PMDG 737NGX and FSUIPC logging ...

[Pete Dowson]

The new PMDG 737NGX aircraft seems to do some interesting things which can make working with FSUIPC's logging to find out how to assign things more difficult. One of these is it's incessant transmission of Events to FSX, which tend to make others you want to observe in the FSUIPC4 log files.

Another is the sheer number of Local panel variables it features. -- several hundred. And, again, some of those seem to be changing all the time making the logging (by the Log lvars.lua plug-in) a bitless useful when trying to determine which of those hundreds does what.

For the former problem I offer a new facility in version 4.719a, now available in the Download Links subforum. This facility is described here:

In order to make it easier to check Events in the FSUIPC4.log file when using aircraft such as ther new PMDG 737NGX, which appear to be sending some events continuously all the time they are loaded, a new INI file parameter is available to avoid logging specific event numbers. This is

DontLogThese= ...

and goes into the [General] section. You can list individual events (by their decimal control number), or a range, n-m, inclusive of the end points. Each is separated from the next by a comma.

For example, for the PMDG 737NGX I installed today, it seems this is a good value for this parameter to avoid logging thousands of entries adn flooding out any useful information:

DontLogthese=66485,69000-70999,66503,66504

The 66485 is "Anti ice toggle Eng2" which appears to be sent at a rate of about 15-16 per second! The large range 69000-70999 maybe too big, but prevents non-FS controls in that range being sent at similar rates whenever the Mouse pointer rests over a switch or button! Finally the last two merely suppress the two axis events for "mouse look" being logged.

Note that, unlike all other parameters in the [General] section, you can modify this one without closing FSX and reloading it. Simply go into FSUIPC options and come back out to get it re-read.

To deal the the Lvar logging, I noted that these log entries were appearing regularly from the Log lvars.lua plug-in:

264657 LUA: L:ngx_switch_197_a=144

265079 LUA: L:ngx_switch_198_a=156

1237203 LUA: L:ngx_left_engine_blurred=239

1237266 LUA: L:ngx_right_engine_blurred=228

1237266 LUA: L:PilotAnimationVar=805

where the numbers were changing all the time. So, try this modified Log lvars plug in (call it something different to avoid confusion):

-- "NGXLvars" example LUA plug-in, by Pete Dowson, August 2011

displaymax = 15

local vals = {}
local names = {}
local lines = {}

local omit = { "ngx_left_engine_blurred",  "ngx_right_engine_blurred", "PilotAnimationVar", "ngx_switch_197_a", "ngx_switch_198_a"}

local function notomitted(name)
	x = 1
	while omit[x] ~= nil do
 		if omit[x] == name then
          	return false
 		end
 		x = x + 1
	end
	return true
end

for i = 0, displaymax, 1 do
   lines[i] = ""
end

line = 0
scan = true
postscan = false

while 1 do
   i = 0
   while i < 65536 do
  	if scan then
 		name = ipc.getLvarName(i)
 		if name == nil then
        	scan = false
        	postscan = true
        	break
 		end

 		if name ~= names[i] then
        	vals[i] = nil
        	names[i] = name
 		end

  	elseif names[i] == nil then
 		break
  	end

  	n = ipc.readLvar(names[i])

  	if n == nil then
 		scan = true
 		break
  	end

  	dodisp = false

  	if n ~= vals[i] and notomitted(names[i]) then
   		lines[line] = "L:" .. names[i] .. "=" .. n
 		ipc.log(lines[line])
 		vals[i] = n

 		line = line + 1
 		if line > displaymax then
        	line = 0
 		end

 		dodisp = true
  	end

  	if postscan or (dodisp and not scan) then
 	j = line
 		disp = ""

 		repeat
        	disp = disp .. "\n" .. lines[j]

        	j = j + 1
        	if j > displaymax then 
   			j = 0
        	end   	
 		until j == line 

 		ipc.display(disp)

 		postscan = false
  	end

  	i = i + 1
   end

   ipc.sleep(5)

end

I've made a list of all of the PMDG 737-800WL L:Vars. Download it via this link: List of PMDG 737NGX LVars. However, with the few I've so far tried writing to, although you can certainly move the switches, it only seems to be changing the graphic -- the innards still act as if the switch hadn't been moved.

[EDITED]

Mouse macros seem to work well. You need to be sure to update to version FSUIPC 4.721 or later. There was a serious bug affecting mouse macro creation in earlier 4.7 versions, only just discovered and fixed. Version 4.721 (or later) is available in the Download Links subforum.

[END EDIT]

Good hunting!

[LATER]

Please also see This Thread in User Contibutions subforum.

Regards

Pete

[guenseli]

Pete, allow me, to make a bit of advertisement for LINDA again...

The last days we fiddles out countless functions which are already working with LINDA and could be assigned to any Joystick (HID Device) and the MCP Combo.

We have Autopilot fully working, EFIS, lights in and out, , Transponder, Autobreak, Gear, Fuel, Engine start, APU etc etc ...

LINDA is awaiting you :wink:

[Pete Dowson]

The last days we fiddles out countless functions which are already working with LINDA and could be assigned to any Joystick (HID Device) and the MCP Combo.

We have Autopilot fully working, EFIS, lights in and out, , Transponder, Autobreak, Gear, Fuel, Engine start, APU etc etc ...

Excellent!

So you must have had early access to the aircraft? I only just bought it this morning after returning from a long weekend away. I only really got it to have a look at, and maybe learn from. There's no way I can actually use it in my cockpit with Project Magenta etcetera, but it could help me make it more realistic in the nitty gritty details.

Regards

Pete

[guenseli]

So you must have had early access to the aircraft?

no, unfortunately not - just 30 hours after release, after the "server hack"

But it was really easy to fiddle the variables and controls out with LINDA.

It is unbelieveable how easy such things are now.

Just looked it up: we have about 300 functions now :wink:

All credits go here to Artem Crum which made a brilliant tool!!!

[richard welsh]

Hello, I am not familiar with the pros and cons of FSUIPC, I just use the Buttons and Switches facility. Today 27.5.2012 I purchased the registered copy of FSUIPC v4.82 and opened FSX. I loaded the PMDG 737ng (default) with the purpose of setting buttons etc. In past versions when clicking the aircraft profile box it automatically loaded the selected aircraft in top section, however today a box appeared and asked which aircraft I wanted to use, or words to that effect, and I entered PMDG 737NG. Will I have to do this each time I load this aircraft with different liveries etc. I hope you can help me with this situation. richard welsh.

[Pete Dowson]

Hello, I am not familiar with the pros and cons of FSUIPC, I just use the Buttons and Switches facility. Today 27.5.2012 I purchased the registered copy of FSUIPC v4.82 and opened FSX. I loaded the PMDG 737ng (default) with the purpose of setting buttons etc. In past versions when clicking the aircraft profile box it automatically loaded the selected aircraft in top section, however today a box appeared and asked which aircraft I wanted to use, or words to that effect, and I entered PMDG 737NG. Will I have to do this each time I load this aircraft with different liveries etc. I hope you can help me with this situation. richard welsh.

No. But please ask your questions in the Support Forum. This is not the right place nor thread. I'll give a fuller answer in the Support Forum. Meanwhile, look up "ShortAircraftNameOk" in the manuals.

Pete