Hardware Switches/Buttons !?!?!

[Kilo]

Hi all,
don't know if the question was already asked, but...
The users of Windows Flight simulator can use a software called FSUIPC in order to change switches to buttons, realized with a software.

I only read here in the forum about interface, relais, etc.
Is there no software solution for this problem for orbiter??
I don't want to buy or build an extra electronic part to to make button impulse of switches when there are free software for other simulations where I can realized this by changing only setup.

Or is there any add-on for orbiter like this??

 

[Hielor]

The problem for Orbiter is that very few things outside of the basic flight controls are handled by the Orbiter core. Most things that have switches/buttons(flaps, gear, lights, etc) are handled by the individual addon, and all ships are different.

There's no way to make a hardware switch always do "landing gear" because Orbiter has no concept of a landing gear. The landing gear is just an animation implemented by the vessel that changes the touchdown points of the vessel, and may be activated by the G key, or any key at all, or no key.

 

[Kilo]

Ok, but...
what is the different between Orbiter and other sims? The Key binding can be changed. And it doesn't matter if I use the Key 'G' for the landing gear or a button with a short impulse like a keyboard has.
Maybe I#m not really into the function of FSUIPC, but it sounds so easy to setup a switch doung the same like a button...

mh.. that would be a really nice solution for the future

 

[Hielor]

Ok, but...
what is the different between Orbiter and other sims? The Key binding can be changed. And it doesn't matter if I use the Key 'G' for the landing gear or a button with a short impulse like a keyboard has.
Maybe I#m not really into the function of FSUIPC, but it sounds so easy to setup a switch doung the same like a button...

mh.. that would be a really nice solution for the future

Because the key binding cannot be changed.

For example, let's look at air brakes. In the stock DG, airbrakes are shift-B. However, in the DGIV, airbrakes are just the B key, without shift.

The vessel doesn't receive a "deploy the airbrakes" message the way it does in every other sim. It receives the key command directly and can choose what to do with it, or nothing.

This makes assigning switches to generically do the same action for every vessel impossible.

 

[Kilo]

Ok, I understand...
So there must be a key binding option in relation to the vessel you use!
I mean, it would be the best possibilty to get a software solution for a hardware problem, but I guess it would be a programming part of the developers of Orbiter, or?

 

[TSPenguin]

Since you need a software translating switches to keyboard commands (or similar) anyway, it seems prudent to implement presets for different vessels. Bind those to a callback to orbiter (if possible) or to a switchboard in the cockpit.

 

[ar81]

Stock Orbiter vessels do attach to the keybinding. Others do not.

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2848"]Keybinder Wizard 1.0[/ame]

 

[Kilo]

ah, thank you!!
Now I've got the keybinding, but is there also a possibilty with keybinder wizard to choose between switches and buttons like FSUIPC does?

 

[Kilo]

I build up a circuit board with a microprocessor programed with BASCOM which gives a short impulse when you activate a switch.
The problem is to find the exact time how long the impulse is in order to simulate a keypress.

All you need are switches with three poles. I try to finish the project...

 

[ar81]

ah, thank you!!
Now I've got the keybinding, but is there also a possibilty with keybinder wizard to choose between switches and buttons like FSUIPC does?

It automates edition based on what I know about Orbiter.
It is mostly a user interface that automates something you could do manually, but at risk of typos.

I do not know how to implement what you say.

 

[yagni01]

At a higher level, FSUIPC is a communications protocol into the flight sim. The reason most hardware works with it "plug and play" is they come with hardware drivers that know how to talk to FSUIPC or directly to the sim. We have an equivalent for FSUIPC in the form of the Orb:Connect plugin. What is missing is the hardware drivers to talk to O:C - since we all have to write our own.

If all you want is keyboard emulation, there are probably some key encoders out there that can be configured to only 'press a key' when the switch state changes. It sounds like you have a solution for that, so most any KE should work.

Good luck!