PM Airbus co-pilot EFFIS control

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete i am writing you because i have a problem with controling some functions of the pm airbus co-pilot effis. I have built a custom FCU and i have assign succesfull almost all buttons for the control of the fcu plus the effis of pilot and co-pilot except the landing switch of co-pilot. Can you please assist me of how i can assing a button for the co-pilot landing switch? Many thanks.

[Pete Dowson]

Hello Pete i am writing you because i have a problem with controling some functions of the pm airbus co-pilot effis. I have built a custom FCU and i have assign succesfull almost all buttons for the control of the fcu plus the effis of pilot and co-pilot except the landing switch of co-pilot. Can you please assist me of how i can assing a button for the co-pilot landing switch? Many thanks.

Landing switch? What is that? Sorry, I know little about Airbus.

If this is for Project Magenta, have you checked their documentation and/or support? I'm not really able to support well all the products for FS. However, if you tell me the technical name I can look it up in the PM offsets document -- you could look there too, it is on the PM site. Perhaps it is APP or APR (approach mode), like on Boeings?

Regards

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete and thank you very much for your attencion. For the pilot effis LS i have assign the " PM AB LS Button " of FSUIPC " BUttons + Switches " section and this toggle the instrument landing switch for the pilot effis. But the problem is that i can't find any button assignement for the instrument landing switch ( this is the terminal name of this button ) for the co-pilot effis. This button it's toggle the flight director on every PFD for the approach. Airbus in each effis has two buttons for the FD one toggles FD on and off and the other button is the LS which is toggle the FD on PFD for the app. I will waiting for your reply. Many thanks.

[Pete Dowson]

For the pilot effis LS i have assign the " PM AB LS Button " of FSUIPC " BUttons + Switches " section and this toggle the instrument landing switch for the pilot effis.

Okay. This is ILS mode selection for the ND, is it?

But the problem is that i can't find any button assignement for the instrument landing switch ( this is the terminal name of this button ) for the co-pilot effis. This button it's toggle the flight director on every PFD for the approach. Airbus in each effis has two buttons for the FD one toggles FD on and off and the other button is the LS which is toggle the FD on PFD for the app. I will waiting for your reply. Many thanks.

Sorry, but this is confusing again. Is the Flight director not separate from the ILS mode on the ND, as it is with Boeing? Can't you switch the FD separately?

I'm afraid I'm out of my depth for Airbus questions. Please please do look at the Project Magenta documentation on the Project Magenta website. Check the list of PM offsets. For example,:

04F4   2  Glass Cockpit ND Modes (Write Only) (*was* Read as well)
Sending 100+(value) controls First Officer Display (e.g. 170 enables weather on Copilot ND)
Only last three digits are used, you can use the thousands to indicate the key has been pressed again (state change), i.e. 2150 and 5150 do the same

Please note, these commands go directly to the Glass Cockpit, if you do not want the MCP or FCU to override them, then please use the MCP commands in 0x4F2 or 0x5520.
(Values, not bits!)

Airbus
1 MAP (Captain Side, 101 F/O side)
2 NAV (Captain Side, 102 F/O side)
3 VOR (Captain Side, 103 F/O side)
4 PLAN (Captain Side, 104 F/O side)
5 ILS Mode
...
etc

I assume the ILS mode can be +100 (i.e. 105) for the F/O side too. Not sure how your reference to the FD comes in though.

Once you've identified what function it is in PM you want to operate, I can advise you how to do it. But at present I'm afraid I've no idea.

Regards

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello again Pete and thank you very much for your time. I have found from PM site the offsets i think they will do the job. Here they coming as follows.

OFFSET SIZE USE

5414 4 MCP/FCU Buttons B32-63 (Read/Write)

--- Bit12-Bit15 (free)

ALS Bit16 (AB LS Button First Officer)

ATFP Bit29 (AB TRKFPA Button)

5410 4 MCP/FCU Buttons B00-31 (Read/Write)

---- B13-16 (free)

F/D Copilot On B17

F/D Copilot Off B18

Airbus-Type Extensions

ALS K149 (AB LS Button) (Copilot)

ATFP K061 (AB TRKFPA Button)

I think these must be the offsets required for the co-pilot effis to work through fsuipc " button + swithces " section.

If you could help me Pete Please use step by step tutorial because i am amateur in programming.

Thank you very much.

[Pete Dowson]

5414 4 MCP/FCU Buttons B32-63 (Read/Write)

--- Bit12-Bit15 (free)

ALS Bit16 (AB LS Button First Officer)

ATFP Bit29 (AB TRKFPA Button)

In the doc it says 5414 bits must be toggled. So, find the FSUIPC control "Offset DWORD togglebits" in the assignments drop down, assign it to your button, enter x5414 for the offset, and the correct mask for the parameter as follows:

bit 16 = x10000

bit 29 = x20000000

(bits are counted from 0 at the right. There a 4 bits in each hex digit).

5410 4 MCP/FCU Buttons B00-31 (Read/Write)

---- B13-16 (free)

F/D Copilot On B17

F/D Copilot Off B18

Also toggled, according to the document. So, very similar but offset x5410

bit 17 = x20000

bit 18 = x40000

ALS K149 (AB LS Button) (Copilot)

ATFP K061 (AB TRKFPA Button)

You can use these codes through the by-pass access offset, but the bit toggling should work okay and it is easier.

Regards

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete again i did everything as you describe and everything worked perfect! I want to thank you very much for your help. You are great.

[Pete Dowson]

Hello Pete again i did everything as you describe and everything worked perfect!

Good. Hopefully now you will be able to work out others when you need to!?

Regards

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete again i want your assistance for setup the throttles for the A320. Here i am sending you the PM offsets the each of throttle positions.

OFFSET SIZE READ - WRITE

541C 4 Airbus

THR TOGA Bit 26

THR FLX/MCT Bit 27

THR CLB Bit 28

THR IDLE Bit 29

THR REV IDLE Bit 30 (THR MAX REV if the current status id THR IDLE REV)

THR MAX REV Bit 31

I would be very greatfull if you could help me with this.

I have allready assign the throttle levels into axis asignement section.

[Pete Dowson]

Hello Pete again i want your assistance for setup the throttles for the A320. Here i am sending you the PM offsets the each of throttle positions.

... I would be very greatfull if you could help me with this. I have allready assign the throttle levels into axis asignement section.

Erso, what do you want to do with these PM bits? What exactly do you mean by "assign the throttle levels". Are you simply wanting to assign controls to be sent when the throttle passes through different ranges, on the right-hand side of the assignments?

If so, you must note the important text relating to that offset 541C:

For external programs, toggled.

Important Note: Toggled means that the BIT CHANGE sets the mode, not just setting it to one, setting the bit back to 0 changes the state!

DisableRemoteMCP must be set to OFF in the INI file for this to work.

Knowing that they have to be toggled, all you need to do is assign the FSUIPC control "Offset Dword Togglebits" with offset x541C and the relevant bit in the parameter. However, since the bit numbers are rather high (bits 26-31 are the top 7 bits in the 32-bit DWORD, i.e. x20000000 to x80000000), it would be easier (and more efficient for FSUIPC) to actually use "Offset Byte Togglebits" on the last BYTE. Since there are 4 8-bit bytes in a 32-bit DWORD, add 3 to the offset to get to the last one: offset x541F. Then the bit numbers are as listed but less 24 (3 x 8), i.e. bits 2 to 7. Bit 2 is 2x2 = 4, etc to bit 7 which is 128.

Okay?

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete and thanks for your interest to help. Forgive my English i don't know them very well so i have problem to describe exactly my problem. I will try to be as descriptive as my knowlidge in Enlgish permits. I have assigne the two throttle levers through FSUIPC axis assignement section as throttle 1 and throttle 2 ( i am building the a320 cockpit). Now in FSUIPC joystick calibration section in one page for example you have the calibration options for the flaps and any one can fix the flaps in detencies ( i think this translated in ranges). The airbus aircraft has the throttle levers working not as full axes but each throttle lever has divided in detencies ( ranges) as the flaps calibration you provide in page 6 ( FSUIPC joystick calibration). I want if you can to help me assign each throttle axis in detencies as in airbus philosophy ( i mean in defferent gates positions : TOGA, FLX, CLB, IDLE, MINREV, MAXREV). Remember as i wrote you before that i am an amateur in programming and a tutorial would be very helpfull. Thank you very much for your time.

[Pete Dowson]

Hello Pete and thanks for your interest to help. Forgive my English i don't know them very well so i have problem to describe exactly my problem. I will try to be as descriptive as my knowlidge in Enlgish permits. I have assigne the two throttle levers through FSUIPC axis assignement section as throttle 1 and throttle 2 ( i am building the a320 cockpit). Now in FSUIPC joystick calibration section in one page for example you have the calibration options for the flaps and any one can fix the flaps in detencies ( i think this translated in ranges). The airbus aircraft has the throttle levers working not as full axes but each throttle lever has divided in detencies ( ranges) as the flaps calibration you provide in page 6 ( FSUIPC joystick calibration). I want if you can to help me assign each throttle axis in detencies as in airbus philosophy ( i mean in defferent gates positions : TOGA, FLX, CLB, IDLE, MINREV, MAXREV). Remember as i wrote you before that i am an amateur in programming and a tutorial would be very helpfull. Thank you very much for your time.

I understood exactly what you wanted, but there are NO detente facilities for throttles in FSUIPC! And I am certainly not going to add any.

However, it doesn't matter because it is perfectly possible with the facilities already provided! As I so carefully explained already (and with all of the details!) you will need to assign the Offset controls as I described, using the range facilities on the right-hand side of the Axis Assignments page. Please also look at the examples (with pictures!) in the user guide.

This is nothing whatsoever to do with programming. It is merely assigning specific controls to specific position of the throttle.

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete and thanks one more time for your help. I need your help for this because as i told you i am amateur in programming and i really don't understand how to deal with bit numbers. I saw in user guide but i steel can not understand how to use these. I have assigned a range for examle in left throttle and i have put to control tab " Offset Byte Togglebits " and to offset " x541C" ( i want to assigne toga function) and to parameter i put "x4" but it didn't work. I think i missing something in parameter tab and for examle in bit 7 how you get value 128?. i understand that bit 2 is 2x2=4 but bit 7 7x2=128? Please advise.

[Pete Dowson]

... i have put to control tab " Offset Byte Togglebits " and to offset " x541C" ( i want to assigne toga function) and to parameter i put "x4" but it didn't work.

Why did you choose "x4". Which PM option is switched by x4 (i.e. bit 2)?

I think i missing something in parameter tab and for examle in bit 7 how you get value 128?. i understand that bit 2 is 2x2=4 but bit 7 7x2=128? Please advise.

You double each time. This is BINARY, meaning counting in 2's. You surely know DECIMAL, counting in 10's?

1 = 1

10 = 10

100 = 10 x 10

1000 = 10 x 10 x 10

...

1000000 = 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10

Okay so far. you notice how the "bit" (the 1) goes left each time yuou multiply by 10?

Well, in binary, it goes left each time you multiply by 2.

bit 0 = 1

bit 1 = 2

bit 2 = 4 = 2 x 2

bit 3 = 8 = 2 x 2 x 2

...

bit 7 = 128 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (i.e 7 2's)

See? Easy! This is nothing to do with programming, it is simple elementary arithmetic, just basic numbering. It's a lot easier than flying an aircraft, and certainly much much easier than understanding an Airbus! ;-)

Pete

[sxa1376]

Hello Pete about the x4 i put in parameter i though that in bit 2 as you wrote is 2x2=4 so i thought in parameter for the bit 2 must put x4

[Pete Dowson]

Hello Pete about the x4 i put in parameter i though that in bit 2 as you wrote is 2x2=4 so i thought in parameter for the bit 2 must put x4

Yes, this is quite correct. But you are answering a different question. I actually asked what function you are trying to operate with offset 541C bit 2? It wasn't on your list of things you wanted to do!

According to the PM offsets list, bit 2 is used for Boeing ND mode "VOR" (new mode setting), or MAP CTR (old mode setting). Have you changed to Boeing now, not Airbus?

If you want continued help you do really need to be clear about what it is you are trying to do, and not only state how you are doing it.

Regards

Pete