Turning switches off

[samfranklin]

When I turn off a switch using the simconnect codes will it automatically turn off the switch in the VC? i.e. if I had a toggle switch set to send the code for landing lights on when I turn it off will it turn the landing lights off or would I need to add code to send a separate command?

[JMeller]

You'll need to send a command for the OFF state of the switch.

[samfranklin]

How do I detect when it is off?

[JMeller]

I use I/O pin 13 as an output for quick diagnostics since it has the on-board LED indicator.

Summary:
1.) PinMode13 as an output
2.) PinMode another as your input
3.) digitalRead(InputPin)
4.) if (InputPin == HIGH) then digitalWrite(Output13 , HIGH) else digitalWrite(Output13 , LOW)
5.) After confirming proper operation, replace digitalWrite command with the serialPrint commands


The above is a generic process since I'm unsure of your skill level.

If you have further questions, please post your code so that we can walk through it together with a clear and concise direction.

JM

[samfranklin]

I'm pretty new to Arduino but that was very helpful. So this would be placed in the main loop, am I correct?

[JMeller]

Yes. Place it the main loop. Also, you'll want to create a string called InputPinold, or something similar, and use it as such:

if (InputPin != InputPinold){
if (InputPin == HIGH) then digitalWrite(Output13 , HIGH) else digitalWrite(Output13 , LOW)
InputPinold = InputPin
}

The above will prevent the execution of the digitalWrite command at every pass of the loop when it reads the state of the input pin. Without it and using a command to toggle the gear up or down, the arduino will send a command for the gear- even though the switch did not physically change states. This would cause the gear to up on the first pass, down on the second, up on the third, etc.

[samfranklin]

So I tried this an I had it working with the LED. However I changed it to serial print C01 and C02 for the gear and it filled my serial viewer with C01 - any help?

int val = 0;int inputPin = 2;
int valOld = 0;


void setup()
{
pinMode(inputPin, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
digitalWrite(inputPin, HIGH);
}


void loop() {
val = digitalRead(inputPin);
if (val != valOld); {
if (inputPin == HIGH) { Serial.println("C02"); } else { Serial.println("C01"); };
val == valOld;
}
}

[JMeller]

inputPin always will equal 2.
ReWrite - if (val == HIGH)
if (val == HIGH) { Serial.println("C02"); } else { Serial.println("C01"); };

[samfranklin]

You are brilliant! Thank you.

Just one more question: The above code (with the fix that you suggested) is sending the line 'C02'/'C01' repeatedly whereas I thought the assignment of varOld would stop this from happening? Have I done something wrong?

[JMeller]

Sorry. My mistake from post #6.

edited post #6 to read:
InputPinold = InputPin

JM