edfair

Can I get away with 150 euros to get the switches to work in the cockpit. Instead of 350, I try to do it. I'll include a pic to show my approach.. For the overhead switches and encoders - not the displays or gauges. I used photo prints adhered to 1/8" Masonite panels on a homebuilt wooden support frame. The switches were standard toggle switches bought in bulk for less than $2 per. All knobs were homemade (cast and painted) gauges fabricated from PVC pipe (lathe) with dials made from photos. The interface was via 3 Leo Bodnar USB modules each handling 32 switch inputs. Use the great LINDA software with Pete Dowsons FSUIPC to assign the commands. Leo, I noticed has new switch interface boards for 30 Euros. If you change your mind later those can be reused in many other apps. If this seem to be interesting .. Email me via ths board Ed Fairchild Edfair

Thanks guys, for your GREAT!! addon LINDA. (I've sent a more tangible thank you, as well).You've greatly contributed to my "desktop flying dementia" by expanding the function to allow up to 10 units.I've taken a somewhat different route to "low budget" desktop flying. I love the PMDG 737NGX and have built MCP, EFIS and Overhead units to go with the normal yoke, quadrant and pedals. (photo attached). They are all based on the wonderful Bodnar BU.modules. There are 1 each for the MCP and EFIS and 3 for the OVH, that's 5 x 32+ switches to assign. LINDA has greatly simplified the assignment (and change) of these switches and encoders.(I use all of them) As you can imagine, my previous FSUIPC.ini files were quite complex.(Now very simple!!!).One of the appeals of my approach is that the entire unit is modular and can be detached and removed from the desk unit in about 15 mins. (This is of greatest appeal to wives wanting to hide their husband's "dementia" from their "normal" friends... :( or to avoid sexisim - women who wish to appear "normal" and non-threatening to males). I hook up to computers that used to be used for business!! (I'm 69, now retired, fixed budget] and supposed to be playing with grandkids and sitting in a rocker somewhere) [Thanks for the alternative]The panels were all done by attaching Corel redraws of the 737 panels - printed on an inkjet printer to 1/8" (3 mm) masonite (cheap) via photo mounting tissue. All of the switches were the cheapest I could find (usually <$2) and rotary encoder were cheap with the exception of the dual Bodner encoders. All in all, quite low cost compared to things I've seen. The most expensive items in my setup were the Saitek panels my son gave me as a birthday and xmas present.Sorry to ramble on but thanks again....Ed F.ps I'll be glad to provide the Corel .cdr files to anyone via PM unless I hear from lawyers out there that I can get sued!!

Is there a way to use the virtual buttons with LINDA? I used them to interface to SPAD for the Saitek Multipanel in earlier fsuipc.ini files. It was possible in earlier LINDA by placing the commands in the [buttons] section. In 1.11 it doesn't seem to work.Thanks for any help or suggestions from other SPAD users of how to interface to Multipanel from Linda. (mainly dials and buttons... not displays.)Ed F. Sorry .... I misposted this in the main section earlier....

Thanks Bryan for the quick response, I have a number of them already... I was just looking for a text file. If you want a good chuckle, feed any of them through Dragon or another speech recognition program and see what comes out :LMAO:Ed F.

Great program! Works well on my system. A minor request. Anybody out there have a text copy of a typical briefing? If not I'll transcribe and provide one.. just thought I'd ask... I'd like to be able to do my own....Ed F.

Nothing that a few hundred hours and $$$$$$ can't solve!!!! No problem...Ed F.

Great program! I love using it.... only one complaint. I just got all of the dials and switches working on my homebuilt MCP, EFIS and OVH. Along comes your co-pilot and takes over half of the good tactile feel of flying my newly working toys... now I'll have to figure out a way to solenoid actuate all of my toggle switches to keep thing in order (tactilely speaking) More work to do!!!!! Thanks for your efforts.Ed Fairchild

Artem,Big thanks!!Ed F.

Hi Artem,Not that rare!! I've currently got 5 BU0836X modules for homemade MCP, EFIS and OVH devices in addition to the normal yoke, pedals,quad and I know a number of others have deferred using LINDA due to the limit. I loved it but stopped because of the limit. Great work you've done. I just couldn't give up on my favorite toys,Hope you'll consider it!!!Thanks,Ed Fairchild

Gunter,Günter,I'm retired with a lot of time on my hands;-) .. and I'm not too bright :-(.I started on PMDG issue + 1 day, before I even tried LINDA. I did them all in a spreadsheet from my early PMDG stuff back in XP. Just updated.Now that I've tried LINDA. you're right! I also dictate then punctuate, so rambling is easy!! Sorrry!!!!!Ed F.

Günter and ArtemBefore I start, I'd like to congratulate you on a fine and needed piece of work. For years I've worked to cobble together a number of joysticks, consoles, homemade panels, pedals, etc., and each time it required rewriting and/or modification of a variety of macros, lua subunits and ultimately the fsuipc.ini files. I could probably wallpaper my house with the numerous printouts I've generated while reconfiguring my hardware. I'm not a skilled programmer, so LINDA was a welcome change.I love LINDA.. (it's easy for me to say that, it's also my wifes name!!!) ... but.. I'll have to put off depending on it until the next version. I'm in the process of integrating PMDG 737NGX with my 737 hardware and hit a snag. I'm not financially able to go with the marvelous panels I see in cockpits built by various guys on the web.. so I've fabricated my own based on the handy Bodnar BU0836X Joystick Module (http://www.leobodnar.com/). It works fine with LINDA, but I have four of them to interface to my homemade EFIS, MCP and Overhead Panels. When you add in CH Yoke, CH Quadrant, CH Pedal and 2 Saitek boxes (Radio and MultiPanel) you can see the problem. I also programmed a LUA module to allow multiple layers of key assignments to the Quadrant and display an on-screen guide of the key assignments in effect at the time. You can see that my problem is having to give up one of my children to fit the 6 unit limit.Your program also works well with mouse macros. One of the first things I did upon getting my copy of PMDG's masterpiece was to work out all of the button and knob assignments on my units (EFIS, MCP, OVH) with mouse macros (and most worked well). Then came the first patch. They all changed (simple address changes, usually systematic but nevertheless changes). I redid them and moved on. Next patch.. same thing.. wow, this is a pain. Along came LINDA to save the pain... but I had to disconnect part of my overhead (1 of the BU0836X's). I'm also dealing with one of the issues that came up... dialing speed. Using either your lua offsets or mouse macros results in quite a lag when making a big heading, alitude or speed change (same issue in fsuipc.ini button programs). Your program is fine they just didn't provide 10x settings for critical instruments. I did find that using virtual offsets in the Saitek MultiPanel with SPAD worked well (FAST changes) but not all displays reflected the right values.All of this is just an extended attaboy (don't know that in Deutsch). Congratulations!!!Here's my question. All of the macros, I believe, point out guage locations. With each revision of the software they change.. usually just by a few bytes.. I haven't checked to see if they always move as a unit. I took my last set (after the most recent patch) and used a spreadsheet to parse out the locations in hex. Each is separated by 4 bytes and for the overhead I've provided a sorted list that seems similar to the L:Var lists I found on Pete Dowsons site. First, if these are useful to you in sorting out your Linda assignments I can provide more as I find them. (Eventually I'll do every switch or knob I can find) For now I have MCP, EFIS, OVH and some Main Panel.Second, are these the same as the L:Var assignments? Can they be used in lua subprograms.. as you have done? Third, is there a way to program buttons for a separate unit independent of LINDA while LINDA is in use to allow conditional programming?I'll await your response but attach a PDF (if possible) of the table I referred to. I can provide a spreadsheet separately by eMail if you wish. (or the MCRO files).Hope this is of help. (I can also provide photos of my cheapo panels if you'd like)I posted earlier on Pete Dowson's on the Mouse Macros. (http://forum.simflight.com/topic/69059-fsuipc-mouse-macros-for-pmdg-737ngx/page__p__429974__fromsearch__1#entry429974)Ed Fairchild

Just wanted to let folks know I've posted macros for MCP, EFIS and OVH in Pete Dowson's FSUIPC website at http://forum.simflig...029#entry4300299 Note that I used the older Honeywell MCP to match my unit. Much more good stuff at Pete's site. Hope they help save some time (so they can fly) for others for this absolutely fabulous sim. I love(d) the 737NG in FS9 and it inspired me to build my own MCP, EFIS and OVH units from scratch... and now they work beautifully with this great aircraft. It's a joy to fly!!!!!! Lands like a dream using the HUD. Great job PMDG... can't wait for the SDK. Ed FairchildHappy User