Saitek Switch Panel and Multi-engine

[tttocs 301]

I currently use Saitek's Multipanel and Radio Panel in P3D with spad.neXt (paid version).  I'm interested in picking up the switch panel but since I fly more twins than I do single engine I'd like to know if anyone has figured out an easy way to assign the mag/starter switch for L then R.  In searching, I found one comment that this capability would be supported starting with spad.neXt 0.9, but I've found no comments post release of .9 indicating whether this was actually implemented or how this actually works.

For now, I'm simply interested in whether it can be (relatively) easily done.  If so I'll go ahead and pick up the switch panel.  If not, it probably isn't worth the investment.

Scott

[Gregg_Seipp 568]

38 minutes ago, tttocs said:

For now, I'm simply interested in whether it can be (relatively) easily done. 

Have you tried LINDA?  Should work.  What you'd do is assign a switch to choose left or right engine and then have a condition in the starter to start the selected engine.  What airplane are you doing this for?

[tttocs 301]

4 minutes ago, Gregg_Seipp said:

Have you tried LINDA?  That's what I use.

No, unfortunately I have not.  I used the original SPAD in FSX and now SPAD.neXt since going to P3D V4.  It's pretty powerful and there's a lot of built-in capability for Saitek stuff so I'd like to stick with that for now.

Scott

[Gregg_Seipp 568]

50 minutes ago, tttocs said:

No, unfortunately I have not.  I used the original SPAD in FSX and now SPAD.neXt since going to P3D V4.  It's pretty powerful and there's a lot of built-in capability for Saitek stuff so I'd like to stick with that for now.

Scott

A while back they were talking about having a programming interface in SPAD for custom things like that.  Not sure if they ever did that.  The trick would be to set a global variable assigned to the state of a switch...say Engine=1 or 2.  Then have the starter switch check that variable when you turn the knob.  If it's 1, move starter switch 1.  This may be over your head but that's how I'd approach it.

[MarkDH 234]

8 hours ago, tttocs said:

I used the original SPAD in FSX and now SPAD.neXt since going to P3D V4.  It's pretty powerful and there's a lot of built-in capability for Saitek stuff so I'd like to stick with that for now.

You can define a local variable in SPAD.neXt and use that in the same way. So you have a switch that sets the local variable to 1 or 0, then in the action for the mag switch you check whether the value of that variable is 1 or 0 and operate on the appropriate engine. It's explained somewhere in this video, which you will find is stickied in the SPAD.neXt forum. (The video refers to X-Plane but it's just the same for FSX in all but the minor details.) This is how I implement all the rotary knob controls in my Twin Otter cockpit.

[tttocs 301]

15 hours ago, Gregg_Seipp said:

A while back they were talking about having a programming interface in SPAD for custom things like that.  Not sure if they ever did that.  The trick would be to set a global variable assigned to the state of a switch...say Engine=1 or 2.  Then have the starter switch check that variable when you turn the knob.  If it's 1, move starter switch 1.  This may be over your head but that's how I'd approach it.

Yep, and based on what I'm finding that should be doable.  Think I'll go ahead and pick up the panel as it's cheap and I've got some Amazon gift cards to burn. :-)

8 hours ago, MarkDH said:

You can define a local variable in SPAD.neXt and use that in the same way. So you have a switch that sets the local variable to 1 or 0, then in the action for the mag switch you check whether the value of that variable is 1 or 0 and operate on the appropriate engine. It's explained somewhere in this video, which you will find is stickied in the SPAD.neXt forum.

Thanks Mark, appreciate the pointer to the video.  I've watched some of the "intro to SPAD.neXt" stuff but I need to dig a bit deeper.  I note there's a "what's new in .9" one out there that I should probably take a look at as well.

Scott

[Gregg_Seipp 568]

1 hour ago, tttocs said:

Yep, and based on what I'm finding that should be doable.  Think I'll go ahead and pick up the panel as it's cheap and I've got some Amazon gift cards to burn. :-)

It's a pretty decent little panel.  Occasionally, I think about picking up a second.  What I need is some three position switches.

[Rossco 23]

I have two of the panels, a bit by accident as one of the rows of switches ceased working for a while on my original so I purchased another. Original came good & has stayed that way since following a couple of re connects & hasn't given me any trouble with my new ASUS ROG IX Hero MB. Had been waiting for nearly a year for the original to fall over again so I opened up the new one a few weeks back. Looks a bit odd however using SPADneXt Iv'e been able to program all sorts of extra buttons & of course it's ideal for starting twins. 

Iv'e found SPAD great for programming my PFC Yoke & Throttle buttons & rocker switches with the short & long options for those as well. 

Very handy tool.