Is The PMDG 777 Documentation Missing Important Panel Access Information

[sbclark 55]

PMDG Development Team,

 

There is no mention of how to quickly access some of the panels needed in flight with the PMDG 777 in any of the documentation that came with this aircraft? Unless I missed seeing this information (I’m an old guy), I feel many of the items below should be in the Introductory Manual?

 

And by the way, I don’t use, or plan to use, either the EZDOK or OPUS viewing systems.

 

On page 0.00.130 of the PMDG 777 Introduction Manual, there is only reference to accessing all these important virtual panels using a combination of "S" and "Shift +S" and a combination of "A" and "Shift + A" key press combinations. Using these combinations makes it difficult to map to Joystick Button Presses. However, by accident, I discovered the following key press combinations are actually available in the PMDG 777:

 

Current PMDG 777 Key Presses:

Shift + 2 = Brings up the Captains Virtual CDU

Shift + 3 = Brings up the First Officers Virtual CDU

Shift + 4 = Brings up the Virtual Pedestal CDU

Shift + 5 = Brings up the Virtual Left Side EFIS + MCP + ECL (Captain’s Setup)

Shift + 6 = Brings up the Virtual MCP + ECL + Right Side EFIS (First Officers Setup)

Shift + 7 = Brings up the Virtual Radio Pad (Captain’s Side)

　

 

 

However, there are no key press combinations for the PMDG 777 views below, except using "A" and "S" and the combined "Shift" combinations (at least that I could find):

 

Missing PMDG 777 Simple Key Presses:

1) VC Lower Overhead Panel?

2) VC Upper Overhead Panel?

3) VC Lower Pedestal View?

4) VC Upper Pedestal View?

 

The PMDG 737 NGX did provide direct key presses for the following that I am currently using with my touch screen (using TouchBuddy Software):

 

Current PMDG 737 NGX Key Presses:

Shift + 1 = 2D Front Panel

Shift + 2 = Panel Lights

Shift + 3 = Captains CDU

Shift + 4 = Radio Panel and HUGS Panel

Shift + 5 = Engine and Fire Extinguisher Panel

Shift + 6 = Lower Overhead Panel

Shift + 7 = Upper Overhead Panel

Shift + 8 = Aircraft Landing Lights, Engine Start Switches, Nav Lighting

Shift + 9 = Lower ECAS Display

 

　

Summary of Needs: So what I’m asking for is:

 

A) Place the Shift +2 through Shift + 7 key press combinations into the PMDG 777 Introductory Manual if revised (make information available to other users)?

 

Add simple key presses for the four items listed in 1) through 4 above, the Lower and Upper Overhead Panels, and the Lower and Upper Pedestal Views. The following key presses SHF +1, SHF + 8, and SHF +9, are available unless these are used for other functions in the PMDG 777.

 

Possibly there are key presses already available for these panels, or either they could be added by placing these four choices into the CDU configuration menu and permitting the pilot to assign unique (unassigned) key press combinations to be mapped to joystick buttons?

Bill Clark

[Steven_Caffey 23]

I don't think it's possible to set VC views to Shift-# as those are shortcuts for 2D popup panels. You can set F10-12 by editing the aircraft.cfg file and adding "HotKeySelect=2(or 3 or 4)" in the section for the view you want. For example, I have the lower overhead mapped to F10 (since it's an empty view). 

 

Open the aircraft.cfg (you'll need to do this for both the pax and cargo separately). Search for the line: 

[CameraDefinition.3]
Title = "Overhead Lower Panel"

Add the following below the last line of that entry:

HotKeySelect=2

[sbclark 55]

Steven,

 

All of the button presses in my post work, for both the PMDG 737 NGX and the 777.

 

And by the way, these are the default settings for both A/C, I didn't assign them!

 

Try them on you 777?

 

Bill Clark

[Tabs 2,790]

It's "missing" because that's not how we recommend that you change views/popups. Using the clickspots us the way it was coded and in some cases using Shift+Numbers can screw our products up. Try hitting Shift+1 in the NGX VC and watch what happens to the gauges. It isn't compatible with that method due to how the gauges work and communicate.

[megs8888 20]

So how do we bring up OHP in 777 what command I couldn't find it either. Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[sbclark 55]

Ryan

 

On the 737 NGX, SHF + 1 brings up the 2D panel, but I never use it. If I do a SHF + 1 on the 777, there is no panel at all.

 

So what you are saying, is that the various combinations of SHF + X, where X is equal to 2 thru 9, causes issues with both the NGX and the 777?

 

I've been using this "Shift" scheme with the NGX for a long time, and I don't recall any issues, but who knows?

 

So what you say is we should only use either the "A" and "S" button combinations, or EZDOK, or OPUS viewing systems?

 

I am curious as to why these panels even come up if we are not supposed to use them........seems strange to me!!!!

 

Bill Clark

[Lawyer+Pilot 126]

I am curious as to why these panels even come up if we are not supposed to use them........seems strange to me!!!!

 

Bill Clark

Click spots, man, click spots.

[Hubinwa 27]

Click spots, man, click spots.

 

I think I see Bill's point here, he wants to map the various view commands to his joystick buttons. Much easier to assign keystrokes than the other options.

[Steven_Caffey 23]

Steven,

 

All of the button presses in my post work, for both the PMDG 737 NGX and the 777.

 

And by the way, these are the default settings for both A/C, I didn't assign them!

 

Try them on you 777?

 

Bill Clark

 

I know, what I'm saying is in the NGX there's a 2D overhead. In the 777 there is not. Same with the others you said were missing. Therefore they can not be set to the shift-number shortcuts. I have done what I said before with the F10 key and can confirm that it does work, though you're limited to F9-F12. I'd recommend not setting F9 to anything as that will always take you back to the main VC view.

edit: Also in response to the original post, Shift-8 and 9 in the 777 are the captain's PFD and ND popups respectively.

[IFR7700 228]

Between FSX, FSUIPC, EZCA, OPUS, LINDA and PMDG, clickspot mapping can be a confusing endeavor.  The first thing I do on every new aircraft is eliminate every built-in view by the manufacurer, and all the other view programs.  I then start from scratch using past templates as a guide.  It's a bugger if you have more than one view mapped to the same button or switch.  I also create a visual guide to all my joysticks, yokes, and keyboards with the appropriate setting for each function.

 

That being said, I can't imagine using just FSX or the manufacturer ... it would be way too limiting.  IMHO YMMV RTFM and Yeehaw.

[sbclark 55]

I know, what I'm saying is in the NGX there's a 2D overhead. In the 777 there is not. Same with the others you said were missing. Therefore they can not be set to the shift-number shortcuts. I have done what I said before with the F10 key and can confirm that it does work, though you're limited to F9-F12. I'd recommend not setting F9 to anything as that will always take you back to the main VC view.

edit: Also in response to the original post, Shift-8 and 9 in the 777 are the captain's PFD and ND popups respectively.

Steve,

 

I didn't set these 2D panels to the Shift + X (X = 2 thru 9) keys. They were already defined. I don't know why PMDG put them there, or left them there, but they do exist.

 

And yes, the Shift 8 and Shift 9 keys are as you described.

 

Perhaps, you could explain a little more as to how the Camera Definition of assigning HotKeySelect=2 maps to F10?

 

Bill Clark

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

I don't know why PMDG put them there, or left them there, but they do exist.

 

PMDG didn't put them there - FSX did.  It's part of how it reads and interprets the panel.cfg.

 

Ever wonder why they're always SHIFT+# commands, and why it's an FSX dialog box that yells at you when you use a SHIFT+# command that doesn't exist?

[sbclark 55]

PMDG didn't put them there - FSX did.  It's part of how it reads and interprets the panel.cfg.

 

Ever wonder why they're always SHIFT+# commands, and why it's an FSX dialog box that yells at you when you use a SHIFT+# command that doesn't exist?

 

Kyle,

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "yelling at me?"

 

I've been flying the PMDG 737 NGX using these shift +# commands ever since I purchased the 737 NGX over 1.5 years ago, without any apparent issues! Please note, I never used the 2D Front panel (SHF + 1), just the other SHF + #'s noted above.

 

OK, so it is FSX that puts them there, as you say? If this does cause issues, then PMDG needs to add to their documentation, to ignore all, or a portion of these Shift Key + # views.

 

I would hazard a guess that there are many PMDG users like myself out there that are unknowingly using these views. I understand the "click spot" method, but it would really be convenient to be able to map key presses to a joystick button?

 

Bill Clark

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "yelling at me?"

 

A notification screen pops up on screen.  That's all.

 

 

 

I've been flying the PMDG 737 NGX using these shift +# commands ever since I purchased the 737 NGX over 1.5 years ago, without any apparent issues!

 

That's good.  It can cause issues, though.  It might not on some systems, but the risk exists.

 

 

 

OK, so it is FSX that puts them there, as you say?

 

Yes.  FSX puts them there.  It's just a default functionality of the sim.

[vc10man 732]

Kyle or Dennis, I'm seriously thinking of buying EZDOK, but first, would like to know of any possible hiccups with the T7 from current users and can it be used with all PMDG aircraft?

(a)Can I then dispense of using the 'A' key to cycle through the various views?

(b)How easy is it to set-up?

© What are the advantages buying this over the cycling with 'A' method? Is it an instantaneous change of views in the VC?

 

Thanks for any -ve or +ve feedback.