Spad.Next integration for TBM 900

[0zz]

Im trying to properly connect my saitek devices to control TBM 900 using spad.Next. I really like the way you can easily program conditionally customised buttons and axis using it. My main goal is to program one of the radio knob and stby switch for easy access to FMS functions, and code an expression so I can properly control Power stick with quadrant. But I am missing custom TBM900 simulation events inside Spad.NExt

I found some online snippets (device presets) customised for TBM900, to use as a guide. But, when I load them simulation events are marked red and dont work. I am guessing I somehow need to define those simulation events in Spad.Next or Xplane.

They are all in dataref format; such as XPLANE:tbm900.actuators/elec/source_up

Anyone has an idea what I need to do? Or what am I doing wrong.

Thanks,

Edited August 24, 2019 by 0zz

[RobW05]

The problem is that spadnext is not aware of custom commands and datarefs. You need to teach it which datarefs exist. The solution would be to implement some kind of dataref "sniffer" into spadnext but the developer seems not to be interested in making something like that.

What he does is he sends you a little tool upon request (you need to open a ticket) and this tool will export the datarefs to a file which you then return to the developer. He will then implement the datarefs into a future version, but that takes a while. Obviously not the fastest way. 

Fortunately there's another way, you can use datareftool to export commands and datarefs into txt files and put them in your aircraft folder. Spadnext will recognize and list them next time you start it. 

If you want I can upload the two text files needed when I'm back home.

[Rossco]

G'day Rob,

I'd be interested in those if you want to post them. There are still a couple of things I can't locate like the inertial separator switch command.The only one I can find moves the switch OK however I get a CAS warning of a malfunction.

Also I have programmed the inner FMS knob however once used none of the system graphics appear in the MFD,

Hopefully they would help sort those couple of things out.

[RobW05]

Here you go!

Place these files into your TBM-900 folder and next time you start Spad.next it will recognize the TBMs commands and datarefs.

By the way, for all the G1000 stuff there´s no need for custom commands, the default G1000 commands work well. For the MFD be sure to use the commands ending with n3.

datarefs.txt

commands.txt

[Rossco]

Thanks Rob,

The command I'm using for the MFD does end in n3 as I found none of the others worked so find it weird that using it (with my Saitek Auto Pilot) causes an issue with the Systems graphics.

Will persevere as I find it more beneficial to have a hardware option to turn those fiddly knobs.

[RobW05]

Just out of curiosity, which command are you using and what exactly is the the systems graphics issue you are getting? 

[0zz]

Ah got it! Many thanks @RobW05. Gonna try those asap. 

@Rossco I set my Radio Panel knobs to control MFD by using default x-plane events.

Works like magic. The setup is active when both selectors are at XPDR. Top knob is FMS cursor while the bottom knob controls range. upper switch is enter in short mod and cursor push in long. bottom switcher is cancel in short and FPL in long press mode. As for displays, I set left part  to Airspeed and Groundspeed, and right part to Altitude and GPS Waypoint ETE (which switches to radar altimeter below 700 feet)

I can post the snippet if you like.

[Rossco]

@RobW05, command I'm using is G1000n3 FMS Inner Down & Up events. I'm using my Saitek Auto Pilot as it's totally redundant for this aircraft after buying the great QGMC710 by Quickmake covered in another thread in this forum. Also I have a flap lever on my PFC Throttle TQ so no need for the Saitek one there either.

I have it programmed so when I rotate the selector knob on the Saitek to CRS then operate the rotary knob it changes the map range in the MFD. Hdg selects the FMS Outer knob & IAS the inner knob. All work well except as mentioned once I activate the inner knob I no longer see the schematic graphics which appear when you select "system" followed by ELEC, FUEL & GEN with the softkeys at the bottom of the MFD. Prior to using the IAS knob these graphics are OK. The outer knob & range selections cause no issues.

The buttons I have programmed for things like activating the cursor, Dir, Enter, Fpl, Proc etc.

 

@0zz, what you have programmed sounds interesting so yes would love to see the snippets. As I've found over the years with Spad & the Saitek gear regardless of programming I find some odd commands popping up that weren't put there by me at times & often I can't find why this happens. Particularly with Carenado aircraft in P3D. This may be the case with me using the IAS switch for this particular set of commands.

[0zz]

@Rossco I published the snippet as 'Hotstart TBM 900 MFD Controls' Let me know if you want any customisation.

Yea it sounds like there is some kind of interference, either with lua script or spad.next itself. Maybe you need a fresh start. Good luck nailing it down.

[RobW05]

2 hours ago, Rossco said:

@RobW05, command I'm using is G1000n3 FMS Inner Down & Up events. I'm using my Saitek Auto Pilot as it's totally redundant for this aircraft after buying the great QGMC710 by Quickmake covered in another thread in this forum. Also I have a flap lever on my PFC Throttle TQ so no need for the Saitek one there either.

I have it programmed so when I rotate the selector knob on the Saitek to CRS then operate the rotary knob it changes the map range in the MFD. Hdg selects the FMS Outer knob & IAS the inner knob. All work well except as mentioned once I activate the inner knob I no longer see the schematic graphics which appear when you select "system" followed by ELEC, FUEL & GEN with the softkeys at the bottom of the MFD. Prior to using the IAS knob these graphics are OK. The outer knob & range selections cause no issues.

So you say you loose the ELEC, FUEL and GEN windows when you're switching pages with the inner knob up/down command? I think that is to be expected as these are programmed to be selectable in the map page only. If you turn the inner FMS knob to select another page (eg TAWS page or weather radar page), there's no more SYSTEM softkey to be selected thus no such windows. 

But I might have misunderstood you...

[Rossco]

@RobW05 what I'm meaning is that I can access these windows OK until I use the inner knob via the Saitek panel. Once this has happened I can no longer access these panels even if I try to do it with my mouse selecting appropriate soft keys back on the map page. This remains the case until the next time I start the sim. Using the inner knob with my mouse causes no issue until after I use the Saitek knob. Prior to using the Saitek panel the windows are always accessible using the mouse, so using the Saitek knob is causing an issue preventing the panels appearing again. Hope Iv'e explained it a little better now. 

 

@0zz Thanks for posting those. I'll get them this evening & have a look.

[Rossco]

@0zz have had a look for the snippets however nothing appearing as yet. Do they take a while to get uploaded?

Anyway I re programmed the inner & outer knobs to the Saitek radio panel & that solved the issue.

Must be something in the background using the heading selection on the auto pilot. 

Anyway all good now.

Thanks for your help.

[0zz]

It is up instantly. Did a test by loading it to a new profile after I published. It is a complete device profile. Be sure to select complete device for radio panel, and type TBM 900 in search box.

Well in any case, using radio panel knobs are more immersive. Glad it worked.

[AgeHawk]

On 8/29/2019 at 3:04 AM, Rossco said:

@RobW05 what I'm meaning is that I can access these windows OK until I use the inner knob via the Saitek panel. Once this has happened I can no longer access these panels even if I try to do it with my mouse selecting appropriate soft keys back on the map page. This remains the case until the next time I start the sim. Using the inner knob with my mouse causes no issue until after I use the Saitek knob. Prior to using the Saitek panel the windows are always accessible using the mouse, so using the Saitek knob is causing an issue preventing the panels appearing again. Hope Iv'e explained it a little better now. 

 

@0zz Thanks for posting those. I'll get them this evening & have a look.

Hi, I'm trying to achieve this with my radio panel - being able to control the MFD with the radio knobs - but don't know how to go about it. I just got these panels a week ago and trying out the spad.next and really can only do easy stuff with it.

I would appreciate it if someone could provide an easy step to configure the buttons and knobs for mfd. Thanks

[AgeHawk]

3 hours ago, AgeHawk said:

Hi, I'm trying to achieve this with my radio panel - being able to control the MFD with the radio knobs - but don't know how to go about it. I just got these panels a week ago and trying out the spad.next and really can only do easy stuff with it.

I would appreciate it if someone could provide an easy step to configure the buttons and knobs for mfd. Thanks

Ok. I just figured it out.  I'm so impressed that I can now control my G1000 with these buttons and knobs for setting up flight plans and zooming. I must admit, SPAD.next is a must-have software anyone with Saitek panels.