Calculator code to update multiple simvars / A-type variables | MobiFlight | Page 1

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 2:50 PM

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I am having an issue defining an axis-input type preset to update multiple simvars. The following preset works as expected, for single throttle control:
One Engine Throttle#@ 16383 + 32767.0 / (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100)
However, when I extend this to multiple throttles, e.g. for two throttles
Two Engine Throttle#@ 16383 + 32767.0 / (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) @ 16383 + 32767.0 / (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)
then this causes throttle 2 to jump to max straight away, with no other movement and nothing on throttle 1.
How can I send the axis input value to both (or multiple) simvars?
Is there something wrong with the calc code syntax for updating multiple a-vars? Note the parameter ('@') is being correctly substituted in both locations before being executed.

I want to do this to define a preset for 6-engine aircraft, as there don't seem to be any events/k-type vars for throttles 5 and 6.

Any ideas?

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 3:02 PM

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I wonder if those things being on a single line, the second piece of code gets its initial values from the first part?

@restive schooner might know some more, but the stack operators come to mind, whether you could duplicate the calculated value to two registers and then read back from each to a their respective A-vars?

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 3:03 PM

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I just checked and apparently that A: var is settable although I have never set throttle that way.

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 3:03 PM

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I know in MobiFlight you can have just two lines, but I guess the FSUIPC wasm stuff uses the events.txt format which is just one line?

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ie, could you do @ 16383 + 32767.0 / d s0 s1 ...

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?

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I am not at all familiar with registers unfortunately

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 3:06 PM

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I suggest trying (>K:THROTTLE1_SET) (>K:THROTTLE2_SET)

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I think @ only works in Mobiflight as placeholder. Not sure anywhere else.

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Afaik events.txt never supported axis input

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 3:09 PM

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John said the issue is the THROTTLE_SET only exists for engines 1-4 and he needs to make something that works for 5 and 6

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 3:10 PM

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Remember analog input started with the custom input box sending code in real time to the Sim, bypassing events.txt

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I think someone needs to go into Dev Mode with a six engine aircraft to see how it is done.

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Is there any default aircraft with 6 engines?

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 3:21 PM

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the spruce goose?

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no wait it has two engines coupled together so it is 4 levers

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 4:07 PM

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I wonder if those things being on a single line, the second piece of code gets its initial values from the first part?
That was my initial thought, but there are plenty of presets doing the same, for A-vars and lvars, although I haven't actually testef these...

I know in MobiFlight you can have just two lines, but I guess the FSUIPC wasm stuff uses the events.txt format which is just one line?
ie, could you do @ 16383 + 32767.0 / d s0 s1 ...
?
I am not at all familiar with registers unfortunately
Yes, just one line. I am also not familiar with registers and how they are used.

Is there any default aircraft with 6 engines?
No need really - can try with a 2 or 4 engine aircraft.

The SDK states that only indices 1-4 are supported, but 5 & 6 work for throttle, but not mixture or prop.

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I think @ only works in Mobiflight as placeholder. Not sure anywhere else.
I use $Param in FSUIPC as a parameter placeholder in calc. code strings, but later I saw that MF used the @ symbol so added support for that as well.

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...and the Hercules H4 has 8 engines..,

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 4:43 PM

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yeah the @ is getting the value from potentiometers, its otherwise like $

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but just updates continuously and does not have OnPress and OnRelease events

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 5:16 PM

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red arch > I think @ only works in Mobiflight as placeholder. Not sure anywhere else. I u...

John, I successfully tested the (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION, percent) with the default Hercules that has 8 engines. The simulation has only four throttle levers, I assigned throttles 1 and 2 to my left lever and 3 and 4 to my right lever. It works ok.

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here is the code I used in Mobiflight and Simconnect event
@ 20 - 10 / 0 max 100 min s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent)

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Right lever
@ 20 - 10 / 0 max 100 min s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:3, percent) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:4, percent)

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what device are you using to test? definitely not a potentiometer connected to arduino, as that would have an input range of 0 to 1023 to begin with, which is what I am using for my tests.

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 5:39 PM

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@red arch question, if the K:event support is only for up to four engines, why would there be an expectation that the A: variable support is different?

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 6:06 PM

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I couldn't find where it says throttle indices 5 and 6 would work. Only that 1-4 are allowed.

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 6:20 PM

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spruce goose has 8 engines mapped to 4 throttles, 1+2,3+4,5+6,7+8

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 6:30 PM

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assigned throttles 1 and 2 to my left lever and 3 and 4 to my right lever. It works ok.
here is the code I used in Mobiflight and Simconnect event
Are you sending those as separate lines? Doesn't work here on one line, just the 2nd a-var is changed (i.e. throttle 2 or 4). I can send the lines individually, that works, but sending as one string on one line then the first a-var update is ignored.

if the K:event support is only for up to four engines, why would there be an expectation that the A: variable support is different?
There isn't, but it does - as you have found out! As I said, the documentation explicitly states for engines/indices 1-4. However throttle works for 5 & 6, but not prop or mixture.

what device are you using to test?
Just a standard joystick axis. But this is immaterial - the question is really about setting the value to multiple A-type variables in a one line calc. code string.

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 6:32 PM

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In Mobiflight it is irrelevant if I use one or more lines. In this case they are two lines but I am confident it works just the same with one line code.

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I can understand that the events.txt forces you to one line only.

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Could it be your implementation of the @ placeholder?

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Maybe only the last one is taken

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Just shooting ideas

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 6:38 PM

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I am confident it works just the same with one line code.
I wouldn't be so confident...

Maybe only the last one is taken
Yes, this seems to be the case.

Try this: this works, sending individual or separate lines, moving throttles 1 & 2 to 50% (no placeholders):

0.5 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100)
0.5 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)

With this, only the last one is taken:

0.5 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) 0.5 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 6:39 PM

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OK, I can test that in about one hour as I am out of the house right now.

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 6:39 PM

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Ok, thanks. This may have implications for the presets in the events.txt file, as they are single lines. There are several that update multiple a-vars that may not work....

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Multiple lvar updates on a single line doesn't seem to be an issue.

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 6:43 PM

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can you try with a static number?

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I wonder if it is how @ is handled?

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 6:43 PM

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I have - see above...

next pollen Jun 21, 2023, 6:43 PM

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as it was added later

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would it work if you duplicate the value and then put the avars there?

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ie, use the d

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and I would assume you then get two outputs?

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and if you give two simvars to set them into? would that work?

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ie, @ d (>a:simvar1) (>a:simvar2)

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?

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 6:52 PM

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I know that one line code worked in events.txt just fine, but I haven't used events.txt type of commands in almost two years.

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I once tested a one line RPN code that had more than 40,000 characters and it worked.

red arch Jun 21, 2023, 6:57 PM

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ie, use the d
and I would assume you then get two outputs?
and if you give two simvars to set them into? would that work?
ie, @ d (>a:simvar1) (>a:simvar2)
?
Tried that - neither changed. Its also the same simvar, different index - but not sure if that is relevant.

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 7:08 PM

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red arch > ie, use the d > and I would assume you then get two outputs? > and if you give...

Just to understand, in your case, is this code going via the Mobiflight wasm? Because all my tests are obviously using the Mobiflight wasm module.

restive schooner Jun 21, 2023, 7:50 PM

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red arch > ie, use the d > and I would assume you then get two outputs? > and if you give...

ok tested the same code I posted earlier but in one line. Works ok to control all eight engines with my two levers.

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@ 20 - 10 / 0 max 100 min s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent)

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Now tested assigning a fixed number and it also works
50 s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent)

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Changing units to "percent over 100" also worked ok
0.20 s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)

red arch Jun 22, 2023, 8:45 AM

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Ok, that now works, and extending to 4 (or 6, not tested though) engines also works using a placeholder/parameter. Thanks,
I do have one final strange related issue. These two strings seem exactly the same, but the second only moves throttle 2 and not throttle 1:

0.5 s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)

0.5 s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)
Can you see a difference there? Can you try them to see if you get the same (via copy and paste)?

restive schooner Jun 22, 2023, 4:08 PM

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red arch Ok, that now works, and extending to 4 (or 6, not tested though) engines also wo...

Sorry, both lines worked OK for me.
You didn't specify whether these tests are going through the Mobiflight WASM module or the Fsuipc7 wasm module?

red arch Jun 22, 2023, 4:19 PM

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Ok - they should do really, as they are exactly the same as far as I can tell, its very strange. Thanks for testing.
I am using the FSUIPC WASM module - the strings are just executed using the gauge execute_calculator_code function. Just driving me a bit crazy as I can't understand why one fails - this is the log from the WASM:
Thu Jun 22 08:42:18 2023 [DEBUG]: Calculator code executed: '0.5 s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)' Thu Jun 22 08:42:19 2023 [DEBUG]: Calculator code executed: '0.5 s0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent over 100) l0 (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent over 100)'
Both strings identical (no hidden characters), one works on both throttles, the other only moves throttle 2.... I would like to know why this fails but its not an issue.
Thanks for checking anyway.

restive schooner Jun 22, 2023, 6:08 PM

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red arch Ok - they should do really, as they are exactly the same as far as I can tell, i...

John, even this works perfectly fine in Mobiflight
@ 15 - 10 / (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1, percent) @ 15 - 10 / (>A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:2, percent)

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in one input

next pollen Jun 22, 2023, 6:54 PM

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weird

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does sim Console show anything?

restive schooner Jun 22, 2023, 6:56 PM

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I think it has something to do with using events.txt. If I remember well, this method was not designed to send live parameters to the sim.

#Calculator code to update multiple simvars / A-type variables