BoboBear Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 This is a small python app I've been working on to help me debug my pit instruments. It can send instrument updates, gauge positions, led states etc without having to start DCS. The user can select a DCSBios json definition files, and then choose which indicators to update over a serial port. App also shows the responses received from the hardware. Note. I've only been working on this a couple of weeks on and off. It's not well tested yet. So don't be surprised if you hit issues using it. Let me know what they are and I'll try to fix them. However, as it's proving useful to me, I'm releasing it now in case it helps someone else. https://github.com/tldBear/dcsBiosDebug/blob/master/README.md Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesthegrngo Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 That sounds great. Im not at home for the next few days, but would like to know if this works with gauges using stepper motors too Cheers Lex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Hi Lex, Yes, it should send updates to steppers ok. The App supports the IntegerBuffer DCSBios type. You can set the new IntegerBuffer value (stepper position) via a slider, or can get the app to regularly increase/decrease the IntegerBuffer value. If you try it, let me know what you think. Regards, Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesthegrngo Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Fantastic, this was the subject of a question I asked on another thread, as this is a way of testing my hardware and also for gauges being able to quickly calibrate. If you can run it on a different PC without installing DCS that would be the icing on the cake for me, as my rig is not the easiest place to test things. Its too singular in purpose, so a single test of a part can take five minutes, which as you can imagine with fault finding, calibration or development can be reiterative. You can be sure that I will try it as soon as I am back, and i'll feed back how I get on. If if find any issues, what's the best way to input that, PM or on here? I'm set on being constructive about this as it's a tool / feature I've been hankering for Cheers Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Yep, should be fully independent of a DCS World install. Just need the aircraft .json file from the DCSBios doc folder. Report issues here or via PM. Either way is good. Regards, Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crash test pilot Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Would it be possible to make it work with a RS485-bus? I tried hooking up a single nano and it worked, but when i hooked up a mega as master with a RS485-attached nano i got no response (the RS-485 bus is working, i just wanted to see whats possible). Great work, by the way! Its very helpful already! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 Hmm. I thought it should work with RS485 bus, but I have to admit, I haven't tested it. I'll take a look but it'll be the end of the week as I'm away from home at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 I had a look at the RS485 master issue. Seems that a master doesn't like a lot of data as soon as the serial port opens. So I've added a slight delay. It seems to work ok now on a RS485 master. (My master setup is quite minimal though) New version (1.2) added to GitHub with win64 exe and MacOSX App. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crash test pilot Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Works like a charm. Wonderful! Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesthegrngo Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Hi again I've been using this and should have been giving feedback as I promised I've used this to calibrate gauges, sometimes it takes a couple of attempts to get them to connect, but one they do calibrating is a breeze thanks to this! I had some issues using it to do things light undercarriage status lights and CWP lights, some work and some don't but nonetheless, this is a great tool to use. Thanks again for developing this! Cheers Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shreddersa Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 Thanks and a question Yep, should be fully independent of a DCS World install. Just need the aircraft .json file from the DCSBios doc folder. Report issues here or via PM. Either way is good. Regards, Bear Hi Bear, many thanks for this tool, its a heaven sent! I would like to check with you though, I cannot find any json files in the DCS_BIOS folder, except for MetadataEnd/Start in the control-reference-json folder? I am looking for my Spitfire json, I can use it through the DCS-BIOS interface so I dont know where its calling that from? Thanks again, Roel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 Sorry for slow response, been away from forum a little while Not sure if you're still looking for this, but looks like the json files are all in separate plugin dirs now https://github.com/dcs-bios/module-spitfire-lfmkix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shreddersa Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 :thumbup: Thanks BoboBear, I got it to work and it’s really a fantastic tool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No1sonuk Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Hey. Nice work. I managed to run it once, from the .exe file. The A-10 .json I found from the pre-hub DCS-BIOS wasn't compatible with how my instrument is set up, so I went looking for another. I found a couple of others, but it seemed the app didn't update on the fly, so I closed it in case it needed to start from scratch. Now it won't open again. When I double-click on the .exe, it opens the CMD window, then opens a blank app window, then both close. Almost as quickly as you could read that aloud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesthegrngo Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Want me to send the .json file that works for my version of the tool? Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No1sonuk Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Want me to send the .json file that works for my version of the tool? The new ones I found should probably work, but the whole app won't work for me at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 Try deleting the dcsBiosDebugSettings.json file. (If I remember correctly, it's in your Documents folder on windows) (or better yet, copy it to a new name first. And send it me if that fixes the issue.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No1sonuk Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Renaming the dcsBiosDebugSettings.json file worked. The renamed one is in the zip attached. No idea why it was a problem. On the other hand, the different json file I found DOES work.dcsBiosDebugSettings.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoboBear Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 Great to hear that works for you. Thanks for sending the file. I suspect I need to add some checking that the settings file is valid for the current dcsBios json file. I'll try to add that this weekend so it doesn't catch people out in future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No1sonuk Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Would it make more sense to have the settings file in the same folder as the .exe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesthegrngo Posted November 2, 2022 Share Posted November 2, 2022 Hi guys, this has suddenly stopped working - when you open it it shows the CMD screen, then shuts off Anyone seen this? Cheers Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesthegrngo Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 (edited) How weird is this - it only works if I have a specific USB stick plugged in, even though the .json files are in the debug program root folder on the c drive. If you take the USB drive out, it stops working The drive was not used to install the program or save any profiles, and has no DCS Bios info I used Ccleaner to clear the registry but no difference. I better not lose that USB stick…. crazy! Edited November 3, 2022 by lesthegrngo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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