Does FS2Phidget support actions on toggle switch?

[Paul G]

My sim is in bits for final wiring and I cannot access FS2Phidget to answer this question. I need to know if a toggle switch (on-off) can control things like fuel valves). That is, if you switch it on the value is on, but when you switch it off, the value switches off.

I'm sure I've previously had the landing light working on a toggle but cannot remember how to configure fs2phidget to know that a toggle is connected. There's no way it can know whether you connect a momentary or toggle switch, yet their behaviour is completely different.

Thanks

Paul

[CocnutAir]

Paul,

Short answer is yes.

I would suggest downloading fs2phidget and play with emulator.
Emulates toggle, momentary and rotary switches.
i.e. you can experiment without buying a physical card.

Regards,
Alan.

[Paul G]

Thank you Alan.

Quick follow up question though. And I'm presuming this is an "fs2phidget" question rather than one directed to Phidgets directly:

I see in documentation, that the 8/8/8 board allows momentary and toggle switches to be used but that specific inputs must be used for each type. The documentation states input 0-3 are for toggles (or optionally rotary), and 4-7 are momentary. Ok makes sense.

How is the allocation with the 0/16/16 though. Most of my inputs are toggle, but I have a couple of momentary. Should the toggle switches be on 0-7 on the 0/16/16 or is it like two 8/8/8, i.e. 0-3, and 8-11, with the remainder momentary?

In a future release it would be fantastic if each input could be configured to have toggle or momentary behaviour. It would be still possible to allow rotary as an alternate to toggle. It comes down to the interface design. I'm better at coming up with work for other people, than doing it myself ;) I'd be very pleased to help with this but I'm not a coder, although sometimes wish I had this talent.

Thanks so much for FS2Phidget though. I'm sure many would agree that this has allowed them to set up their cockpits without programming knowledge, and using the excellent phidget plug and play convention. Although I don't think this was ever the intention, with some refinements and additions, FS2Phidget could easily be marketed and provide incentives for continual development, rather than resting on your time for free. Of course i'd hope for an indefinite free copy for saying this LOL. Again, I'm better at coming up with ways of making money than paying for it myself hehehe.

[CocnutAir]

Paul,

The allocation of switch types to a specific port, in the documentation, refers to the emulated card only.

With a real card you can use any type switch with any port. You configure how the switch behaves. i.e. latch the input, set a bit, toggle a bit, etc.

When I wire my switches to a phidget card, I connect the wires to a phidget card without any regard to what switch a wire is connected to.

I fire up fs2phidget, I make sure the speakers attached the Phidget pc is switched on and turned up. I then I select "debug inputs" on fs2phidget (this will cause a "ding" to sound when I manipulate a switch or encoder) and then I take my wireless keyboard into the cockpit. I can see fs2phidget projected onto the screen in front of the cockpit.

Fs2phidget will jump to the card and port on the menu for the switch I pressed. For example, in the cockpit I would press the hpa/inch momentary switch on the Captain's EFIS and get a ding sound. I would then assign the selected menu item in fs2phidget to the appropriate FS variable i.e. Captain's Hpa/Inch and congigure appropriately. The ding also tells me the switch is working, wired correctly and interacting with fs2phidget. When I am cofiguring a panel, I first press, rotate or flip all the switches and rotate encoders to confirm I get a ding. Then I confirm the switch has desired effect in the application software i.e. MS-FS, PM or MyOtherApp.

One time, I occasionally got a ding when I moved around the cockpit or touched anything - was momentary shorts inside the MCP Speed C/O switch. Cheap p.o.c! Replaced the switch and problem was solved.

Hope I answered your question.

Regards,
Alan.

[Paul G]

Ahhh I see. This will help considerably. As you've noticed I've really not played enough with the application. Thanks Alan

[CocnutAir]

Paul,

Direct answer to your earlier question(s).

Yes. You can toggle a value on or off. e.g. fuel lever. You can certainly toggle landing lights on or off. You can even toggle a throttle lever, if you only wanted two settings. i.e. idle and full throttle. You could do that with either a toggle switch or momentary switch.

You can configure a momentary switch to be latched. i.e. one press will make value go on, another press will make value go off. i.e. momentary will toggle values in FS.

Regards,
Alan