How to access "CUSTOM MANIPULATOR DATAREFS""

[Need-To-Know]

Yes I am new to X-Plane but love it!!

So trying to get a handle on things and have read a good bit but still unsure of add the "CUSTOM MANIPULATOR DATAREFS"

I was reading the 2-Interface Guide and see "For the more intrepid hardware enthusiast" and what is referred to as Manipulator datarefs (still reading about those).

How do I add these more advanced commands? In my Joystick/Keyboard X-Plane control panel I only see the basic custom commands.

Thank you for your patience!! 

[mmerelles]

xp10?

1. go to joystick & assignment

2. go to buttons adv or tabs key. Depending you want to map a key or a button

3. you press the button you want to map (or you select the key you want to assign)

4. on the right side, you clic on the top right corner "custom cmd field" and a tree will popup. Navigate to ixeg stuff and select whatever you are looking for there. i.e. 'a/p disc'

 

xp11 works the same but the UI is different and there is still parsing issues for the information to be shown properly. You need to map / un map blind at first, and then items will populate on the list.

 

note:

It is quite common people confuses Custom Commands vs Custom Datarefs or think they are the same. They are not, both lists are documented under the "2-interface guide.pdf.

 

Custom commands. These are actions the developers provide for the users to map to key/buttons directly. So when you invoke them via button or key press, they perform an action pre-programmed.

you use custom commands via mapping as explained above.

i.e. 'a/p disc' when you map this custom command to a button or key, when you clic it will disconnect the autopilot

 

Datarefs. These are memory positions the simulation store values. Based on the value the simulation does/show something.

You can not map datarefs under joystick and assignment, you need a plugin/programing to manipulate the aircraft datarefs.

i.e. 'the altimeter on the mcp' dararef. Doing a clic you do nothing. You need to store there values 100ft 1000ft 15000ft whatever you need to store that will be the target for the nav systems.

i.e. suppose a 3 position light switch. storing a 0 value means light is off, 1 value means low intensity, 2 means high intensity. So when you build a cockpit, depending on your hardware switch position you store a 0, 1 or 2 on the dataref.

I am giving you just generic examples to understand what a dataref is for

 

 

i tried to be as simple as possible on the explanation. Hope this helps

Edited March 9, 2017 by mmerelles
misspelling

[Need-To-Know]

Thank you!! I just bought the 737 a couple of days ago.

Great explanation! I am on my way to better understanding now. I was confusing those custom commands and datarefs.

Right now I was working on XP-11 (might go back to 10. I have fixed the APU btw) .

It has been a bit of a learning curve so your explanation has helped.

Starting small.

1st - Basically I have button on my TM MFD (recognized as a device under Joysticks and the buttons programmable in the XP11 interface)

I am trying to map to the EHSI map size. So a dataref I suppose.

Are you saying I need something like XJoymap for that to work? (man I know I am annoying newbie here)

Again thank you!

pointless info below:

After that I am working on my GoFlight gear with Poly's tool - that will be my next hurdle. With 7 GF panels and MCP coming next week. In the short time I have spent reading about using the GIT tool I get what you are saying about 0, 1, 2.

Coming over from microsoft FS and use to using those tools for programing keys (LINDA -not as flexible but simple interface). As we know if you have a pit switchology takes weeks to finish on each plane.

Amazing IXEG and dropping my other sim due to this plane!

 

[mmerelles]

19 minutes ago, Need-To-Know said:

It has been a bit of a learning curve so your explanation has helped.

Starting small.

1st - Basically I have button on my TM MFD (recognized as a device under Joysticks and the buttons programmable in the XP11 interface)

I am trying to map to the EHSI map size. So a dataref I suppose.

Are you saying I need something like XJoymap for that to work? (man I know I am annoying newbie here)

Again thank you!

You ve got it  Selecting EHSI map range has multiple options. So a custom command clic will not do it because the simulation doesn't know what size you want to set.

This is a good example of a dataref 'ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_range_cpt_act' depending the value you set on the memory position, the range you get in the EHSI.

You need xjoymap, a lua script, or simular, to map your hardware button to the dataref and each clic you cycle the value stored on the dataref for different ranges. If you are a cockpit builder you may have a multi-position knob and no need to cycle, each position stores the proper value on the dataref for direct access to required range.

 

19 minutes ago, Need-To-Know said:

pointless info below:

After that I am working on my GoFlight gear with Poly's tool - that will be my next hurdle. With 7 GF panels and MCP coming next week. In the short time I have spent reading about using the GIT tool I get what you are saying about 0, 1, 2.

Coming over from microsoft FS and use to using those tools for programing keys (LINDA -not as flexible but simple interface). As we know if you have a pit switchology takes weeks to finish on each plane.

Amazing IXEG and dropping my other sim due to this plane!

 

I do use Goflight MCP PRO MCP myselft and pollypot GIT software, there are ixeg 737 aircraft profiles already done and available under their page for inmediate download. No need to fine tune nothing.

 

GIT is the app (like xjoymap or lua script) that interacts to the goflight hardware, and based on your selection manipulate the aircraft datarefs properly and vicebersa. If something changes and the aircraft datarefs GIT displays/illuminate whatever in the goflight hardware.

[Need-To-Know]

Good to have a patient person helping!

One more question then (I hope).

I already have xjoymap in my pythonscripts and I can see it in the settings UI of X-Plane. So setup is good.

But and I am sorry for this; How do I get the IXEG datarefs into xjoymap?

Do I edit the edit the config file in notepad++ ? Copy and paste them from the 2-Interface guide.

Honestly, I have done some research on this but came up with no answers.

[mmerelles]

xjoymap plugin allows you to create assignments on a per aircraft basis. Every aircraft developer provides their own datarefs for their simulation.

you create a 'xjoymap.ini' text file on a per aircraft basis and the file has to reside on each aircraft root folder.

Everytime you select an aircraft in xplane, xjoymap will check on the aircraft root folder you are selecting if an 'xjoymap.ini' file exists and load it for aircraft assignment parametrization or will do nothing if the file is not found. No need to have a file for each aircraft in your hangar. Just for the ones you require special assignments.

 

xjoymap.ini file has a syntax structure for making the assignments you must comply. The documentation is included on the plugin and several examples over the forums.

 

 

this is an example of the xjoymap.ini file you have to place under the 737 root folder to map the captain's EHSI range and EHSI mode to buttons or keys.

 

*******************

xjoymap.ini

 

[EHSI Range]
new_command=EHSI Range
dataref=ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_range_cpt_act
description=EHSI Range
values = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

[EHSI Mode]
new_command=EHSI Mode
dataref=ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_mode_cpt_act
description=EHSI Mode
values = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

*****************

 

note:

0,1,2,3,4,5 are the values the 'range' dataref will cycle under each mapped button clic. Each value has a corresponding range on the simulation

0,1,2,3,4 are the values the 'mode' dataref will cycle under each mapped button clic. Each value has a corresponding mode on the simulation

you can order the modes as per your liking or even cycle between less values. 1,4,5 (assuming you have no interest for 0,2,3 range selection)

 

Now you go to xplane joystick & assignment

tab or buttond adv tab

on the right side you will see under xplane standard list the new commands EHSI range and EHSI mode for you to map

 

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by mmerelles

[Need-To-Know]

Ahhh ok. So I create the file and add the code. I understand better now.

I did create a file in notepad++ and saved it as xjoymap.ini just for a quick test. Pasted your code:

[EHSI Range]
new_command=EHSI Range
dataref=ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_range_cpt_act
description=EHSI Range
values = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

[EHSI Mode]
new_command=EHSI Mode
dataref=ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_mode_cpt_act
description=EHSI Mode
values = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

 

saved it to G:\Xplane\X-Plane 10\Aircraft\X-Aviation\IXEG 737 Classic
- my xplane folder.

Did not see it in xjoymap assignments.

But hey buddy thanks for getting me started in the right direction. I can read up more on the xjoymap stuff and get it working. Without your direction I would have been up all night trying to figure this all out.

 

[mmerelles]

My fault not being clear enough. Assuming your xjoymap plugin is up & running properly EHSI mode & EHSI range commands should be under main/ tree not under xjoymap/ default tree

 

see below noted in red

[EHSI Range]
new_command=EHSI Range
dataref=ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_range_cpt_act
description=EHSI Range
values = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

[EHSI Mode]
new_command=EHSI Mode
dataref=ixeg/733/ehsi/ehsi_mode_cpt_act
description=EHSI Mode
values = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

 

Note there is no tree specification in the command, this means they will be created under xplane main/ tree by default, scroll for them there to map

If you want your commands under xjoymap/ tree, the syntax for the lines above should be:

 

new_command=xjoymap/EHSI Range

new_command=xjoymap/EHSI Mode

 

note: you can also create your own tree. i.e. new_command=IXEG737/EHSI Range

note2: don't ask me why commands you create with no tree specification goes to the main/ and not to the xjoymap/ by default. Devs decision

 

 

hope this clarifies.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by mmerelles
misspelling

[Need-To-Know]

Hey Buddy,

Well last night I never got it to work but with a fresh start this morning and fully caffeinated I downloaded a xjoymap file from another post in this forum and it worked. I was able to map my first button.

After mapping with a program like LINDA in that other flight sim -LINDA with it's nice GUI- I find this process of coding each button rather daunting.  Even trying to use the GIT software to map switches is a rather convoluted process. Luckily the MCP and the GF gear panel are a more straight forward process with their included default setups.

Yesterday my GF MESM panel arrived (the engine start panel). In three hours of trying I was never able to get it working in the GIT software. In FSX it took 2 minutes to map it.

I might just grab a GF EFIS and radio panel since they seem fairly dialed into IXEG getting them to work quickly. I have more $ than time.

I guess what I am saying I think one of the creative coders (or plane developer) around here could make a better GUI and charge for it. I would pay $50+. I have donated multiple times to LINDA guys for their freeware.

mmerelles - you are a star!! I have read around and seen you help others too. This is my first forum posting for Xplane and it has been a better experience with your help!