Offset Problem

[toktiny]

I have a generick cockpit which I have built over the years but I am afraid that I have run into a problem when I updated to Windows 7 (64). Up to now I have used a TRC Multicontroller board and two TRC Controller Boards to feed TRC Gauges and provide info for O/Head panels. All of these I have had to remove due to none compatability between my new OS and TRC.

I am endeavouring to provide gauges etc.etc . through additional monitors and software. Where I have come to a bit of a holdup is in trying to replace one of my O/Head panels which I used for aircraft lights and  warning lights such as ; Out Marker ,Mid Marker , In Marker, Overspeed,  Doors  Open,  Stall, Gear Busy, Gear Up, Gear Down, Nose Wheel on Ground, Left Wheel on Ground, Right Wheel on Ground, Low Fuel and Low RPM. I have no problem with aircraft lights as these can be provided by FSUIPC4 version 4.911 with the use of buttons, switches and rotary encoders, however, the warning lights which I thought would not be a problem are proofing the most difficult to perform.

It had been my intention to use the FSUIPC4 Offsets for FSX and after reading all I could find on the internet regarding this I understood that for this to be accomplished within FSX one had to select offsets, go to “FSUIPC Options and Settings / Buttons and Switches” press the appropriate button or switch you wish to use ( I should mention that I am using Leo Bodnor’s Universal Joystick Controller BU0836X to do this ). Then fill in the details of "Offset byte set", or "Offset word set" (etc) controls, specifying the offset (x....) and parameter of an offset and there you have it , the selected offset such as “Out Marker” would perform. I have tried every combination of available options but I am afraid with no luck.

I am aware that in order to use offsets which are going to make changes to the variables in the origional offset this would require the use of the Lua program but I understood that for certain preset offsets this was not nessessary. The warning signals  that I am trying to provide as far as I know have fixed settings and should only require a “True or False” reading.

I have gone through the FSUIPC Offset  list and selected the following which I feel may be the ones that would fit into “Defined Offsets” and would not require using Lua as I don’t want to go down this road;

0BAC ; Inner Marker: activated when TRUE
0BAE ; Middle Marker: activated when TRUE
0BB0  ; Outer Marker: activated when TRUE
0894 ; Engine 1 combustion flag (TRUE if engine firing)
092C ; Engine 2 combustion flag (TRUE if engine firing)
09C4 ; Engine 3 combustion flag (TRUE if engine firing)
0A5C ; Engine 4 combustion flag (TRUE if engine firing)
036C ; Stall warning (0=no, 1=stall)
036D ; Overspeed warning (0=no, 1=overspeed)
077C ; Stall horn available
0BE8 ; Gear control: 0=Up, 16383=Down
0BEC ; Gear position (nose): 0=full up, 16383=full down
0BF0 ; Gear position (right): 0=full up, 16383=full down
0BF4 ; Gear position (left): 0=full up, 16383=full down
0BCA ; Braking indicator: brake applied if non-zero(1=Left, 2=Right, 3=both
3367 ; This byte shows doors that are open, one bit per door:
3366 ; This byte reflects the FS2004 “Engine on Fire” flags.

To put it in a nutshell I am not being over selective in which warning signals it may be possible to provide in the manner outlined .What I wish to do is to try and replace some signals on my O/Head panel which I have lost for reasons explained above and to do this using the offset feature in FSUIPC4.     

I would be most grateful for any help that can be provided . I feel that I am not reading or perhaps understanding the best way to provide what I am trying to achieve.

Sincere thanks in anticipation.
 

[Pete Dowson]

I have no problem with aircraft lights as these can be provided by FSUIPC4 version 4.911 ...

 

Version 4.911 is well out of date and unsupported. You need to update. Version 4.934 is the oldest currently supported.

 

It had been my intention to use the FSUIPC4 Offsets for FSX and after reading all I could find on the internet regarding this 

 

Why "on the Internet"? What is wrong with using the documentation supplied for FSUIPC? Do I waste my time writing it all?

 

... one had to select offsets, go to “FSUIPC Options and Settings / Buttons and Switches” press the appropriate button or switch you wish to use ( I should mention that I am using Leo Bodnor’s Universal Joystick Controller BU0836X to do this ). Then fill in the details of "Offset byte set", or "Offset word set" (etc) controls, specifying the offset (x....) and parameter of an offset and there you have it , the selected offset such as “Out Marker” would perform.

 

What performance, exactly, would you expect? An outer marker is a transmitter. You RECEIVE a signal, not SEND one! It's an input not an output to be controlled by a button!

 

You said

 

 the warning lights which I thought would not be a problem are proofing the most difficult to perform.

 

Surely lights are lights, not buttons? How does programming buttons deal with warning lights? You seem to have things backwards. To drive warning lights you need to READ values from FS and WRITE to your hardware boards to light the lights!

 

I have gone through the FSUIPC Offset  list and selected the following which I feel may be the ones that would fit into “Defined Offsets” and would not require using Lua as I don’t want to go down this road;

 

Yes, and all of those are read-outs, values which tell you the state of that thing, be it a signal, setting or whatever. What do you hope to happen by WRITING to those offsets by pressing buttons? Don't you see, it makes no sense!

 

You can certainly use the offset setting controls to send INPUTS to FS, for controlling things you can control. How you expect to use buttons and switches to make warnings happen, i don't understand. The warnings and so on are results of other things going on, they are OUTPUTS from FS, there in the offsets for you to read and take action upon (like lighting a light, for example). Obviously, in order to do that you'd need to READ the offsets values and use the result to WRITE to your hardware. This needs a program. Yes, it can be done as a Lua plug-in, or it can be written in Basic, or C, C++, and almost any programming language. The Lua facilities are explained in the installed documentation you already have, and the main programming interface is explained in the FSUIPC SDK.

 

Regards

Pete

[toktiny]

Many thanks for your mail.

 

Please allow me a little time to digest your comments and I will reply.

[toktiny]

On looking further into my problem and using the information that you provided I now realise that I was approaching same as you put it “backwards”.

I now understand, as you explained, that I would have to; 1. Read the value of the offsets 2. Use the result to write to the HARDWARE and carry out the actions necessary. This could be done using a Lua file cottoned in the Module folder and adjusting the FSUIPC4 ini file to include same.

I emphasised “hardware” above for as I have explained I have had to remove all my three TRC boards due to incompatibility with Windows 7 (64) which means I would have to find a replacement of one of these, compatible with my OS, to accommodate the directions of the Lua file. Is this correct ? If so what would you recommend.

As I explained in my previous mail I have removed, between TRC gauges and GoFlight modules, fifteen units from my cockpit (which broke my heart) and have replaced same with three extra monitors that now through software are showing all my gauges. With the aid of three BU0836X and your FSUIPC4 are taking care of buttons, switches and macros.

The only item that I have not replaced in my cockpit is this small O/Head with about nine warning lights, nothing else. I guess I will have to decide whether to go ahead with procedure outlined above or sacrifice my warning lights.

Many thanks for your help and I might add that down through the years I have found your software invaluable.   
 

[Pete Dowson]

I emphasised “hardware” above for as I have explained I have had to remove all my three TRC boards due to incompatibility with Windows 7 (64) which means I would have to find a replacement of one of these, compatible with my OS, to accommodate the directions of the Lua file. Is this correct ? If so what would you recommend.

 

The Lua plug-in facilities do provide programming for serial ports and standard Windows HID USB devices, but it isn't straightforward either way. You'll need to learn how to program whatever board you do get. I'm afraid I don't know much about any hardware OUTPUT boards. I do use some Leo Bodnar input boards for switches and dials. I know he does also make output boards for lights and displays too.

 

One easy solution, but not so cheap I fear, is the GoFlight digital input/output board -- GF-DIO. This can be driven directly using the gfd library, in the Lua provisions in FSUIPC. See http://www.goflightinc.com/collections/modules/products/gf-dio-digital-input-output-board.

 

With the aid of three BU0836X and your FSUIPC4 are taking care of buttons, switches and macros.

 

Ah, you know about Bodnar boards then. He does do output/display control boards too I think. But they would need programming. The BU0836X boards are easy because they emulate a standard joystick type device.

 

The only item that I have not replaced in my cockpit is this small O/Head with about nine warning lights, nothing else. I guess I will have to decide whether to go ahead with procedure outlined above or sacrifice my warning lights.

 

Hmm. The GF-DIO board is way way too expensive just for 9 lights. You need to go for the cheapest solution you can find. There is of course the GoFlight WP6 with 6 warning lights, again with built-in support in Lua.

 

BTW if you had an older PC running XP, you could have connected it to the FS one in a Network and used WideFS to link up your TRC gauges and so forth. I'm using several small PCs running XP in my cockpit for the gauges and displays, and for most of the switches and so on. Only the main control axes are connected directly to the FS PC.

Regards

Pete

[toktiny]

I am afraid you are quite right , the GF-DIO board is way too expensive just to provide me with 9 lights.

I looked into the GoFlight WP6 with 6 warning lights and found that other people in various sites had a lot of difficulty with it using Windows 7 (64) as an OS. It also states in Goflights details of same that ; “Can only be programmed for any flight sim key-stroke function” .I don’t know if that would also present a problem for me for what I want it to provide.

I checked Leo Bodnar’s site and as far as I can see he does not produce any board for output/display control ,they seem to be all geared for joystick control .

Analysing the information that you have kindly provided me with I seem to be in a situation where I am halfway up a tree with two options. 1. Stay where I am and be happy  or 2. Graduate to using Lua and progress from there. I have downloaded and installed Lua last night out of curiosity more than intent and will see how it goes from there.

One last thing ,when I had Lua up and running I wanted to see your “MenuDemo” in operation. I checked and by default you have it on the Lua list in FSUIPC4.ini so that was fine. I loaded up FSX ,went to FSUIPC4 – Buttons and switches, selected a switch to open your lua file, filled in  “Lua MenuDemo” in both sections where it says “Control sent when button pressed” and pressed OK.
I flew the aircraft, toggled the selected switch but I am afraid –No Menu. What I did get were two options on the main FSUIPC4 main bar menu ; 1. “End Menu Test” or  2. “Add a Submenu”

Not being sure if I had selected the correct entry for the file I then tried entering “Lua Toggle MenuDemo” and also “Lua Value MenuDemo” and “ Lua Set MenuDemo”  but I am afraid I got the same results as above with no menu showing on screen. What am I doing wrong ?

 

[Pete Dowson]

I looked into the GoFlight WP6 with 6 warning lights and found that other people in various sites had a lot of difficulty with it using Windows 7 (64) as an OS. It also states in Goflights details of same that ; “Can only be programmed for any flight sim key-stroke function” .

 

I don't know what that means, but there are facilities to drive it directly in the FSUIPC Lua "gfd" library. I suspect they are just talking about their own software.

 

I checked Leo Bodnar’s site and as far as I can see he does not produce any board for output/display control ,they seem to be all geared for joystick control .

 

Hmm, he must have dropped the boards with outputs on them, as I'm sure they used to be listed. There are lots of other makers though, or you could go to an Arduino board.

 

Analysing the information that you have kindly provided me with I seem to be in a situation where I am halfway up a tree with two options. 1. Stay where I am and be happy  or 2. Graduate to using Lua and progress from there. I have downloaded and installed Lua last night out of curiosity more than intent and will see how it goes from there.

 

Just using Lua doesn't give you control of lights. you still need some hardware interface. It would be that you'd need to program, and depending what you end up with it might come with an interface you can use directly in any case. Most control boards made to interface to FS use FSUIPC offsets.

 

I think you should go and check out the various advertisers in www.mycockpits.com, or chat to folks in the forums there.

 

One last thing ,when I had Lua up and running 

 

What do you mean by "had Lua up and running"? Lua is built into FSUIPC, so it is "up and running" as soon as you have FS running with FSUIPC installed!

I wanted to see your “MenuDemo” in operation. I checked and by default you have it on the Lua list in FSUIPC4.ini so that was fine.

 

Er, where did you get this "MenuDemo" plug-in from? It isn't one of those installed with FSUIPC. And there are no La files "listed by default" in the INI file. If you mean the [LuaFiles] section, that is created dynamically from the Lua files found in your Modules folder. It serves to relate numbers to names when referenced in assignments, that's all.

 

I loaded up FSX ,went to FSUIPC4 – Buttons and switches, selected a switch to open your lua file, filled in  “Lua MenuDemo” in both sections where it says “Control sent when button pressed” and pressed OK.

 

Both sections? There's only one for "press" -- the other's for "release". You'd have the thing be run/killed/run again with one press/release action. Why would you want that?

 

I flew the aircraft, toggled the selected switch but I am afraid –No Menu. What I did get were two options on the main FSUIPC4 main bar menu ; 1. “End Menu Test” or  2. “Add a Submenu”

 

Perhaps that's what the MenuDemo lua does? I don't know without looking at it. Where did you get it?

 

Not being sure if I had selected the correct entry for the file I then tried entering “Lua Toggle MenuDemo” and also “Lua Value MenuDemo” and “ Lua Set MenuDemo” 

 

I think you need to sit down and read about these facilities before you start messing. none of those run a plug-in, they are concerned with controlling an already running one, that's all. You seem to be miisunderstanding nearly everything. 

 

but I am afraid I got the same results as above with no menu showing on screen. What am I doing wrong ?

 

What menu on screen are you expecting? What do you think this plug-in you selected (at random?) does? I am confused by what you are trying to do here.

 

Pete

[toktiny]

Many thanks for your help . I will follow up what you suggest getting on to the My Cockpit site regarding a suitable input/output board and I will let you know how I get on further down the line.

 

As regards my "MenuDemo" adventure please forget it as it was not of any importance to sorting out my problem and I dont want to waste your time on it , just curiosity on my part to try and learn a little more about Lua.

[Pete Dowson]

As regards my "MenuDemo" adventure please forget it as it was not of any importance to sorting out my problem and I dont want to waste your time on it , just curiosity on my part to try and learn a little more about Lua.

 

Okay. But in that case look in the Lua files provided in your "FSUIPC Documents" folder, in the Modules folder. The manuals are there, plus a ZIP of different working examples.

 

Pete

[toktiny]

Just for the record I have a printed copy of all of your updated manuals (I do not just read them on the monitor ,I bring them to bed with me ! ! )  and I have a printed text of all of the working examples of the Lua files which I got from the Zip file so I am doing my best to get to grips with this part of FSUIPC which I have not used before.

[Pete Dowson]

Just for the record I have a printed copy of all of your updated manuals (I do not just read them on the monitor ,I bring them to bed with me ! ! )  and I have a printed text of all of the working examples of the Lua files which I got from the Zip file so I am doing my best to get to grips with this part of FSUIPC which I have not used before.

 

I like paper copies too. Incidentally, the Lua language, as used in the Plug-Ins, is not of course documented by me, but full documentation and help is available on the Lua website. There's a reference to this place in my Lua documents. I've actually purchased several of the printed Lua guides and manuals which i've found invaluable. They are available through sites like Amazon.

 

Pete

[toktiny]

Quote ;

 

"BTW if you had an older PC running XP, you could have connected it to the FS one in a Network and used WideFS to link up your TRC gauges and so forth. I'm using several small PCs running XP in my cockpit for the gauges and displays, and for most of the switches and so on. Only the main control axes are connected directly to the FS PC."

 

For this to work can I assume that  is it obligatory to have the same Windows OS in the older second PC and the main FS PC or could you have XP in the older one and Windows 7 in the main PC?

[Pete Dowson]

For this to work can I assume that  is it obligatory to have the same Windows OS in the older second PC and the main FS PC or could you have XP in the older one and Windows 7 in the main PC?

 

Any version of Windows from XP SP1 onwards works with the current WideClient. The only thing to watch is that XP uses a different default network workgroup name to Win7, so you should change one to match the other for WideFS to link automatically. (Or you can always link inany case by giving the Client the IP address or name of the FS PC).

 

For my cockpit I have the main FSX PC using Win7 64bit, and 5 other PCs on WinXP.

 

Pete

[toktiny]

That is great news because I still have my older PC with XP  which is compatible with the TRC gauges and has the relative boards etc. at its disposal . My understanding is that WideFS will pick up the relative info. for the gauges from the old PC and being attached through a network to the new main FS PC, which is using Win7 64Bit, will work in tandem between the two ?

 

The first thing I have to do is set up the most simple network I can find between two computers . I take it there is no specific type of network essential. Thank you for your guidance. 

[Pete Dowson]

That is great news because I still have my older PC with XP  which is compatible with the TRC gauges and has the relative boards etc. at its disposal . My understanding is that WideFS will pick up the relative info. for the gauges from the old PC and being attached through a network to the new main FS PC, which is using Win7 64Bit, will work in tandem between the two ?

 

As far as I recall (I did have a number of TRC gauges, and so used their driver, some time ago), it will all work through WideFS perfectly well. The difference between Win 7 and Win XP is easily resolved in one of the two ways I mentioned in my last reply.

 

The first thing I have to do is set up the most simple network I can find between two computers . I take it there is no specific type of network essential. Thank you for your guidance. 

 

 

A network is a network is a ... If you have an Internet router it is usually easiest just to connect them both to that. If your two cockpit PCs are separate altogether, you can network them with a special PC-to-PC "crossover" Ethernet cable, not a normal type.

 

Pete