Autopilot

[gfd]

Greetings

I am new to flight simulation and I must say using FSUIPC has certainly flattened the learning curve from a setup point of view. Learning how to fly right, well that is something else. I am in the process of setting up my G940 to work with Flight Simulator X. I have the Acceleration addon. My question is regarding the autopilot. I was able to map changes to altitude, vertical speed and max bank to 2 of my trim wheels. I can use buttons to toggle the various functions (on...off). I would like to assign heading and course to the trim wheels using FSUIPC's feature to segment an axis. Excellent idea, by the way.

I can't seem to find a command that would increase or decrease the compass headings on the dials. I noticed in the user manual that there is a command to incr/decr the heading bug fast (1024 and 125), but I imagine I'd want to have a more graduated change. After hours of searching the options and reading through the manuals, I am flummoxed. The answer is probably beating me on the head, but I can't see it. Can you point me in the right direction so I can finish setting up my Autopilot controls? I realize I can use a mouse to move those dials, but I have TrackIR and I get dizzy trying to stay steady with the mouse. Besides, I got a controller to avoid the use of the mouse and keyboard.

By the way, I do have another question: I would like to thank you for profiles. I noticed that FSUIPC does not extend to many payware aircraft. Fair enough. You can't be everything to everyone. If I use a payware plane and it has its own logic for, say the autopilot, I can create a profile for the aircraft. That's good. Now, let's say this plane uses Ctrl + M (fictitious) to turn on the autopilot and there is already a command using that key combination for something in a default plane. If I set up this profile and assign this keyboard command to a button, will it conflict, or will the command in the profile override the default (for the payware plane) and play nice?

I would like to say that I am impressed with the software. Before I bought the registered version, I didn't realize that a number of addons use the freeware version of the application to talk to FSX. But even had I known, I would have paid for the product. It has added a lot of flexibility and saved me a lot of time in setting up. Just doing that and reading the manuals, has been an excellent early learning experience. Sorry for the novel here. Any help will be appreciated.

Graham

[Pete Dowson]

I can't seem to find a command that would increase or decrease the compass headings on the dials.I noticed in the user manual that there is a command to incr/decr the heading bug fast (1024 and 125), but I imagine I'd want to have a more graduated change. After hours of searching the options and reading through the manuals, I am flummoxed.

The user manual does not list FS controls, only the controls FSUIPC added to fill in gaps. The list of FS controls is installed in a document (obscurely?) called "List of FS controls" or similar in your FSUIPC Documents folder, as listed in the Installation guide.

Heading increment and decrement controls are named "Heading bug inc" and "Heading bug dec" so you should have been able to spot those easily in the FSUIPC drop-down assignments list. The course inc/decs are less obviously called "Vor1 obi inc" and "dec" and "Vor2 obi inc" and "dec" respectively.

There is also an easy way of finding the correct FS control name: enable event logging in FSUIPC's Logging tab, then use the controls in a default aircraft using mouse or keyboard, then look in the FSUIPC Log to see what event it logged. It will give both name and number.

I noticed that FSUIPC does not extend to many payware aircraft.

Er, 'does not extend' what, to "many payware aircraft"? Sorry I don't follow you. FSUIPC has nothing to do with any aircraft, payware, freeware or default. It is an interface into FS. It manipulates FS values.

If I use a payware plane and it has its own logic for, say the autopilot, I can create a profile for the aircraft. That's good. Now, let's say this plane uses Ctrl + M (fictitious) to turn on the autopilot and there is already a command using that key combination for something in a default plane. If I set up this profile and assign this keyboard command to a button, will it conflict, or will the command in the profile override the default (for the payware plane) and play nice?

I think this is in the User Guide, but for your quick reference:

FS keypress assignments are overridden by FSUIPC assignments when they are applied, whether generically or only in specific profiles..

FS axis and button/switch assignments cannot be overridden, unfortunately. So you must either disable controllers in FS and use only FSUIPC, or ensure that nothing assigned in FSUIPC is also assigned in FS.

Regards

Pete

[gfd]

Thanks for the replies. I'm a rookie, but I'll get better.