C172 LVARS and simPlugins Panel Builder

[SIMFLYER]

Hi Just joined so this is my first post. First up let me say the C172 Trainer is superb. Its amazing how much detail has been added and how compulsive it makes flying it. I haven't flown anything else in days and my plugs are slowly getting less fouled! Thanks and congratulations A2A - the C172 is an outstanding achievement.

I fly with a hardware cockpit I've put together myself. I use the excellent and value for money simPlugins Panel Builder programme for my gauges. I thoroughly recommend it. I use it for several different configurations - single, twin, helicopter. However this means I have the similar issues to those using the Saitek Instrument Panels see post
http://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtop ... 08&t=35940)
in that "out of the box" Panel Builder reads default FSX data so doesn't recognise any custom gauge programming.

In the post above Rob of A2A posted

"The solution is rather easy, you can ask us what is the variable name for given gauge and use it instead of the default one."

and gave the Engine RPM used by the A2A C172 as (L:Eng1_RPM,RPM). After e-mailing the author of simPlugins Panel Builder It appears the Panel Builder can read Lua data to drive its gauges. So I am putting my very limited programming abilities to the test to try to achieve this. Despite many hours of trying I have got nowhere! This is most likely user (my!) error as I am no programmer but I cannot get anything other than zero values and a static RPM gauge.

So could I ask for a couple of things? First could you confirm that (L:Eng1_RPM,RPM) is correct for the C172 Engine RPM data and that I have it spelt right. I know these things have to be an exact match. Second could you post the LVARs for the other custom programmed gauges including, I think, EGT, Fuel Flow, Oil Temp and Flaps or is there a way I can find these for myself?

I am loving the C172 Trainer but it would be even more immersive if I could get my hardware working 100% with it.

Thanks Rich Cooke

[Scott - A2A]

Rich,

I just put a request out to the team to get a list together for you and others that would like this.

Scott.

[SIMFLYER]

Thanks Scott

[Framac]

I'm using some variables to the flaps and they work ok.

(A:TRAILING EDGE FLAPS LEFT PERCENT,percent)
(A:TRAILING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT PERCENT,percent)

(L:LandFlapsPos,enum)

If you have other vars, please share here.

[Hoeller]

Thanks Scott, that will be very usefull to all cockpit builders.

@SIMFLYER:
Could you keep us posted about your progress with simplugins and the C172 trainer?

Olivier.

[SIMFLYER]

Hi Olivier - Yes I will post progress. Its a bit slow because I'm a very novice Lua programmer

Hi Framac - Thanks for those Flaps Luas. Something else I can experiment with.

Rich Cooke

[SIMFLYER]

Yippee - I've made some progress today and now have an RPM gauge in simPlugins Panel Builder that exactly matches what the A2A C172 gauge is doing. Just a warning I think you need a licensed copy of FSUIPC to do this. In case it is of help to anyone else this is what I did:

1. For Panel Builder use the MS Flight Simulator (FSUIPC) Interface (not the Simconnect Interface)

2. Find the simPluginsFSUIPC.ini. Mine is in C:\Users\Rich\AppData\Roaming\simplugins\PanelManagerPRO

3. Change the entry in simPluginsFSUIPC.ini for RPME0 so that it reads RPME0 = double,66CA

4. Open notepad and create a file as follows:

Code: Select all

-- Loop forever: to stop this you'll have to use the LuaKill control on it.
while 1 do

-- READING LOCAL VAR
 Eng_RPM = ipc.readLvar("L:Eng1_RPM")

 -- WRITING OFFSET
 ipc.writeDBL(0X66CA, Eng_RPM)

 -- DELAY
 ipc.sleep(100)

 end

5. Save this file as a lua file (mine is A2AGauges.lua) in your FSX Modules folder.

6. Run FSX, switch to the A2A C172 and start and connect the MS Flight Simulator (FSUIPC) Interface and start Panel Builder and it should work.


I'll post any more progress I make here.

Rich Cooke

[bliksimpie]

Rich
If you really want to easily see and find the L"vars of a plane, get the feeware program called "Linda". There is a sub forum over at avsim. Linda has a tracer functionality. It literary take me 2 minutes these days to get the Lvar's coded into new planes.

Also take a look at Doug Dawson Lvar gauge:
xml_vars, v1.1.0
"A debugging gauge for xml programmers. It will display active L:Variable values, twenty at a time. Click on the face of the gauge to scroll through all active variables."

[maki7266]

Hello SIMFLYER, I can not make the script work. Should we start with fsuipc ?
I have changed the values ​​of the offset. I put the script in the module folder. When I run the A2A C172, still the problem of gauge rpm.

Sorry for my bad english.

Laurent.

oupps, sorry - work fine -

[andrew737]

Rich,

I just put a request out to the team to get a list together for you and others that would like this.

Scott.

Any more on this please Scott - it's just another step in the right direction for this 'Brilliant' Add-On

[ROB - A2A]

Here are the remaining three variables:

(L:Eng1_EGTGauge,number)
(L:Eng1_GPH,gallons)
(L:Eng1_OilTemp,fahrenheit)

regards
ROB

[moonbst1]

I'll post any more progress I make here.
Rich Cooke

Purchased FSUIPC 4.92 full version ($33) soon as I saw your post.
It didn't work to me. Do you have any other extra change ?

[moonbst1]

I'll post any more progress I make here.
Rich Cooke

Purchased FSUIPC 4.92 full version ($33) soon as I saw your post.
It didn't work to me. Do you have any other extra change ?

[ramesh]

We are into AATD design and mfg. Kindly let us know the LVAR of baro setting of altimeter and ADF frequency for A2A C172 trainer. we are using arduino board interface.

regards
Ramesh

[Lewis - A2A]

Ramesh please PM me.

thanks,
Lewis