?? Programming Flight Illusion GSA-IO ??

[Skylane]

Hi all,

Who can help me with the programming of a Flight Illusion GSA-IO module?

I was quit disappointed when I found out how many simple pit items (standard light FSX plains) were not programmed in the standard G-Step list.

As a try-out I've made a combi switch and LED panel for my pit.

http://www.revaservice.nl/Pics/Panel_a2small.jpg

Flight Illusions promotion says; “Just connect Pot’s, switches and LED’s to the pcb and with a few simple mouse clicks your cockpit is configured”.
This obvious is not the truth, the whole truth……

I have tried all tricks in the book I could come up with to program the switch panel for Audio as is the Bendix panel in a standard (fsx) light plain.
I have imported the raw Offset from FSUIPC to G-Step.

http://www.revaservice.nl/Pics/G-Step_1.jpg

The problem is, I don’t know how to handle the “bit setting” in G-Step.
2^0 ; 2^1 etc

Can anyone lighten my path on this one ??
Many thanks in advance, Nico

[Skylane]

Wow, it looks like when it comes to questions about FlightIllusion stuff..... there is radio silence :(

[p.leerentveld]

Hi Nico,

2^0...etc means 2 "to the power 2" so, 2^0=1, 2^1=2, 2^2=4, 2^3=8,etc. Some very old FS offsets have combined switches etc. into one byte or word. This was in the time that memory was limited. Later offsets have just one byte, word, etc per control.

The mask is there to select one or more bits from a full word or byte.

So in your case you should make as many functions as wanted and for each function you must select ONE bit to look at. That "Mask" is a sort of filter that takes away the non relevant bits.

The mask must be defined in hexadecimal code. For computer specialists this is simple, but to simplify you can use the (scientific) calculator as standard available in windows.

Hope this helps,

Peter

[Skylane]

Thank you very much Peter, I didn't figure out that it meant a hex code.
The moment I get home I'll try it out.
:D

[Skylane]

Still not getting any further,

The hex codes work well (thanks Peter) but I can only send 1 code at a time to FSUIPC via the IO card. That means I can switch all switches on and off, but only one at a time.
In case 1 switch is in 'on' position and another is set the value changes so the first button is switched off again. It sort of looks like a truth table from a logic gate.. it is logical FSUIPC behaves that way for the value changes on every switch event on the same FSUIPC offset, but my problem is not solved (yet).

Is there anyone who can help me out here ??? For I am afraid I have thrown $500 in the garbage can with the FlightIllusion IO and interface card

Thank in advance, Nico (desperate)

[p.leerentveld]

Hi Nico,

Yes, the bit set/reset commands in FSUIPC are quite odd and only a very limited number of Offsets use that.
Looks like a bug. Try support@flightillusion.com. To my experience they react quickly. Once I had a problem driving the Gearlamps via the IO module and within one week I got a patch.

Regards,
Peter

[jmig]

Skylane, I have a bunch of their gauges and they use the same UI to program. If you still are having problems, you can email mark directly. He has always answered my questions rather quickly. If you need his email, PM me and I will give it to you.

[Skylane]

Thank you John,
I have e-mailed support@flightIllusion as Peter suggested, I will see what comes out.

Kindest regards, Nico

[iwik]

Hi Nico,
Just a thought which may help.When writing to the offset you will have to make sure that the only bit being set is Only the one you want. What i mean is that if bit 1 is set with one write.One has to make sure the next write does not change any other bit. SIOC has a SETBIT
command followed by the bit. So when this enacted each time only that bit changes.
How FI does it i dont know as i use Sioc.
Be interested to hear what the solution is.
Les

[Skylane]

Hi Les,
Thank you very much for your replay, but the problem I encounter is with the IO card from Flight Illusion. They use their own G-Step software.... not SIOC from Open Cockpits, but thanks anyway .... always good to see helpful people :)

Flight Illusion replayed to my e-mail and asked me to send the .cfg file that I use so they can check if the fault is due to my unawareness of the matter or perhaps a bug in the program for as Peter stated there are just a few (old) offsets in FSUIPC that use this way of "behavior" .... maybe I'm just an old fashioned guy but I like the low and slow ones …. Maybe that’s why my pit is a generic Cessna 172 like pit ;)

Kindest regards, Nico

[Skylane]

Here’s an update to the issue.

I must say Flight Illusion is very quick in helping you out in case of a problem, really good service !!

The problem I faced had two different items; 1) A bug in the software handling the (older) Bus-version IO card. (Flight Illusion mentioned the USB-IO card does not have the bug, only the Bus-type cards that need the GSA-55 interface card) and second….. 2) me obvious not knowing how to handle the G-Step software with FSUIPC offset 3122. :-?

Peter, you were right about the HEX sequence……. But the “ Hexa Bit Mask” value in G-Step that Flight Illusion entered to have the switches working does not ring any bell to me….. but they seem to work well. (hex bitmask value’s; 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 20, 40, 80 )

After experimenting with the new software patch and the new .cfg file FI sent me, I think there is still a bug in the software for the (audio) COM1 and COM2 switches are not working as they should.
I have e-mailed my findings to Flight Illusion and hope they come up with an answer for this new issue, and I think they will.

Nico