Button press identical according to log, different things happens inside SIM

[Jackiie]

C172 non G1000, so old autopilot

I run SPAD.neXt for the logging addon, and found out the ALT button on the autopilot is something like (from memory) SIMCONNECT:AP_ALT_HOLD

So I press ALT-F, goes for Buttons & Switches, presses the ALT button on the Honeycomb Bravo, chooses FS Control, and chooses “Ap Alt Hold”. Doesn’t change any parameter or anything. Press OK, back to SIM.

When I doublepress the ALT on the Bravo, it presses the button in game, and goes between ALT and clear. When I doublepress with the mouse, it shows VS and FPM. The last function is what I want to work, but can’t. Is it as easy as “the sim won’t allow us to get it to work” or am I (hopefully) doing something wrong?

Edited January 5, 2022 by Jackiie

[John Dowson]

12 hours ago, Jackiie said:

I run SPAD.neXt for the logging addon

If using FSUIPC, you should use FSUIPC's logging facilities, and also attach your FSUIPC7.log file, with appropriate logging enabled (in this case, for Buttons and Key presses + Events)  so that I can see what is happening. I also need to see your FSUIPC7.ini file.

12 hours ago, Jackiie said:

When I doublepress the ALT on the Bravo, it presses the button in game, and goes between ALT and clear. When I doublepress with the mouse, it shows VS and FPM.

Why are you double-pressing/clicking rather than just using a single click/button press?

I have just taken a look and pressing the ALT button sends the following events (alternating):
     Ap Alt Hold - switch to Altitude Hold mode
     Ap Panel Vs On - switch back to VS
and goes between ALT and VS (not clear). 
Sending the same events in a button press via FSUIPC also has the same affect. Therefore, you need to overload the assignments on your button to use both controls, and add an offset condition to send the correct control depending upon the current ALT mode, which is held in offset 0x07D0.

John

[Jackiie]

Thank you for taking your time. It says my log file is too big, I put it on my Gdrive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w09645n2nu_urI7JeVKfavHe8WNCGVI0/view?usp=sharing

 

I am not sure how to this in the program:

"Therefore, you need to overload the assignments on your button to use both controls, and add an offset condition to send the correct control depending upon the current ALT mode, which is held in offset 0x07D0."

 

Here is a video to not have any misunderstandings. 

 

Thank you!

 

FSUIPC7.ini

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, Jackiie said:

I put it on my Gdrive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w09645n2nu_urI7JeVKfavHe8WNCGVI0/view?usp=sharing

I have no access to that file, but it doesn't matter at the moment...

Your ini file shows you have 2 button assignments to the Bravo to the same control:
 

Quote

[Buttons]
PollInterval=25
ButtonRepeat=20,10
1=PC,4,C65726,0     -{AP_ALT_HOLD}-
2=PC,18,C65726,0     -{AP_ALT_HOLD}-

The Bravo ALT button is button 4, so you should remove/delete/cancel that other assignment to button 18 (the one in bold).

1 hour ago, Jackiie said:

I am not sure how to this in the program:

"Therefore, you need to overload the assignments on your button to use both controls, and add an offset condition to send the correct control depending upon the current ALT mode, which is held in offset 0x07D0."

Please see the Advanced User guide P22 for adding offset conditions. If you want to assign as suggested then your button assignments section should look like this:

Quote

[Buttons]
PollInterval=25
ButtonRepeat=20,10
1=D07D0=0 PC,4,C65726,0     -{AP_ALT_HOLD}-
2=D07D0=1 PC,4,C66115,0     -{AP_PANEL_VS_ON}-

You can also configure in other ways. For example, you could use
     Ap Alt Hold On
     Ap Alt Hold Off
i.e. again overloaded (more than one assignment on the button) using the same offset conditions as I mentioned before. This would then switch ALT hold on/off.
You can then assign your VS button similarly, overloading the assignments with an offset condition on 0x07EC (Autopilot vertical speed hold).

My MSFS system is currently updating so haven't tried this, but I can look into this in  more detail once I've updated and have time - probably next week.

For configuring the Bravo with FSUIPC7, also take a look at this post (covers all Bravo assignments except the AP functions - to be honest I haven't had time to look at these in detail yet):

John

[Jackiie]

Thank you, I've tested the code now (including restarting the programs).

There is still one difference I don't understand how the game does it. When I do it this way, the upper right corner on the autopilot screen still shows how many feet the altitude (e.g. 3000 feet) is set it. If I click it with the mouse, it shows what setting I have feet per minute (e.g. 200 fpm). That is the specific thing I want to get to work, setting it to VS or ALT I've been able to. Do you have any idea how the trigger for the text on those screens work?

For clarification, it's as in the youtube video, same difference. With the mouse, it triggers the screen change. With a button, it doesn't.

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, Jackiie said:

There is still one difference I don't understand how the game does it. When I do it this way, the upper right corner on the autopilot screen still shows how many feet the altitude (e.g. 3000 feet) is set it. If I click it with the mouse, it shows what setting I have feet per minute (e.g. 200 fpm). That is the specific thing I want to get to work, setting it to VS or ALT I've been able to. Do you have any idea how the trigger for the text on those screens work?

The internal controls do sometimes work differently from those provided by SimConnect. I am not sure what is happening in this instance - I will take a look when I get time, maybe next week...

John

[John Dowson]

Hi @Jackiie. If you are still having this issue, now that you can assign directly to Input Events you could try assigning to the input event AUTOPILOT_KAP140_1_ALT with a parameter of 1. This will simulate the actual button press and toggle between VS and ALT modes, and should give the same behavior as pressing the button.

John