What can be used in place of PM Systems

[shearder]

Hi Guys/Gals

Well I as some may already know, due to MANY questions i have asked, with regards to the logic required for annunciators etc what can one use?

I have heard and read about PM Systems. Cost, however, IS an issue!! I am building FSBus electronics for my switches etc. So the question is, and i am NOT at the point of testing switches yet with FSBus but I would like to have my software ready for the big day LOL

So if i am using FSBus do i need PM Systems? I know that standard FSX does not have sufficient logic built in for this - am i right? Do i NEED PM Systems? Will FSBus do? What are the alternatives? Would a full cockpit using FSBus and default B7xx and A3xx planes in FSX work with full overheads??

Not ony for overhead but MIP as well... Many thanks in advance.

[sgaert]

Hi,
FSBus is an IO System, not a simulation of an aircraft.
But, if you can programm you can write your own Overhead logic, i would prefer the C++ Version from FSBus. If you do that, you dont have a complet solution for comunication to you instruments and other logic Parts of the aircraft.
There are other Porjekts like Sim Avionics or FlightDeckSoftware they also provide complet Systemlogics. Try the Demo Versions.

Stefan

[shearder]

Thanks - AGAIN - Stefan :)

Yes i Know it is IO lol - i was just reading different posts and sites and then things start to get confusing with guys using different systems etc.

So, if i use default planes in FSX and i use FSBus I can basically get ALL systems and logic to work? i.e. all switches would work - that is basically a given - for the most part - and all annunciators i.e. APU available light etc etc - indicator status would be accurate when loading a saved flight etc?

I am sure you know what i mean - i am sure.

[sgaert]

Yes that you can do, you can use all data that the FS provides.
Look to the FSUIPC SDK there you see the possible funktions.
But the FS himself dont have all system they are on a overhead or MIP in a real Aircraft.

Stefan

[shearder]

OK so i can get all logic working with FSBus and FSUIPC/WideFS and would it be better to get a payware 737 for FSX? Would Project Opensky also be better? If a light, any light, come on in the SIM would FSUIPC/FSBus turn the light on a physical Overhead/Mip?

Man i am sorry for all the questions!

[sgaert]

With Payware Aircrafts you can´t work realy good, the LevelD 767 is the only one with a SDK. You need an Aircraft without own logic, like default or Posky.
If you write the Program what listen to the right offsets, than the light will go on.

Stefan

[shearder]

Ok cool!! That is good - i didn't want to go waste money on payware aircraft. So if i use FSBus with C++ i will be good?

[sgaert]

Yes, nearly perfect.

[shearder]

AH Great! Well I guess that is better than nothing hahaha...

What, if any, logic functions do you know of that will be a problem?

[sgaert]

I have small problems with Stepper Motor and Display (Bar funktion).

[shearder]

ah ok. Bar function? As in the type of gauges in a 747-200??

[sgaert]

No, that is a Command that shows you "------" on a 7 Segment Display.

[Peter Dowson]

Ok cool!! That is good - i didn't want to go waste money on payware aircraft. So if i use FSBus with C++ i will be good?

If the FSBus driver software uses FSUIPC offsets to get its data and indicator status, and relay switch settings, then you could also consider writing your systems logic in Lua, as one or more plug-ins direct into FSUIPC. Lua is not as powerful as C/C++ of course, but the logic capabilities of Lua do allow you to do as much as that which can be written for, say, pmSystems.

Regards

Pete Dowson

[shearder]

No, that is a Command that shows you "------" on a 7 Segment Display.
aaahhhh lol. ok i am with you now. sorry for the ignorance!


Posted via Mobile Device

[shearder]

If the FSBus driver software uses FSUIPC offsets to get its data and indicator status, and relay switch settings, then you could also consider writing your systems logic in Lua, as one or more plug-ins direct into FSUIPC. Lua is not as powerful as C/C++ of course, but the logic capabilities of Lua do allow you to do as much as that which can be written for, say, pmSystems.

Regards

Pete Dowson

thanks so much pete. may i be so bold as to ask pete, how well does fsbus interface with fsuipc?? not that i need to decide on FSUIPC lol THAT is a given ;) i assume it will be fine with lua. i think i have a lot to learn still.

Posted via Mobile Device

[Peter Dowson]

may i be so bold as to ask pete, how well does fsbus interface with fsuipc?

Sorry, I've no idea what FSBus is nor how it interfaces to what. All I suggested was that if it uses FSUIPC offsets to interface to FS then you can write Lua plug-ins to handle your logic.

If FSBus does its own thing and doesn't use FSUIPC, then obviously FSUIPC's Lua plugin facility won't be of any use.


i assume it will be fine with lua.What, FSbus or FSUIPC? If you mean FSUIPC, then all recent versions of FSUIPC have a Lua interpreter built in, and can load Lua plugins automatically.

Regards

Pete

[sgaert]

FSBus is an Interface like Opencockpit and so many more.
It works with FSUIPC. FSBus you can programm in C or old style that is a kind of Basic.

Stefan

[shearder]

What, FSbus or FSUIPC? If you mean FSUIPC, then all recent versions of FSUIPC have a Lua interpreter built in, and can load Lua plugins automatically.

Regards

Pete

I was meaning the two together :) Thanks for your assistance Pete. I have some learning to do :) Lua!! AND FSUIPC

[metamarty]

Sorry to break in here, but I still have a complete PMSystems replacement available for free. I'm looking for betatesters. I would like to include FSBUS interfacing, but my current package offers phidgets connectivity only.

A requirement would be for FSBUS to offer a C# API. Maybe anybody with FSBUS has more information about this? If this is available, I could add support for this.

[sgaert]

Hi,

FSBus self is a C++ DLL/API.
After a quick search on google it seams to be possible to load a C++ DLL in a C# Project.
Sorry but at the moment i only overfly the thread with your Project.
Do the user Program his Hardware own or do you make something like FSUIPC Offsets or API?
With FSBus the user has to programm his complete Hardware self, like the SIOC Scripts from OC Hardware.
Let us talk via PM.

Stefan

[shearder]

Hey metamarty - i am more than willing to assit in beta testing considering i am busy building my FSBus boards at the moment which will service all required presses, pulls and flicks ;) AND lights, i.e. annunciators, 7Segs etc etc etc

Pop me a PM if i fit the bill.

[shearder]

Well!! After a long battle with time i managed to get 7 PC boards made for FSBus and the NGCOM. So i have 4 IOs, 2 x display 6pack and 1 x DO64. Enough to start with.

I finished the COM last night and got 95% with 1 display 6pack and realized i had 2 legged resonators and NOT 3 legged resonators. I went to electronics stores and no one had any. Lead time for the one place was NEXT YEAR!!!!!! Oh geeeees!!!

So far and so close to having some displays to test and then i have to stop.

Anyways, I got a USB to serial cable and then sorted the power for the COM board. Red light came on WHOOOO HOOOO then I plugged in the serial cable and yellow light came on YEAH BABY YEAH!! And then set the test jumper and the green light came on!!! But all my tests were errors. SO I checked the board about 3 or 4 times and found no problems. I changed the cable from com 5 to com 1 and nada. Changed back to com 5 nada. Changed to com 6 - nada. Changed to com 2 and PRESTO!!! Magic!!! It all works... but i have nothing to test with LOL - no other boards made yet!!

[metamarty]

I'm still battling with the com card. I now have 4 oscilloscopes to track down the problem on this card. Looks like a short circuit in one of the wires going to the bus ports. It still does not work so I cannot complete the driver integration.

[shearder]

I'm still battling with the com card. I now have 4 oscilloscopes to track down the problem on this card. Looks like a short circuit in one of the wires going to the bus ports. It still does not work so I cannot complete the driver integration.

That is strange. Is it an old type or NG type COM board? 4 or 6 10pin slots? Where i found problems with a multimeter is the fact that the tracks are so close and where the 10pin headers solder on the board there was a little contact. Sorted that out but other than that I found no problems at all... pity i can't assist from where i am!!

[metamarty]

That is strange. Is it an old type or NG type COM board? 4 or 6 10pin slots? Where i found problems with a multimeter is the fact that the tracks are so close and where the 10pin headers solder on the board there was a little contact. Sorted that out but other than that I found no problems at all... pity i can't assist from where i am!!

It's a board with 10 pins slots. There is a problem in the send-line, which sends data to the PC. This line is not able to be pulled to 0 volts. Because of this, no data can be sent to the PC. The line always remains at 5 volts, so I suspect a short in one of the tracks near the 10 pins slot. As you describe, the solder on these slots are very close to the tracks and this is probably the cause of the short, but I have not yet been able to identify the exact spot.

[shearder]

It's a board with 10 pins slots.

LOL yes i know 10 pins but does it have 4 or 6 x 10 pin headers? Mine has 6 x 10 pin headers. Anyways, i found a couple of shorts in mine at first using a magnifying glass and a multimeter. Wish i could assist you because it is such a PITA when you can't see where it is.

[metamarty]

LOL yes i know 10 pins but does it have 4 or 6 x 10 pin headers? Mine has 6 x 10 pin headers. Anyways, i found a couple of shorts in mine at first using a magnifying glass and a multimeter. Wish i could assist you because it is such a PITA when you can't see where it is.

I have 6 x 10 too. I'm wondering how you were able to correct the shorts. Wherever I found the solder to be too thick, I tried using a small kitchen knife to separate the solder from the tracks, but so far no luck.

[shearder]

I have 6 x 10 too. I'm wondering how you were able to correct the shorts. Wherever I found the solder to be too thick, I tried using a small kitchen knife to separate the solder from the tracks, but so far no luck.

OK same as mine. I have a solder remover which looks like a syringe and all i did was heat the solder and suck it off and then resolder if necessary. That's all really.

The problem i am having now is all tests are good but it doesn't seem to flash the chips on the display board for example. There are 6 of them all separate so it is a good test if one flashes then the others should and the COM board works BUT noe of the ATTINY2313s are flashing successfully. So i am checking the COM board again and i can't find any problems!!

[metamarty]

OK same as mine. I have a solder remover which looks like a syringe and all i did was heat the solder and suck it off and then resolder if necessary. That's all really.

The problem i am having now is all tests are good but it doesn't seem to flash the chips on the display board for example. There are 6 of them all separate so it is a good test if one flashes then the others should and the COM board works BUT noe of the ATTINY2313s are flashing successfully. So i am checking the COM board again and i can't find any problems!!

Got my com board to work finally. The reset line had a short circuit with the send line. Had to remove a resistor. Now I got a working com board, but have the same flashing problem with the atmega chip. I'm trying to flash it with ponyprog, but it fails reading the security flags before flashing.

[shearder]

hey meta - this may seem a stupid question - are you checking the settings for the security bits in the display manual(pdf) in docs folder? Also make sure your com port and serial cable are correct and set correctly.

[metamarty]

hey meta - this may seem a stupid question - are you checking the settings for the security bits in the display manual(pdf) in docs folder? Also make sure your com port and serial cable are correct and set correctly.

I have a an IO card that is hooked up to the COM card and I am following the procedure as described in dio_en.pdf. I'm pretty sure the COM card is OK, since the loopback test works now, and while attempting to flash the card, the yellow led flickers. When I do step 6 (set the security and configuration bits), the program issues an error.

[shearder]

I have a an IO card that is hooked up to the COM card and I am following the procedure as described in dio_en.pdf. I'm pretty sure the COM card is OK, since the loopback test works now, and while attempting to flash the card, the yellow led flickers. When I do step 6 (set the security and configuration bits), the program issues an error.

I had exactly the same problem and i checked on the 74hc04 IC there is a track from the 6pin flash header that run down and between pins 5 and 6. Also check for a short between pins 2 and 3. Once i fixed the short between 5 and 6 it was working and flashing. Now if i could only find the issue with the IO card LOL