Twin magneto problem

[Bob Spinner]

As a first post I hope that I am using the correct part of the forum.

I am using P3D v 4.5.12.30293 with FSUIPC v5.151.

A while ago I built a panel to go along with my Saitek radio and multi panel. It was a modest affair as I am not an electronics or programming buff. It consisted of switches, rotary encoders and a 4 position rotary switch to enhance my single engine Cessna immersion. These were all connected to a Leo Bodnar BU0836X and BBI-32 boards. All worked fine. Despite my age my simming experience is of newbie standard but I look to the future.
That being the case I decided to rebuild the panel to facilitate a twin engine a/c. adding a few more switches and encoders and a second rotary switch.These two switches are for operating the magnetos. I soon found that assigning 'MAGNETO' in the Buttons + Switches to one of the switches in fact operated both magnetos. Easily fixed; but no.
Magneto 1 assigned to 'MAGNETO 1 - OFF - RIGHT - LEFT - BOTH'.

In operation the following happens

          going up                                      going down
switch pos       actual                 switch pos       actual
   OFF                OFF                        BOTH             BOTH
  RIGHT           RIGHT                      LEFT             RIGHT
  LEFT             BOTH                       RIGHT             OFF
  BOTH           BOTH                          OFF               OFF

This happens for both magnetos although they are at least operating independently.

I have read the FSUIPC manual but cannot find where I've gone wrong or what I've omitted.

Having mentioned the manual, in the comprehensive and no doubt complete list of controls most are self explanitary some are not, e.g. Pitot heat on ,and pitot heat off are obvious: but what is pitot heat set? A list of what all these controls actually do would be most helpful to me and I'm sure to many others.

Any help will be most appreciated.

Thanks Thomas,

I hope that I am right in uploading the 2 files or should I have copied and paste them into the post. I'm SO new to all of this.

Thanks

Bob

FSUIPC5.ini

FSUIPC5.log

Edited August 18, 2019 by Bob Spin
supply more info

[Thomas Richter]

Hi,

you posted in the right Forum.

There is also an important info above your post, READ BEFORE POSTING FSUIPC PROBLEM REPORT . The reason is that what you posted on information is not really anything we can help with.

You need to send as well to the description/ symptoms the actual full FSUIPC5.log and the FSUIPC5.ini file. There we can see what is assigned (INI file) and might need a correction.

Latest FSUIPC5 is 5.152.

Thomas

 

[John Dowson]

On 8/17/2019 at 4:40 PM, Bob Spin said:

A list of what all these controls actually do would be most helpful to me and I'm sure to many others.

The controls are events provided by P3D, so you need to look into the P3D documentation (e.g. see 'SimConnect Name' column in https://www.prepar3d.com/SDKv4/sdk/references/variables/event_ids.html). The specific controls added by FSUIPC are documented in FSUIPC' documentation.

For your magneto problem, can you try activating non-axis event logging as well as buttons and switches (from FSUIPC's logging tab), generate a log file going through the magneto positions up and down and show us the results.

John

[Bob Spinner]

Hi John

Attached is what I hope is a copy of the correct file. I am beginning to think that people are going to have to have the patience of a saint while leading me through my forays into FSUIPC.

********* FSUIPC5, Version 5.152 (24th July 2019) by Pete Dowson *********
User Name="Bob Spinner"
User Addr="g1950536@btinternet.com"
FSUIPC5 Key is provided
WIDEFS7 not user registered, or expired
  1265265 System time = 20/08/2019 15:11:33, Simulator time = 15:52:33 (19:52Z)
  1265265 FLT path = "C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Prepar3D v4 Files\"
[Continuation log requested by user]
Running inside Prepar3D v4 on Windows 10
Module base=7FFA14E70000
    
  1310750 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=16, Released
  1310750 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=17, Pressed
  1310750 [Buttons] 2=P2,17,C65928,0
  1310750 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65928, Param=0 MAGNETO1_RIGHT
  1310750 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65928 (0x00010188), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO1_RIGHT
  
  1312000 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=17, Released
  1312000 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=18, Pressed
  1312000 [Buttons] 3=P2,18,C65929,0
  1312000 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65929, Param=0 MAGNETO1_LEFT
  1312000 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65929 (0x00010189), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO1_LEFT
  
  1312968 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=18, Released
  1312968 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=19, Pressed
  1312968 [Buttons] 4=P2,19,C65930,0
  1312968 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65930, Param=0 MAGNETO1_BOTH
  1312968 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65930 (0x0001018a), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO1_BOTH
  
  1315359 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=18, Pressed
  1315359 [Buttons] 3=P2,18,C65929,0
  1315359 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65929, Param=0 MAGNETO1_LEFT
  1315359 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=19, Released
  1315359 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65929 (0x00010189), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO1_LEFT
  
  1316250 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=17, Pressed
  1316250 [Buttons] 2=P2,17,C65928,0
  1316250 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65928, Param=0 MAGNETO1_RIGHT
  1316250 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=18, Released
  1316250 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65928 (0x00010188), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO1_RIGHT
  
  1317015 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=16, Pressed
  1317015 [Buttons] 1=P2,16,C65927,0
  1317015 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65927, Param=0 MAGNETO1_OFF
  1317015 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=17, Released
  1317015 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65927 (0x00010187), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO1_OFF
  
  1318906 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=12, Released
  1318968 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=13, Pressed
  1318968 [Buttons] 6=P2,13,C65934,0
  1318968 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65934, Param=0 MAGNETO2_RIGHT
  1318968 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65934 (0x0001018e), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO2_RIGHT
  
  1319843 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=13, Released
  1319921 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=14, Pressed
  1319921 [Buttons] 7=P2,14,C65935,0
  1319921 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65935, Param=0 MAGNETO2_LEFT
  1319921 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65935 (0x0001018f), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO2_LEFT
  
  1320562 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=14, Released
  1320593 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=15, Pressed
  1320593 [Buttons] 8=P2,15,C65936,0
  1320593 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65936, Param=0 MAGNETO2_BOTH
  1320593 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65936 (0x00010190), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO2_BOTH
  
  1321906 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=15, Released
  1321921 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=14, Pressed
  1321921 [Buttons] 7=P2,14,C65935,0
  1321921 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65935, Param=0 MAGNETO2_LEFT
  1321921 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65935 (0x0001018f), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO2_LEFT
  
  1322593 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=14, Released
  1322625 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=13, Pressed
  1322625 [Buttons] 6=P2,13,C65934,0
  1322625 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65934, Param=0 MAGNETO2_RIGHT
  1322625 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65934 (0x0001018e), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO2_RIGHT
  
  1323156 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=13, Released
  1323187 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=2, Btn=12, Pressed
  1323187 [Buttons] 5=P2,12,C65933,0
  1323187 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65933, Param=0 MAGNETO2_OFF
  1323187 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 65933 (0x0001018d), Param= 0 (0x00000000) MAGNETO2_OFF
  
  1329281 Sim stopped: average frame rate for last 63 secs = 40.1 fps
  1329281    Max AI traffic was 0 aircraft
  1329281 -------------------------------------------------------------------
[Log closed by user request, and continued in new file]
  1644171 System time = 20/08/2019 15:17:52, Simulator time = 15:53:37 (19:53Z)
  1644171 *** FSUIPC log file being closed
Minimum frame rate was 39.6 fps, Maximum was 40.8 fps
Average frame rate for running time of 262 secs = 40.3 fps
Maximum AI traffic for session was 0 aircraft
Memory managed: 127 Allocs, 125 Freed
********* FSUIPC Log file closed ***********

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by Thomas Richter
unnecessary 'PANEL_LIGHTS_OFF' removed for readability

[John Dowson]

Hi Bob,

I'll take a look a bit later. One thing though, you seem to be using an add-on aircraft thats generating lots of PANEL_LIGHTS_OFF events. These are just noise in the log really, so you may want to add
    DontLogThese=66057
to the [General] section of your FSUIPC5.ini file  (I'll remove them manually from the above).

Cheers,

John

[spokes2112]

Bob & John,

May have found it. (a nice morning brain teaser to start the day)
Testing with FSX it acts exactly the same as Bob's original post. There must be a difference between the command "Magneto" & "Magneto#".
This was my setup for the 1st test (using numpad for ease) and it acted the same as Bob's original post -

25=97,8,65927,0     -{Num1: Press=MAGNETO1_OFF }-
26=98,8,65929,0     -{Num2: Press=MAGNETO1_LEFT }-
27=99,8,65928,0     -{Num3: Press=MAGNETO1_RIGHT }-
28=100,8,65930,0     -{Num4: Press=MAGNETO1_BOTH }-
29=101,8,65933,0     -{Num5: Press=MAGNETO2_OFF }-
30=102,8,65935,0     -{Num6: Press=MAGNETO2_LEFT }-
31=103,8,65934,0     -{Num7: Press=MAGNETO2_RIGHT }-
32=104,8,65936,0     -{Num8: Press=MAGNETO2_BOTH }-

In gauge programming and in FS internals there are actually 2 separate magneto systems for each engine's magneto as a whole. Ex -
There is a left engine 1 Mag, a right engine 1 mag, a left engine 2 mag & a right engine 2 mag.. 4 of them, all separate entities.
In XML gauges the logic for just 1 magneto switch is as follows -

    <Rotate>
      <Value>(A:Recip eng right magneto:1,bool) 2 * (A:Recip eng left magneto:1,bool) +</Value>
      <Nonlinearity>
        <Item Value="0" X="111" Y="205"/> <!-- OFF -->
        <Item Value="1" X="133" Y="211"/> <!-- LEFT -->
        <Item Value="2" X="146" Y="227"/> <!-- RIGHT -->
        <Item Value="3" X="153" Y="248"/> <!-- BOTH -->
      </Nonlinearity>
      <Delay DegreesPerSecond="180"/>
    </Rotate>

Something with the internal FS registers (the L & R mag per engine) is wonky dealing with these commands. 
For instance think of the L mag as bit 0, Right mag as bit 1, using the command MAGNETO#_LEFT will only set bit 0 but not clear bit 1. Using the command MAGNETO#_RIGHT will only set bit 1 but not clear bit 0.

Although not tested, I can almost hazard to guess that the FSUIPC command "MAGNETO# SET" using parameters will work correctly with the following parameters -
EDIT - This is much easier than using the workaround shown below, tested working.
Engine 1  - "MAGNETO1 SET" (66400),  params:  0 = Off, 1 = R Mag,  2 = L Mag,  3 = Both 
Engine 2 - "MAGNETO2 SET" (66401), params:  0 = Off, 1 = R Mag,  2 = L Mag,  3 = Both

25=97,8,66400,0     -{Num1: Press=MAGNETO1_SET }-
26=98,8,66400,1     -{Num2: Press=MAGNETO1_SET }-
27=99,8,66400,2     -{Num3: Press=MAGNETO1_SET }-
28=100,8,66400,3     -{Num4: Press=MAGNETO1_SET }-
29=101,8,66401,0     -{Num5: Press=MAGNETO2_SET }-
30=102,8,66401,1     -{Num6: Press=MAGNETO2_SET }-
31=103,8,66401,2     -{Num7: Press=MAGNETO2_SET }-
32=104,8,66401,3     -{Num8: Press=MAGNETO2_SET }-

Going back to the original problem of possibly bad internal registers and using Bob's original commands - there is a work around and it is easy.
To reset the wonky registers just turn the magneto off first before commanding either MAGNETO#_LEFT or MAGNETO#_RIGHT.
Tested working correctly -

ENGINE 1 -
25=97,8,65927,0     -{Num1: Press=MAGNETO1_OFF }-     ; OK

26=98,8,65927,0     -{Num2: Press=MAGNETO1_OFF }-     ; ENGINE 1 LEFT MAGNETO COMMAND SETS
27=98,8,65929,0     -{Num2: Press=MAGNETO1_LEFT }-

28=99,8,65927,0     -{Num3: Press=MAGNETO1_OFF }-     ; ENGINE 1 RIGHT MAGNETO COMMAND SETS
29=99,8,65928,0     -{Num3: Press=MAGNETO1_RIGHT }- 

30=100,8,65930,0     -{Num4: Press=MAGNETO1_BOTH }-     ;OK

ENGINE 2 -
31=101,8,65933,0     -{Num5: Press=MAGNETO2_OFF }-     ;OK

32=102,8,65933,0     -{Num6: Press=MAGNETO2_OFF }-     ; ENGINE 2 LEFT MAGNETO COMMAND SETS
33=102,8,65935,0     -{Num6: Press=MAGNETO2_LEFT }-

34=103,8,65933,0     -{Num7: Press=MAGNETO2_OFF }-     ; ENGINE 2 RIGHT MAGNETO COMMAND SETS
35=103,8,65934,0     -{Num7: Press=MAGNETO2_RIGHT }-

36=104,8,65936,0     -{Num8: Press=MAGNETO2_BOTH }-     ;OK

Hope this helps,
Roman

 
 

Edited August 20, 2019 by spokes2112
Added test of MAGNETO#_SET

[John Dowson]

Hi Roman,

thanks for that - thats very interesting!

As Bob is using a rotary switch, and its sending both a release (for previous position) and a press (for the current position), I thought he could add the MAGNETO*_OFF controls to the button release, but it looks like the release/press order is not consistent, i.e. it generates a release then press going clockwise, but a press then release going anticlockwise (for your Magneto1 only?!!). Therefore I think your solution of having multiple controls (i.e. sending an 'OFF'' first) is the thing to try.

So Bob, following Roman's advise, can you edit your ini file and try the following [Buttons] section:

Quote

[Buttons]
PollInterval=25
ButtonRepeat=20,10
1=P2,16,C65927,0     -{MAGNETO1_OFF}-
2=P2,17,C65927,0    -{MAGNETO1_OFF}-
3=P2,17,C65928,0     -{MAGNETO1_RIGHT}-
4=P2,18,C65927,0    -{MAGNETO1_OFF}-
5=P2,18,C65929,0     -{MAGNETO1_LEFT}-
6=P2,19,C65927,0    -{MAGNETO1_OFF}-
7=P2,19,C65930,0     -{MAGNETO1_BOTH}-
8=P2,12,C65933,0    -{MAGNETO2_OFF}-
9=P2,13,C65933,0    -{MAGNETO2_OFF}-
10=P2,13,C65934,0     -{MAGNETO2_RIGHT}-
11=P2,14,C65933,0    -{MAGNETO2_OFF}-
12=P2,14,C65935,0     -{MAGNETO2_LEFT}-
13=P2,15,C65933,0    -{MAGNETO2_OFF}-
14=P2,15,C65936,0     -{MAGNETO2_BOTH}-
 

 

John

[Bob Spinner]

Hi Roman, John.

Thanks so much it works a treat. I would never have found a solution via the 'Buttons and Switches' menu interface.
The only time that I dabbled with programming was to write a simple maths tutorial in Sinclair BASIC for a ZX Spectrum (that dates me).

Now I can get back to setting up the rest of the panel.

Thanks again

Bob