Lua script to save L:Vars into offsets

[Marcel_Felde]

Hello everyone,

I am using the follwing script for some while to save L:Vars into FSUIPC offsets to use them in hardware gauges of Flight Illusion and Open Cockpits. It works but smooth needle movements are not possible. Additionally, the offsets are set to zero frequently which results in jittering of the needles as they try to return to zero for a micro second.

I tried different variable formats but nothing did help, so I assume something is wrong within the script:

function datasend(time)

l = ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_VERTICAL_SPEED_RIGHT") ipc.writeUW(0x66B1,l)

n = ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_LEFT") ipc.writeUW(0x66C0,n)

m = ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_RIGHT") ipc.writeUW(0x66C1,m)

-- ipc.sleep(10)

end

event.timer(100, "datasend")

ipc.writeSTR(0x3380, "Data Module initiated")

ipc.writeSW(0x32FA, 3)

Ipc.sleep has been commented out to ensure that this is not the cause for the "zero effect".

There is a video on youtube (Home Cockpit Servo Driven Instrument Panel) that shows great needle movements but I failed in contacting the author of the video for help on my setup.

I am looking forward for any help! Thank you and greetings,

Marcel

[aua668]

Hi,

You could use the great new event.Lvar function, which Pete implemented with the last release. This event function checks in a given interval every change of a Lvar variable. Check the latest documentation.

Your code could look like this:

-- define Lvar to offset mapping functions
function setVerticalSpeedRight (lvarname,value)
  ipc.writeUW(0x66B1,value)
end

function setFuelQuantityLeft (lvarname,value)
  ipc.writeUW(0x66C0,value)
end

function setFuelQuantityRight (lvarname,value)
  ipc.writeUW(0x66C1,value)
end

-- initialize offsets
setVerticalSpeedRight ("NEEDLE_VERTICAL_SPEED_RIGHT",ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_VERTICAL_SPEED_RIGHT"))
setFuelQuantityLeft ("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_LEFT",ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_LEFT"))
setFuelQuantityRight ("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_RIGHT",ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_RIGHT"))

-- register Lvars to check (100 msec is the minimum interval)
event.Lvar("NEEDLE_VERTICAL_SPEED_RIGHT",100,"setVerticalSpeedRight")
event.Lvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_LEFT",100,"setFuelQuantityLeft")
event.Lvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_RIGHT",100,"setFuelQuantityRight")
[/CODE]

Very easy to implement now Lvar changes with this new function.

Rgds

Reinhard

[Pete Dowson]

l = ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_VERTICAL_SPEED_RIGHT") ipc.writeUW(0x66B1,l)

n = ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_LEFT") ipc.writeUW(0x66C0,n)

m = ipc.readLvar("NEEDLE_FUEL_QUANTITY_RIGHT") ipc.writeUW(0x66C1,m)

What is wrong with the normal offsets for these valees?

Regards

Pete

[Marcel_Felde]

Your code could look like this:

Hello Reinhard,

Thank you very much! I implemented that code and at the moment it only saves new values if I do reload the lua script. Do you have an idea what I may have done wrong? I will install the new FSUIPC again, perhabs something went wrong here.

Are you from Austria? :)

Greetings,

Marcel

[Marcel_Felde]

What is wrong with the normal offsets for these valees?

Regards

Pete

Hello Pete,

Those three are just part of a longer list of variables. And for example, the fuel quantity displays depend on a circtuit breaker and the indication will swap and jitter depending on engine vibrations and aircraft movements. So on most needles I don't use FSX default offsets but my own system simulation. :)

Greetings,

Marcel

[aua668]

Thank you very much! I implemented that code and at the moment it only saves new values if I do reload the lua script. Do you have an idea what I may have done wrong? I will install the new FSUIPC again, perhabs something went wrong here.

You must have the latest version of FSUIPC installed (from the download section in this forum) as Pete implemented this function end of July.

Are you from Austria? :)

Yes - as you easily can guess from my account ;-)

Rgds

Reinhard

[Pete Dowson]

Thank you very much! I implemented that code and at the moment it only saves new values if I do reload the lua script. Do you have an idea what I may have done wrong? I will install the new FSUIPC again, perhabs something went wrong here.

Certainly sounds like you are using a version of FSUIPC which preceded the event.lvar function addition. Check the FSUIPC log -- it will log the error in the function is not there.

Pete

[Marcel_Felde]

Thanks for the hint, will look for it later when the computer is at the aircraft again. I checked the version number to be 4.84 in FSX, that is the case...

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks for the hint, will look for it later when the computer is at the aircraft again. I checked the version number to be 4.84 in FSX, that is the case...

But the event.lvar function was not added until update 4.841! The current interim update is 4.844. See the Download Links subforum.

Pete

[Marcel_Felde]

Now I got it. :) Thank you so much Pete and Reinhard! Gauges seem to run more smoothly and those "zero stutters" are away. Only some needles behave odd but I will have to check them today.

[Pete Dowson]

Now I got it. :) Thank you so much Pete and Reinhard! Gauges seem to run more smoothly and those "zero stutters" are away. Only some needles behave odd but I will have to check them today.

Double check your use of the free user offsets. I just noticed you have both of these:

  ipc.writeUW(0x66C0,value)
  ipc.writeUW(0x66C1,value)
[/CODE]

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]The writeUW writes an unsigned WORD (2 bytes), so the write to 66C0 overwrites the low byte of the Word at 66C1. You either need to change to "writeUB" to write only one byte (8 bits) -- which is okay if the range of the value doesn't exceed 0-255 -- or choose offsets at least 2 bytes apart.[/font]

Regards

Pete

[aua668]

Hi,

For the fuel quantity gauges you should think about the interval, how often you are checking the Lvars. I don't believe, that the value will change within 100 msec so dramatically. So I would suggest to select for the slow moving gauges a longer interval to reduce load of the system.

Rgds

Reinhard

[Marcel_Felde]

Thanks Pete for your hint - that solved some issues. :-) I don't have much knowledge on the offsets, datatypes etc. Do you mean 66C0 and 66C2 with two bytes apart or 66C3?

On most needles I would have a bad feeling to have only 255 steps...

Reinhard, the fuel quantity needles are those with the highest update rate because of the shaking of the needles. Will reduce the interval for the voltmeter etc. :)

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks Pete for your hint - that solved some issues. :smile: I don't have much knowledge on the offsets, datatypes etc. Do you mean 66C0 and 66C2 with two bytes apart or 66C3?

66C0 and 66C2 are 2 bytes apart (66C2 - 66C0 = 2, simple arithmetic).

66C1 and 66C3 are also of course 2 bytes apart. But why start at an odd number like 66C1?

On most needles I would have a bad feeling to have only 255 steps...

It's not what you want, it's what FS provides. Many needles used in FS default gauges only have a max of 255 steps. Some less.

Pete