UFC is not Fully Functional - Long Data Entry

[markom]

This is an issue almost identical to the one I reported some time ago to Helios and their software-only UFC, here: https://github.com/HeliosVirtualCockpit/Helios/issues/605

 

Steps to reproduce:

In F/A-18, on either one of the "MFD"s (use left or bottom, because process in the plane takes over right at one point):

• Select HSI
• Choose waypoint using up or down arrows
• Press DATA (top-right)
• Select PRECISE (bottom)
• Press UFC (top-left)
• Press GRID on the UFC
• On the right MFCD, select a two letter grid using TDC
• On the UFC, enter a long (10-digit) grid coordinate.

The result is shown on the attached images.

 

Opening this for the visibility here, but I started a support chat as well.

[markom]

Could one of you fine folks with the new UFC try and reproduce this behavior? WW wants to have remote access to my machine to help me resolve the issue, and I don't believe this is the issue with my computer or setup, rather the incomplete implementation (of otherwise phenomenal product) on their end.

[FZG_Immel]

I will do that asap. but I am facing my own issues at the moment, so I am not even starting playing with the UFC, unfortunately

but what is strange is what DCS is showing. seems a dcs bug rather than a UFC one

Edited October 22, 2022 by FZG_Immel

[markom]

Thanks. This is really not a show-stopper for me to use it. UFC is great.

[Phantom711]

vor 20 Minuten schrieb FZG_Immel:

but what is strange is what DCS is showing. seems a dcs bug rather than a UFC one

It was once mentioned in another thread, that this is in fact how it is shown in the real Hornet. Due to the limited space two digits get cramped together.

[markom]

Oh no, that part is OK. Look at the physical device - it doesn't implement this "compression", nor does it expand to two digits. It simply skips one digit.

Input: 8989898989
  DCS: 8 [98] 9898989
   WW: 8 89898989

Note that the "98" is not the only "compression" done on the UFC. It happens with many wide numbers. Helios solved this problem with the following mapping: https://github.com/HeliosVirtualCockpit/Helios/blob/master/Helios/Gauges/FA-18C/UFC/UFC.cs#L36-L37. They use a custom font that has special characters that map to the compressed-like glyphs. On the physical UFC, WW would either need to replace the screen, or implement a firmware change to address the compression in the 2nd leftmost alphanumeric spot.

In the attached image, they'd need to implement the "compression" in the spot #1. They already knew about this for the number "20" in #2 and #3, but compression in #1 is what they seem to have missed. At least for some of the combinations. I have tried the one I was confident they've missed. Spot to the left of #1 may also need it, but I have not encountered a situation where it's used, yet.

Edited October 22, 2022 by markom

[FZG_Immel]

thanks for the explanations ! I didnt know about this specificity

[CaptHawk]

Interesting. Hope they fix that. I was going to order o e soon  On another note, when I'm entering mgrs coordinates it's usually 6 digits for the grid. 

[FZG_Immel]

I double checked. I confirm the issue. Though I never used long coord like that before