How to convert a Offset into a Axis?

[TheHybridCockpit]

Hi,

its my first post although I am fairly 20 years fan of FSUIPC and all alike developments. Big thanks to Pete and John. ♥️

Right now I am building a hybrid cockpit (left side Boeing 737 and right side Airbus H145) and connecting a lot of hardware to MSFS.

I got a old Revsim motorized TQ which needs connection through ProsimAR which works fine. Now I want to use the inputs also to be send and configured by FSUIPC7 which also works for all buttons and axis that are recognized through HID controllers.

FSUIPC receives and logs also offsets (that I set)  from Prosim, e.g. SpeedBrake  - but I need to convert these signals / offsets into a axis (to then steer the PMDG 737 in MSFS). Is there a way to do it? 

Weird sidefact, although no SpeedBrake axis is configured, the joystick calibration menu for spoilers shows inputs, but jumps between 0 and 16834 all the time, so no setting and calibration is possible, nor any use in PMDG 737. Throttle work, buttons work, motorization does not work....

Sorry for his complicated setup, maybe a challenge to answer....:)

Regards from Munich

Michael Marx

The Hybrid Cockpit EDDM

 

[John Dowson]

On 10/14/2023 at 10:22 PM, TheHybridCockpit said:

I need to convert these signals / offsets into a axis (to then steer the PMDG 737 in MSFS). Is there a way to do it? 

I am not entirely sure what you mean when you say 'convert offsets into an axis'. Offsets can hold axis values, for both reading and writing. So, if you have a value in a (user-defined) offset that you want to use for an axis value, you can just write this value, possibly with some adjustment/calibration, to the offset that holds the axis value that you want to use it for, or, alternatively, use that value to send the appropriate axis control/event to the FS.

Your post is confusing as I am not sure if it is steering or throttle you are trying to control. There are already many posts on motorized throttles, so maybe check them out.
Otherwise I will be back at home in a couple of days and I can look into this further if you can provide more information and clarify what you are trying to achieve,

Regards,

John

[John Dowson]

On 10/14/2023 at 10:22 PM, TheHybridCockpit said:

the joystick calibration menu for spoilers shows inputs, but jumps between 0 and 16834 all the time

This is usually caused by the device' axis being flagged as a digital on/off axis. See this post on how to correct this: 

 

John

[TheHybridCockpit]

John, thank you very much for your response during holidays! 🏝️

Maybe I described the problem in a wrong way - now, I found some posts in this forum that help me getting further. 

In short: the vJoy software along with your vJoyOffsets helped me to convert offset signals from the throttle axis (which only run along with Prosim) into a standard joystick axis that I can use now to control the PMDG737. 🙂 

Also the speedbrake workes now and can be calibrated within MSFS. 

May I just ask a question about a remaining problem? 

The reversers of the Revsim Throttle Quadrant are button controlled. In "down" lever position, the button is PRESSED. In "up lever" position, the button is released (weird logic of the turkish Revsim builders 10 years ago, haha)....

Now, in the PMDG737 its hardly possible to assign a simple key press to full reverse throttle (as it takes the "F2" command in a repeated way). But in FSUIPC, I cant set a "release button" command to be "repeated" haha. Do you have any idea how I can invert the buttons function without demantling the electrics of the throttle?

I am sorry for these weird question - but getting this old and heavy 737 TQ running is very difficult and expensive.... - my wife might kill me if the investment doesnt function properly ahah 🙏🏼 just kidding.

Regards from Munich,

Michael 🫡

 

Revolution Simproducts 737 Motorized TQ

[John Dowson]

17 hours ago, TheHybridCockpit said:

The reversers of the Revsim Throttle Quadrant are button controlled. In "down" lever position, the button is PRESSED. In "up lever" position, the button is released (weird logic of the turkish Revsim builders 10 years ago, haha)....

Now, in the PMDG737 its hardly possible to assign a simple key press to full reverse throttle (as it takes the "F2" command in a repeated way). But in FSUIPC, I cant set a "release button" command to be "repeated" haha. Do you have any idea how I can invert the buttons function without demantling the electrics of the throttle?

If you want to assign to throttle decr (repeat) on release, and throttle cut on press (which would be opposite to how you would normally assign) then you could do this using button flags, You can set the flag (any random flag for a non-existent joystick button) on button release and clear the flag on button press. You would then have a lua scrpt that monitored the flag and send the required control (or key press) while the flag was set, and stop when the flag is cleared.

[TheHybridCockpit]

Thank you, John. Much appreciated. Sounds like a solution... now I just need to learn what flagging and lua programming is about, and then I am set to go 😄

By any chance, there is no way of using the vJoy offsets for that?

Regards,

Michael 

 

 

[John Dowson]

15 hours ago, TheHybridCockpit said:

By any chance, there is no way of using the vJoy offsets for that?

I am not sure - it has been a long time since I looked at that program - check the available documentation.

You don't actually need to use flags - you can have a simple lua script that simply sends the throttle decrement control in an endless loop (with a delay). You then start the lua script on the button release, and kill the lua script on the button press. You should also overload your assignments on the press and also send a throttle cut.

Cheers,

John

[TheHybridCockpit]

Thank you very much, John. I managed to convert the PMDG preset for the 737-7 "kill throttle reverse" to the PRESSED button, and assigned 25x repeated UNPRESSED pulses to "F2" ...so decrease throttle. This way the reversers kick it when releasing the button, and stop reversing with pressed button. 

Regards, Michael