PMDG 737NGX

[tumbi]

Just installed FSUIPC 4.80 which was released recently.

I was getting excited at the prospect of having the PMDG 737NGX codes available from FSUIPC (like iFly737 and Leveld767 are built in). But, no. (Sigh). Maybe next version?

It is OK though. LINDA supports the PMDG 737NGX, so I can use that. But it gets complicated with the joystick/yoke buttons configurable in FSX and in the Saitek driver software and in FSUIPC and now in LINDA too.

I have them ALL loaded when flying:

- I dont use the FSX configuration for buttons.

- The Saitek software is used so I can make use of the shifted feature to provide more options for the available buttons. That works better for me than using LINDA's shift feature.

- FSUIPC is an essential. Can't fly without that! Besides LINDA needs it too.

- And LINDA is required so I can configure the PMDG codes to some of the buttons.

Anyway it is all working for me so I am happy. But it would be really nice to remove LINDA and do all that stuff with FSUIPC. So I am just adding a vote for this to be added to a future release please Pete.

[Pete Dowson]

I was getting excited at the prospect of having the PMDG 737NGX codes available from FSUIPC (like iFly737 and Leveld767 are built in). But, no. (Sigh). Maybe next version?

I think you must be mistaken. There are no built-in facilities for any add-on aircraft whatsoever. There is no way FSUIPC, which is a general purpose interface for applications into FS, can know about the specific ways add-on aircraft makers go about providing their controls.

Anyway it is all working for me so I am happy. But it would be really nice to remove LINDA and do all that stuff with FSUIPC. So I am just adding a vote for this to be added to a future release

There is no way I'm ever going to add individual controls for individual aircraft to FSUIPC. It would be a never-ending job and, knowing how things go, a continued maintenance job too. The facilities in FSUIPC are perfectly adequate as they stand for dealing with any aircraft which allows itself to be dealt with. LINDA is, after all, only using those facilities, so you can already dispense with it if you wished and do what it is doing by yourself. But the whole point of LINDA was to make it easier -- it would be harder without, so I don't understand why you do want to dispense with it.

The only other hope for the NGX on the horizon is that when PMDG finally release their SDK someone will write an interface for it to FSUIPC much like others have done for the Level D 767 and the iFly737. I assume that those interfaces, written by others, are confusing you into thinking I had anything to do with them?

Regards

Pete

[tumbi]

Oops, my mistake! It just goes to show how little I know about the workings of FSUIPC. Sorry Pete.

Yes you are correct in saying I am confused! Heh heh. When I saw lots of control codes listed in the FSUIPC Buttons & Switches drop down menu showing codes for the IFly737 and the Leveld767, I did assume you had added those codes into FSUIPC (as a "built- in facility" specifically for those individual aircraft) and that if you did the same for the NGX my problems would be over! Never mind, I think I had better go get the documentation and do some reading!

You asked why I might want to dispense with LINDA? I was concerned that I was complicating things having LINDA, Saitek controller software and FSUIPC all allowing button assignments and all trying to interpret my wishes while flying. I thought it would be better if I could just do it all with FSUIPC and remove the others to avoid them tripping over each other. Keeping it simple usually works best for me.

[Pete Dowson]

Oops, my mistake! It just goes to show how little I know about the workings of FSUIPC. Sorry Pete.

Yes you are correct in saying I am confused! Heh heh. When I saw lots of control codes listed in the FSUIPC Buttons & Switches drop down menu showing codes for the IFly737 and the Leveld767, I did assume you had added those codes into FSUIPC (as a "built- in facility" specifically for those individual aircraft) and that if you did the same for the NGX my problems would be over! Never mind, I think I had better go get the documentation and do some reading!

Not sure you'd read anything about those. They must be the result of Macro files (.mcro) added into your FS Modules folder. Macros and Lua programs both create assignable entries into Button, Keys and Axis assignment drop-downs. That's the whole point of being able to add such things. You probably got the macros from the User Contributions subforum here, or possibly they were created or added by LINDA?

You asked why I might want to dispense with LINDA? I was concerned that I was complicating things having LINDA, Saitek controller software and FSUIPC all allowing button assignments and all trying to interpret my wishes while flying. I thought it would be better if I could just do it all with FSUIPC and remove the others to avoid them tripping over each other.

I don't know LINDA at all well, but I thought it just did the work in FSUIPC which you would have to do otherwise. It is intended to make life simpler for you. If you dispense with it you'd need to do such things yourself -- THEN you'd certainly need to read more documentation! ;-)

Regards

Pete

[tumbi]

Yep, I can see it now. In my Modules folder, along with FSUIPC and LINDA files I have two "Macro" files: iFly737.MCRO and leveld767.MCRO. I have no idea where they came from - I certainly did not consciously load them as I do not have either of these aircraft.

But you can see in the attached image of the Buttons & Switches display on MY copy of FSUIPC, there are lots of "FS Controls" relating to the iFly737. (There are lots of others relating to the leveld767 too). When I saw those controls appearing in the FSUIPC I had just installed, I jumped to the conclusion that Pete had just added even more functionality to the latest release of FSUIPC! But no, those added controls are included from these two Macro files and not from within FSUIPC itself.

So, I guess this brings me back to the original purpose of this thread... wouldn't it be nice if we had a NGX.MCRO file. Unfortunately I do not have the expertise to create one but surely SOMEONE does, er (hint) including the PMDG Developers! Do they read this forum, I wonder?

Anyway, thanks Pete for reading and responding to my requests. My apologies again for jumping to the wrong conclusions about FSUIPC. I have learned something here and now will be looking forward to having someone, maybe PMDG, produce the necessary interface to allow all NGX users greater convenience in configuring their systems with FSUIPC.

[Pete Dowson]

Yep, I can see it now. In my Modules folder, along with FSUIPC and LINDA files I have two "Macro" files: iFly737.MCRO and leveld767.MCRO. I have no idea where they came from - I certainly did not consciously load them as I do not have either of these aircraft.

Maybe you installed LINDA and that in turn installed those?

So, I guess this brings me back to the original purpose of this thread... wouldn't it be nice if we had a NGX.MCRO file. Unfortunately I do not have the expertise to create one but surely SOMEONE does

Have you checked the User Contributions subforum here? I'm sure there are several useful NGX macros or Lua plug-ins there already. Just take a little care because if they use Mouse Macros there will be a difference for the different updated versions of the NGX gauges and DLLs. And likely they'll change again when SP3 (?) comes out.

If you want to free your assignment dropdowns of unusable iFly737 and levelD entries just delete or move those macro files elsewhere, or rename them with, say, ".xmcro" filetypes.

Regards

Pete