NGX CDU page shortcut (and other) buttons

[EmileB 15]

I have typed up a simple Lua script that enables all CDU buttons to be assigned to buttons or keypresses via FSUIPC. I was primarily interested in the page shortcut buttons for which there are no Tab+... key commands that I am aware of, but ended up tracking all of them. (Yes I am aware of the Tab+... option for the alphanumeric, LSK and some other buttons, but this way the green border around the scratchpad doesn't flash up with every keypress). If anyone is interested, let me know - I'd be happy to post it here.

[Bobbyjuwing 2]

I'm very very interested.I was trying to get mouse macros for the CDU but this doesn't work very well.My CDUII is connected in to FSUIPC (like FSUIPC manual says) so it would be nice to assign the buttons directly in to FSUIPC.I hope you can help me out.

[GSalden 4,651]

Hi Emile, Also I am very interested in getting VRI CDU I to work with the 737NGX. As I am new to LUA, could you tell me in e few steps what I need, where to get it and where to place it on the pc ? Thanks in advance.

[Václav Janča 0]

Hello, Emile,I followed your link to this post from the Linda forum.I also would like to find a way to control the CDU buttons through a key command. I have a remote keyboard program (gPad) on my Android phone, which allows for a graphical button interface to be made on the screen. It then looks like a CDU. But the thing is that it sends keyboard commands. I appreciate your work on finding out the codes.Please, would you share your solution here?Ideally, I would like to know whether this can be done with the free fsuipc.Thanks,Václav Janča

[EmileB 15]

Hello, Emile,I followed your link to this post from the Linda forum.I also would like to find a way to control the CDU buttons through a key command. I have a remote keyboard program (gPad) on my Android phone, which allows for a graphical button interface to be made on the screen. It then looks like a CDU. But the thing is that it sends keyboard commands. I appreciate your work on finding out the codes.Please, would you share your solution here?Ideally, I would like to know whether this can be done with the free fsuipc.Thanks,Václav Janča

Hi Václav,I'm awfully sorry for taking THIS long to reply ! Due to work commitments I've hardly been home in the last two weeks (I'm just about having to introduce myself to my wife of 30+ years ) and I somehow managed to overlook your post. Of course I'd be happy to let you know how I do this. However, the information I need for that, is on my flightsim computer at home. I am currently some 10,000 km away from home for a work-related course and won't be home until coming Sunday. I've only got my laptop with me and given the cost of wireless access in my hotel , I don't think I'll be online much before heading home again. I'll try to reply early next week. Meantime, I'm pretty sure that assigning FSX commands to keystrokes can only be done with a registered FSUIPC version but I stand to be corrected. In any case, FSUIPC has THAT many handy features that registering it is well worth the money IMHO !

[Václav Janča 0]

Thank you very much for writing. I myself will be busy with much more important things than flight simming, my second daughter is about to be born :-) Whenever you get the chance, I am happy to wait.Václav

[EmileB 15]

Thank you very much for writing. I myself will be busy with much more important things than flight simming, my second daughter is about to be born :-) Whenever you get the chance, I am happy to wait.Václav

Hi Václav,Finally I've managed to find time to reply to you. I hope all went well with the birth of your second daughter : Congratulations !Here's how I set up the PMDG CDU buttons through FSUIPC. Note : I'm pretty sure that only the registered version of FSUIPC has this functionality. Also make sure you have the latest version.I attached three files to this post :PMDG NGX CDU.txtSave this file in your Flight Simulator XModules folder, then rename it into "PMDG NGX CDU.lua" (without the quotation marks ), IOW change the file extension from .txt into .luaWhen you do this, you may get a Windows warning that changing a file extension may make a file unusable - that's fine and just go ahead.NGX CDU Parameters.pdfYou can save this file anywhere you like since it only contains a list of parameters for you to refer to. It's OK, for example, to save it in the Modules folder.FSUIPC dialog boxes for adding PMDG CDU functions to buttons.pdfSave this file anywhere you like as well; it contains screenshots of the FSUIPC dialog box that you need to use and what it will look like.Once this is done, open the file "NGX CDU Parameters.pdf" so that you can refer to it, then start FSX.You can now assign any of the PMDG NGX CDU functions to your joystick buttons, provided that FSUIPC can "see" those buttons. Or you can use FSUIPC to assign the functions to keypresses. I have shown the assignment to a button process here, but the process for keypresses is the same, just a different FSUIPC tab (i.e. "Key Presses" instead of "Buttons + Switches").Now check out the file "FSUIPC dialog boxes for adding PMDG CDU functions to buttons.pdf". The first page shows the FSUIPC dialog box for "Buttons and Switches".In FSX, open FSUIPC and click the tab for this dialog.Place a tick in the "Profile specific" box if you have a specific aircraft profile for the PMDG NGX (I have, that's why in the example it is ticked), otherwise leave it blank.Next, press the joystick button to which you want to assign a CDU function (in this example, Button #0 on Joystick #1). In your case, press the required button on your Android phone with the "Key Presses" dialog up on the screen, which should send the corresponding key command to FSUIPC.Tick the "Select for FS control" box and from the drop-down list under "Control sent when button pressed", scroll to and then click on the control highlighted in blue (you can see where the name comes from !).Once you have clicked on this control, the dialog box should look like the picture on the second page of the PDF file.Now click in the blank "Parameter" box below the highlighted Control and type in the parameter required for the CDU button that you want to operate with this joystick button; in this example, as shown in the picture on the third page of the PDF file, the parameter I entered is 101 which in my .lua file activates the command for the CDU's top-left Line Select Key (LSK 1L, for short).Once you have typed in the desired parameter, you can go to the next key command and repeat the process for the CDU button you want to assign to that key command, or press the dialog OK button to finish.For a complete list of the parameter to use for each CDU button, see the attached file NGX CDU Parameters.pdfThese parameter values were my choice. I could have used others as long as whatever values I chose, matched the ones in the .lua file for the respective commands.Let me know how you get on !

[lfishe 2]

I am not able to download the FSUIPC dialog boxes for adding PMDG CDU functions.pdf. I don't think the file is attached. When I place the cursor on the file it does not give me the hand that I get when placing the cursor on the other to files that I have downloaded. Please help.Thanks,Lynn

[EmileB 15]

I am not able to download the FSUIPC dialog boxes for adding PMDG CDU functions.pdf. I don't think the file is attached. When I place the cursor on the file it does not give me the hand that I get when placing the cursor on the other to files that I have downloaded. Please help.Thanks,Lynn

Hi,I have no idea what happened there but I'll try to attach it to this post.Just tried : this one can be downloaded OK by the looks of it. Edited November 21, 2011 by EmileB

[lfishe 2]

Thanks it works!Lynn

[Václav Janča 0]

Thank you, Emile!I will need to wait with the purchase of the registered version (does anyone know where to get it cheapest? any discounts?). Thanks for the description and your time. With this info, I think anyone with the registered version and this info can use an Android phone or tablet with the free gPad program to pretty much make any kind of interface. Seems very promising :-)Václav

[ZippinZim 0]

Hello and forgive the ignorance! Must Linda be previously installed for this to work? I have followed the directions to the letter, but no LUA controls show up in FSUIPC. I have FSUIPC 4.30. Thanks for the advice in advance!Jeff

Edited February 22, 2012 by ZippinZim