|
Post by anthonyalansullivan on Jan 15, 2023 4:53:43 GMT
I have obtained the P2006T version for X-Plane 12 and I am preparing instruments to show on Touch Screens using Air Manager. This requires finding the datarefs or commands used by X-Plane and incorporating them into the Air Manager software. Normally you can operate a switch and using the relevant dataref you can get your switch in Air Manager to respond to actions in X-Plane. You can also use commands so that when you touch the switch on your touchscreen, X-Plane responds accordingly. It is a wonderful system. However it depends on finding the dataref or command in X-Plane that you need. If for example you have a switch for the strobe lights, you narrow the search by entering 'strobe' into the plugin for datarefs and you can normally find the correct one quite quickly.
However in the Tecnam P2006T, datarefs and commands have been used which make them hard to find. My first example is the Instrument Lighting Switch. I search for Instr, Instrument, Light, etc but cannot find it. Same applies to Ignition switches.
My request to VSKLabs is could they make available a list of datarefs and commands used in the P2006T to help people using touch screens in Air Manager?
|
|
|
Post by VSL-Admin on Jan 15, 2023 9:08:23 GMT
I have obtained the P2006T version for X-Plane 12 and I am preparing instruments to show on Touch Screens using Air Manager. This requires finding the datarefs or commands used by X-Plane and incorporating them into the Air Manager software. Normally you can operate a switch and using the relevant dataref you can get your switch in Air Manager to respond to actions in X-Plane. You can also use commands so that when you touch the switch on your touchscreen, X-Plane responds accordingly. It is a wonderful system. However it depends on finding the dataref or command in X-Plane that you need. If for example you have a switch for the strobe lights, you narrow the search by entering 'strobe' into the plugin for datarefs and you can normally find the correct one quite quickly. However in the Tecnam P2006T, datarefs and commands have been used which make them hard to find. My first example is the Instrument Lighting Switch. I search for Instr, Instrument, Light, etc but cannot find it. Same applies to Ignition switches. My request to VSKLabs is could they make available a list of datarefs and commands used in the P2006T to help people using touch screens 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.
|
|
|
Post by anthonyalansullivan on Jan 16, 2023 14:32:57 GMT
Hi there; thanks so much for your prompt response.
Unfortunately the manuals (POH and Essentials) do not deal with X-Plane datarefs and commands. They deal with throttles etc which can be assigned within x-Plane itself.
For Air Manager and touch screens, we need to know the datarefs or commands within X-Plane which operate each switch etc.
The problems I am having are with:
a) Avionic1 and Avionic2 b) Cross Bus 1 and Cross Bus 2 c) LH and RH Ignition for each engine d) Instrument Lighting Switch
When I operate these in X-Plane, I cannot find which dataref or command they are linked to. For example, I thought ignition may be actually be magnetos which are shown in X-Plane but that is not the case. I managed to solve the LH and RH Field switches when I found they were linked to generators in X-Plane.
I have looked for specific datarefs and commands listed under VSKYLABS and there are only two which are not relevant to these switches.
|
|
|
Post by anthonyalansullivan on Jan 19, 2023 1:34:48 GMT
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.
|
|
|
Post by VSL-Admin on Jan 19, 2023 7:37:06 GMT
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. Hi there! Indeed, using Air Manager requires deeper knowledge and specification of a given aircraft and X-Plane datarefs/commands. The information is 'given' due request. For cases that you cannot reach the developer and would want to solve the 'puzzle' by yourself, I can recommend you using DataRefTool plugin for X-Plane. It will allow you to investigate and look for the datarefs that changes value as you set the switches on and off. This is a handy assistant for Air Manager... Anyways...since you have full support with the VSKYLABS P2006T - Let's begin with your requested 4 subjects: Avionic1 and Avionic2:
Avionic1 - sim/cockpit2/switches/avionics_power_on Avionic2 - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[12] Cross Bus 1 and Cross Bus 2:
cross bus LH switch - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[10] cross bus RH switch - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[11] LH and RH Ignition for each engine:
Left engine LH-IGNITION - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[5] Left engine RH-IGNITION - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[6] RIght engine LH-IGNITION - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[7] Right engine RH-IGNITION - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[8] Instrument Lighting SwitchInst light switch - sim/cockpit2/switches/custom_slider_on[3] Let know if you need additional switches, will address this as soon as possible.
|
|
|
Post by anthonyalansullivan on Jan 20, 2023 0:31:22 GMT
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
|
|
|
Post by VSL-Admin on Jan 24, 2023 15:27:55 GMT
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 You're welcome! Let know if you need further assistance!
|
|
|
Post by anthonyalansullivan on Jan 31, 2023 9:51:53 GMT
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.
|
|
|
Post by VSL-Admin on Jan 31, 2023 11:56:35 GMT
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. Hi! I don't quite understandyour issue... The slider datarefs are no different than any other default dataref... Please explain specifically what you are trying to do and what actually happens. Will try to assit you.
|
|
|
Post by anthonyalansullivan on Feb 12, 2023 5:10:09 GMT
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
|
|
|
Post by VSL-Admin on Mar 10, 2023 23:12:19 GMT
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 Hi Anthony, I understand. The scope of this subject is too wide to be discussed here in this forum. Please re-send your inquiry to contact@vskylabs.com and we will proceed from there. Many thanks! Huss - VSKYLABS
|
|