Assinging knobs through FSUIPC

[bloop2384]

Hi,

I have been using FSUIPC 4 in order to program athe EFIS module which i have suceeded with in the main however i am experiencing one little problem which i would ilke to solve. I have been able to assign the buttons on the module without any obstacles however assinging the knobs EG. Map mode knob (APP, VOR, MAP,PLN)and distance knob(10,20,30etc.), to represent the individual values is proving a bit more of a challenge. I can only seem to get the knobs to function going either up or down however not both ways. I am sure there is probably an easy solution and would be very greatful for any assistance on with this.

Regards

Aaron Leathley

[Pete Dowson]

I have been using FSUIPC 4 in order to program athe EFIS module which i have suceeded with in the main

EFIS module? In FSX? The default FSX EFIS controls? how do you do that? The default EFIS controls don't seem to be usable except with a mouse.

Or are you referring to some hardware?

however i am experiencing one little problem which i would ilke to solve. I have been able to assign the buttons on the module without any obstacles however assinging the knobs EG. Map mode knob (APP, VOR, MAP,PLN)and distance knob(10,20,30etc.), to represent the individual values is proving a bit more of a challenge. I can only seem to get the knobs to function going either up or down however not both ways. I am sure there is probably an easy solution and would be very greatful for any assistance on with this.

If you could provide some sort of context -- hardware, add-on aircraft, etc, then maybe I could help.

Regards

Pete

[bloop2384]

Thanks for your swift response. Yes i am using the EFIS module in FSX and the default EFIS controls. I did this by using the create mouse macro funtion on FSUIPC.I am also using add on aircarft which is the Level D 767. Am i going about this in the right way or is there a better method?

Regards

Aaron

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks for your swift response. Yes i am using the EFIS module in FSX and the default EFIS controls. I did this by using the create mouse macro funtion on FSUIPC.I am also using add on aircarft which is the Level D 767.

Okay. If the macros create and test okay, they should operate from your button or switch in the same way as the mouse. You said

I can only seem to get the knobs to function going either up or down however not both ways.

Didn't you create separate macros for the two directions (with the mouse one might show "-" and the other "+")? It sounds like you only created one macro for each knob.

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Didn't you create separate macros for the two directions (with the mouse one might show "-" and the other "+")? It sounds like you only created one macro for each knob.

I just tried this here, creating 4 macros: Range-, Range+, Mode-, Mode+, for the Level D 767. They are then assignable and work well.

If you can't make this happen, perhaps you need to go into more detail?

Regards

Pete

[bloop2384]

I have created macros for + and - directions on each knob however i can only assign one or the other to each position on the rotary knob. For example if i assign + to each position of the rotary knob then it will work going up however then i cant assign the the - direction to make it turn it back. Can you please shed any light on where i am going wrong?

Regards

Aaron

[Pete Dowson]

I have created macros for + and - directions on each knob however i can only assign one or the other to each position on the rotary knob. For example if i assign + to each position of the rotary knob then it will work going up however then i cant assign the the - direction to make it turn it back. Can you please shed any light on where i am going wrong?

Aha! You are not using a rotary encoder, but a selector switch -- a switch with n-positions each looking like a different button!?

Such a switch, though looking like those on the EFIS and in fact operating like those on the real aircraft, is quite different from the way the panel operates. You must have noticed that, in fact, the Level D EFIS on the panel does NOT operate like that -- instead of having several mouse positions, selecting each value separately, it only has a + and - position for each knob, turning them in the suggested direction.

Obviously, to emulate that actual IMPLEMENTED switch, instead of the simulated switch, it really also needs just two momentary positions. Two separate buttons would do the trick easily, as would a rotary encoder.

Did you explicitly choose selector switches? If you could change to rotary encoders, or even centre-spring two-way toggle levers, it would be much easier for you.

It could probably be done with a selector switch, but I think you'd need to go into FSUIPC INI file button programming, as each button number's action needs to be somehow made dependent on the previous button in the sequence (i.e. so going left and right can be distinguished). This would be by using conditional button parameters (as described in the Advanced User's guide for FSUIPC), and probably the flag facilities, but it isn't easy. You are trying to relate one type of switch to another.

Alternatively, easier, as it is without conditions, but messy and probably odd to look at, you could program the positions in this way (still by editing the INI file, though):

Say there are n possible positions altogether.

Consider them numbered 1 to n, clockwise.

Switch position 0: send the - macro n times. (then no matter where it was to start, it will always get there)

Switch position 1: send the - macro n times then the + macro once

Switch position 2: send the - macro n times then the + macro twice

...

etc, until at some point it becomes more economical to swap to using the right-most stop:

Switch position n-2: send the + macro n times then the - macro twice

Switch position n-1: send the + macro n times then the - macro once

Switch position n: send the + macro n times

I have used this sort of thing, and it does work, but if you have the panel in view it does look odd, with the switch turning all one way then back again. Might be worth a try, though.

Note that you could edit the Macro file and add all these as separate macros, then just assign the switch postions to the macros for "Range5", "Range10" etc.

Regards

Pete

[bloop2384]

Yes it is a selector switch. I think i will just use the two momntary positions at either end of the the rotary knob as you have described to scroll through the different function as the other options seem a bit to technical and beyond my abilities. Thank you very much for your time assistance in this matter, its much appreciated.

Regards

Aaron