Engine Start Switches

[gokhotit]

I have a challenge. As you know (and even if you didn't) I am building a generic sim. Which means that everything has to translate from props to jets. Everything is good except for the Engine start switches. The default offset that is programmed in FS2P5 works great for props, value of 4 for start and 3 for Both mags. However, for jets it is a value of 3 for start and 2 when shut off. Is there a way to design a circuit so it can recognize if I am flying a prop or jet. Offset 0609 is the offset used for engine type. However, when I tried to make a circuit utilizing the offset as a gate things just got all whacky. The jet starter stuttered on and off, and the prop wouldnt even start. I dont know. Maybe someone with more knowledge and expertise can help me out with this one.

If I have thoroughly confused you, let me know.

[Peter Dowson]

I have a challenge. As you know (and even if you didn't) I am building a generic sim. Which means that everything has to translate from props to jets. Everything is good except for the Engine start switches. The default offset that is programmed in FS2P5 works great for props, value of 4 for start and 3 for Both mags. However, for jets it is a value of 3 for start and 2 when shut off. Is there a way to design a circuit so it can recognize if I am flying a prop or jet. Offset 0609 is the offset used for engine type. However, when I tried to make a circuit utilizing the offset as a gate things just got all whacky.

The only method i can think of is to use a small Lua plug-in for FSUIPC which interprets your wishes, sent to a user offset (such as 66C0), and manipulates the starter offsets accordingly, and differently based on the engine type.

Regards
Pete

[gokhotit]

sounds way over my head...oh well..

[Nick1150]

sounds way over my head...oh well.. The same sounds to me too,

BUT after reading alot ( actually reading is the most time consuming part in this hobby !!!!!! ) I realised that it wouldn't be so difficult to do....

I am in the same process together with all OH lights, so I thing LUA is the only and cheapest solution, at least for the time being....

Take a look here (http://forum.simflight.com/topic/58711-lua-plug-in-facilities-in-fsuipc-15th-june-2010/) and here (http://forum.simflight.com/topic/63146-tutorial-how-to-get-lua-vars-or-commands-out-of-fs/)

It all sounds TOO difficult for me too, but I will try LUA in the next following days. After all if it were easy we would choose another hobby...

[gokhotit]

Here is something I tried..worked great until i switched aircraft.
4431

Let me explain what I tried. I used offset 0609 (engine type selection) as a switch. IF the value is 0 (recip) then the bottom line should turn off, giving the start switch a value of 3-off and 4 on. All other types of aircraft go to the bottom line giving the start switch a value of 2 off and 3 on.

Worked great until I switched aircraft. Then the jet starters just twitched and the prop wouldnt start at all. Put a valve in there to close off the line then nothing worked.
I thought this would be a good idea doing it this way, but I guess not. Any ideas on how to improve this? LUA is an idea but I dont know jack s- on programming.

I am really hoping to get this to work because I have a big upgrade (hopefully) coming up. It will be very dependent on switching from props to jets to work correctly. Can't reveal to much. :twisted:

[CocnutAir]

The stuttering is because you have two components updating a single offset with two different values.
Here is what you can try. Assign a decoder component to each switch output. This will give each switch position a unique number. Multiply that number by the engine-type and use a lookup component to convert result to the required offset value. I will follow up this post with screen shot.

[CocnutAir]

4457

Above is screen shot for start switches.
Upper two portions multiply engine-type by 10.
This value gets added to switch id (decoder output).
Lookup translates this value to valid Engine Start value.

[CocnutAir]

Assuming decoder 0 is Off position, decoder 2 is the Start position and decoder 4 is the Both/Gen position.
The lookup file, say, StartSwitches.csv would look like the following - first column is switch-id(multiplied by 10 times engine-type), the second column is the required offset value):
0,0
1,1
2,4
3,0
4,3
5,0
6,0
7,0
8,0
9,0
10,0
11,0
12,1
13,0
14,2