32 minutes ago, bahnzo said:

[0] 0 (>K:BAROMETRIC)

This works, but for some reason it's not working all the time 100%. I'm not sure why. Any idea?

No idea, sorry. That would be an MSFS secret. Just be mindful that default events only work when the internal aircraft logic is actually processing them. The aircraft developer can decide not to listen to these events at all, and implement his own altimeter logic. Nothing you can do about that - except finding out how this custom logic works and recreate it in AAO.

32 minutes ago, bahnzo said:

maybe that's it

No. 

32 minutes ago, bahnzo said:

but I can't find any LVar were the current altimeter setting is stored. 

The altimeter setting is an A: var (actually two of them), to be found in the MSFS SDK. And it can be indexed too, when you have more than one altimeter.

See here:  Simulation Variables

32 minutes ago, bahnzo said:

I'm not sure how I could setup the plane to start in the air and descend past 18k,

Slew mode and/or saved flight.

32 minutes ago, bahnzo said:

Some sort of message box

There is an AAO command to display the in-sim SimConnect textbox. But the associated SimConnect procedure has been deprecated, so it is hit or miss if it works. There are several other options though, for example creating an AAO gauge, or using the AAO ingame panel. With the panel you can also call Coherent commands that display text on screen. I'm not at the computer at the moment, so I can't post examples right now. I will do that tonight.

Edited November 7, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

19 minutes ago, bahnzo said:

I can see how this tool would be useful tho. For me, using dev mode is a pain in the butt, as I don't run MSFS in the same resolution as my monitor, so I have to go and change MSFS, then go back to dev mode, etc etc. Something like this tool would be pretty useful. 

That may be so on the surface. I don't see it that way. Fact is, that there are more than 2000 simulator variables, multiplied by the potential indexes to each variable. Plus an infinite number of possible LVars (that can just be invented). All of these can change at any moment.

In AAO you have the observer dialog where you can watch variable values. But you have to choose those to watch, either from the internal lists (you can import all the current LVars from the sim too) and  there is the MSFS SDK documentation containing all A: variables. In most cases that seemed to suffice for AAO, I didn't really get a lot of complaints. If you have requirements beyond that, there is always the MSFS devel mode and other tools. 

Edited November 7, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

9 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

With the panel you can also call Coherent commands that display text on screen. I'm not at the computer at the moment, so I can't post examples right now. I will do that tonight.

Here is an example that uses Coherent.Trigger commands to play a sound and display a text box at various positions on the screen. 
Note that this can only work when the AAO InGame Panel is active (it doesn't have to be open, just active - see the chapter about the InGame panel in the AAO manual)

'PLAY_SOUND_FROM_VIEW|UI_NOTIFICATION_ASSISTANCE_APPEAR||SHOW_TOOLTIP|0|HELLO there|1000|500' (>L:AAO_COHERENT_TRIGGER, String) 
(SPLIT:500)
'PLAY_SOUND_FROM_VIEW|UI_NOTIFICATION_ASSISTANCE_APPEAR||SHOW_TOOLTIP|0|and there|1500|700' (>L:AAO_COHERENT_TRIGGER, String) 
(SPLIT:500)
'PLAY_SOUND_FROM_VIEW|UI_NOTIFICATION_ASSISTANCE_APPEAR||SHOW_TOOLTIP|0|and there|700|500' (>L:AAO_COHERENT_TRIGGER, String) 
(SPLIT:2000)
'HIDE_TOOLTIP|0||PLAY_SOUND_FROM_VIEW|UI_NOTIFICATION_POPUP_APPEAR' (>L:AAO_COHERENT_TRIGGER, String) 

13 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

The altimeter setting is an A: var (actually two of them), to be found in the MSFS SDK. And it can be indexed too, when you have more than one altimeter.

See here:  Simulation Variables

I've looked in there and the only altimeter is something with failure flags which I assume isn't what I'm looking for. Is it called something besides Altimeter?

Edit: I see it's probably the Kohlsman settings. I've tried those, but wasn't getting any readings. I guess I'll have to try better. 🙂

 

 

13 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

In AAO you have the observer dialog where you can watch variable values. But you have to choose those to watch, either from the internal lists (you can import all the current LVars from the sim too) and  there is the MSFS SDK documentation containing all A: variables. In most cases that seemed to suffice for AAO, I didn't really get a lot of complaints. If you have requirements beyond that, there is always the MSFS devel mode and other tools. 

I use this a lot, it's a great feature and you can even watch your own created Lvars too. Works great.

 

4 hours ago, Lorby_SI said:

Here is an example

Thanks! I'll look into how I can use this for some of the ideas I've had. 

Edited November 7, 20241 yr by bahnzo

10 hours ago, bahnzo said:

I've tried those, but wasn't getting any readings

Aa written above, that will depend on the individual aircraft. And they are indexed
(A:KOHLSMAN SETTING HG:1, inHG)
(A:KOHLSMAN SETTING MB:1, Millibars)
will return the value for altimeter 1. Replace the 1 with 2 for the second altimeter. etc.

(A:KOHLSMAN SETTING STD:1, Bool)
Will tell you if altimeter 1 is set to STD.

Etc. 

These are read-only variables, you cannot write to them. You have to use K: events for that (this is actually the classic, legacy scheme. Variables can only be read, for writing you need the K: events)

Event IDs

Edited November 8, 20241 yr by Lorby_SI

On 11/8/2024 at 12:01 AM, Lorby_SI said:

Aa written above, that will depend on the individual aircraft. And they are indexed
(A:KOHLSMAN SETTING HG:1, inHG)
(A:KOHLSMAN SETTING MB:1, Millibars)
will return the value for altimeter 1. Replace the 1 with 2 for the second altimeter. etc.

(A:KOHLSMAN SETTING STD:1, Bool)
Will tell you if altimeter 1 is set to STD.

Etc. 

These are read-only variables, you cannot write to them. You have to use K: events for that (this is actually the classic, legacy scheme. Variables can only be read, for writing you need the K: events)

Event IDs

Thanks, I did figure all that out. The old AAO thread in the MSFS forum had some solutions that when I knew to search for KOHLSMAN made sure I had the correct altimeter settings every time.