Programming Switch and Encoder to interact with FSX GPS panels

[AFB]

Hardware/O.S: P.C. running Windows 7- 64 bit, FSX-SE.

My proposed project is like many others I have looked at on the 'net.  I wish to free myself of the mouse when using the various GPS panels in FSX stock aircraft.  Many projects I have seen both D.I.Y and commercially available claim to do the job (I am referring to the ones using the popular USB button/switch circuit boards.)  I find info. on the 'net that seems to be contradictory.  As recently as 2020 dated posts elsewhere people have said this is not possible.  I have read that the GPS panel buttons are only clickable regions on the panel that do not have (for lack of a better term) command codes.  Of course I understand there must be some sort of command sent to FSX to affect the needed function.

I have been searching endlessly on the 'net for the programmable numeric codes or "handles" that I can use within my licensed FSUIPC4 to which I can associate a joystick and button with each action on the GPS panel.  So far the only choices I can see are the FSUIPC "Buttons" tab drop-down list box which offers up some 20 or so GPS related commands.  This list doesn't appear to represent all the possibilities on the 2 GPS types of panels offered in the stock aircraft in FSX.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I have observed that the "Button Board" products for D.I.Y. sim builders have software associated with them that allows them to function in the sim. but as of yet I do not understand how those physical devices (buttons, encoders, etc.) get mapped over to all the button functions of the GPS panel since a mouse click on a panel image is not detected by FSUIPC like a Keyboard and Joystick buttons are.

I am reaching out to successful D.I.Y. builders of such a switch bank that operates the GPS panels in FSX.   Would someone confirm if there is a solution to this problem and what the key concepts are here.  Lacking that, could you direct me to an explanation on some website or forum?  If this message looks familiar I have posted it on other sim forums because there seems to be limited activity on other sites I have searched.

One final thing.  Is there any reason in general that I would benefit from upgrading from FSUIPC4 if I have no plan to move up from FSX?  I may upgrade the O.S. in the future though.

[John Dowson]

10 hours ago, AFB said:

One final thing.  Is there any reason in general that I would benefit from upgrading from FSUIPC4 if I have no plan to move up from FSX?  I may upgrade the O.S. in the future though.

No - the only FSUIPC version compatible with FSX/FSX-SE is FSUIPC4.

To determine what control is used for a specific button (FPS panel or otherwise), you can activate logging for Events (non-axis controls), open the logging console and press the button in the virtual cockpit. See if any event is logged, and if so, you can assign to that.
If no event is logged, you could try using a mouse macro. However, not all aircraft support mouse macros - from the User guide:

Quote

Mouse Macros
IMPORTANT NOTES: These facilities need FSX with at least the SP1 update incorporated. Macro files should work with
the original version of FSX, but the easy user macro creation facilities will not be available.
Furthermore, in order to work they need to be able to hook into Gauge code which must be structured in the predictable
way which results from using the Microsoft FS SDK for building gauges in C or C++. This unfortunately excludes most of
Microsoft's own default FSX aircraft, as they did not use this technique. Furthermore, most new aircraft made by third
parties use the more recent technique of having gauges in XML. Those are also not susceptible to "Mouse Macros". (but
they are then more likely to be accessible via "L:Vars", which is a separate and more advanced subject).

 

11 hours ago, AFB said:

I have read that the GPS panel buttons are only clickable regions on the panel that do not have (for lack of a better term) command codes. 

This indicates that mouse macros will not be available.

If there are no standard controls/events and mouse macros are not available for the aircraft, you could look into using lvars.

If you let me know which default aircraft you are using, I could take a look to see what is available for the GPS of that aircraft,

John

[AFB]

John,

Forgive the clumsy handling of the following quote from your previous message.  I tried to use the editor tools to insert the quote and I failed in my effort to get out of the quote box and back into the message window.

So you said: "To determine what control is used for a specific button (FPS panel or otherwise), you can activate logging for Events (non-axis controls), open the logging console and press the button in the virtual cockpit. See if any event is logged, and if so, you can assign to that."

This seems like a very helpful skill to learn but I have no experience with it.  When you  say "you can activate logging for Events" is this action initiated in FSUIPC or in FSX?  If it is done in FSUIPC I will have to review the part of the Docs. that covers it.  Also I am unfamiliar with the "logging console" and how to bring it up.  If I use this logging console are the button clicks displayed in real time as they are performed?  I have opened the "FSUIPC.log" file in the past after exiting the simulator but it seems like one could get lost very quickly in it.  I had come up with the idea of leaving reference points in it by performing some action while the sim is running that could be easily identified later upon inspecting the file.  It would seem like viewing a dynamic event logging process would make all that manual manipulation unnecessary.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It would be helpful if you could suggest a demonstration of this method on a YouTube pic or direct me to a explanation of the process.  Lacking that, I may have to search the ".net" for "FSX" "event logging", etc.

A.

[John Dowson]

8 minutes ago, AFB said:

This seems like a very helpful skill to learn but I have no experience with it.  When you  say "you can activate logging for Events" is this action initiated in FSUIPC or in FSX?

These are functions provided by FSUIPC - just look at the Logging tab and it should be obvious...otherwise consult the User guide.

9 minutes ago, AFB said:

Also I am unfamiliar with the "logging console" and how to bring it up.  If I use this logging console are the button clicks displayed in real time as they are performed? 

Again, see the Logging tab, and yes the log messages are displayed in real-time - when you click a button/switch in the VC, and event is generated and FSUIPC picks this up and logs it, assuming logging is activated for that type of event.

12 minutes ago, AFB said:

I have opened the "FSUIPC.log" file in the past after exiting the simulator but it seems like one could get lost very quickly in it.  I had come up with the idea of leaving reference points in it by performing some action while the sim is running that could be easily identified later upon inspecting the file.  It would seem like viewing a dynamic event logging process would make all that manual manipulation unnecessary.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Correct - it is far easier to have the logging console open, which just shows the contents of the FSUIPC.log file, and note the events in real-time rather than looking at the log in an editor later.

14 minutes ago, AFB said:

It would be helpful if you could suggest a demonstration of this method on a YouTube pic or direct me to a explanation of the process.  Lacking that, I may have to search the ".net" for "FSX" "event logging", etc.

It really isn't complicated and certainly not worth making a video of this. Just open FSUIPC, selecting the logging tab and check the options you require (i,e, Events (non-axis controls) and Send to console window).

Please take a look at this and consult the FSUIPC4 User Guide. I don't understand why you are not doing this before posting these questions....

John

[AFB]

Thanks John,

I did some searching on Google and came upon a reply on this forum by Pete which in reading the content provided most of the info you posted above.

Please accept my apology for not trying to discover this method first by researching it.

I'll open up the FSUIPC docs. files again since it has been a while since I've dived in to them.  I have so many technology projects going at one time that I can sometimes forget details that I have read about in the near distant past.

A.