Seat belt sign not recognized of new PMDG 737NGXu

[legendli]

Seat belt sign not recognized of new PMDG 737NGXu , Waiting for the update , btw, push back not working, aircraft go forward instead backward. 

[peter]

Hi Legendli,

we might need your input to fix the seat belt sign with this bird since nobody on the team has the Ngu. Would you be willing to hunt for Lvars, as outlined in sections I-IV of "Introduction To FSCaptain Interfaces.pdf"?

About push back: if that's the FSCaptain pushback, we would need to see your logs. Please send the email to all of us and copy the address of this thread into your message so that everyone on the FSCaptain team knows what the logs are for.

Cheers,
Peter

[Travis]

What Peter said (about LVARs)....

Here's a snip from a quote I posted earlier this week about another aircraft:

To find LVARs, you would need to run LINDA - an excellent utility aimed mostly at hardware interfacing, and which does require a paid FSUIPC for full functionality.

LINDA has functions which allow you to monitor all active LVARs in your simulator, and to read and write values to them.

You would spawn in your aircraft somewhere, run LINDA in a separate window, and literally flip a switch in your aircraft and look for an LVAR which seems to be reacting to your actions. Do that for all systems that FSCaptain doesn't react to, and give us what you find.

It shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes to complete an LVAR hunt.

There's a much longer description (with hopefully helpful screenshots) in a couple of our documents: Introduction To FSCaptain Interfaces (ignore all of the references to XML) and FSCaptain Airplane Configuration How-To (Section 8).

Just ignore any reference in those documents to "XML code"!!

We would also need to know all of the "SimObject" folder names for each of the aircraft models.  I think we have a copy of them, but I'd like to double check with someone else.
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About push back...  the ACME Pushback calls the built-in simulator pushback (the keyboard command is "SHIFT-P"), so check your aircraft without FSCaptain in play and use your simulator's keyboard command to start/stop things, and see what happens.

Best,

[legendli]

For Linda I'm reading the document, and for the folder as below:
PMDG 737-800NGXu
PMDG 737-800NGXu BW
PMDG 737-800NGXu SSW
PMDG 737-900ERNGXu BW
PMDG 737-900ERNGXu SSW
PMDG 737-900NGXu
PMDG 737-900NGXu BW
PMDG 737-900NGXu SSW

Thanks guys!

[Travis]

Those are the same folders as we've been informed.

Take your time with the LVARs. If you have any questions, post or email them!

Best,

[legendli]

[L] LVar: switch_104_73X = 0
[L] LVar: switch_104_73X = 50
[L] LVar: switch_104_73X = 100

This is the the result I found for Seat Belt 0 = off 50 = auto 100 = on, and still looking for the names of landing lights and others, is the result of switch_104_73x is what you need?

[legendli]

And I found No Smoking/Chime not working either:
switch_103_73X = 0 (OFF), =100 (ON)

[Travis]

Looks good to me so far!  Keep them coming and I'll add them in step-by-step.

(Bear in mind when there's an OFF AUTO ON selector for belts, we only focus on the OFF and ON values.)



Best,

[Travis]

I should also ask if you've tested setting both of those LVARs to 0 and to 100 and checked that the correct switch does operate.

There was one aircraft years ago - or perhaps it was an FO add-on to an aircraft - that would automatically move the belt switch itself when passing through 18000ft (or something like that). So we had to recommend that Captain either take control from the FO on each flight, or to indicate that aircraft had no seat belts.

I said to myself that the next time that happens I'll add a "FO Does Belts" to the aircraft configuration tab in the Administrator.

Best,

[legendli]

Hi Travis,


Thanks for the great support as always.

I tried send 100 and 0 for seat belt & chime switch 103, 104, the switches operated as expected via Linda (shift+ctrl+alt+f10).

Found more missing AP & Brake temp, for AP if this indicates weather AP is engaged, the keys as below:

Auto Pilot Left:
ngx_MCP_FDLeft = 0 , 1
switch_402_73X = 0, 100

Auto Pilot Right:
ngx_MCP_FDRight = 0 ,1
switch_403_73X = 0 , 100

For switch 402 and 403 Linda can press it but the green lights didn't turn on....

For Brake temp
Couldn't find anything yet,    my tire blew out  


I checked for other keys seems works fine include landing lights, nav, strobe, flaps, anti-ice, gear, parking brake, Vertical speed ....,

[Travis]

Hi Legendli,

It is I who must thank you for your details and your checking.  So we have good confidence in the Cabin Alert items!

Your Autopilot data is very helpful!  This enables the aircraft to be flown correctly under "I'll Be Back" conditions.  Once you hit TOC and your altitude and groundspeed are stable, you can feel safe in declaring IBB and not having to keep perfect attention to your flight.  No matter if you hit a patch of medium+ turbulence... or have a cabin emergency... or have your aircraft's FMC initiate Descent sooner than expected... or just have an unexpected Wind Shift that changes your groundspeed, we'll pause the simulator until you assess the situation and take corrective action.

If I could ask one more thing (since you are a LINDA expert), could you check on the Exits status of the aircraft?

Most recent PMDG aircraft have LVARs which report the status of their exits.

For example, on the previous PMDG 737NG, here are the LVAR names of the aircraft exits:

• NGXFwdLeftCabinDoor
• NGXAftLeftCabinDoor
• NGXFwdCargoDoor
• NGXAftCargoDoor
• NGXFwdRightCabinDoor
• NGXAftRightCabinDoor

Their values seem to be "0" for closed and not "0" for open.  (IIRC - but I may be wrong - it's a '0-to-100 percent' value.)

Perhaps they are the same in this new series of aircraft... or perhaps "u"s have been added... or something else entirely....

Those737NG  LVARs do not accept a change from us, so we can't set them.  But it does let us know us of the status of all PAX exits, Cargo exits, and Other exits.

That's perfectly acceptable behavior for some aircraft systems, which you encountered....

For switch 402 and 403 Linda can press it but the green lights didn't turn on....

This is not a problem. The only controls we change are the Seat Belt sign and the No Smoking sign. (Okay, we also disconnect the default auto-throttle after touchdown once any brake has been 30+% engaged... there'll be a new option to disable that change in Alpha 2.)

For Brake temp
Couldn't find anything yet, my tire blew out

Was that caused by us???

Brake Temps are the rarest of systems to monitor.  I have a long-standing plan to implement a Brake Temp model for most any aircraft, but I'll need months to work on models, make test flights, and to implement a good overarching model.

Best,

[legendli]

Hi Travis,

You are more than welcome!

It's my first time to deal with Linda so don't expect too much, haha!

For exits below is the list: (first time to know 737 ngx has a build in stairs, is it an option or standard?)
NGXFwdLeftCabinDoor
NGXFwdLeftCabinDoor
NGXAftLeftCabinDoor
NGXAftRightCabinDoor
NGXOverwingLeftEmerExit
NGXOverwingRightEmerExit
NGXFwdCargoDoor
NGXAftCargoDoor
NGXEEDoor
All the values are 0 - 100

You are absolutely right about send value back to this bird, I can see the door reacted but went back to its original status right way.

NGXAirStairs (0 - 300) I know you probably don't care of the stairs.


For the brake temp it's OK you can't capture for it, FSCaptain is my boss, I'm happy the company doesn't know I did something wrong, haha!


I'm not quite understood how to implement the xml, I read the user guide, and that will be great if you can show me an example. I didn't find panel folder under my FSCaptain. Thanks.

Best Regards

[Travis]

Hi Legendli,

First, you can ignore the xml bits for now, since I'm writing the interface directly in the FCDU.

Although if you really want to know how xml gauges work, Dutch or I could start our own class.

And the \Panel\ folders we mention are in your aircraft's containing folder - so there would be one in \SimObjects\Aircraft\PMDG 737-800NGXu\ and another in \SimObjects\Aircraft\PMDG 737-800NGXu BW\ etc.

-----

Now I would like to ask you to look for LVARs for three more systems: Galley Power, Window Heat, and Continuous Ignition.

I'll describe what they're like in the old NGX aircraft and if you want to give it a go, you should be able to find them in the new birds....

"Galley Power" is operated by a switch labeled "Cab Util". It's value was 0 and 100.

"Window Heat" are four switches probably labeled "Window Heat" - there's one switch for each of the main cockpit windows (2 port, 2 starboard). Their values are also 0 and 100.

"Continuous Ignition" can be found in the two Ignition switches. They should have four states: GRD OFF CONT FLT. In the NGX their values were 0, 10, 20 and 30.

I don't know for a fact that they're also modeled in the NGXu, but I'd be highly surprised if they aren't.

-----

I had hoped to have Alpha 2 released today, but I've had some Real World things to take care of for the past few days, so now I'm hoping to have something ready by the upcoming weekend. (After turkey and all that....)

If you do have time before then to look for these, great. If you're busy with family and food, that's great too!

Best,

[legendli]

Hi Travis,

Your interface will be perfect for me!  Take your time and Thanks!

I tried captured key from your document a few days ago that's all I got

#CAB UTIL:
    switch_05_73X = 0 , 100


#Cont. Ignition

    NO.2 Engine

        switch_121_73X = 20

    NO.1 Engine
        switch_119_73X  = 20
    

    # 0 (GRD) , 10(OFF), 20(Cont), 30(FLT) ,

#Window Heat

switch_135_73X = 0 , 100  //Side Left
switch_136_73X = 0 , 100  //FWD Left
switch_138_73X = 0 , 100  //Side Right
switch_139_73X = 0 , 100  //FWD Right

#Structural(Wing) Anti-Ice

    switch_156_73X , 0, 100

#LOGO Lights

    switch_122_73X, 0 , 100



#POSITION STROBE & STEADY

    switch_123_73X, 0(??) , 50(OFF) , 100 (STEADY)



#ANTI COLLISION

    switch_124_73X, 0 , 100


#WING LIGHTS

    switch_125_73X, 0 , 100


#WHEEL WELL

    switch_126_73X, 0 , 100


#TAXI

    switch_117_73X, 0 , 100



#RUNWAY TURN

    switch_115_73X, 0 , 100  //Left

    switch_116_73X, 0 , 100  //Right





#Landing Lights

    switch_111_73X , 0 , 50 , 100 , Retractable , Left

    switch_112_73X , 0 , 50 , 100 , Retractable , Right



    switch_113_73X , 0 , 100 , Fixed , Left

    switch_114_73X , 0 , 100 , Fixed , Left


#Flaps

    switch_714_73x // I did this a few days ago and I forgot the values....

# Gear
   switch_455_73x  // I did this a few days ago and I forgot the values....

# Cabin ALT
    switch_455_73x // It should be the switch instead of the CAB ALT value. 

[Travis]

Hi Legendli,

I've just added your Galley Power, Continuous Ignition, and Window Heat items to the interface. I hope to release Alpha 2 within 24 hours.

If you can see on the SYSTEMS screen that other things such as Anti-Ice, Taxi / Landing Lights, or Flaps are okay (they needed no interface on the previous PMDG 737 NGX release) then we may be close to being complete.

I would like to point out that the original interface had a different switch LVAR for Cab Util (Galley Power) on the -600 and -700 aircraft. If Cab Util (Galley Power) are also represented in the NGXu series, could you please look in there for an LVAR with the name "Switch_974_73X" - or a name which would be very similar??
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The only things your interface lacks which the previous one had are Cabin Altitude, as well as Cabin Temp & Cabin ROC. These are all also 'secondary systems' and are not necessary for flight, but which add a bit more realism.

Best regards,