Feed real-world GPS position into FSUIPC

[nutel]

Dear Pete,

several flight planning tools interface to FSUIPC to obtain the plane position within FS. I've been wondering whether the possibility exists to feed the position from a real-world GPS (connected e.g. via a USB port) into FSUIPC (WideClient) so that the tools display my real-world position.

I searched some time on the web and couldn't find anything so I guess the answer is no. In this case, would this functionality be an option for a future release? Or is it possible for me to write an interface to WideClient myself?

Regards,

Alexander

[Pete Dowson]

several flight planning tools interface to FSUIPC to obtain the plane position within FS. I've been wondering whether the possibility exists to feed the position from a real-world GPS (connected e.g. via a USB port) into FSUIPC (WideClient) so that the tools display my real-world position.

Er, what "tools"?

There are ways (and programs) which move the aircraft around in FS to correspond with an external input like position, effectively using FS only as a display system for an extenal simulation of some kind.

I searched some time on the web and couldn't find anything so I guess the answer is no. In this case, would this functionality be an option for a future release? Or is it possible for me to write an interface to WideClient myself?

If you feed a poisiton into FSUIPC it will move the aircraft in FS. But if FS is still simulating flight, it will change, of course. You need to keep feeding in information at something like the frame rate. You'd also need to feed in pitch, bank and heading to get the aircraft orientation correct.

You don't need an external program to do that. A little Lua plug-in can do it, provided it has a way of getting your position and orientation information.

Maybe you need to explain a bit more about what is is you want to achieve, as what you ask really makes little sense to me at present.

Regards

Pete

[nutel]

Sorry that I wasn't clear. In my concrete case, I would like FlightSim Commander to show my real-world position on its moving map display. It cannot connect directly to a GPS unit as far as I know but as it uses WideFS/FSUIPC to get the aircraft position from FS I thought that it may be possible to have a program that takes the position from a real-world GPS and feeds it to WideFS.

This is completely independent from FS which wouldn't run at all. The nice thing using WideFS would be that this would automatically also work for other moving-map programs which interface with WideFS.

You mentioned LUA scripts which I have heard of but I have no experience with what they can do.

I hope this is clearer now.

Regards, Alexander

Edited March 17, 2012 by nutel

[Pete Dowson]

Sorry that I wasn't clear. In my concrete case, I would like FlightSim Commander to show my real-world position on its moving map display. It cannot connect directly to a GPS unit as far as I know but as it uses WideFS/FSUIPC to get the aircraft position from FS I thought that it may be possible to have a program that takes the position from a real-world GPS and feeds it to WideFS.

Well, there is a feature operated by FSUIPC offsets which allows FSUIPC / WideFS to lie to the client programs about the values in an offset. This has to be programmed in a Lua plug-in.

This is completely independent from FS which wouldn't run at all.

Ah, then there is no chance. WideFS is 100% dependent upon FSUIPC which is 100% dependent on FS. It is a module of FS, not a free-standing program. It would be far less work to get FSC to read your GPS direct. To build a freestanding WideServer interface would be a huge undertaking in itself, as it would need to emulate all of the things WideClient relies on -- much more than a few numbers representing aircraft position. I should think FSC would require rather more too.

Odd that I went to a lot of trouble to provide GPS-emulating output from FSUIPC/WideFS so that real world moving map applications, used with real GPS's, could be used with FS. It seems very strange to want to use a simulstor world moving map when the real world ones are so good! I use Jeppesen FliteMap, but even google maps can be used, of course, and there are many other map programs which follow GPS coordinates.

Regards

Pete

[nutel]

Well, there is a feature operated by FSUIPC offsets which allows FSUIPC / WideFS to lie to the client programs about the values in an offset. This has to be programmed in a Lua plug-in.

Ah, then there is no chance. WideFS is 100% dependent upon FSUIPC which is 100% dependent on FS. It is a module of FS, not a free-standing program. It would be far less work to get FSC to read your GPS direct. To build a freestanding WideServer interface would be a huge undertaking in itself, as it would need to emulate all of the things WideClient relies on -- much more than a few numbers representing aircraft position. I should think FSC would require rather more too.

Odd that I went to a lot of trouble to provide GPS-emulating output from FSUIPC/WideFS so that real world moving map applications, used with real GPS's, could be used with FS. It seems very strange to want to use a simulstor world moving map when the real world ones are so good! I use Jeppesen FliteMap, but even google maps can be used, of course, and there are many other map programs which follow GPS coordinates.

Regards

Pete

Thanks Pete for the fast answer. I somehow expected that this wouldn't work.

Yes, I know of FliteMap but it is expensive, especially if you want to have current navdata which for flightsim tools are available for a very reasonable price via navigraph. Do you know of any (good) flight planning/moving map tool which works with the navigraph data and can directly connect to a real-world GPS?

Regards, Alexander

[Pete Dowson]

Do you know of any (good) flight planning/moving map tool which works with the navigraph data and can directly connect to a real-world GPS?

Not with Navigraph -- though I presume you scanned through their list of supported programs? Might be a good idea to email them that question -- might be an avenue they've not thought of, though of course they probably aren't allowed to let the data be used for real-world navigation.

Pete

[gr8guitar]

Hello, to the person wanting real GPS data into FS, there are two ways. 1) There is a GPS2FS program out there (from South Africa), it works well, especially if FS is in slew mode. My GPS's output is in one-second intervals so the FS is updated accordingly. There are GPS's that output at 5hz. And I believe FSUIPC allows this too because I'm able to read/write to FS, through FSUIPC. I'm using Microsoft's Excel to read the com port for the GPS data, parse the info. and then feed the coordinates and altitude to FS. Why do this? Well, it might seem crazy but I fly in mountainous areas and I always fly VFR, however... there have been occasions when the clouds crept up on me unexpectantly. I run the FS so should the emergency arise, I could still negotiate through the mountains. Clouds, wind and mountains are not a good mixture. The last time I was in clouds unexpectantly I didn't take my GPS and oops there I was. Fortunately at that time, the LORAN was still available and literally was a life-saver. A long time ago, I got bored with the actual flying but very interested in the "where am I?" Now a question for Mr. Dowson. I purchased FSPS 3D cockpit because I wanted the more realistic effect of the touchdown and landing roll I had seen on Youtube.com (per edetroit but I'm convinced he actually used FSX and this program instead of FS9). Anyways, I initially could not get it to work until I realized it needed FSUIPC to work! So my query is, what or where are the offsets for force feedback? I did search the pdf file (using: bump, force, feedback, land and didn't see anything related) My guess is, FSPS is using the force feedback info. and then moving the virtual cockpit to emulate the ground roll effect. Any help is always greatly appreciated.

[Pete Dowson]

So my query is, what or where are the offsets for force feedback? I did search the pdf file (using: bump, force, feedback, land and didn't see anything related) My guess is, FSPS is using the force feedback info. and then moving the virtual cockpit to emulate the ground roll effect. Any help is always greatly appreciated.

The FS force feedback feature is an output via DirectX for force-freedback drivers and devices. It will be determining what it sends by using all the usual velocities and accelerations, which are available in offsets. Just search on the word "acceleration".

Pete

[gr8guitar]

Okay thanks so much, that should do it :).

[gr8guitar]

I have to say thanks again for FSUIPC! Ever since I saw the video on Youtube where the landing roll effect was shown, I was on a mission to find it. As I mentioned earlier, I purchased FSPS 3D Effect, found out it 1) Only works with FSX. 2) Only works in virtual cockpit. 3) Required shader (from SP2) - whatever that is. 4) It required FSUIPC. Hmm.... FSUIPC. I primarily fly FS9 using the 2D cockpit due to gauge/aircraft additions/modifications through the years. I wanted the "ground roll effect" for FS9. Basically I just added pitch acceleration/1000 (this is altered to desired effect) to actual pitch when on the ground and ground speed faster than 1 knot - I now prefer 20 knots. I'm curious why I see changes in pitch accelerations when I'm parked and the engine is running and no wind though. In any case, I'm extremely happy as this fulfills my needs and simply. :mrgreen:

[Pete Dowson]

I'm curious why I see changes in pitch accelerations when I'm parked and the engine is running and no wind though.

No idea, though if this is with a prop aircraft I would think there'd be tiny accelerations in pitch due to torque and prop backwash. You could probably eliminate them by reducing the aircraft realism settings to zero.

Pete

[gr8guitar]

Thanks for the info. I was just reading the pitch accelerations but it does not have any significant effect on the ground roll effect - that I can tell. I did notice that I did needed to change the effect of the pitch accelerations and some logic when I flew a heavier aircraft, like the 747. Other than that, I am really happy. I wish I would have thought of it before I purchased FSPS 3D Effect. I did not know it wouldn't work for FS9 and the 2D panel. It's truly amazing how versatile FSUIPC is.

[gr8guitar]

Okay, another question: It may have been explained but I missed it. Using Excel, I'm able to access the HEX offsets (as an example only: 34B0 = Pressure Altitude) but is there a way to access say, i.e., 65857 = PAN_RIGHT_DOWN using Excel. Here's the deal, I re-ordered the Saitek BIP (Backlit Information Panel). I had ordered a few months ago but it did not work with FS9, despite their website indicating so. I sent it back. Well, thanks to SPAD (Massimo), it now works with FS9. But again, one of the other reasons I sent it back was it does not come with all the tiles it advertises as well and cannot even be programmed to display those tiles if they did exist (it's profile programming software doesn't have the option). To make the most of what it can indicate, for example, I use Eng 1-4 Fire, Oil Press, and Oil temp. However, there are many times I fly aircraft with less than 4 engines. So the non-running engines show low oil pressure as it should. Since I have ExceI running anyways, would like to be able to use it to turn off those lights.

[Pete Dowson]

Okay, another question: It may have been explained but I missed it. Using Excel, I'm able to access the HEX offsets (as an example only: 34B0 = Pressure Altitude) but is there a way to access say, i.e., 65857 = PAN_RIGHT_DOWN using Excel.

That latter number and name refers to an assignable command (also known as a control or key event) TO FS, not something you read from it. It is assignable in FSUIPC and in FS.

Pete

[gr8guitar]

Hm.. I'm think I understand that it's a no as far as using Excel to access the control (assignable command). I got a new computer and wow, what a hassle to put things back. I even put in each USB device in the same order as originally placed but the assignment still got messed up and of course, I had to delete all the assignments that FS applies as well - ugh. So importing the fs9.cfg file probably wouldn't have helped. So, getting back to Excel and FSUIPC, what I did was read Engine 1's oil pressure and then send that value to the other engines when I'm flying a single engine, or send 1 to 3 and 2 to 4 when flying a twin. Works fine, just not as clean as I would like. I can't say it enough, Using Excel and FSUIPC has allowed an amazing amount of flexibilty and features that otherwise would go untapped.