How to limit minimum axis OUT value for Q300

[pilotjohn]

I'm trying to setup my Saitek quadrant's prop control to feather the condition levers on the Majestic Q300 at the idle position.

However, FSUIPC outputs -4096 as the minimum which causes the CLs to move to the Fuel Cutoff position. I'd like to limit this minimum so that at the controller's idle position the output is greater than -4096 and the CLs stop at the Start & Feather position to avoid accidental fuels shutoff.

I can do similar things for the throttle since the Q300 allows this mapping, but not for the prop.

How can this be achieved?

I will then use the mixture axes to move the CLs to Fuel Cutoff (I have this part working already with sending FS commands in ranges).

[Pete Dowson]

However, FSUIPC outputs -4096 as the minimum ...

Does it? Certainly for the throttle the maximum reverse setting is actually an aircraft setting which varies from aircraft to aircraft and which FSUIPC reads from FS. The -4096 value is the usual default value (25%) in most aircraft CFG files. I don't think there is a value set for prop pitch.

which causes the CLs to move to the Fuel Cutoff position. I'd like to limit this minimum so that at the controller's idle position the output is greater than -4096 and the CLs stop at the Start & Feather position to avoid accidental fuels shutoff.

What output value is the "start & feather" position?

How can this be achieved?

You can alter the calibrated values in the FSUIPC INI file so that FSUIPC sees a minimum that the input axis will never reach. I can't think of another way. Thje same thing can be used to limit maximum settings too, of course.

Regards

Pete

[pilotjohn]

Does it? Certainly for the throttle the maximum reverse setting is actually an aircraft setting which varies from aircraft to aircraft and which FSUIPC reads from FS. The -4096 value is the usual default value (25%) in most aircraft CFG files. I don't think there is a value set for prop pitch.

It does for me... apparently that's it for this aircraft then. If I have FSUIPC calibrate (aircraft specific) the axis with RZ, at a raw input of -16384 FSUIPC shows -4096 as output, which in effect causes the CL to go to fuel cutoff.

What output value is the "start & feather" position?

Start & Feather is greater than -3850 from what I can tell from documentation, and around -3000 seems to work. Ideally I'd like to have -3000 at the controller's -16384 (idle) position, and scale up from there. That is scale the raw input of -16384..16384 to -3000..16384.

You can alter the calibrated values in the FSUIPC INI file so that FSUIPC sees a minimum that the input axis will never reach. I can't think of another way. Thje same thing can be used to limit maximum settings too, of course.

Regards

Pete

Would this be in the specific aircraft area of FSUIPC.ini? I see the specific aircraft settings, but not the -4096. If I set this in the INI, won't it be overridden my FSX in some way?

NRZ/RZ basically scale the raw min/max to 0/max or -4096/max (or as read from FSX?), correct? What I'd like to be able to do is scale to something else besides 0 or -4096 in this case.

Below are the FSUIPC sections (prop pitch 1+2 is mapped directly to 3+4 calibration for this aircraft, on axes 0V/2X):

[Axes.MJC 8-300 Q British Airways]

0=0Z,256,D,11,0,0,0

1=0U,256,D,12,0,0,0

2=0V,256,D,19,0,0,0

3=2X,256,D,20,0,0,0

4=2Y,1

5=2Y,B,-16384,-8322,65925,-3000

6=2Y,BR,-8062,8064,65925,-3000

7=2Y,B,8320,16383,65925,-3000

8=2Z,1

9=2Z,B,-16384,-8322,65926,-3000

10=2Z,BR,-8062,8064,65926,-3000

11=2Z,B,8320,16383,65926,-3000

[JoystickCalibration.MJC 8-300 Q British Airways]

AllowSuppressForPFCquad=Yes

ExcludeThrottleSet=Yes

ExcludeMixtureSet=Yes

ExcludePropPitchSet=Yes

SepRevsJetsOnly=No

ApplyHeloTrim=No

UseAxisControlsForNRZ=No

FlapsSetControl=0

FlapDetents=No

ReverserControl=66292

Reverser1Control=66422

Reverser2Control=66425

Reverser3Control=66428

Reverser4Control=66431

MaxThrottleForReverser=256

AileronTrimControl=66731

RudderTrimControl=66732

CowlFlaps1Control=66162

CowlFlaps2Control=66163

CowlFlaps3Control=66164

CowlFlaps4Control=66165

SteeringTillerControl=0

MaxSteerSpeed=60

PropPitch3=-16384,0,512,16380/8

PropPitch4=-16384,0,512,16380

Throttle3=-16380,-512,512,16380/32

Throttle4=-16380,-512,512,16380/32

Edited June 2, 2011 by pilotjohn

[Pete Dowson]

It does for me... apparently that's it for this aircraft then. If I have FSUIPC calibrate (aircraft specific) the axis with RZ, at a raw input of -16384 FSUIPC shows -4096 as output, which in effect causes the CL to go to fuel cutoff.

As I suggested, if you set the minimum value manually, in the INI file, to, say, -32767 instead of -16384 then it can't calibrate your -16384 down to -4096 only to -2048, or thereabouts.

Start & Feather is greater than -3850 from what I can tell from documentation, and around -3000 seems to work. Ideally I'd like to have -3000 at the controller's -16384 (idle) position, and scale up from there. That is scale the raw input of -16384..16384 to -3000..16384.

Okay, You can experiment to get the right value.

Would this be in the specific aircraft area of FSUIPC.ini? I see the specific aircraft settings, but not the -4096.

The calibration values ibn the INIT file are the INPUTS not the OUTPUTS.

If I set this in the INI, won't it be overridden my FSX in some way?

FSUIPC calibration is nothing to do with FSX.

NRZ/RZ basically scale the raw min/max to 0/max or -4096/max (or as read from FSX?), correct? What I'd like to be able to do is scale to something else besides 0 or -4096 in this case.

Yes, and I suggested a way of doing this.

Below are the FSUIPC sections (prop pitch 1+2 is mapped directly to 3+4 calibration for this aircraft, on axes 0V/2X):

The Axes section isn't relevant.

[JoystickCalibration.MJC 8-300 Q British Airways]

PropPitch3=-16384,0,512,16380/8

PropPitch4=-16384,0,512,16380

Try making the -16384 values a lot bigger, negatively. As I said, -32768 would give a low of -2048. so for -3000 you want something like x = -16384 x 4096 / 3000 = -22370. Apart from any slopes you may apply, the interpolation is linear.

Pete

[pilotjohn]

As I suggested, if you set the minimum value manually, in the INI file, to, say, -32767 instead of -16384 then it can't calibrate your -16384 down to -4096 only to -2048, or thereabouts.

Okay, You can experiment to get the right value.

The calibration values ibn the INIT file are the INPUTS not the OUTPUTS.

FSUIPC calibration is nothing to do with FSX.

Yes, and I suggested a way of doing this.

The Axes section isn't relevant.

Try making the -16384 values a lot bigger, negatively. As I said, -32768 would give a low of -2048. so for -3000 you want something like x = -16384 x 4096 / 3000 = -22370. Apart from any slopes you may apply, the interpolation is linear.

Pete

Got it... I'll try that. Thanks!

Perhaps this could be a new feature in the GUI in the future.

Edited June 2, 2011 by pilotjohn