Using buttons and switches with PMSystems?

[Sean Nixon]

I'm messing around with the PMSystems demo. Can anyone quickly tell me how to assign a switch to operate, let's say, a fuel pump on/off? I'm struggling! :roll:

Sean

[BishBash]

I couldnt even get the demo to work,pm said its my gpu card gtx275 and never helped anymore:(
Hope you have better luck

steve

[Sean Nixon]

The demo is working fine and talking to FS. I can start the engines and everything through the PM overhead.

But I've assigned a switch in FSUIPC to switch the landing light, and it works in FS, but I can't figure out how to make the switch operate in PMSystems.

I doubt it's your graphics card, it's much newer than mine!

Sean

[mpl330]

Hi Sean,

What FSUIPC value are you using for the landing light? It doesn't have a PM specific value does it?
I can't boot my PMsystems pc at the moment (think its died :-( ) so can't cross check but I may have a backup file somewhere to look at...

Cheers
Mike

[Sean Nixon]

Hi Mike

It's really the first time I've messed around with PMSystems, and to be honest, I'm clueless until I get to grips with it. I just thought PM would follow FS, so if I switched a light on in FS, the switch would move in PM. That doesn't seem to be the case.

I've not used offsets before, hence the head scratching!

Sean

[saabpilot]

Hi Sean,

It works the other way around - you flip a switch in pmSystems and the related action takes place.
You cannot flip a switch in a FS panel and see it replicated in pmSystems overhead since pmSystems overhead is intended to replace FS overhead panels.

No need for knowing any offsets, pmSystem uses its own offsets supported by FSUIPC and WideFS over the LAN network you have set up in accordance with the PM manuals.

Best,
Bjorn

[Sean Nixon]

Thanks Bjorn.

My problem is, when I assign a switch in FSUIPC, it doesn't work in PMSystems, but does in FS! What am I doing wrong???

Sean

[saabpilot]

Hi again,

You cannot assign switches in FSUIPC and get them to show up in pmSystem.
pmSystem have all switches for the B737 overhead preassigned already. And then with PM own offsets - not the standard FSUIPC FS9/FSX offsets ! However, all PM offsets are supported by FSUIPC.

You handle all via either the graphical interface that comes with pmSystem or via an own hardware overhead panel that is interfaced with pmSystems by a card supporting PM offsets.

The PM graphical interface uses mouse clicks - just point on the interface to flip a switch. Works great with a touch screen too.

However to get anything working you do need to follow the relevant B737 overhead panel procedures.
For a test you need to switch battery power on and see the OH light up, then you can move the switches.
Test for example with turning on/off taxi lights and you will see them working in FS.
It works exactly like per the real aircraft itself.

A bit of pmSystems manual reading is necessary though.

Bjorn

[Nick1150]

Hi to all,

I am in the same process too, and have the same head scratching as Sean had...

So leo bodnard card switches is out of the question ?

[CocnutAir]

The cards supported by pmSystems are on the pmSystems menu.
Play around with pmSystems user interface and hit the manuals.

[Nick1150]

So LeoBodnard card is out of the question.. right ?

[Tom_G_2010]

So LeoBodnard card is out of the question.. right ?

Uh Oh . . . I hope not. I'm just starting to look at PM for my GA pit and want to use the PM IFR panel. I'm hoping to do a DIY version of what I've seen fro VR Insights and position monitors behind a metal plate with the rotaries and switches mounted on the plate surface and a mask over that to hide the wiring.

I thought in the demo I tested that the basic instrument and avionics dials and switches I have interfaced to FSX (using a bodnar card) influenced the corresponding functions in the PM IFR panel. Maybe it's different for those basic functions or maybe my memory is faulty. I think I'll go try it again this weekend.

And, as I start to get deeper into what can be done with FSUIPC I do recall seeing PM specific offsets or functions aren't those there to interface with PM Systems? My bodnar card is recognized by FSUIPC. If FSUIPC can speak to PM Systems, and recognizes my bodnar card, doesn't it follow that I could use a switch or rotary encoder off the bodnard card to speak to PM?

In this area I'm a total newbie and quite clueless so my rantings may be way off base. ANy clarification would be greatly appreciated.

[Nick1150]

Tom I am possibly mistaken, not you. I am just new to the PMsystems things and I am trying to understand how it works.

Ok, so let me be more specific and describe the situation...

I have a Leo Bodnard Card (http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/ ). I have created a general panel on my pedestal (http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu109/Nick1150/My%20Cockpit/IMG_0424.jpg ) with 8 on/off switches, 2 rotary switches and 1 on/off/on switch in order to assign general offsets in my project. I am in the process of researching for an overhead, but until then I want to assign all lights switches of the overhead (landing, wing, taxi, anticol, etc..) to this panel, so I do not have to click on the lights switches of pmsystems. All switches of the Leo Bodnard card can be seen in the FSUIPC buttons and switches controls. Actually, this panel was created for this reason, and has been working great as an "overhead lights panel" for 2 years now. As long as the pmsystems is loaded, it stops working.

More simpler, lets take as an example the landing lights switch (upper left switch on my panel). I have assigned landing lights on when pressed and landing lights off when released through FSUIPC buttons and switches controls. It works when pmsystems is not running, it doesn't work when pmsystems is running. In order to make landing lights on I have to click on the pmsystems switch with my mouse, and I cannot use the switch on the pedestal.

So basically I would like when I press these switches on my pedestal to move certain switches on the pmsystems overhead. Is that doable ?

Hope I made things clear,

Thanks in advance,

[saabpilot]

Hi,

You probably have FSUIPC offsets assigned for the switches.
pmSystems own offsets must be used instead. Then pmSystems itself will trigger the corresponding FSUIPC offsets for e.g. landing light, taxilight or whatever you like interface.

When you move your mouse cursor over a switch in pmSystems interface you will see its offset.

There are easier ways :wink: - I use a FDS (Flightdeck Solutions) SYS1x card to run the whole overhead with all switches and annunciators. Works like a charm and you do not need to know the offsets at all.
Instruments are run via Open Cockpits SIOC.

Bjorn