Engine instruments and Simplugin Panel Builder

[den4 0]

I am trying to make a panel to run on a remote pc using Panel Builder but am having problems with the engine instruments reading differently to PB compared to the VC.

I have asked this question on the PB forum and they suggest I need to use the LVars since the SUIPC output may not tally.

The only trouble is that I do not know if there is an Lvar for Prop rpm, GG rpm and Torgue pressure.  Could someone advise me please as to whether this is possible and, if so, which Lvars I need to be working with?

 

Many thanks.

 

Den

[MarkHurst 173]

You can try to discover the Lvars yourself with the LINDA Tracer tool. FSUIPC also has an option to list all Lvars in a log file. I guess you ought to be able to looks through the XML files that come with the Twin Otter and try to spot them that way too. I don't know that there is any list.

[den4 0]

Mark, thank you for your reply.  I have already listed the Lvars using FSUIPC but I'm not clear as to which, if any, are the correct ones to use. The prop RPM gauge in Panel Builder just always give a huge figure which must be the engine rpm rather than the prop rpm.  I also have trouble with the torque and gas generator gauges not tallying as well.

I was hoping for some comment from the developer of TOE as to how this data is presented to shed some light on the matter for me.  Until I can get this sorted my Twotter cockpit set up is stalled at the first fence!

[MarkHurst 173]

9 hours ago, den4 said:

I have already listed the Lvars using FSUIPC but I'm not clear as to which, if any, are the correct ones to use. The prop RPM gauge in Panel Builder just always give a huge figure which must be the engine rpm rather than the prop rpm.

 

Presuming you have ruled out that the Aerosoft gauge isn't showing any of the FSX internal RPM variables, there must be some internal workings going on. Without knowing the logic the only way to figure this out is to explore. Like I said, you can use the LINDA tracer to watch the values of the Lvars as you manipulate the controls. You can also use AFSD, a free tool to watch all the internal FSX variables.

 

That said, don't forget that the Twin Otter RPM gauge is a % of nominal RPM. From watching the FSX variables, the nominal (100%) RPM appears to be 2100 and the N2 (% prop RPM) variable shows the value displayed on the Twin Otter gauge. (I am seeing 2100 with the 300 series Tundra variant, BTW) So I think that one should be doable without Lvars - you just need to make sure you're looking at the right FSX variables. I am assuming PB lets you change which variable is bound - it's a long time since I played with PB. You will need to look at the SDK documentation to see which variables are available. At first glance the likely-looking ones are TURB ENG N2:index and TURB ENG CORRECTED N2:index.

[den4 0]

Right, I think I've got somewhere today.

I've tried LINDA on a couple of occasions in the past, one fairly recently, but it does not recognise all of my joysticks.  In particular it does not see my BU0836 for some reason and it does not see the Button Screen on Wideclient- which I rely on displayed on a touch screen for some of my controls.  I can't even get it to log the LVars because it constantly gives me a range check error- so I gave up on that.

 

Mark, your suggestion re using the N2 corrected works for the prop rpm.  It now matches the VC.  Unfortunately I can't get the PB gauge to show the correct green and red lines since their logic only allows green, yellow, red in that order and in the VC this is not the case. The amber is lower than the green, but I can live with that I think.  And there are no numbers on the scale and I cannot get any to show.

The torque setting is weird since it go up in the VC when I reduce the prop lever but it doesn't in the PB gauge- so that still needs some figuring out.  Maybe that is reading the wrong offset as well?

 

And then there is the Gas Generator to sort out after that.

Phew, I need a lie down in a darkened room I think now!

[MarkHurst 173]

28 minutes ago, den4 said:

Phew, I need a lie down in a darkened room I think now!

 

Well, it sounds like you're getting somewhere at least! The torque behaviour is logical - if you coarsen the prop the engine needs to work harder - but again, you'd need to look at what variable the PB gauge is bound to and maybe tinker with that. I don't have PB installed any more, although I do have Air Manager. AM is a much better program, at least than the version of PB I had. It also now has Lvar support in a much more flexible way that PB does. But another great thing with AM over PB is you can redesign the graphics yourself as well as having complete programmatic control over the gauge logic. So you can put the arcs where you need them and so on.

 

As for LINDA, well I guess if it flips out on you it isn't much use. It sees all my sticks (including one BU0836 and seven BBI-32s) although I am not using Widclient. I use a really old version at the moment (1.1.3) although I will upgrade soon because better HID support is coming. I definitely recommend you look at AFSD (available here) for watching the standard FSX variables.

[den4 0]

1 hour ago, MarkHurst said:

 

I don't have PB installed any more, although I do have Air Manager. AM is a much better program, at least than the version of PB I had. It also now has Lvar support in a much more flexible way that PB does. But another great thing with AM over PB is you can redesign the graphics yourself as well as having complete programmatic control over the gauge logic. So you can put the arcs where you need them and so on.

 

 

Yes, I looked at Air Manager yesterday.  If there had been a trial version I would have given it a go but I've only just got PB- although I'm beginning to wonder if I should have!

I understand the logic as to why the torque meter does what it does, I just don't understand why the offset for it doesn't follow the logic as well.  I will have another look tomorrow to see if I can find another offset to use which gives the correct result. Your assistance is much appreciated.

[den4 0]

Do you use Air Manager in your simpit then Mark?  If so was it easy to set up the engine gauges?  I may have to bite the bullet and buy it but I don't want to waste even more money if it doesn't work.  SWMBO would kill me if I did!

[MarkHurst 173]

2 hours ago, den4 said:

Do you use Air Manager in your simpit then Mark?  If so was it easy to set up the engine gauges?  I may have to bite the bullet and buy it but I don't want to waste even more money if it doesn't work.  SWMBO would kill me if I did!

 

No, I currently do not use Air Manager. However, you might want to pop over to the SimInnovations forum and ask about Twin Otter gauges. Russ (Barlow) may have something to say about that.

[den4 0]

OK thanks, I''l pop over there now.

[den4 0]

You were right Mark.  Russ Barlow did indeed have something to say about it. He has offered to work with me to get the Twotter panel up and running- although I'm not sure how much I'll be able to contribute to it but I'll no doubt learn quite a bit from it.  Thanks for your help, I'll let you know the outcome.

[MarkHurst 173]

55 minutes ago, den4 said:

You were right Mark.  Russ Barlow did indeed have something to say about it. He has offered to work with me to get the Twotter panel up and running- although I'm not sure how much I'll be able to contribute to it but I'll no doubt learn quite a bit from it.  Thanks for your help, I'll let you know the outcome.

 

Awesome!