Strange problem with DynamicFriction.lua

[mrichter]

Hi Pete, hi all,

 

just registered within the forum because I have a strange problem with the DynamicFriction.lua and hope to get some help here.

 

First of all, I am running FSX on a Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit System. Latest FSUIPC version (4.929) is installed and registered. Mostly I fly Aerosoft's Airbus X Extended, but the problem is the same with all other aircrafts, even the default ones, which I just loaded the first time ever to test this out ;-)

 

I downloaded the LUA Package, copied the DynamicFriction.lua into the Main FSX/Modules folder and wrote this:

 

[Auto]

1=Lua DynamicFriction

 

into the fsuipc.ini.

 

Anyway, the decreased friction is noticeable when I start taxiing after completing pushback and startup. But after hitting the brakes for lets say only one second during taxiing, the friction is reset to default and I have to use much more thrust to keep the aircraft rolling than before hitting the brakes.

 

What I also discovered is that when I now set the parking brake for a short moment and release it again, the friction is again decreased and I can continue taxi with significant lower thrust - until I need to hit the brakes the next time. Then it's the same as described before: friction reset to default, after setting the parking brake friction decreased, and so on...

 

First of all I thought of a miscalibration of my CH Pedals, which I use for braking - but they are properly calibrated (FSX default, not with FSUIPC), and the red "braking" message on the left bottom of the screen is not showing up as long as I dont touch them... also FSUIPC changed the fsuipc.ini automatically to...

 

[Auto]

1=Lua DynamicFriction

 

[LuaFiles]

1=DynamicFriction

 

...which I think should be correct.

 

So, any ideas to get the friction patch working without setting the parking brake 20 times on the way from the gate to the runway?

 

Best regards

Marcus

 

[Pete Dowson]

Anyway, the decreased friction is noticeable when I start taxiing after completing pushback and startup. But after hitting the brakes for lets say only one second during taxiing, the friction is reset to default and I have to use much more thrust to keep the aircraft rolling than before hitting the brakes.

 

What I also discovered is that when I now set the parking brake for a short moment and release it again, the friction is again decreased and I can continue taxi with significant lower thrust - until I need to hit the brakes the next time. Then it's the same as described before: friction reset to default, after setting the parking brake friction decreased, and so on...

 

Not sure why you felt you needed to download the Lua package when it is installed automatically for you in the FSUIPC Documents folder along with all the documentation and examples.

 

Anyway, all FSUIPC is doing is overwriting the values in the ground friction tables with new values. I've really no idea what these do -- I added the facilities when others had already experimented with manually patching SIM1 to do similar things. The facilities in FSUIPC are more flexible as they allow dynamic changes, which facilities are utilised by that DynamicFrictin package written by Bob Scott. As far as I can see, it only changes the frictions for taxi speeds above and below 30 knots GS. There appears nothing specific to whether you apply brakes or not apart from the GS changes.

 

 

also FSUIPC changed the fsuipc.ini automatically to...

 

[Auto]

1=Lua DynamicFriction

 

[LuaFiles]

1=DynamicFriction

 

The [LuaFiles] section keeps an index of the first 127 Lua plugins placed into the Modules folder. The index is used when assigning buttons or keypresses to Lua plug-in actions, and the index is needed to provide consistent assignment.

 

So, any ideas to get the friction patch working without setting the parking brake 20 times on the way from the gate to the runway?

 

As far as I am aware it works as intended as it is. Certainly, once the table is changed it stays changed until it is changed again -- there's nothing in FS which changes it as FS regards it as a fixed, constant table.

 

I don't know how you are verifying that things are reverting when you press brakes, but you'd need to check by writing a Lua plug-in to read the values and log them. Meanwhile, you can also of course enable Lua logging to see when and what the existing plug-in is doing. Since the plug-in is started when you start FS you'd need to enable logging then restart FS.

 

Pete

[Andydigital]

Even though the brakes message is not showing on the screen it is still possible for the brakes to bind ever so slightly if you haven't created a big enough null zone for your pedals. I'd try making the null zone bigger and assign the brakes through FSUIPC not in FSX, remember to recalibrate after Reversing the axis if needed.

[mrichter]

Not sure why you felt you needed to download the Lua package when it is installed automatically for you in the FSUIPC Documents folder along with all the documentation and examples.

 

 

Pete, thanks for your quick reply. I downloaded it because I wasn't sure if there were some updates in it or whatever.

 

 

I don't know how you are verifying that things are reverting when you press brakes, but you'd need to check by writing a Lua plug-in to read the values and log them. Meanwhile, you can also of course enable Lua logging to see when and what the existing plug-in is doing. Since the plug-in is started when you start FS you'd need to enable logging then restart FS.

 

 

It's really obviously that I need more thrust to get the aircraft moving again after hitting the brakes: I spooled up the A320 engines to about 40% N1 and stopped the aircraft with the foot brakes. 10 seconds after releasing them again I have about 1 or 2 kts speed. Then I set the parking brake and 10 seconds after releasing it I had about 13 kts speed.

 

But anyway, I just enabled LUA logging, restarted FSX and put the A320 on a runway. This is the DynamicFriction.log which was generated:

 

********* LUA: "DynamicFriction" Log [from FSUIPC version 4.929] *********

    88765 System time = 05/03/2014 13:52:22, Simulator time = 22:50:54 (21:50Z)

    88765 LUA: beginning "D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\DynamicFriction.lua"

   357258 System time = 05/03/2014 13:56:50, Simulator time = 22:54:34 (21:54Z)

********* LUA execution terminated: Log Closed *********

 

As far as I can see, there is nothing unusual...

 

 

Even though the brakes message is not showing on the screen it is still possible for the brakes to bind ever so slightly if you haven't created a big enough null zone for your pedals. I'd try making the null zone bigger and assign the brakes through FSUIPC not in FSX, remember to recalibrate after Reversing the axis if needed.

 

OK, I will try this out this evening - have some work to do first ;-)

Edited March 5, 2014 by mrichter

[Pete Dowson]

But anyway, I just enabled LUA logging, restarted FSX and put the A320 on a runway. This is the DynamicFriction.log which was generated:

 

********* LUA: "DynamicFriction" Log [from FSUIPC version 4.929] *********

    88765 System time = 05/03/2014 13:52:22, Simulator time = 22:50:54 (21:50Z)

    88765 LUA: beginning "D:\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules\DynamicFriction.lua"

   357258 System time = 05/03/2014 13:56:50, Simulator time = 22:54:34 (21:54Z)

********* LUA execution terminated: Log Closed *********

 

As far as I can see, there is nothing unusual...

 

 

That's just a log of it starting and ending. To see what it actually does you need to enable the Lua Debug/Trace option.

 

BTW, when you apply brakes, there's a delay after releasing them before they are fully off.

 

Pete

[mrichter]

That's just a log of it starting and ending. To see what it actually does you need to enable the Lua Debug/Trace option.

 

BTW, when you apply brakes, there's a delay after releasing them before they are fully off.

 

Pete

 

Sorry for that - never worked with the log function until today... ;-) Here comes what it says after switching on the mentioned option:

 

FSUIPC4.zip

[Pete Dowson]

Sorry for that - never worked with the log function until today... ;-) Here comes what it says after switching on the mentioned option:

 

FSUIPC4.zip

 

Yes, the logging was for your information, not mine. It simply shows which lines in the Lua plug-in were being executed in relation to changes in the ground speed. none of those lines restore the original frictions. Which is what I've been saying.

 

Really, if you think there's something wrong with the frictions being set by the plug-in you'd be better off going to the AVSIM FSX forum and finding the original very long thread there about the whole matter. I'm sure it's been thrashed to death. I've never used any friction patch myself because the aircraft model I use performs quite as expected and verified by real pilots.

 

Regards

Pete