GSX & 747-8?

[Woozie 732]

I'm wondering if the 747-8 will be utilizing the extended GSX interaction through L variables? Things like sync'ed boarding and automatic door operations? Anything you can tell us?

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Lars,

We don't have any official cooperation with the developer for that product line, so I don't know what they do or how they do it.

Perhaps one of our beta testers can chime in here, as many of them use a wide range of products in their testing process.  Personally I do not use any products that include the COUATL/BGLMANX.

 

[ph-cxz 28]

Fsdreamteam can only provide a config when they have the model available to them which is the same time we have it available I guess.

[Woozie 732]

Thanks Robert! Given that you are not aware of any GSX interaction, i assume its not implemented then. Here's an excerpt from the GSX manual as an example, it works through gauge codes set by the airplane logic which will then be read by GSX so it knows how many PAX are going to be boarded. Its bi-directional in order to sync the boarding procedure (which means FMC payload numbers will be set to 0 when boarding starts and numbers will increase in sync with GSX boarding)

Interfacing with the Passengers simulation
L:FSDT_GSX_NUMPASSENGERS
This variable can be set from a gauge code, and GSX will use it in place of its own
calculation, to set the correct number of passengers to match the airplane.
L:FSDT_GSX_NUMPASSENGERS_BOARDING
L:FSDT_GSX_NUMPASSENGERS_DEBOARDING
The airplane code can read these two variables to stay in sync with the GSX boarding/
deboarding process and update their own internal status.

 

@ph-cxz

I'm not referring to GSX' airplane configs, its about interfacing with GSX by transmitting turnaround status and PAX and Cargo numbers

Edited September 20, 2018 by Woozie

[downscc 1,327]

The L: variables for the doors are uniform for all PMDG 7X7X products.  The new ones introduced with GSX Level 2 are not, and unlike the doors would require additional programming to be added to the mdl files (I think, I'm only familiar with doors).  I really doubt PMDG is going to let a 3d party developer write variables to the model... yeah, I don't expect that.  Just my two cents, I don't speak for PMDG.

[Woozie 732]

it doesnt sound like GSX would alter any PMDG code, that would be way too intrusive. GSX will listen for the pax number variable, set through a gauge code depending on what has been entered in payload page on FMC. Once boarding starts, GSX will "broadcast" its own variable, an increasing number indicating how many passengers have boarded. This can then be picked up by the airplane and synced with payload. 

Maybe @virtuali can provide a better explanation?

In know its just an "immersion" thing, but a proper GSX implementation together with PMDG's auto turnaround mode would be the icing on the cake 🙂 

[virtuali 4,421]

7 hours ago, Woozie said:

it doesnt sound like GSX would alter any PMDG code, that would be way too intrusive. GSX will listen for the pax number variable, set through a gauge code depending on what has been entered in payload page on FMC. Once boarding starts, GSX will "broadcast" its own variable, an increasing number indicating how many passengers have boarded. This can then be picked up by the airplane and synced with payload. 

Maybe @virtuali can provide a better explanation?

Your explanation is very good.

One of the main design cornerstone is that GSX would never try mess with the airplane internal simulation in any way.

This even at the cost of restraining additional features, like doing automatic door handling from GSX, which is a feature that lots of users would like.  This might work somewhat with default airplanes, but it would be a whole big mess if we tried to open doors on 3rd party airplanes, because they might use different methods to control them, have their own internal simulation tied to it (like preventing to operate doors with not electrical or hydraulic power) and different methods to trigger the door's events so, the only ones that can do this safely without disrupting their own simulation, are the airplane developers, which now have a way to read GSX own variables which are published for that reason, to know if GSX is asking for a door, and do whatever they need to do to open/close it, assuming this can be done.

The same is with the Refueling: if the airplane is flagged in GSX as having a custom fuel system (as most of the advanced 3rd party airplanes are), GSX will never write anything to it: it will only animate the refueler based on the fuel quantity, but we never, thouch it. This is a common misunderstanding about how the GSX refueling works, which sometimes might confuse users (default airplanes *are* actually being refueled by GSX), and even some developers, who might be rightfully worried GSX would mess up with their fuel, but it doesn't.

And, the same is with Passenger/Cargo. GSX will never change the airplane payload while boarding, because we know very well every airplane developer has different methods and requirements to do this. But. of course, for realism's sake, it would be very nice if the airplane could change its W/B in realtime instead with a simulated procedure, but with in perfect sync with what's happening on screen: the passengers boarding/deboarding.

So, we have a variable specific to GSX, that airplane developers can *write* to, to tell GSX how many passengers will have to be boarded/deboarded, and another they can *read* from, to know when a passenger walks through the door, so they can do whatever adjustments they need to do in their W/B, in a safe way.

These variables are standard L: vars that can be used from both C++ or XML, and are fully documented in the GSX manual, so they can be added by any developer without any need for our help, although we are always open to suggestions in case something is missing. Most of them are there because some airplane developer asked for it.

[Woozie 732]

Thanks for chiming in Umberto

lets see, maybe its something for a future update

[guenseli 1,580]

If you like, take a look into LINDA and its GSX library.

It is not 100% implemented GSX but it does open and close the doors automatically for you.

[Woozie 732]

Excellent, thanks Guenter. I completely missed that announcement. Will give it a try for sure