G1000 PFD Menu and Key Selection Lua Display F1 B200

[wdelorme 0]

Hey guys,

 

I have G1000 PFD and MFD Modules Hardware not Software.  That I am trying to program the buttons and knobs to work in P3D with Mindstar G1000 addon.  I have been able to get the encoder knobs to show up in P3D equipped G1000 airplane and in FSUIPC but the functions that they should be assigned to are not clear.  In other words, Com frequency for example I should be able to dial in the com 1 or two frequency in standby and toggle them to active frequency.  But it does not seem that P3D or FSUIPC handles those functions that way.  At least not as far as I have found.  FMS knob has same problem I can not find the function that it is suppose to be related too.  Do they exist?

 

The other problem I have is the simulator does not recognize the Key presses on the G1000 Hardware at all.  They don't even register.

 

A little about my system.  The Encoder knobs are running on two Leo Bodnar USB joystick controllers. They register and are assignable, just can't find all of the correct functions and only 1 or 2 of them actually work in a Mindstar equipped G1000 airplane.  But they do all register in the control setup of P3D and FSUIPC.  The Buttons however work with an Opencockpits USB Keys circuit board and all of these registers as hardware keys with Opencockpits USB_keys.exe from opencockpits website, but the do not register in the simulator.

 

So I can see the encoder knobs registering when turned in P3D and in FSUIPC, but I cannot see the Key presses.

 

If I use LINDA can I get these things to work together in harmony and assign the correct functions to each key press and knob turn?

 

The screens I already have the display bezels removed and have them moved down to my PFD and MFD screens.  I just need to get the hardware working.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Thanks,

 

Wil 

[mcp5500 2]

I have not used Mindstar but it sounds like you are using it ro build a physical G1000 display. If you can see the usb devices in FSUIPC then you can use Linda or FSUIPC to send the controls for the 12 Softkeys along the bottom and all the rest of the G1000 keys. The knobs would be x and y axis joysticks. You can assign axises to controls in FSUIPC to inc or dec the map as the knob is turned. I believe there is a general inc and dec that will function in the mode you are in. Like FMS in flight plan or DME. Hope this helps.

[wdelorme 0]

That's my problem.  I can see the encoder knobs in FSUIPC, but I can't see the button presses.  The button press are transmitted USB through a Opencockpits USBKeys Board, and the encoder knobs or transmitted USB through two Leo Bodnar Boards.  FSUIPC and the Sim sees the Leo Bodnar USB inputs, but not the USBKeys Board inputs.  It is electrically hooked up correctly and the encoderkeys.exe detects all of the keystrokes, but nothing else does.  Any ideas???

 

Thanks

 

Wil

[mcp5500 2]

Are the usb boards seen in device manager? I would look for a cockpit builders site for help. Did you try it without the drivers?

[ScotFlieger 280]

If you are using USB boards, LINDA will only recognise them if they appear in Windows as Joystick HID type devices (ie. inputs appear as buttons or HATs). Any additional driver software can interfere with this.

 

Additionally, with multiple USB cards that have unique serial numbers like the Leo Badnor boards are presently allocated a default unique identification number by LINDA. This can led to a mis-match when a board is removed at any stage. I am currently working on a fix to employ the serial number to identify individual boards. Watch this space.

[wdelorme 0]

Yea all of the USB boards show in device manager.  I have tried it with and without the JoytoKey and the encoder keys.  Infact, running Joytokey which is the driver for the encoder knobs (Leo Bodnar units) it does not seem to make a difference the sim picks them up with or without the driver.  It's the opencockpits board that sends the keypresses correctly to the encoderkeys.exe file.  When its running and you look for the keypresses with encoderkeys each key press shows up.  But they don't show in the simulator or FSUIPC.  I think it is in my encoderkeys.ini file where the issue is, but I'm not sure. 

 

The opencockpits board does not show as a HID device.  So that is probably my problem with using LINDA.  However, there has to be some work around to get it to work.  Whether its with LINDA or some other way. 

 

Somewhere there is a disconnect between encoder_keys.exe picking up the key presses(which works) and transmitting them to the rest of the sim (does not work).

 

Wil

[ScotFlieger 280]

I must admit I have no experience with the Bodnar or OpenCockpits cards. If the JoyToKey or Encoderkeys convert an action to a key press then LINDA will not work with it and I am not sure that FSUIPC4 will. The key press will go straight to FSX/P3D and would need to be configured in the FSX/P3D Settings. LINDA requires a button press action to work. Also if a device is detected by Windows as a joystick then no additional drivers should be required. Windows with detect the HID button push and send that to LINDA. Finally, LINDA needs you to be using a full, paid version of FSUIPC4 to work.

[wdelorme 0]

I am using a full paid version and have been in consultation with Pete and he too was not familiar with the hardware I'm using.  I appreciate your help Scot.  I really hoped there was a work around because after reading the documentation for LINDA, it seemed to be the perfect solution.  I appreciate your help very much.  Thanks

 

Sincerely,

 

Wil

[wdelorme 0]

I had a revelation on my problem over the weekend.  The reason my system was not working correctly was because of a  issue in my encoderkeys.ini file.  One part of my system was reporting USB port 2 and another was reporting 13.  The other issues were the "window =" line in the ini file.  When I put p3d or Prepar3D it did not recognize that.  When I was experimenting with SIOC, I had Prepar3D running, and it identified the P3D program as "dVK."  Here is the upper part of my ini file.

 
Example of my "encoderkeys.ini" file
 
[ Configuration file for USBKeys ]
 
[ Multiples USBs ]
 
MUSB=No
 
 
[ USB Device number ]
deviceUSB=13
 
[ Name of window for key send ]
 
window = "dVK"
 
Another key to getting it to work is to run everything as administrator.
 
So I created shortcuts for the joytokey, encoderkeys, and P3d.  I right clicked on each shortcut clicked on it's properties and forced the shortcut to run them in administrator mode.
 
Once I did all of this, all keypresses started showing up as keypresses where before they did not.  Remember I explained that the knobs were showing up in FSUIPC and in P3D control settings, but they would not work right and the keys were not showing up at all?  Well, now all keypress show up.
 
So since I am using P3D and Mindstar, the Mindstar g1000 equipped airplanes can now be programed through the g1000config.exe file.  So I ran that file, selected the input output tab, and there are all of the g1000 functions listed for key press or knob assignment. So now I have 95-96% functionality of my G1000 system.  I took it out for a VFR and two IFR flights.  It works 4.0.  Tyler has developed an audio panel also with upgraded electronics.  He says the upgrade will make the whole thing plug and play.  I'm thing about upgrading as soon as he gets the bugs worked out.  So in review.
 
Key Things to get Opencockpits USBKeys Board to Work with encoderkeys
1. Make sure you identify the correct port number of you USBkeys board.
2. Make sure you know the right name of the window = "of the time you are using" (and it has to be in quotes.
3. Run every thing in administrator mode.
4. All of these have to be present to work or it never well.
 
Hope this helps somebody!!!  If you have any questions let me know.

[ScotFlieger 280]

I am pleased you have things sorted. Thank you for the update. This community works best by everyone contributing their little bit of knowledge.

[wdelorme 0]

I agree. I'm available to help if any one needs it. Just let me know.

 

Wil

[mcp5500 2]

New Link

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8U05elYOOgiN1poOFlIZjBtSEU&usp=sharing

[MarkW 1,492]

I have a question about this LUA for use with the VRInsight MCPII panel.  Are you able to assign rotaries to control the FMS rotaries on the main and center G1000 screen ?

Same goes for the range ?

 

I am guessing that the default FS assignments will work for radios, NAV and transpoder as well as the Autopilot, although I have not checked this yet.

(I am talking about the F1 King Air B200)