MSFS non-event investigation and triggering (e.g. DA40/62 ECU master)?

[pilotjohn]

Apologies for the naïve question, but if there are no events being triggered by a switch, is it possible to trigger the functionality some other way (Lvar)?

Specifically the DA40 and DA62 have master switches for the ECU which I would like to bind to button. Has anyone managed to do this yet?

[John Dowson]

There is currently no access to lvars.
In such circumstances (i.e. no event seems to be triggered), you can look at the MSFS assignments to see if there is anything that works there. Then assign this to a key press (or key press combination) in MSFS, and then assign the key press to your button in FSUIPC. Just looked at the DA40, and there is a Toggle Master Battery control which seems to work for this aircraft (if thats what you are after).

John

[pilotjohn]

1 hour ago, John Dowson said:

There is currently no access to lvars.
In such circumstances (i.e. no event seems to be triggered), you can look at the MSFS assignments to see if there is anything that works there. Then assign this to a key press (or key press combination) in MSFS, and then assign the key press to your button in FSUIPC. Just looked at the DA40, and there is a Toggle Master Battery control which seems to work for this aircraft (if thats what you are after).

John

Thanks... yeah, I use battery master toggle (which works for the battery), but this is the engine computer for the DA40/62 (which are like car engines in that regard). I would love to bind them to my generic "ignition" switch but alas, it doesn't seem like that will happen.

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, pilotjohn said:

but this is the engine computer for the DA40/62

Where is this, on the DA40, for example?

1 hour ago, pilotjohn said:

bind them to my generic "ignition" switch

The ignition switch (ELECTRIC MASTER: Off - On - Start) in the DA40 is using the Toggle Master Battery Alternator event (with param 1) for Off <--> ON, but there doesn't seem to be anything for On ->Start (apart from the generic Engine Auto Start or Ctrl + e). Is it this what you are looking for?

[pilotjohn]

56 minutes ago, John Dowson said:

Where is this, on the DA40, for example?

Yes it's both on the DA40 (guarded switch on the panel) and DA62 (switch next to each starter button).

56 minutes ago, John Dowson said:

The ignition switch (ELECTRIC MASTER: Off - On - Start) in the DA40 is using the Toggle Master Battery Alternator event (with param 1) for Off <--> ON, but there doesn't seem to be anything for On ->Start (apart from the generic Engine Auto Start or Ctrl + e). Is it this what you are looking for?

Setting magnetos to "start" works on both aircraft, but the engines will only start if the ECU switches are on. And there seem to be no controlling these "remotely".

[John Dowson]

On 11/29/2020 at 5:33 PM, pilotjohn said:

Yes it's both on the DA40 (guarded switch on the panel) and DA62 (switch next to each starter button).

Ok, thats the one I tested with in the DA40 and I thought it was working. However, I've just checked again and you are correct - there doesn't seem any control available for this yet.

Not sure how or why I thought this was working a couple of days ago....sorry about that.

I've tried a few other controls & offsets but they all seem to operate on the electric master and not the engine master. And there seem to be no specific MSFS internal controls to handle this eother.

I expect this is something implemented in the aircraft guage code and will need access to lvars (or other variable types) to control.

[pilotjohn]

Ok, thanks for looking. It seems like they should just hook it up to either Ignition or "Both Magneto".

[MatzeH84]

I'm exactly after the same issue. I found that under engine systems (I have the German version, so don't know if that's the term used in the English one) there is 'toggle engine main switch' and 'set engine main switch', for engines 1-2 and this will operate the ECU master Switch at least on the 62. However it seems there should be a keyboard button assigned, and then configured via FSUIPC, because using a hardware switch will cause the variable (VC switch) to flicker up and down. 

[pilotjohn]

3 hours ago, MatzeH84 said:

I'm exactly after the same issue. I found that under engine systems (I have the German version, so don't know if that's the term used in the English one) there is 'toggle engine main switch' and 'set engine main switch', for engines 1-2 and this will operate the ECU master Switch at least on the 62. However it seems there should be a keyboard button assigned, and then configured via FSUIPC, because using a hardware switch will cause the variable (VC switch) to flicker up and down. 

I wish this would be exposed via SimConnect instead.