GPS Power Button with FSUIPC

[amiro]

I would like to be able to power the Garmin GNS 530 and GNS 430 using an external button using the FSUIPC.

I have the registered version of FSUIPC and I did see the function GPS POWER BUTTON and I assigned it but it did not turn the gps on or off. Yes the battery switch was ON and Avionics was also ON just in case someone ask!!! lol

I have all the other buttons assigned of the gps but not the POWER??? Maybe I'm missing something here??

I'm building a cockpit and with an external gps on it, any help would be great!!!

Thanks

Mario

[amiro]

Can this be done using the FSUIPC?

[Pete Dowson]

Can this be done using the FSUIPC?

I'm afraid I am not well up on aviation GPS units, but let's see ...

The functions you see listed for GPS in FSUIPC's assignment dropdowns are merely those listed in FS's "CONTROLS.DLL" module. Most of those can also be assigned in FS itself. FSUIPC presents the complete list, but that may include ones that Microsoft never got around to implementing or testing.

FSUIPC cannot make a button/switch work which doesn't work using the correct FS controls. Not unless it is susceptible to "mouse macro" methods, which is unlikely

Which aircraft has Garmin GNS 530 and GNS 430 installed? Are you using FS9 (you don't say). The FS9 GPS I can find doesn't look like your picture, and doesn't appear to have a power switch or button. I am using FSX which has a Garmin G1000 as well as a 500 like FS9, and the power for that is the Avionics power switch, I think. There doesn't appear to be a power button on it.

If you are talking about addon GPS panels I think you need to refer to their documentation or visit their support forum. By all means try mouse macros. How do you make the rest of the buttons work?

Regards

Pete

[amiro]

Hi,

I'm using FSX and I have several aircraft that have the Garmin GNS 530 and the 430. The power switch on the GPS is clickable with the mouse as it wont come ON when power and avionics is switch ON like for the Garmin 500 powers right away.

I did notice the in FSUIPC there was a GPS POWER BUTTON in the drop down list but it is not in FSX SimConnect list. Most other buttons can be assigned with FSX it self. One of the plane I fly's is the Carenado Centurion T210 it has the 530 and 430. Only difference with the 500 and the 530 it's that the 530 controls also COM1 and NAV1 while the 430 controls the NAV2 and COM2 and the rest is the same as the 500. I knows that Reality XP also makes a Garmin GNS 530W but I'm not using that one, the one in FSX gauge folder is called Garmin_530_night and Gps_530_3D_210, I looked at the xml file and both have the same lines of codes except for the name!!!

So if the power button is mouse control is it possible to assign an external button with FSUIPC?

Here is a link of a GPS gauge that is very similar:

http://www.friendlypanels.com/manuales/GNS530.pdf

Thanks for having a look and hope to be able to controls that button!!!!

Mario

Edited August 27, 2012 by amiro

[Pete Dowson]

I'm using FSX and I have several aircraft that have the Garmin GNS 530 and the 430.

Not default aircraft I assume? Are they the RealityXP gauges?

The power switch on the GPS is clickable with the mouse as it wont come ON when power and avionics is switch ON like for the Garmin 500 powers right away.

If they are default gauges, then enable event logging in FSUIPC and see what control is logged when you click the button. If none, see if the mouse macro technique will work, or maybe writing to a local panel variable (L:Var).

If they are not default gauges, then also check the documentation from the supplier to see if any other method is provided.

I did notice the in FSUIPC there was a GPS POWER BUTTON in the drop down list but it is not in FSX SimConnect list.

FSUIPC gets the list of FS controls from the Module called "CONTROLS.DLL", which lists many controls now either unsupported or defunct, and some which seem to have been good intentions never fulfilled. I am not in a position to test and document them all. FSUIPC merely provides access to them.

If the gauges are third party add-ons then they are most unlikely to use default FS controls, unless the maker of those gauges had the foresight to use them.

I knows that Reality XP also makes a Garmin GNS 530W but I'm not using that one, the one in FSX gauge folder is called Garmin_530_night and Gps_530_3D_210, I looked at the xml file and both have the same lines of codes except for the name!!!

They are not default gauges -- I have neither of them, only the G1000. It certainly sounds as if they are indeed the RealityXP gauges, so it is their support forum you probably need to seek help within.

So if the power button is mouse control is it possible to assign an external button with FSUIPC?

If it isn't operated by a control, then only if it is susceptible to mouse macros, or L:Var writing (have you tried using the local variable logging to see what happens when you operate the button?), or has a keyboard shortcut you can assign.

Regards

Pete

[amiro]

Hi,

Thanks for the help!!!

Ok it's not the REALITY XP gps.

I started the FSUIPC Logging to see as you mentioned, I never tried that before as I'm still new at this FSUIPC. lol

It shows the battery, avionics, Vloc (GPS/NAV) com swap, nav swap, com frac increase and decrease and same for the nav but nothing else of the GPS function in the log.

I then tried the Cessna 172 with Garmin 500 default of FSX and none of the key press of the GPS shows up in the log. Maybe it's something I'm not doing right??

To do this I click the Logging then click Buttons and key operation and Events, Send to console window and press OK, I could see the above function but no power and no GPS functions itself either the 530 of the default 500.

I dont know about the L:Var writing so I'm at a lost their but if you try the default 500 like I did nothing shows up in the log.

I did read up on the Reality XP see what the difference would be and one part said:

Flight Simulator offers two types of gauges: compiled C/C++ and XML. Due to limitations with the gauge system, the GNS WAAS 430XP/530XP interfaces only with C/C++ gauges. XML gauges ends with the .cab extension while C/C++ gauge ends with .GAU (FS9) or .DLL (FSX)

The one I'm using as a cab file and the .xml file in it.

I also found this but they use the Reality XP and your FSUIPC.

There are three steps to install the GarSim GNS530 hardware.

1. We have to map the buttons on the GNS530 to key presses in FSUIPC4

2. We have to modify the RXP.INI file to map the key presses to the software functions of the Reality XP gauge.

3. We have to modify the panel.cfg file for each aircraft to hide the border and size the gauge to fit on the LCD display.

Firstly modify, FSUIPC4.INI (valid also for Win7)

In order to map the keys you will need a registered copy of FSUIPC from Pete Dowson.

Input Assignments-

Copy and paste the buttons section below into your FSUIPC4.INI file to define the button presses.

The number after the P or the R in the below example is "0"

Change this letter "0" to correspond with the correct joystick number that is recognised in FSUIPC, this will depend on how many devices you have already attached.

To find out the joystick number, plug the GNS530 into the USB port and start FS. from the Add-ons menu select FSUIPC and then go to the button/keys tab. Pressing any key on the GNS30 will show you which joystick number is assigned.

The file is usually located here:-

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules

FSUIPC4.INI

[buttons]

ButtonRepeat=20,10

1=P0,12,K81,40

2=P0,0,K83,40

3=P0,1,K83,40

4=P0,13,K87,40

5=P0,2,K89,40

6=P0,3,K90,40

7=P0,7,K75,40

8=P0,6,K74,40

9=P0,5,K118,40

10=P0,4,K117,40

11=P0,14,K78,40

12=P0,16,K120,40

13=P0,17,K86,40

14=P0,18,K124,40

15=P0,19,K65,40

16=P0,20,K67,40

17=P0,21,K113,40

18=P0,10,K119,40

19=P0,11,K79,40

20=P0,8,K123,40

21=P0,9,K121,40

22=P0,15,K122,40

23=R0,27,K72,40

24=R0,26,K73,40

25=P0,25,K114,40

26=P0,24,K115,40

27=R0,23,K116,40

28=P0,22,K125,40

29=P0,29,K126,40

Secondly modify, RXPGNS.INI (valid also for Win7)

Each button press or encoder click is recognised by windows game controller software as a joystick button input from the GNS530.

The Reality XP software must be configured to recognize these key strokes and mapped to the various functions of the software. This is assigned in the RXP.INI file.

In the [KEYBOARD] section of the ini file, the keys for the 530 should be as below. Copy and paste over the top of the original keys which are not defined.

The file is usually located here:-

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Reality XP\Common\Settings

530_CONTRAST_INC=win+y

530_CONTRAST_DEC=win+z

530_CONTRAST_RESET=

530_POW=win+s

530_COMFLIP=win+q

530_NAVFLIP=win+w

530_CDI=win+F9

530_OBS=win+v

530_MSG=win+F13

530_FPL=win+a

530_PROC=win+F2

530_NAV=win+c

530_DTO=win+F3

530_MNU=win+F4

530_CLR=win+F5

530_ENT=win+F14

530_RANGE_INC=win+h

530_RANGE_DEC=win+i

530_LKNOBO_L=win+j

530_LKNOBO_R=win+k

530_LKNOBI_L=win+F6

530_LKNOBI_R=win+F7

530_LKNOBPUSH=win+n

530_RKNOBO_L=win+o

530_RKNOBO_R=win+F8

530_RKNOBI_L=win+F10

530_RKNOBI_R=win+F12

530_RKNOBPUSH=win+F11

530_EXPORTFPL=

530_SWAPRADIOS=win+F15

Finally, modify the Panel.cfg

Select an aircraft which has the Reality XP GNS530 gauge installed (using the reality XP config tool).

Next, we have to make a small modification to the panel.cfg file for the aircraft. This has to be done for the panel.cfg file of every aircraft you wish to fly with this software/hardware.

The below example is for the Microsoft Cessna 172 located here for FSX-

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes\C172\panel

copy and paste the line shown below over the top of the existing line entry. This will re-size and crop the gauge to fit on the LCD screen.

The important part is the -29,-12,155,150 which defines the size of the gauge.

[Pete Dowson]

Ok it's not the REALITY XP gps.

And not Microsoft either, so -- specific just to those add-on aircraft, made by the aircraft makers?

I dont know about the L:Var writing so I'm at a lost their but if you try the default 500 like I did nothing shows up in the log.

I logged events on FS9 whilst pressing buttons onthe 500 and, yes, nothing was logged. So it does its own thing, internally. No help there.

L:Var writing isn't where to start. You need to LOG lvars when you operate the GPS to see if any change. Those may then be writable (via Macros, as described in the FSUIPC documentation). In the Lua package supplied with FSUIPC and installed in the FSUIPC Documents folder there is a Lua plug-in called "Log LVars". This logs current L:Vars and changes as they occur.

But don't bother -- there are none associated with the default 500 gauge either. I just checked. Same for the G1000. All the functions are programmed internally in the PANELS.DLL module.

I don't think you'll get anywhere with the MS gauges. Maybe you need to purchase the RXP ones?

Regards

Pete

[amiro]

LOL!!!

I at least now I know I'm not gone crazy!!! lol

Thanks for trying hard for me appreciate it!!!

In the other way the 500 is real easy to emulate cause all commands are in SimConnect in FSX. I got one working with a 5.6" screen and its very nice but I'm also building the 530 so I suppose I will have to get the RXP gps!!!!

Thanks,

Mario

PS: In the meant time if you find out anything else let me know!!!!