FS2020 event issue

[k8jb]

Why do it? Only because I can (maybe??) Just wanted a software way to do the same thing my hardware already does. No other reason. Yes, I could easily do it another way but adding the controlbox "instrument" to a panel seems like a nice thing to do in case of hardware failure. Plus software is much easier to modify than hardware.

Maybe that gamecontroller idea has merit - I'll have to look into it. I obviously have too much time on my hands - the benefits of retirement...

John

[k8jb]

Got another probably useless idea! It's a hardware kludge but it might actually work.

RaspPi connected to AM. Pi LED outputs connected to BU0836 (or equiv) to simulate individual pushbutton switches...AM's hw_led_add and hw_led_set might actually work...of course that's TWO more HW components...or maybe I should just forget the whole thing...

John

[jph]

Hi John,
That's getting rather OTT
as I mentioned before you could use simmessageport directly to an arduino running the hid lib for a keyboard or game controller(s) (as you can have multiple instances).
To run both together you need to use simmessageport (part of AM for custom control) on anything but standard serial() .. for example, use serial(1) on the arduino and a cheap ftdi serial usb to AM. you can then control anything and everything to do with game controllers or keyboards from AM. It will keep you entertained for hours

[k8jb]

Well, I did manage to get AM (running my little control box "instrument") to talk to an Arduino Micro connected back-to-back with a Leonardo I had sitting on the shelf - the Leo sends the keyboard data to the sim PC in response to a signal from the Micro. The non-MSFS2020 PC apps I've tested seem to accept the input with no problem (except for the Alt-? keys which don't seem to work at all). MSFS2020 ignores the Leo keyboard inputs and only responds to keystrokes from the real keyboard which still functions normally. Must be something I'm missing or its being hidden by MSFS somehow.

Probably not worth anymore time or effort but it was interesting getting my little kludge to work...

John

[jph]

Nice one
Like a mad professor
Joe

[k8jb]

In case anyone is interested, I got it to work finally! As I said, I had an Arduino leonardo collecting dust so I programmed it to send the keyboard commands to the PC and another Micro connected to the AM laptop connected to the Leo back to back, that is, I used the Micro's digital pins as outputs and the Leo's as inputs, pulled high. The Micro pulls the leo's pins low and I decode the 5 pin set as a command (0-31, didn't need any more than that. Pause doesn't work, not sure why the Arduino can't send the right PAUSE command, it garbles it for some reason. Only issue I had was timing: after sending the modifier key and next key as necessary, I had to add a 50ms delay minimum before releasing the keys. After that, all good!

John