I’ve seen a few posts lamenting the lack of a TOD pause capability in MSFS so I put together a FSUIPC7 Lua script (PauseMSFS_TOD.lua ) which will pause MSFS at a user specified time (in minutes, 1 to 999) after the script is run. So this Poor Man’s script does not detect an actual TOD, but requires the user to estimate the time to TOD.  In addition, due to current limitations of the MSFS SDK/SimConnect there is not a real good way for a user to enter the desired pause time into a Lua script.  While there are a number of ways to deal with this user input problem (such as using a dedicated data file or assigning all the 0 to 9 number keys to the pause script) they all have drawbacks. However, although slightly inconvenient, the alternative approach used in this script does allow the user to change the pause time in less than a minute when required by different flight profiles, and is the simplest to set up. Note that Lua scripts require a registered (payware) copy of FSUIPC7  to run.

PauseMSFS_TOD.lua

 PauseMSFS_TOD.lua requires the user to enter the desired pause time (1 to 999 minutes ) as a parameter during a typical FSUIPC7 key or button assignment process as shown below.  In this example, F10 has been selected as the key to activate the script, and the Parameter value 75 is the time to the ‘TOD’ pause once the script is initially activated with the F10 key.

                                                                                                     

The disadvantage of this, of course, is that whenever you want to change the time until MSFS pauses (for a different flight plan) you need to open FSUJIPC7, change the Parameter value, and then click Confirm and OK as usual.  While this only takes seconds, it is not as convenient as I would like (nor as can be conveniently done in other sims) because of the SDK/SimConnect limitation. But better than nothing, I suppose, for those that fly long missions. To install the script you just need to put it in the FSUIPC7 folder where the FSUIPC.ini file is and assign a key or button to activate it ( as shown above). You can then run the script at any time simply by using the assigned key or button (F10 in this example). When activated, you will see a brief message that the Sim will pause in # minutes (75 in this example).

                    

 Once the sim is paused, you can unpause it using the ‘normal’ MSFS Esc key which works as a pause toggle.  When the sim is paused, it looks the same as if you have pushed the sim’s pause Esc key during the flight. You can also cancel a pending pause simply by reactivating (rerunning) the script in which case you will see a brief message that TOD pause is off (the assigned script activation key toggles the script on and off).

                     

If you are interested in trying this script, PM me an email address and I’ll be glad to send you the Lua file.

Al

Edited December 28, 20205 yr by ark

Thanks to a new SDK 'work around' by John Dowson, I now have a version of the above lua script that is very convenient to use. When the script is run in response to a key or button input, the script simply asks the user to enter the time in minutes until MSFS should pause. There is no reasonable limit on the time entered (anything from 1 to thousand + minutes). Changing the pause time no longer involves having to reopen FSUIPC7. So if anyone is interested in this, just PM me an email address and I'll send you the script.

Al