Master Caution/ Warning lights

[Padraig]

Tomorrow I'm releasing FSUIPC 4.40 and 3.85 and the FSUIPC Lua documentation will be part of the package then.

Regards

Pete

This is good news Pete, this has come across my mind for future hardware implementation for more advanced interfacing. I know you stated, that this is in the early stages, but clearly there is alot of what you can do already with this. I have seen these used in a lot in areas from, FPS games to simulators etc.

Looking forward to the update.

[Peter Dowson]

Looking forward to the update.

The interim versions of FSUIPC on my Support Forum have included Lua plugin support for weeks, now. Tomorrow is merely the 'official' release.

Unfortunately Enrico Schiratti is not accessible at present and apparently he's the only one who can update his "Dowson" page, so my release tomorrow looks like being confined to the Downloads Announcements on my Forum.

I'm actually preparing the uploads now, so they'll be there in an hour or two (it'll be tomorrow here in a couple of minutes ).

For Phidgets and other hardware support, where such is needed, I'm going to be a little dependent on pointers and other input. I have none of that sort of equipment here. I used to have EPIC stuff (and of course I've supported EPIC directly for some time), but nowadays all my gear is PFC.

Regards

Pete

[AndyT]

Alan Dyer is the goto guy for phidgets.
Also, you can get the APIs and other goodies for them here:
http://www.phidgets.com/downloads.php?os_id=1

[Peter Dowson]

Alan Dyer is the goto guy for phidgets.
Also, you can get the APIs and other goodies for them here:
http://www.phidgets.com/downloads.php?os_id=1

Wow! there's a lot there. It isn't just one board then ... loads of different things. I was hoping, maybe, to get one cheap board to test out ideas with. It isn't as if i'm really building anything.

What would you recommend?

Regards

Pete

[AndyT]

Well, I was actually thinking that perhaps you might be able to interface the existing library to Lua somehow. That way, it saves you loads of work and gets an entire line of interfaces up and running that much quicker.
The official library is on the first page I sent you to.

If that isn't going to happen, then I'd personally go with the triple 8, the servo controller and the text led ones. Those are the ones I use and the triple 8 is very popular with builders.

[Peter Dowson]

Well, I was actually thinking that perhaps you might be able to interface the existing library to Lua somehow. That way, it saves you loads of work and gets an entire line of interfaces up and running that much quicker.

Yes, That's certainly the sort of thing I would do -- provided it will run inside the FS process (all of the Lua plug-ins run in their own threads, but as part of the FS process -- good use of multi-core processors though! ).

It's just that i don't like to do things blind. All the hardware I've ever supported I've seen working with my programs. I could probably get you nice people here to do the testing, but it isn't quite the same ...

I'd personally go with the triple 8, the servo controller and the text led ones. Those are the ones I use and the triple 8 is very popular with builders.

Sounds expensive for someone not intending to actually use them, especially with stuff connected like servos. I can connect buttons and switches and LEDs, if the baords aren't too expensive. There's power supplies too I suppose -- not all neatly powered from USB I assume?

I'll look at the programming first. If the library will run inside FS9 and FSX, and the interfacing is easy enough, I'll let someone else do the testing.

Regards

Pete

[AndyT]

Knowing the type of member we have here, I doubt you will have trouble finding testers.
The majority of it runs on USB power.

[gokhotit]

I strictly use phidgets with my sim. MAkes it more modular, and thanks to Alan Dyer, makes it very easy to use. I have zero programming knowledge, so I do not know where to even begin to write a program to control the lights.

Problem 2: I am trying to keep my sim generic, so what might be a caution on one plane is not on another. I guess that is kind of a give and take type of thing.

[Kennair]

Lua looks like a real godsend for those of us without PM or the kinds of aircraft that aren't supported by such suites. I'll definitely be giving this a go with my Opencockpits cards.

As for your dillemma gokhotit, I wouldn't stress too much as the Master/Caution switches/lights are a very common requirement for all builders, and given the prevalence of Phidgets, it won't take too long for a lua script to appear. You are correct though, it will be aircraft specific. It's just a consequence of greater complexity in your pit, you eventually have to steer away from the generic nature and decide on a particular craft. Unless of course you want to design separate scripts for each aircraft.

Anything's possible.

Ken.

Ken.

[Peter Dowson]

I strictly use phidgets with my sim. MAkes it more modular, and thanks to Alan Dyer, makes it very easy to use. I have zero programming knowledge, so I do not know where to even begin to write a program to control the lights.

So, I'm confused now. It has been suggested here that all I need to do for Phidgets users is add access to the Phidgets library into my Lua plug-in facility. I've looked at the interface library, and it consists of a huge array of possible calls and callbacks. Pretty touch programming expecialy for non-programmers.

So how do you drive your Phidgets with no programming?

Before trying to support any specific hardware withing FSUIPC, whether with Lua or not, I need to get a feel for how it is really used, by real people. Unfortunately the stuff on the Phidgets website doesn't really tell me that. It just provides interfaces in lots of different programming langiages in very programmer-oriented kits.

Here's where I need assistance. What do folks DO with Phidget cards? Do they actually write programs for them? Are they all really writing C, VB, or other language programs?

Regards

Pete