Assign PMDG_777X knob actions to keypad keys

[leyharts]

*** Moved from FAQ to Support Forum: please post support requests here ***

Dear Pete,
I'm a newcomer from France in this forum, but I've been using FSUIPC for some time now.
I managed to assign actions to buttons and keypresses in various ways successfully, but I could not find a solution to the following issue.

Objective: assign PMDG 777X rotary knob functions to keypad or mouse keys (it is easier to use  than a virtual knob and a mouse).

Issue: It works with some knobs, but not with others.

Case 1 (SUCCESSFUL): Assign the PMDG_777X MCP 'HDG SEL' knob to two keypad keys, via a macro.
These are the macro entries:

22=HDG_SEL_INC
22.1=C71812,2147483648
23=HDG_SEL_DEC
23.1=C71812,536870912

As you can notice, the parameters are emulating mouse actions (single left and right).
The expected actions are achieved: one key is increasing HDG SEL, and the other one decreasing it. When the keys are released, the heading is freezing as expected.
Note: I did not report the FSUIPC.ini entries, as the key assignments are working well.

Case 2 (NOT SUCCESSFUL): Assign the PMDG_777X EFIS altimeter baro setting knob (Captain side) to two keypad keys, via a macro.
These are the macro entries:

6=EFIS_CP_BARO_INC
6.1=C69823,2147483648
7=EFIS_CP_BARO_DEC
7.1=C69823,536870912

The macro entries are similar to the previous case with a different custom control, however the resulting actions are not as expected: both keys are decreasing the baro pressure setting, and the decrease does not stop when the keypad keys are released.

I could not figure out why the behavior is different with two apparently similar tasks. I guess this is a parameter issue, but I could not find the right recipe. Any hint from your side?

I have found a workaround using the PMDG_777X shortcuts, but I'd prefer an FSUIPC method only.

Many thanks!

Edited August 1, 2019 by John Dowson
Moved to support forum

[Pete Dowson]

I don't have any PMDG aircraft, so I can't help directly.  John may be able to help, but really for questions on PMDG aircraft you would be better off in the PMDG forums.

I do have one question, though. How did you arrive at that format for the macros? You evidently didn't use the FSUIPC assignments tab to do it. why?

The format you are using is for multiple part macros, with the .1 part succeeded by .2 etc. It would work with a single part macro but it is unnecessarilty complicated. For example, yoru first pair would normally be:

22=HDG_SEL_INC=C71812,2147483648
23=HDG_SEL_DEC=C71812,536870912

Als0 I find the parameters easier to understand in hexadecimal. After all, they are mostly just sngle bit values, so

22=HDG_SEL_INC=C71812,x80000000
23=HDG_SEL_DEC=C71812,x20000000

The bits in the value are flags denoting the mouse action, as in the list supplied in the '.h' document in the PMDG SDK folder.

Pete

 

 

[leyharts]

Dear Pete,

Thanks for your answer. I will submit my question to the PMDG forums then.

I have created my macros with a text editor. Each macro covers a dedicated 777X panel (MCP, DSP, EFIS,...), with all the available controls listed for the given panel. So, it's ready to be assigned for any button/keypress from the FSUIPC tab, even if I'm not using all of them.

I used the multiple part macro format, in case I have to add an action to a control. This would avoid having to renumber all the others below, as the list might be long. Besides, I find it a little easier to read or edit for a long list (personal preference). And it seems to be working that way 🙂

Thanks again!

Greetings

Leo