DataRefs in X-Plane for Tecnam P2006T for use in Air Manager

H! there!

You can find all relevant assignments in the included manual pdf (POH and essentials). There are no custom datarefs, only default commands in X-Plane 12.

Let know if you need further assistance. 

I thought it might help if I give some examples of Datarefs. I noticed that not much use is made of Commands so I am using the xpl_dataref_write procedure to get X-Plane to react to changes from my Touch Screens using Air Manager.

For example the Field Switches actually turn on and off the generators. So the following works:

xpl_dataref_write("sim/cockpit/electrical/generator_on","INT[8]",{1, 0})

This dataref is an Integer Array.

I would have thought that the Ignition Switches would have controlled the magnetos. So switches would be linked to a dataref like sim/magnetos/magnetos_left_off_1. But the switches are linked to something else. After hours of searching, I cannot find what.

Many developers use their own datarefs and commands and they usually put their name in dataref or command so you know that they wrote it.
For VSKYLABS, I can find two datarefs only e.g. (vskylabs/r44/altimeter_bar and vskylabs/r44/altimeter_bar_cp).


It is so frustrating to have made all the instruments in Air Manager for my Touch Screens but not be able to make certain switches work.

I am sure that I and others like me would appreciate being given this information.

Thank you so much for your kind help. Yes I use the dataref plugin as it is essential to know what is going on within X-Plane.

I find Air Manager is great, not only for the touch screens which makes things so realistic, but also because when you create your own instruments, it is necessary to understand exactly how they function in order to write the code that controls them. There is one other huge benefit and that is you can create instruments that do not exist in the plane to increase your understanding during flying. I have one that shows visually and audibly what is happening in autopilots, (off, armed and captured). I have another that monitors fuel, with time and miles remaining based on ground speed and EGT for those planes that need mixture controls.

Once again many thanks

Well this is the first time I have had to make extensive use of array datarefs and global variables.
By using the array dataref "sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[24]" for switches on different instruments, it is necessary to declare global variables and read them so that when writing to the dataref for one switch in one instrument, you know the position of switches in other instruments that also use this dataref.
This has been a huge struggle for me and I still have not got it quite right.
Can I suggest that VSKYLABS follows the example of other developers and either uses existing datarefs and commands or develops new ones under their name. The use of the sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[24] datref may make things easier for VSKYLABS but they certainly make it more difficult for us amateurs.
I have never had this problem with any other plane.

Sorry if I was not clear. Most actions in X-plane are recorded on a single dataref or command. However some are on arrays, e.g. engines, generators, batteries etc where there are more than one such item on a plane. The point is that your dealing with one type of item (e.g. an engine). The fact that there are more than one on the plane does not make it more difficult as you can read one dataref to get the status of all the engines or generators on the plane.

However for the Tecnam P2006T, the custom_slider_on data ref has been used for different types of switches that do different things. On Air Manager, we normally take a group of switches on the plane and make that one instrument. For example the engine start switches are all grouped together in the roof of the cockpit. By lumping together the switches on different instruments into one dataref, then you need to write to all of them, each time you change the status of one of them on the touch screen. Air Manager has local variables for each instrument but in order to know the status of switches on different instruments, you need to operate with global variables. It just makes it so much more complicated than it needs to be. In addition there are Commands available but VSKYLABS does not make use of these so you have to resort to writing values to the array dataref. Other plane software makes full use of X-Plane datarefs and commands and where something additional is needed they add there own datarefs or commands. I hope that makes it a bit clearer. Best wishes Anthony