MCP interfacing

[frumpy]

Hi guys,

I am working on my MCP project, before it catches too much dust.
I noticed some inconsistencies with the buttons and LEDs of the MCP.

As far as I understand, the datarefs are a copy of the internal MCP logics and are able to manipulate its functions.
So if I press a button on the physical MCP, it should be equal to pressing the same key in
the sim; the LED datarefs are just copies of their state.

1) physical A/T on and then physical CMD A on: SPD LED in sim and physical LED on
physical CMD A on and then physical A/T on: SPD LED in sim on, physical LED off
So I assume (didn't check) the ..._ann dataref isnt changed in the second case.

2) CMD A and CWS A active: CMD A off results in CWS A on in the sim, but the physical
CWS A LED turns off too;
I suppose (didn't check either) the CWS A LED dataref is turned off inadvertly

3) A/T and SPD active: A/T off in sim turns off the simulated A/T LED but not the physical one
I think you need to reset the LED dataref to off when A/T turns off

Thank you very much,

Olli

[mmerelles]

1 hour ago, frumpy said:

As far as I understand, the datarefs are a copy of the internal MCP logics and are able to manipulate its functions.
So if I press a button on the physical MCP, it should be equal to pressing the same key in
the sim; the LED datarefs are just copies of their state.

Pressing a button on your physical MCP should be exactly the same than pressing the same button on the virtual cockpit -only if- when you press the button on your physical mcp you trigger the correct order on the aircraft. If you trigger incorrectly it won't produce expected results.

Most of the time when you press a physical button, flip a switch, etc. on your external MCP you should use provided ixeg 733 custom commands not to write a dataref. Custom commands are programed to perform all complex steps required to engage the system you asked for. Writing a dataref may produce partial results.

Have you seen all "custom commands" and "datarefs" provided on the documentation folder of the aircraft?

1) physical A/T on and then physical CMD A on: SPD LED in sim and physical LED on
physical CMD A on and then physical A/T on: SPD LED in sim on, physical LED off
So I assume (didn't check) the ..._ann dataref isnt changed in the second case.

2) CMD A and CWS A active: CMD A off results in CWS A on in the sim, but the physical
CWS A LED turns off too;
I suppose (didn't check either) the CWS A LED dataref is turned off inadvertly

3) A/T and SPD active: A/T off in sim turns off the simulated A/T LED but not the physical one
I think you need to reset the LED dataref to off when A/T turns off

I am not going one by one, but just to take the last one as an example.

How do you tell the aircraft i want A/T off? what custom command you use? if you use a dataref it won't work always to any system!

What dataref do you map to read the led status? if you read the incorrect LED dataref it won't work.

 

For the A/T example i do use

ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_ann to map the physical led on my mcp. OFF=0 ON=1

 

To turn the A/T switch on/off you have 2 options

If you use a button instead of a switch. use custom command ixeg/733/autopilot/AT_switch_cycle (each push switches on/off)

if your mcp hardware has a switch you can still use custom command above, but depending your switch position when you load the aircraft you may go reverted. So i write the proper A/T dataref which is ixeg/MCP/mcp_at_arm_act = x (put an 1 =  ON put a 0 = OFF

 

Thank you very much,

Olli

 

hope this helps for you to start moving.

Edited September 10, 2016 by mmerelles
misspelling

[frumpy]

Hi mmerelles,

I can't quote text here, don't know why.

I am using an arduino copy and the modules that svglobe provides in the USB version. http://svglobe.com/arduino/ardsim.html

How can I use custom commands with that? I think I need to use a joystick driver then, since ArdSim does only support datarefs (I think).

 

A/T LED dataref is ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_ann, so the same that you use.

A/T switch (2-way switch, doesn't work right yet) is ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_act , same as you.

 

I'll check custom commands and the off-position of the A/T switch tonight.

[Ben Russell]

I'm thinking about adding "magic dataref" support to Gizmo that will automatically wrap-up any custom commands that our products create into datarefs that allow third party plugins to drive our stuff.

It's a brewing idea at this point, one that needs investigation to see if it will somehow break Gizmo with asynchronous / multiple command activation activity. 

I may have some "debounce" issues to work through.

Essentially you'd end up with something like:

magic dataref:  gizmo/magic/cmd/ixeg_737/cmd/name/here

When you write a 1 to it, I call the Command Start code.

If you hold the 1 value in it for the required amount of time, you'll trigger the Command Hold code.

When you return the dref value to 0 I call the Command End code.

 

There seems to be a pretty big demand for this when interfacing with various external plugins..

 

IF this is added it will automatically add complete retro-active support to our products, this includes the Saab, DC3, Corvalis, MU2, IXEG, etc.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Ben Russell

[Ben Russell]

1 hour ago, frumpy said:

Hi mmerelles,

I can't quote text here, don't know why.

I am using an arduino copy and the modules that svglobe provides in the USB version. http://svglobe.com/arduino/ardsim.html

How can I use custom commands with that? I think I need to use a joystick driver then, since ArdSim does only support datarefs (I think).

 

A/T LED dataref is ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_ann, so the same that you use.

A/T switch (2-way switch, doesn't work right yet) is ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_act , same as you.

 

I'll check custom commands and the off-position of the A/T switch tonight.

quote for notification. see post above.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Ben Russell

[frumpy]

Hi Ben,

well, it sound's like it would solve my issues!

If thats feasible for you, I don't see any reason against it.

Olli

[Syl20]

Hello,

I hope it is ok I add my question to this thread as it is related to what has been written before.

I have a strange behaviour of the A/T switch from my 3D cockpit for the IXEG plane.

I am using the command "ixeg/733/autopilot/AT_switch_cycle" from Arduino + ArdSim plugin

It seems like it is working as 3 states:

Arduino input - XPlane switch i 3D cockpit

HIGH              - Switch On

LOW               - Switch Off

HIGH              - Nothing happen (ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_act doesn't switch value)

LOW               - Switch On

HIGH              - Switch Off

LOW               - Nothing happen

and so on...

 

I do not understand what the root cause for this could be unless the command doesn't correspond 100% to the switch activation/deactivation using the mouse in the 3D cockpit.

I know that I could also set ixeg/733/MCP/mcp_at_arm_act to 1 but I don't think it is the right solution.

Anyone has seen this issue, or maybe has a solution?

Cheers

Syl20