis.

If you are in the air, writing 4800 does arm the spoilers correctly in both FS9 and FSX.

I think the more correct action, for consistency, is that being done by 0BD0 in FSX. If I were to make them the same I would need to change FSUIPC3 rather than FSUIPC4.

So, how does this affect what you want to do? Now you konw how it behaves I'm sure you should be able to deal with it? You don't want to arm your spoilers on the ground in any case. ;-)

Regards

Pete

[Achilles Philippopoulos]

Hi Pete,

I will try then with a microswitch to set the 4800 value at the offset. But I am afraid in this case, that if I arm at the air (set 4800 value at the offset) and for some reason I want to extend to 50%, then when i move the lever back to arm position the value 4800 is not accepted from the offset and so I can not arm. It goes from value 5621 (1% of spoilers) directly to 0 value.

Maybe I must set the microswitch to use the 0BCC offset?

With best regards,

Achilles

[Pete Dowson]

I will try then with a microswitch to set the 4800 value at the offset. But I am afraid in this case, that if I arm at the air (set 4800 value at the offset) and for some reason I want to extend to 50%, then when i move the lever back to arm position the value 4800 is not accepted from the offset and so I can not arm. It goes from value 5621 (1% of spoilers) directly to 0 value.

Hmmm, that's odd, it should accept 4800. FSUIPC is only sending these values direct to FS.

I've just done some more tests, and you are right. It all operates perfectly, arming / disarming, until you set a higher value. After that, it won't arm with any value.

That's truly weird. A bug in FSX, surely!

I'll look to see if I can automatically set 0BCC when you write 4800 (or any value 4400 - 5200 I think).

Regards

Pete

[Achilles Philippopoulos]

Hi Pete,

The value is 4800 to 5620 from arming. I will try to set the OBCC offset from pmsystems when OBD0 is between 4800 and 5620 and I will inform you about the result.

Achilles

[Pete Dowson]

The value is 4800 to 5620 from arming. I will try to set the OBCC offset from pmsystems when OBD0 is between 4800 and 5620 and I will inform you about the result.

If you wish, but I am changing FSUIPC4 to do this in any case. Later ...

Pete

[Achilles Philippopoulos]

The value is 4800 to 5620 from arming. I will try to set the OBCC offset from pmsystems when OBD0 is between 4800 and 5620 and I will inform you about the result.

If you wish, but I am changing FSUIPC4 to do this in any case. Later ...

Pete

There was no result. The same bad situation.

[Pete Dowson]

There was no result. The same bad situation.

It seems to be a problem in Simconnect, as the same data written via an axis control works fine. I could make the write to 0BD0 work as an axis control, but I think I'd rather just check for the value (4800-5620 as you say) and convert it to anSpoiler Arming request instead.

I'm about to test this out now. If it is okay I will post an update. That will probably be sometime tomorrow (4.411 I expect).

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I'm about to test this out now. If it is okay I will post an update. That will probably be sometime tomorrow (4.411 I expect).

Okay. It didn't quite work out the way I planned, and in fact i am now not using the SimConnect SimVar at all for the spoiler setting as there is no SimVar for the Arm setting so, when using the two different methods, there's no way of ensuring which gets done first.

Therefore I reverted to using the same sort of methods as I use in FSUIPC3, and these seem to work okay.

Try version 4.411, already available in the FSX downloads Announcement above.

Regards

Pete

[Tomlin]

I have a logic that when spoilers are armed and when Aircraft on ground flag then the logic to be true but never comes true because of the spoilers never armed.

Okay. I have tested and compared the actions on FS9 and FSX. They are different, a little, and in fact FSX is better, more consistent.

With FS9 writing 4800 to 0BD0 does Arm the spoiler (0BCC goes to 1), but unusually, when on the ground, FS9 is not then immediately raising them. This is actually inconsistent, because if you armed them using an axis (via the Spoiler Axis inputs calibrated appropriately), they do automatically raise if armed on the Ground.

With FSX, the action is the same whether you control the spoilers via 0BD0 or via an axis input. If you are on the ground and you write 4800 to 0BD0, the spoilers will immediately deploy, and 0BD0 will actually change to 16384 (for 100%), not 4800. This is consistent with the way the spoilers behave using an axis.

If you are in the air, writing 4800 does arm the spoilers correctly in both FS9 and FSX.

I think the more correct action, for consistency, is that being done by 0BD0 in FSX. If I were to make them the same I would need to change FSUIPC3 rather than FSUIPC4.

So, how does this affect what you want to do? Now you konw how it behaves I'm sure you should be able to deal with it? You don't want to arm your spoilers on the ground in any case. ;-)

Regards

Pete

Hi Pete

Actually, for some builders such as myself, we DO want to arm the spoilers on the ground. I found this thread while seeking a solution to an issue that was baffling to say the least. We have a quickly growing group of full size LJ45 sim builders and that aircraft has the checklist item/requirement to arm the spoiler before takeoff in the case of an abortment. A fellow builder who solely uses FSX is currently able to arm his spoilers on the ground using both a goflight axis as well as SHIFT+/ . I have tried the same in my FSX install and it does the same exact thing it does in FS9, it simply goes to fully extended, which is not desired as I'd like to be able to arm it on the ground and not just in the air for landing. I belive now after reading through this thread that the reason my fellow builder is able to arm it is due to a slightly older version of FSUIPC for FSX than maybe I have?

Is there a way to enable the FS9 spoiler to be armed while on the ground please? It would be much appreciated for those folks that have aircraft that do not use an autobrake system, yet has a requirement for arming for takeoff.

Thank you for your help and consideration.

[Pete Dowson]

LJ45 sim builders and that aircraft has the checklist item/requirement to arm the spoiler before takeoff in the case of an abortment.

Hmm. Interesting. Does this mean the LJ45 is only suitable for really smooth runways? Or does it has some special mechanism for preventing pressure changes on the gear whilst accelerating for take-off inadvertently triggering the land-detection spoiler activation? Or does it activate in some other way?

A fellow builder who solely uses FSX is currently able to arm his spoilers on the ground using both a goflight axis as well as SHIFT+/ . I have tried the same in my FSX install and it does the same exact thing it does in FS9, it simply goes to fully extended, which is not desired as I'd like to be able to arm it on the ground and not just in the air for landing. I belive now after reading through this thread that the reason my fellow builder is able to arm it is due to a slightly older version of FSUIPC for FSX than maybe I have?

Erthat makes no sense -- FSUIPC is no way involved in operating the spoiler for either a GoFlight device or Shift+/. Can you explain how you arrive at this conclusion? And especially why do you think different versions of FSUIPC4 may be involved?

Is there a way to enable the FS9 spoiler to be armed while on the ground please?

FS9, not FSX which you just mentioned? If you have an aircraft model for FS9 which allows this without immediately deploying, you shouldn't have any problem, surely? Otherwise, how do you suggest it be done?

Regards

Pete

[Tomlin]

Thanks for your follow up on this post. The LJ45 has an armed position that prevents the spoiler from deploying unless certain criteria are met. In regards to what made me think two different version of FSUIPC was in use, it was simply because one of our group members was using FSX and I was in FS9. He advised me that he was able to get the FSX LJ45 to arm on the ground without the spoiler fully deploying, but I wasnt able to do so. What I did discover though by accident in FS9 (and this works in FSX too) is that you can pull onto the active runway and move your throttle up a bit past idle and somewhere around 38-40% N1 you can then successfully arm the spoilers to deploy automatically on takeoff if you bring the throttle back any amount. This is not quite as realistic as the real jet, which can be armed on the ground at any N1 setting and it will not deploy unless the aircraft has reached 60 Knots.

I just wanted to post this simple not so realistic solution in case others would have liked to know.