Help please! Wilco Arbus A320 Home Cockpit OpenCockpits USB LCD Card

[gunes 0]

Hello Guys!

 

I have a simple home cockpit of Airbus a320.

I use 2 LeoBodnar input cards on FSUIPC, and everything works fine.

Now I want some Outputs to improve my cockpit.

 

I bought; 1 USB LCDcard and 1 USB Ouputs card from OpenCockpits.

Also 1 40x2 and 1 8x2 LCD Displays from Ebay.

 

I read the Revew "USB LCD Card from Jack Whaley-Baldwin", and it was very usefull to me.

I am only confused about to get the display values from FSUIPC Offsets (on SIOC program), and have them on my

EFIS/FCU.   8x2 LCD to QNH and 40x2 LCD to SPD, HDG, ALT, VS.

 

Is there any special formula on SIOC program to get this values (as I could "understand" from Revew), or simply (variable of "Offset_input"  = variable of "Display_output")?

 

May I have some help?

 

Regards

 

Gabriel

 

 

 

 

[ddavid 149]

Hi Gabriel and Welcome to the Hangar!

I'm sure Jack will be able to help as he is our resident expert on OpenCockpits. I've used their analog/digital input card for a DIY cyclic/collective, but I'm afraid I can't help you with this - sorry!

Cheers - Dai.

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

Of course you may have some help .

 

Just to clarify; are you wanting to know how to actually put FSUIPC offsets into a SIOC script, or are you wanting to know how to transfer these values to the LCD display (or both)?

[gunes 0]

Hi Gabriel,

 

Of course you may have some help .

 

Just to clarify; are you wanting to know how to actually put FSUIPC offsets into a SIOC script, or are you wanting to know how to transfer these values to the LCD display (or both)?

Thank's for your answer.

 

I'm trying to "learn" a litlle oF SIOC while awaiting for the LCD Card from Openkpcpits.

I'm a little confused how to transfer values to LCD display.

I have read the review form Jack Whaley-Baldwin, and seems to have some values to be calculated.

(ex: L0 = DIVIDE &IAS 128).

 

(sorry for my "broken" English)

 

Gabriel 

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

That particular line you quoted "L0 = DIV &IAS 128" is used only for calculating the Indicated Airspeed value.

 

The general idea is to first get the FSUIPC offset into the SIOC script, like this:

 

Var 1, name OFFSET, Link FSUIPC_IN, Offset $WXYZ, Length L

 

Where WXYZ is the four digit offset code of whatever offset you want to display (for example, for Indicated Airspeed, this is 02BC); you always put a dollar sign ($) before the offset code, else the SIOC compiler will reject the code. "L" is the offset size in bytes, and "name OFFSET" can be any name you want (in my review, I called it "IAS").

 

The next step is to attach some code to the offset to convert it to a usable number. Almost all of the time, when using raw FSUIPC offsets, the numbers you get are not very useful as they are usually multiplied (or divided by) some sort of figure. In the case of Indicated Airspeed, the FSUIPC offset value is multiplied by 128. So, we divide it by 128 to get back to knots (otherwise our value will be consistently 128 times too large). We then assign this "correct value" to a new variable which "holds" the correct value, like this:

 

Var 1, name IAS, Link FSUIPC_IN, Offset $02BC, Length 4

{

 L0 = DIV &IAS 128

 &Calculated_IAS = L0

}

 

Var 2, name Calculated_IAS

 

Here, you can see that we have divided IAS by 128, and then sent this "correct" value to the variable called "Calculated_IAS". Now, "Calculated_IAS" holds the correct value that we want to be sent to the LCD display. To do this, you need to give the LCD display a variable of its own, like this:

 

Var 3, name LCD

 

The name of the variable doesn't matter. All that matters is that when you are using the IOCLCD.exe interface, that you refer to "var 3" in the "add var" box (just type "3" and then "add var").

 

That is how to calculate the value(s) for the LCD display. If you don't want to use Indicated Airspeed, you can simply change the offset code to whatever it is that you want, provided that you also change the length, and also any appropriate calculations between the curly brackets.

 

To transfer the values to the LCD display once they have already been calculated, using the IOCLCD.exe interface, type, in the "ID" box, the variable number of the calculated value you want to use (ie the variable number of "Calculated_IAS"), and in the "Length" box, the number of digits of the value you are using (this is NOT the same as the FSUIPC offset length).

 

I appreciate this is alot to take in; we can of course break things down into smaller stages - just read this post and tell me if there are any bits you don't understand. 

 

In my review I see that I have, for some bizarre reason, multiplied the value by 1.91 and then added 271.5 - this must have been a quirk of something I was doing at the time (it was over 3 years ago!). I think that this is incorrect, and so I will get this changed ASAP.

 

Cheers,

 

Jack

[gunes 0]

Hi Jack,

 

Thanks  for your post.

From what I understand, I can find in my Wilco Airbus A320 a different value (on offset variable), I have to divide

(or multiply) to match the correct value to LCD display. In your case found to fix the IAS, the value 128 to DIV.

This means that in my SPD, the value may not be the same, and I have to find it.

Am I correct?

 

Cheers

 

Gabriel

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

If you want to display IAS, you can just use the same offset that I have used in the review; that offset should give you the correct IAS for any FS aircraft.

 

If you want; tell me what you want on the display, and I can provide you with an example script of what it should look like.

[gunes 0]

Hi Jack

 

I appreciate your kind help

 

 

My generic (and simple) Airbus A320 Cockpit GrareShield.

Two LCD Displays.

 

QNH (baro)                   (LCD 8x2)

SPD, HDG, ALT, VS     (LCD 40x2).

 

That what I need.

 

what appears to me to be difficult is, when on "manage mode" some values on FCU Displays change to "---"

Does a variable value 999998 (or something like this), work here?

 

(sorry "my" English)

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel, 

 

Am I correct in thinking that you want the autopilot FCU displays on the LCD then?

 

That potentially makes things a tad more complicated, but we will see what we can do (some aircraft add-on producers make it difficult to interface things). Bare with me and I will give you a script to test (no worries if you don't have the LCD yet).

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

This may be easier than first thought! There appears to be an already existing list of offsets for the Wilco A320.

 

How do you want the displays arranged? Ie what do you want the 8x2 and 40x2 displays to say and where?

[gunes 0]

I have my Wilco A320 (homemade) EFIS/FCU assembled with some encoders (and switches),

and two input cards (LeoBodnar). All inputs are via FSUIPC to FS (some are mouse macros).

I got a PDF file with a list of FSUIPC offsets to Wilco Airbus (I tested some of these, and they did work).

To led switches, I purchased from Opencockpits a USB 60 Outputs Card, and it "seems easy" to work on SIOC.

 

To the "displays" on EFIS and FCU (Airbus GlareShield) I purchased a USB LCD Displays card (from Opencockpits),

and two LCD Displays.

Now, what I intend do do?

One LCD Display (8x2) to EFIS QNH (baro pressure), and the olher LCD (40x2) to FCU.

On FCU Airbus, there are four outputs I want to get data to the some LCD (40x2). They are; "Speed", "Headind", "Altitude" and "Vertical Speed".

Maybe my idea is not correct, and this is the wrong equipement.

 

I regret having bought the equipment before I discovered this valuable site, because had asked first to your opinion. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

As I said previously, it should be no problem; there is indeed a list of offsets just for the Wilco A320 (which contains all of the FCU stuff you want). If you just tell me how you want things laying out on each display I can have a go for you (ie what cell do you want the speed value to appear/do you want any text on the LCD? How do you want things laying out?).

 

Should be very easy .

[gunes 0]

Thanks again for everything.

 

I have made a JPEG image from IOCP config, that contains "how would" the displays.

As I'm not to expert on these posts, can you  tell me the way to send (or include it)?

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

You need to upload it to Photobucket and then paste it here using the tags.

 

Alternatively you can email me at - Bradley1156@talktalk.net - and attach any appropriate JPEGs.

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Excellent news Gabriel, as per our emails .

[gunes 0]

I Jack

 

I think I could post the image I have sent to your email.

That's a test, but can be useful to share on this topic

 

 

 

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

Yes, the image has sucessfully appeared, thanks for sharing .

 

Is everything ok now?

[gunes 0]

I Jack

 

I made some changes, I found necessary. 

I could not identify the Wilco FSUIPC offset to QNH. 

(sorry;     a) is push button    b) is pull button) 

 

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

There should be no problem with the text change Gabriel.

 

As for QNH, I can't find a FSUIPC offset specifically for the Wilco A320, so I suppose you could go ahead and try offset 0330, which is the default altimeter pressure window setting offset. So you'll have to add this line to that script I sent you:

 

Var 0006, name ALT_QNH, Link FSUIPC_IN, Offset $0330, Length 2 // Aircraft Altimeter Pressure Window Setting

 

Then you can add "var 6" to the LCD interface in the normal way (using IOCLCD.exe).

[gunes 0]

Ok Jack, let's wait for the USB LCD card and LCD's, to begin tests. 

[gunes 0]

Hi Jack

 

I'm back again (wasting your time).

I just got my USBOutput and USBLcd cards.

I testest the USBOutput card, and tests were OK (LED lights on SIOC test (one LED I connected).

I made a small test ssi (from bobbyallen airbus project)

 

Var 0201, name in_oh_apumst, Link FSUIPC_IN, Offset $5699, Length 1 // APU Master

{

  IF &in_oh_apumst = 1

  {

    &ld_oh_apumst = 1    

  }

  ELSE

  {

    &ld_oh_apumst = 0    

  }

}

 

Var 0202, name ld_oh_apumst, Link IOCARD_OUT, Device 21, Output 63

 

this is the test to Wilco A320 APU Master.

 

LED do not light!

 

this is my identification card on SIOC.INI       MASTER=0,6,1,21

 

With FS9 on, FSUIPC apperars "running" on SIOC.EXE

 

I'm sending you sioc.ini by email to you. Maybe I am not configuring it well.

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi Gabriel,

 

Remove the "Device 21" entry from the SIOC script (not from your .ini file); this is erroneous. Any DEVICE entries in a SIOC script should be either 1, 2, 3 or 4 - this simply refers to the card number (ie if you were to have more than one USBOuputs card) - NOT the device number from the SIOC window. I admit that this is very confusing; when I first started to learn SIOC I too thought that DEVICE meant the device number (that would make sense!).

 

In your case, it is very simple. Since you have defined the USBOutputs card in your SIOC.ini file as card "0", you don't actually have to enter a device number at all in the SIOC script (when no DEVICE entry is made, SIOC defaults to card number #0).. As such, your var 0202 entry should look like this:

 

Var 0202, name ld_oh_apumst, Link IOCARD_OUT, Output 63

 

That should fix things!

 

Your SIOC.ini file itself seems fine (from what you emailed me).

[gunes 0]

Hi Jack.

 

It works!

 

without your help, I don't think I would discover that device problem (it's confused).

That is to say that in future (with the two output USBOutput card and USBLCD card),

I will have something like this on SIOC.INI:

 

MASTER=0,6,1,21

MASTER=1,6,1,22

or?

MASTER=1,6,1,21

MASTER=2,6,1,22

 

Sure on script, the Device number will be "the first value" 

 

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hey Gabriel,

 

This is correct:

 

MASTER=0,6,1,21

MASTER=1,6,1,22

 

Then, in any future scripts, if you want to refer to your "second" USBOuputs card, you'll define the outputs like this:

 

Var XXX, name YYY, Link IOCARD_OUT, Device 1, Output ZZ

 

But the "first" master card will remain as:

 

Var XXX, name YYY, Link IOCARD_OUT, Output ZZ

[gunes 0]

Thank's again, Jack.

 

Everything is great.

I made an interesting test with APU Master and APU Strart.

Turning "Master SW" on, led light on.

Turning "Start SW" on, "led start" light on. After a delay, "led available" light on and "led start" light off.

Turning "Master SW" off, all three leds light off.

Eerything like on FS Overhead.

It wil be very interesting to make my Low Overhead Panel.