Mouse Macro Not Working

[flightman49]

Can't get the mouse macro to run.

First let me tell you what I have

 

Fsx Steam Edition

PMDG 737 NGX

Fsuipc 4.4.949

1. Open FSUIPC from the addon dialog. 
2. In FSUIPC I go to the "Buttons+Switches" page and click "Create Mouse Macro".
3. I Enter a file name in the dialog that shows up.
4. I press  Ok, I  Press Ok again to return to the cockpit view.
5. I  click on the button/dial I want to record and nothing happens.

What am I doing wrong?

Frank Flightman49

[Pete Dowson]

Can't get the mouse macro to run.

First let me tell you what I have

 

Fsx Steam Edition

PMDG 737 NGX

Fsuipc 4.4.949

1. Open FSUIPC from the addon dialog. 
2. In FSUIPC I go to the "Buttons+Switches" page and click "Create Mouse Macro".
3. I Enter a file name in the dialog that shows up.
4. I press  Ok, I  Press Ok again to return to the cockpit view.
5. I  click on the button/dial I want to record and nothing happens.

What am I doing wrong?

Frank Flightman49

 

If nothing happens on a specific button/dial it is likely that it doesn't support Mouse Macros. Only gauges written strictly to Microsoft's FS2002/2004 C/C++ gauge SDK are susceptible.  That doesn't apply to most modern FSX add-on aircraft.

 

In any case why would you resort to Mouse Macros for the NGX when PMDG has provided a complete range of custom controls for you to assign directly? Custom controls are assignable directly in FSUIPC when you select the <custom control> entry in the drop down. That's what it's for.

 

Pete

[flightman49]

Thanks for your quick response. I do use the PMDG custom Control Events. I was just interested in knowing how mouse macros work. Obviously I will stay with the custom controls

Thanks

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks for your quick response. I do use the PMDG custom Control Events. I was just interested in knowing how mouse macros work.

 

They are a bit of a hack. The making process installs a hook into FS to trap the mouse click when it goes via a standard decision routine which determines what to do according to the mouse position at the time. If the decision is made using a table in a very specific SDK-defined format, then FSUIPC can catch the actual memory offset, in the Gauge, of the function to be called. it records this as part of the mouse call definition in the macro file.

 

This only works if the table is there and in a specific format, generated by standard use of a now rather old SDK.

 

In case the Gauge is updated and things move, a check sequence is also stored for comparison first, so crashes can be averted. This is why Mouse Macros usually have to be re-made if you update the aircraft.

 

Pete