Dimming Project Magenta displays ...help!

[luker]

Hi Guys,

I would like to try to dim my project magenta ND display and PFD displays via way of a potentiometer.

Can someone provide help on how to do this ??? :confused:

I can't assign it by selecting from the drop downlist within the FS2Phidget software so I assume I will need to set it up in the pm variables ini file....

I know I have to use offset 0x55F0 but how do I set it up ?
If anyone has tried this I would appreciate some help.

I assume this would require analogue input from my 8/8/8 phidgets board ??

Here is what the project magenta offset guide has in it in relation to the offset.


Offset: 55F0
Size: 6
Dimmer Implemented for Airbus and Boeing
Glass Cockpit display brightness, Bytes
0 - Captain PFD
1 - Captain ND
2 - Upper ECAM
3 - Lower ECAM
4 - F/O ND
5 - F/O PFD

0 - INOP, 1 Dark -100 Bright


Sorry for the long post

Thanks in advance

Cheers,
Luke

[imported_MattO]

I'll be interested in this too...

But, wondering, wouldn't it be easier to use a rotary Encoder?

Matt O.

[alandyer]

Hi Luke,

Few issues raised.

With regard to using encoders.
Would take 101 clicks of encoder to go from 0 to 100 in steps of one.
Figure out how many rotations of encoder this would take.
Then you have to ask if this will work for you ?

Potentiometer would most probably be closest to real operation.

You can add your own items to the drop down list.
That is what the EDIT FS VARIABLES button next to the drop down list is for.

Your FS Variable does not have to be in pmAnything.ini.
You could create a blank myFSvariables.ini file in your FSVariable folder.
This is covered in the Fs2Phidgets manual.

You already have the required offset and length so you are ahead of the game.

Offset 55F0 with length 6 covers 6 different functions.

You should add 6 drop down items:
Offset 55F0 length of 1 would be LUKES_CAPT_PFD
Offset 55F1 length of 1 would be LUKES_CAPT_ND
Offset 55F2 length of 1 would be LUKES_UPPER_ECAM
....you get the idea.

Each will have high value of 100 and low value of 0

Hint: Read the FS2Phidget manual (RTFM) - Chapter 11.

You will need to calibrate the potentiometer.
Also covered in manual.

This also long post, so I guess we're even.

Regards,
Alan.

[alandyer]

Luke,

Here is high level summary of what you need to do:

Step 1: Set up drop-down list items.

Step 2: Assign drop down item to analog (potentiometer).

Step 3: Calibrate analog with potentiometer attached.

Step 4: Try it out.

Step 5: Let me know how it went (so that I can stop lying awake at nights worrying about you).

Regards,
Alan.

[luker]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your quick reply with the tips. I have tried it as suggested but not much luck I'm afraid :( BUT hopefully you can sleep well :)

I did everything carefully and as suggested by you and I even read the manual including chapter 11 !!!

Here is a summary.

In "MyVariables.ini" file I added the following lines

[luke_capt_pfd]
Offset=55F0
Length=1
FSType=Bitmap
Bit=0
LoValue=0
HiValue=100
Partner=None
Format=########
Multiplier=1.0
Divisor=1.0
Integer=False
WriteOnly=False

[luke_capt_nd]
Offset=55F1
Length=1
FSType=Bitmap
Bit=1
LoValue=0
HiValue=100
Partner=None
Format=########
Multiplier=1.0
Divisor=1.0
Integer=False
WriteOnly=False

[luke_upper_ecam]
Offset=55F2
Length=1
FSType=Bitmap
Bit=2
LoValue=0
HiValue=100
Partner=None
Format=########
Multiplier=1.0
Divisor=1.0
Integer=False
WriteOnly=False

etc etc etc

First I connected the hardware up and assigned the potentiometer to the throttle variable already defined in FS2Phidgets to check the pot was working. I connected to flight Sim and sucess throttle control via the pot works !

So I disconnect and unassigned the variable.

I started the Project Magenta PFD/EICAS and disabled bitmap frames (as per project magenta doco)

I assigned the pot to the variables I created, firstly I tried [luke_capt_pfd] and while varying the range of the potentiometer I could see in the phidgets hardware display that the values were increasing and decreasing as per calibration and my expectations BUT the PFD display did not dim.

I then unassigned and re-assigned to [luke_upper_ecam] . I ensured the project magenta software was showing the upper ecam instruments. I checked that the phidgets hardware was working by watching it register values as I varied the pot for that new assignment BUT again no luck the ecam was not dimming....


Any further suggestions ??? I may have missed a tiny detail that is stopping it from working....

[alandyer]

Luke,

How did you set up those ini files ?
Hope you didn't type them in with notepad.

You have those variables set up as bit maps.
Bits are not the same things as bytes.
If variable were a single bit in a bit map the low value would only be "0" and high value would only be "1".

Those variables must be set up as "Range of Values"
Use the editor - press the EDIT FS VARIABLES button on FS2Phidgets main screen.

Regards,
Alan.

[luker]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for picking me up on the mistake of setting them to bitmapped variables. I had done it through the FS2Phidgets editor originally and I had to edit the entry with notepad to put in a minvalue and a maxvalue.....

This time I deleted all the entries out of the ini file and through the FS2Phidgets editor I created new entries this time making sure RANGE OF VALUES was selected. The output in the ini file looks like this:

[luke_upper_ecam]
Offset=55F2
Length=1
FSType=Proportional
LoValue=0
HiValue=100
Format=########
Multiplier=1.0
Divisor=1.0
Integer=False
WriteOnly=False


Now when testing I can see the raw values (thorough the editor) coming back from Flight Sim as I move the pontentiometer. That is good and indicates that it should be working. But when I start Project Magenta Glass Cockpit software and select upper ecam (by using F3 key), sliding the potentimeter does not affect the brightness :( Is Flight sim passing the values of the offset back to the glass cockpit screen correctly I wonder ???

Maybe the problem is with how I've got PM set up? I'm pretty sure PM works as other builders using IOCards have got their displays dimming correctly...or MAYBE its just ME ...

I am running both the Glass cockpit software, flight sim 2004 and phidgets (ver 3.0.8 of software) on the same computer so there shouldn't be any network issues.....

Again thank you for your patience and time

Cheers,
Luke

[alandyer]

Are you running 3.0.8 of FS2Phidgets ?

[luker]

Hi Alan,

Yes I'm running 3.0.8 of FS2Phidgets software, Flight Sim 2004, XP professional with Service Pack 2 and build 424 of the Project Magenta boeing Glass cockpit Software. I'm also using version 3.48 of FSUIPC...

Just another quick question. I'm just not sure how the offset thing hangs together. If offset 55F0 is a project magenta specific offset...then how does flight sim know about it or FSUIPC know about it??? i.e how do they interact...this is a gap in my knowledge I'm afraid :o

Cheers,
Luke

[alandyer]

I do not support old versions of FS2Phidgets
3.1.2 is the latest version.

I strongly suggest you read FSUIPC, Wideclient and Wideserver documentation.

Best place to address FSUIPC questions is the FSUIPC forum.

[imported_MattO]

And Pete Dowsons FSUIPC forum is located for us dummies:)

http://forums.simflight.com/viewforum.php?f=54

Matt O.

[luker]

Hi Matt

Thanks for the link Matt. I will certainly be checking this out. In the meantime if you do try to dim your displays using Phidgets and have success let me know as I'm at a dead end....

Cheers,
Luke

[luker]

Hi Alan,

Yep good idea, I will be upgrasding to 3.1.2 later today and giving it another go.

I have read both the wideclient/wideserver docs but I don't think the problem lies in this area as the PM Glass cockpit works and connects to flight sim flawlessly but I will read the FSUIPC doco and go to the link suggested by Matt to get a better understanding of the offsets.

For information,... yesterday I was looking through the PM Glass cockpit ini file (pfd.ini) and found a setting to enable dimming but this was also set correctly to allow dimming to occur via way of the offset, so everything appears ok on the PM side of things as well

Cheers,
Luke

[luker]

Hi Alan

Just a short post for your information.

I managed to upgrade to the latest version of the FS2Phidgets software 3.1.2

Unfortunately I still have the same problem. I have also made a post of this problem to the Project Magenta forum to see if I may have done something wrong at the Project Magenta end of things.

I have also read the wideserver and wideclient documentation as suggested and I'm happy that I am not doing anything wrong in that regard.

Cheers,
Luke

[alandyer]

Try something else.
Vary the dimness of the capt PFD using the keyboard and observe values using the FS2Phidget FS variable editor.

Let me know what values you observed ?

[luker]

Hi Alan,

Not sure what you mean about dimming via keyboard :confused: . I don't think the glass cockpit software can be dimmed without using an offset. There are no keys documented that serve to dim the displays....

I will look around and see if I can find a way to dim without relying on hardware for testing purposes as you recommend and report back.

Cheers,
Luke

[alandyer]

Luke,

Had a look on PM web site Documentaion page. Here's what it states
under Boeing-Type Glass Cockpit -> Keyboard commands.

,/. or Ctrl-G,H
Decrease/Increase Brightness (Ctrl-Shift-H resets brightness to 100%)

Regards,
Alan.

[luker]

My apologies Alan for missing this piece of information in the PM documentation. Will try again tonight.

Cheers,
(a deeply embarrased)
Luke

[luker]

Well Alan,

I've tested by using the keyboard. These are the steps I followed. SORRY TO BE LENGTHY AGAIN :-(

Started FS
Started the PM Glass Cockpit software and set it to display upper ecam
Started FS2Phidgets (version 3.1.2)

Through the menu I selected "Tools" then Edit FSUIPC Fields then...

In FS2Phidgets I created (again) the following entry in a new "LucasVar.ini" file through the FS2Phidgets interface.

[LIGHT_CAPT_UECAM]
Offset=55F2
Length=1
Format=0
Multiplier=1.00
Divisor=1.00
Integer=False
WriteOnly=False
FSType=Proportional
LoValue=0
HiValue=100


I saved this and went back to the main FS2Phidgets screen
I then clicked "connect to FS" this then went green

I then assigned the variable to FS Element index 1 (index 0 is already assigned to my throttle)

I then clicked on the enable button and the FS Element index 1 row went green

I then clicked on "start communications" button it went green (not clear what this button is for as my throttle assignment works whether you click it or not)

I then dimmed and brightened the display via the keystrokes you found in the manual for PM glass cockpit. This worked fine.

I then selected Edit FS Variables for LIGHT_CAPT_UECAM and found that the Raw FS value and FS Value fields both read 0.

I also clicked on "Detect from FS" in the possible values area and I continued to watch these text boxes as I varied the dimness/brightness of the ECAM display (both with the Detect from FS checked and also unchecked) and they still read 0.

I then repeated all steps and tried it for the CAPT PFD display (Offset 55F0 - so I changed the variable through FS2Phidgets to reflect this) and then I varied the brightness of the display...again the values from FS appeared as 0 in the text boxes.

SO...I didn't have much success monitoring the values. It's almost like the offset 55F2 is not been looked at by flight simulator ...???

Also just to let you know. I am running FS 2004, the FS2Phidgets software and the PM ecam display on the one machine (for testing purposes) so that I am not using wideclient to communicate to FS as everything is on the one PC.

I tested the comms between the PM software and FS by throttling up and seeing the ECAM display change accordingly so I know that shouldn't be an issue.

For these tests I DID NOT have my phidgets board attached. I did it all via a dummy tab in FS2Phidgets.

Maybe I am making an error somewhere ? Maybe I'm not monitoring the variables correctly ....

Hope you can spot my problem.

Thanks again for all your time as I realise you must be quite busy

Cheers,
Luke

[luker]

Hello Again Alan/Matt

I have finally solved the problem.

Alan you were right all along. The offset(s) 55F0 (for capt PFD) 55F1 (for capt ND) 55F2 (for upper ecam) etc etc...were working.

Over the past few days I was getting lots of Error 91 Object Variable not set errors when I upgraded to 3.1.2. So I finally decided to re-install the phidgets.msi as well as re-install the FS2Phidgets version 3.1.2 software. I also upgraded to the latest version of the PM Boeing Glass cockpit (ver. 430).

After assigning the pot to the variable I created ...eg

[LIGHT_CAPT_UCAM]
Offset=55F2
Length=1
Format=0
Multiplier=1.00
Divisor=1.00
Integer=False
WriteOnly=False
FSType=Proportional
LoValue=0
HiValue=100

Everything worked !!!!

So it could have been a software corruption of some kind (lots off Object not set errors) or that the Boeing Glass Cockpit version I was using previously (ver. 424) did not support dimming ...although the software doco says it does.

Alan: Thanks for your help in explaining how to set up the offsets in the first place.

Matt: I hope you find this useful and can use it to dim your displays if you needed to :D

Cheers,
Luke

[alandyer]

Luke,

You got it working ! That is cool !
Would like to see pic of your sim.
Do you have web site ?
Send pic to groundcrew@coconutair.com

[luker]

Hi Alan,

I'd like to send a picture to you but frankly I'd be a little embarrassed.

I have really only got the Main Instrument Panel built and have not installed too much hardware yet as I'm waiting to finish the glareshield section and FMC bay (complete with an engravity CDU !!!) before connecting things for real.

In the electronics department I've been test wiring the hardware out of the simulator frame using the phidgets board and my laptop to ensure everything will work once I start placing the electronics in behind the panel. That explains all my posts asking how to get certain offsets working :)

So...if you are still interested to see how far I've gotten I'd be happy to send a photo but don't expect to much :o ..... let me know !

PS: Unfortunately I don't have a website at present...

Cheers,
Luke

[alandyer]

Luke,

You're going about it the right way.
Getting the important stuff working without constantly removing panels and crawling under flight deck.
You'll have a well running, bug free sim when done.

Regards,
Alan.