Basic help needed with FS2P5

[AK Mongo]

I am building some basic circuits for my Cessna 17x/18x pit, and am struggling with the progression of what component goes where.

I am trying to build out the annunciator panel, and the OMI indicators.

I am using FSX Accel, FSUIPC 4.60(registered), FS2P5.021 and a phidgets LED64 card(1030).

Easy part---

The OMI indicators are all listed in the FSvariables4316.xml drop down.

It seems like for these, I only need to configure the circuit like this:
FSOutput(set to Inner_Marker via the Component menu)------>Output (X)(which is set to an LED)

Does this sound right? Why is there a red or green line between the components? I also noticed that with an FSX flight loaded, clicking on a component does not cause the line to change from red/green. Without it being connected it will change, why is that?

Trickier part---
It seems as if FS2P5 has been setup with some basic logic functions, but I cannot figure out how to make use of them.

An example:
Annunciator lights only come on if the Battery switch is on. The annunciator lights on the default C172 do not have readable offsets associated in FSUIPC. I have played around though and figured out that when a fuel tank %(offset 0B7C for left, 0B94 for right) falls below 30.2% the corresponding warning light is triggered. There is no offset for fuel tank percentage in the FSvariables4316.xml menu. So my problems are:

How do I use a variable that is not included in the FSvariables4316.xml menu for my FSOutput?

How do I make a circuit that runs like so:

"If Battery switch is on and tank fuel level is < 30.2% then light digital Output(x)"?

Hope someone can help me with these basics.

Reid

[CocnutAir]

A lot of these questions are specifically covered in documentation.
If there are portions that are not clear or don't explain topic, let me know.

[AK Mongo]

OK, I will do more homework in the 5.021 User's Manual and see what I missed. Is there additional documentation I should be studying, or should that cover it all?

I appreciate your program very much! Just wish I could figure out how to make it work.

[AK Mongo]

In the interest of answering these questions for others that someday read this forum and try to do this, I will report on what I found.

It seems like for these, I only need to configure the circuit like this:
FSOutput(set to Inner_Marker via the Component menu)------>Output (X)(which is set to an LED) I have not had time to fly and test this yet
Why is there a red or green line between the components? Red indicates the circuit is open, green is closed

I also noticed that with an FSX flight loaded, clicking on a component does not cause the line to change from red/green. Without it being connected it will change, why is that?When it is connected it is reading the variables from FSx, when disconnected it is running in a "Test" mode to show you what happens upon opening/closing the circuit

Trickier part---
It seems as if FS2P5 has been setup with some basic logic functions, but I cannot figure out how to make use of them.

An example:
Annunciator lights only come on if the Battery switch is on. The annunciator lights on the default C172 do not have readable offsets associated in FSUIPC. I have played around though and figured out that when a fuel tank %(offset 0B7C for left, 0B94 for right) falls below 30.2% the corresponding warning light is triggered. There is no offset for fuel tank percentage in the FSvariables4316.xml menu. So my problems are:

How do I use a variable that is not included in the FSvariables4316.xml menu for my FSOutput?You have the ability to add a non-included variable through the manage variables icon. Information for the variable you want to add can be found in the fsuipc documentation, or through FSInterrogate

How do I make a circuit that runs like so:

"If Battery switch is on and tank fuel level is < 30.2% then light digital Output(x)"?Still working on the battery switch function, but I have all of the lights working at the proper time by following this basic format:
FS output--->Valve--->Digital output. The valve functions as the operator. It passes an on or off signal to the next item downstream based on the range of values it sees from upstream. It can be set so that it lights the LED if the value from the upstream component falls within the minimum-maximum range specified in the valve, or if it falls outside the range. The tricky part is the different values that the fsuipc offset supplies to the fsoutput. Some are supplied in the actual numbers, some are not. For example: Main Bus volts is easy, because the output sends a signal equal to the actual volts. 28 is out put if the volts are at 28. Fuel tank % is trickier, because fsuipc does not output in ###.## = ###.##%. Instead it gives a number that is proportionally equal to the percentage, but out of a range of numbers. For instance if the range were 1-10 for the variable, you would have to calculate that 3.2 was where I wanted the valve to allow the signal to pass for low fuel(30.2%). The range is however much greater, something like 1-65336. Don't quote me on that, because I am not at the computer with that info, but that is the process. The ranges can be found in the FSUIPC docs.

I will be happy to share this project with anyone who wants, just PM me, and I will email it to you as a starter. Not sure it is right, or elegant, but it works so far. Anyone know how to add a battery switch function in so that the lights will not light without the switch being on?

[AK Mongo]

And a follow up...

I will be happy to share this project with anyone who wants, just PM me, and I will email it to you as a starter. Not sure it is right, or elegant, but it works so far. Anyone know how to add a battery switch function in so that the lights will not light without the switch being on?

I added another digital output at the front of the circuit. Assigned it to Battery_Switch, changed the minimum value from 1 to 0, and it works.

Also it appears that fiddling with fs2p5 when it is not connected to FSX changes some of the logic in the circuit, which is then saved and will give you some goofy results when connected again. For example, I got all of my lights working when FSX was connected, turned fsx off, opened and closed some switches in fs2p5 to see the wonder of my creation.

I came back later, and everything I had changed no longer worked with FSX running. Quitting everything,changing settings back in fs2p5, and restarting FSX fixed it.

It is fixed now though.

Now to fly so I can get near some markers to test the OMI functions. FS2P also allows you to set led's as flashers, but I need to know the units,so I can set flash rates. Outer marker flashes slower than Middle which is slower than Inner. The default reads 200 for flash, but I do not know what that interval is, and don't know how to test without being in range of actual beacons. Anyone know the units in the flash rate?