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General Category => General Discussions => Topic started by: Cristiano on February 01, 2018, 04:26:05 pm

Title: Pro-Shift and XPlane (10 for now)
Post by: Cristiano on February 01, 2018, 04:26:05 pm

Hello.
As a proof of concept I have crated a version of SimDash that works with the Pro-Shift boards and XPlane 10, but XPlane 11 should work as well.

This is the link for the download:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ciuq32x9lfdff7/SimDashXPlane.zip?dl=0

it will require .NET Framework 4.5, if you don't have it:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=30653


you will also need the ExtPlane plugin installed in X-Plane:

https://github.com/vranki/ExtPlane


You need to know what datarefs are in XPlane. Basically they are strings that describe a piece of data in the simulator, like speed, state of landing gear, altitude...

The full list is in this file:

X-Plane 10 Installation Folder\Resources\plugins\DataRefs.txt

A typical line is:

 sim/cockpit/electrical/taxi_light_on   int   y   bool   Taxi Lights

• the first column is the dataref name
• int is the type of the returned value. you can have int (integer), float and double (decimal values). float[] and int[] are array of floats or integers (array are group of values)
• third column (Y or N) tells you if the dataref can be written
• bool is the unit of the dataref. in this case it tells you that the value is 0 or 1.  OFF or ON
• and then the description of the value

The dataref below:

sim/cockpit/electrical/generator_on   int[8]   y   bool

returns an array of int (a group of 8 integer). one integer for each engine in this case. the first value has index 0. the last one index 7.

When you start SimDash, use the menu "File -> Import Settings..." to import the file I have attached.
It contains some example configuration.

The first part of the configuration is on the X-Plane plugin. Start   Simdash, "Simulators" tab and then click the "Configure" button of the XPlane plugin. Here you configure which datarefs you want to read from X-Plane. My configuration has few example. Pick a dataref from the DataRefs.txt file and set the returned value as from the file.

If the returned value is an array, indicate which index of the array you want to read. first element of the array has index zero.

Second part of the configuration: the Pro-Shift plugin. Assign one of the configured dataref to a led.

In my configuration LED 1 will come on when RPM of engine n.1 is above 1.500 RPM, and will blink quick when RPM > 2000

LED 2 will switch ON when taxi lights are ON.

I think in the future I will include the list of DataRefs inside SimDash, so the user only has to choose the dataref from a list and don't worry to indicate the type of its return value.


Few notes:

• Next step is to support the JC-LED board that I think is more interesting than the Pro-Shift.
• Dataref can be written too. I am planning to support this. so for example taxi lights could be switched off when a joystick button is pressed
• DatarefEditor is a plugin that runs inside X-Plane and lets you explore the over 2000 datarefs available. very useful I think:

http://www.xsquawkbox.net/xpsdk/mediawiki/DataRefEditor

Please let me know what you think and if you have suggestion.
I'd like to make SimDash for X-Plane a finished off product and I will be investing more time in the following weeks/months.


Cheers
Cristiano

Title: Re: Pro-Shift and XPlane (10 for now)
Post by: wickedbadretard on February 02, 2018, 01:35:53 pm

This is so exciting!!!   I hope other people that are also into flight will chime in to support this motion..  Having a legit racing/flight sim will be really cool.                   
So Im running a DLC-247 for all my led/displays. And you mention future suport of the JC-LED.   Ive never heard of that before.  Can I just replace my DLC-247 with the JC-LED plug and play, easy style?  Im running 1 of those piggy back splitters also.      Im in need of more button control so that may be what I need to get huh?       Thanks for making all this real life Christiano.      What would a rig be without all these cool gadgets.   

Title: Re: Pro-Shift and XPlane (10 for now)
Post by: Cristiano on February 03, 2018, 04:43:49 pm

Hello.
The JC-LED controller basically replaces the DLC-247 controller.
It only supports 16 displays instead of 24 but it can also used to connect buttons and rotary encoders. it is detected by Windows as a game controller.

Unfortunately the type of displays it requires is different from those used by the DLC-247: the JC-LED requires common cathode displays.
The DLC-247 used common anode, so you can't just replace the board, sorry.

Regards
Cristiano