Wind simulation Hardware Advice needed

[hannibal]

hello everyone

 

i need you guys advice on a project i been wanting to do.

I like to build a arduino controlled fan to work with DCS.

i would like it to push are in relation to how fast you are flying.

(yes, i know if you are in a cockpit flying in real life, there is no wind)

 

i like to make this project in order to enhance the upcoming virtual reality experience.

 

the main thing i am clueless about is .lua files used to export data from DCS.

i admire the projects that DCS-BIOS allowed modders to build things like the A-10C CDU, altimeter gauges and other physical implementations of custom built panels functioning in DCS. But forum member [FSF]Ian mentions that airspeed is not part of the DCS-BIOS functions.. :/ but yet, i see that Helios and past applications like LOVP (lockon virtual panels~obsolete i think) can read numerous data info, including AIRSPEED (the data that i think i need).

 

so at the moment i think this project of a fan simulator is possible via arduino to read lua data.

 

if anyone that can point me into the direction on how to achieve such a project of making a Wind simulation, would appreciate the advice!

[1.JaVA_Platypus]

Wind simulation with a fan... But there are no open-cockpit airplanes in DCS.

[hannibal]

Wind simulation with a fan... But there are no open-cockpit airplanes in DCS.

 

already know this. i still want to build a fan simulator which would be controlled via a controller like arduino reading off lua data. (unless there is a better method.)

 

is it easier that i am going to say i like to build an airspeed guage

[TomOnSteam]

You should be able to download an arduino simulator/emulator somewhere. Some are even free.

 

I'd break it down in these steps:

Step 1:

 

Start by making a small program that can read the aircraft airspeed out of the DCS-BIOS (there is a section somewhere here on the forums for DCS-BIOS) and then display it through your arduino simulator/emulator.

 

This can be done most likely for free, and is also the critical portion.

 

Step 2:

If you can get that far, then you can get the hardware you need and make a completely unrelated program that just changes the speed of the fan manually via the ardiuno.

 

Step 3:

Obviously then last step would be to make a function method that converts the dcs bios airspeed data to whatever data is required by the spinning fan.

 

Good luck and I want to see screenshots :)

[hannibal]

You should be able to download an arduino simulator/emulator somewhere. Some are even free.

 

I'd break it down in these steps:

Step 1:

 

Start by making a small program that can read the aircraft airspeed out of the DCS-BIOS (there is a section somewhere here on the forums for DCS-BIOS) and then display it through your arduino simulator/emulator.

 

This can be done most likely for free, and is also the critical portion.

 

Step 2:

If you can get that far, then you can get the hardware you need and make a completely unrelated program that just changes the speed of the fan manually via the ardiuno.

 

Step 3:

Obviously then last step would be to make a function method that converts the dcs bios airspeed data to whatever data is required by the spinning fan.

 

Good luck and I want to see screenshots :)

 

thank you so much for your reply, and support.

as you mentioned.. that "critical portion"

building is the easy part.. its the making the program, that i have run into a problem with.

in the DCS-BIOS commondata functions, only certain aircraft is available. altitude is there, position is there.. but not speed. the DCS-BIOS info is very comprehensive when it comes to building switch panels or caution lights. other things beyond that are limited with my capability. if the "commondata" had the airspeed function in there, i would have began messing around with the arduino code.

http://dcs-bios.a10c.de/docs/v0.5.0/control-reference.html

 

with out airspeed, given whats there i have to figure out how to program, but i dont even know where to look for in the export.lua...

 

if someone can help out or point me in the direction to establishing this "critical" part, it would be great! i think its possible being that helios seems to read it..

 

i wish [FSF] Ian can just implement airspeed in the commondata library of DCS-BIOS

 

**update** look like the airspeed function is in the individual dcs modules, rather than a generic function, i see the airspeed data function for the A10C and Ka50..

trying to program an generic airspeed function (as the ones in the commondata) that can be used in all DCS aircraft will be an interesting task for me.

 

but, is the lua.export the key to making any of this stuff to work?

Edited March 12, 2016 by hannibal

[hannibal]

thank for tip on emulator..

ima give virtual breadboard a try..

http://www.virtualbreadboard.com/Main.aspx?TAB=Downloads

[hannibal]

But, there are operable fans in the Mi-8, how cool that would be...:)

 

not interested in the mi8 fan... its just an on/off function.

airspeed is variable..

plus, im not making this project for one aircraft.

i like my device to be universal on all dcs aircraft.

[wormeaten]

This will be good only for RoF.

[rocketsmith]

Don't listen to the neigh-sayers, go ahead and do it! Once you have developed a system to use aircraft performance data to alter a device in the real world, you or some-one else can adapt it to do more. Theoretically there is no limit as to what one could do. How about a 6D motion simulation platform using compressed air from a shop compressor, home-made cylinders from PVC drain pipe and dryer exhaust, model-airplane servo controlled valves and hall effect feedback position sensors. Sized for an ABC pit it would fit in a garage. Project the scenery on a spherical screen (made from a cardboard geodesic dome) with anamorphic distortion and fool the eyes and the inner ear, just like the pros do. Drive it through a USB interface to a PIC that computes the forces a pilot would feel (damped down to what the platform can withstand) and voila! The ultimate in man-cave furniture! Now get started!

[hannibal]

well, im trying to get started... anyone know how to extract airspeed data from the export.lua file? or at least point me in the direction of how helios or DCS-BIOS does it?

[Warhog]

well, im trying to get started... anyone know how to extract airspeed data from the export.lua file? or at least point me in the direction of how helios or DCS-BIOS does it?

 

All you need to do is read the Users Guide for DCS-BIOS. Start here, do a little reading and then follow the link to the DCS-BIOS web site and download the latest version of DCS-BIOS. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=141096.

 

Everything you need, in terms of knowledge, is in that document. I know that because I helped Ian by rewriting the Users Guide so people with zero programming could understand what they need to do. I do not believe there is any other way to access the info you want without being an experienced programmer.

 

If, after reading through the documentation, you still can't figure it out, then it's time to give up as this is extremely easy to do.

 

Good luck

[jay43]

Despite some aircraft not having open canopies there are the likes of the mustang and other second world war aircraft coming up with sliding canopy's in which this would be a nice addition seen lots of footage with pilots landing and taking off with the canopy open still, surely the modern aircraft have some sort of fan system or aircon as well as heater without any air circulation that is going to be one nasty stink bomb for the ground crew.

[hannibal]

Everything you need, in terms of knowledge, is in that document. I know that because I helped Ian by rewriting the Users Guide so people with zero programming could understand what they need to do. I do not believe there is any other way to access the info you want without being an experienced programmer.

Good luck

 

super appreciate your reply.

 

im not expecting anyone in here to program for me.

i would like to do the program work.

but my knowledge is limited.

i ask questions here, to see if what im trying to do is possible, given this community's experience.

i would assume working with the airspeed data as a common function (rather than an individual aircraft) is possible, if other software like LOVP can do it..

it seems like if im supposed to take additional program skill, i think i need to look into familiarizing myself with export.lua resources in addition to DCS-BIOS?

 

starting read the following :)

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=149392

 

and looking into the Export Modules section of the DCS-BIOS developer guide

http://dcs-bios.a10c.de/docs/v0.5.0/developerguide.html#_export_modules_in_dcs_bios

 

im currently downloading DCS World again to familiarize myself with the export.lua file, and see if i can find this AircraftList.lua file and also take a glance at it..

 

im hoping to figure out these lua files to see if i can make a test script that can read a specific data like airspeed or altitude, at its basic level..

sort of like http://deadfrogstudios.com/warthogpit/index.php%3Ftitle%3DExporting_DCS_Data

 

fair enough start, mister warthog?

:)

Edited March 13, 2016 by hannibal

[hannibal]

after browsing the files that are included in the DCS-BIOS package, i see the AircraftList.lua

im just curious about variables or definitions in the commondata.lua file..

 

i see,

local latDeg, latSec, latFractionalSec

local lonDeg, lonSec, lonFractionalSec

local altFt

local hdgDeg

local hdgDegFrac

 

are these declared variables, function calls? (please forgive, i havent done programming in a while since C++ in college)

 

im just trying to understand what actually comes out of an export.. where it ends up in memory.. or gets stored in variables..

like is there a table or list somewhere of all the individual data parameters of a export?

[hannibal]

i come to realize i should just try to work whats given first (where the airspeed functions are included in the individual available libraries of DCS-BIOS) before trying to figure out airspeed as a commondata function.

 

again, i apologize for my lack of knowledge.

i am super appreciative that these utilities are here, that you guys have written the available documentation, and that DCS world is open to such capability to allow us to build switches and gauges for our simming hobbies..

 

THANK YOU WARTHOG, and THANK YOU [FSF]IAN

 

will hope to show u guys further progress in my learning process

[Inrideo]

I can't remember which fans have it off-hand, but you can get 3 wire computer fans that support pulse width modulation to control their speed. A good SP-120 should do the trick :)

 

I'm going to be hooking one up to my dart frog enclosure for ventilation on demand.

[hannibal]

I can't remember which fans have it off-hand, but you can get 3 wire computer fans that support pulse width modulation to control their speed. A good SP-120 should do the trick :)

 

I'm going to be hooking one up to my dart frog enclosure for ventilation on demand.

 

i am not even close to picking a fan to work with. i have to know that there is export data that is worth reading by the arduino. whether its a fan, led, or an actual guage, there device has to have some kind of control input. step by step.

[Inrideo]

Hmmm. I haven't used Helios yet, but if it has working airspeed indicators set up you might be able to track down the settings you need by looking at what it calls :)

[hannibal]

i have something to work with from DCS-BIOS. but helios will be the same story, if helios is not universal to all DCS aircraft.

 

i havent used helios, but from what i have seen, its only functional to some DCS modues.. im intending to make something functional too all aircraft

[FeistyLemur]

Don't forget to wear goggles. Your eyes are going to dry out otherwise.

[hannibal]

Don't forget to wear goggles. Your eyes are going to dry out otherwise.

 

not neccessary, when i have a VR headset on..