Macro, second window does not appear

[bradrcfii]

I am running FSX on Windows 7/64 and want to set up a macro to adjust AP altitude on a Real Air Duke. The native AP altitude adjustment is used with the mouse wheel after placing the cursor over the control. I started the macro build process in the Key Presses window, entered the macro name "b60T" and hit OK and exited FSUIPC. I then placed the mouse cursor over the altitude control and moved the mouse wheel. I received no responce from FSUIPC expecting to see the window where I name the function and test with the Tab key.

What should I look for?

Thank You

[Pete Dowson]

I am running FSX on Windows 7/64 and want to set up a macro to adjust AP altitude on a Real Air Duke. The native AP altitude adjustment is used with the mouse wheel after placing the cursor over the control. I started the macro build process in the Key Presses window, entered the macro name "b60T" and hit OK and exited FSUIPC. I then placed the mouse cursor over the altitude control and moved the mouse wheel. I received no responce from FSUIPC expecting to see the window where I name the function and test with the Tab key.

Assuming your FSX is updated to at least SP1 level, this is always what you get if the underlying mouse click area is not supported by C/C++ gauge code written to abide by the Microsoft gauge SDK. Most new aircraft written for FSX use XML gauges and are not susceptible at all to "mouse macros", just like the default aircraft -- Microsoft didn't write many of its gauges using the SDK either.

You might find a way using local gauge variables (L:Vars), but that's not guaranteed either. If the aircraft makers did not use the regular FS autopilot controls and did not provide any way to assign keyboard shortcuts then really the aircraft is not suitable for hardware control.

Check the "User Contributions" subforum. Maybe some of the entries there will inspire you. There's nothing contributed yet for that aircraft, but the examples folks have come up with might help.

Regards

Pete

[bradrcfii]

Thank you for the quick responce.

[Pete Dowson]

Thank you for the quick responce.

BTW I notice from your subtitle that you are using 4.657. Version 4.70 is now the current supported release for FSX, and the documentation for mouse macros in that package has been expanded a little to clarify this matter.

Regards

Pete

[bradrcfii]

I will look forward to upgrading soon to 4.70.

[Andydigital]

The Duke uses default MSFS commands for the altitude so there should be no need to use Macros or L:vars in this instance. Macros dont work in the VC by the way, they only work on 2D panels. Do make sure you have the patch for the Duke, the initial release didnt fully work with MSFS commands, the new turbine Duke works perfect straight out of the box.

[bradrcfii]

Andydigital,

Thanks for the clarification.

Maybe I do not understand how FSX deals with altitude. In reviewing the keyboard commands, I find the following;

Altitude Hold

Altitude Bug Select

I guess I am not sure what altitude select does. I expected to find "Altitude bug increase" and "Altitude bug decrease"

I noticed there are commands for "Increase Selection" and "Decrease Selection". Are these used in conjunction with "Altitude Bug Select"?

[Pete Dowson]

Maybe I do not understand how FSX deals with altitude. In reviewing the keyboard commands, I find the following;

Altitude Hold

Altitude Bug Select

I guess I am not sure what altitude select does. I expected to find "Altitude bug increase" and "Altitude bug decrease"

I'm not sure what the Menu shows in FS -- not all of FS's controls are shown there -- but internally in FS the ones you want are called:

AP_ALT_VAR_DEC and AP_ALT_VAR_INC

and these are the names you'd look for in assigning in FSUIPC (because FSUIPC gets them from FS).

FSUIPC allows you to assign to ANY FS control, whether they work or not (those two certainly do, though! ;-) ). The FS user interface is rather simplified and omits many.

Regards

Pete

[bradrcfii]

I'm not sure what the Menu shows in FS -- not all of FS's controls are shown there -- but internally in FS the ones you want are called:

AP_ALT_VAR_DEC and AP_ALT_VAR_INC

and these are the names you'd look for in assigning in FSUIPC (because FSUIPC gets them from FS).

FSUIPC allows you to assign to ANY FS control, whether they work or not (those two certainly do, though! ;-) ). The FS user interface is rather simplified and omits many.

Regards

Pete

Very nice.

I did not realize there are commands that are not listed in the FSX Buttons area.

Thanks, this just got much easier.

[Pete Dowson]

I did not realize there are commands that are not listed in the FSX Buttons area.

The complete list of assignable FS controls is provided in a document which you'll find in the FSUIPC Documents subfolder in your FSX modules folder. All of those are assignable in FSUIPC, though not all work (some I think were never actually implemented inside FS even though included in their tables).

Sometimes the FS internal name is a little obscure (such as using the name Kohlsman for the altimeter pressure setting, which is a mis-spelling of the German instrument makers Kollsman who were the first to include that in their altimeters back in the early days of aviation).

On top of those, FSUIPC adds quite a few of its own which are listed separately in the FSUIPC Advanced User's guide.

Regards

Pete

[reading1871]

The Duke uses default MSFS commands for the altitude so there should be no need to use Macros or L:vars in this instance. Macros dont work in the VC by the way, they only work on 2D panels. Do make sure you have the patch for the Duke, the initial release didnt fully work with MSFS commands, the new turbine Duke works perfect straight out of the box.

Hello

Macros work fine for me in the VC, who told you they only work in the 2D panel?

[Andydigital]

I'm not saying they only work when in the 2d panel view or put another way I'm not saying you cant use the macros you created with a 2d panel in the VC view. Try creating a macro in a VC from physical 3d buttons in an aircraft like the PMDG MD11 and you will see what I mean, you need an actual 2d panel/gauge to capture the functions from in the first place. Most aircraft with 3d VC only are not amenable to mouse macros, in that instance you'll most likely need to go down the L:vars route instead.

[bradrcfii]

Very nice.

I did not realize there are commands that are not listed in the FSX Buttons area.

Thanks, this just got much easier.

It worked easily. Who needs mouse macros?

I am a little embarrased I did not know all these commands existed by asuming the FSX user interaface was complete.

Thanks again,