Getting varaibles data from Redbird simulator

[wcheung]

Hi, I was interested in getting sim variable data from a Redbird FMX simulator including things like switch press events, yoke positions, and basic aircraft position into a program I've written in C++. I noticed that the Redbird is running Prepar3d.

 

My question is should I be using FSUIPC or Simconnect? I'm struggling to figure out what the difference is between the two.

 

Secondly, would the button and knob presses on the custom panels on the Redbird be captured by either FSUIPC or SimConnect? My assumption is that they would not.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Pete Dowson]

My question is should I be using FSUIPC or Simconnect? I'm struggling to figure out what the difference is between the two.

 

FSUIPC's interface extends from FS98 (where it started) through CFS1, FS2000, CFS2, FS2002, FS2004, FSX, ESP (now defunct) and P3D. Through all that it has been extended and developed whilst all the time maintaining compatibility, thus allowing applications written to its interface to be continually carried forward without needing revision.

 

That was its raison d'etre. 

 

When FSX was being conceived and developed I was invited by Microsoft to help them design it so that an extra interface like FSUIPC wasn't so necessary. The result was SimConnect. The idea with SimConnect was that it would be continually developed, just as FSUIPC had been, to carry on extending its capabilities. It was in fact still rather deficient n some areas, compared with FSUIPC, but did have extra new features which FSUIPC did not.

 

Before onward development of SimConnect could continue, sadly the MS FSX team was abolished and development stopped. The SimConnect in ESP, Microsoft's last involvement, was no better than that in FSX.

 

Lockheed-Martin have extended the SimConnect interface in some new areas peculiar to their wishes and needs, but sadly not fully making up for the areas missing as far as FSUIPC's needs went. Discussions about this are on-going, however, and I am hopeful.

 

FSUIPC4 itself makes use of SimConnect for 95+% of its needs, with much less "hacking" direct into the code than FSUIPC3 and earlier (which was almost entirely hacked directly into FS code). So, in that sense, FSUIPC is only presenting you with a different way of doing things. If you aren't interested in supporting anything before FSX with your software then SimConnect should be fine. But you may prefer the style of the FSUIPC interface. Some folks do. But the choice is entirely yours.

 

Secondly, would the button and knob presses on the custom panels on the Redbird be captured by either FSUIPC or SimConnect? My assumption is that they would not.y.

 

Both FSUIPC and Prepar3D use DirectInput methods to read joystick buttons and analogue inputs ONLY The devices have to be recognised in Windows as joystick varieties of HID (Human Input Devices). Neither FSUIPC nor P3D handle displays or indicators directly.

 

If you have devices which are HIDs but not classed as joysticks, then FSUIPC does allow programming them via plug-ins written in Lua and using it's COM HID library. It could similarly cope with non-HID serial or USB (COM) devices.  However the plug-in facility is only available to purchased and registered installs of FSUIPC, and if you are a C/C++ programmer already you'd probably be better off programming them using an external EXE, which could then also be networked if needed.

 

Regards

Pete

[wcheung]

Thanks Pete.