KA-50 Targeting Mode Control Panel - Head-on airborne target button issue

[Jocman]

Hi all.

I'm going to fine tuning for final testing (and hopefully start flying...) all my cockpit panels.

As per title, I'm getting an issue with the Head-on airborne target button: the Bort snippet is

DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", PIN);

but testing the button (starting only Socat with no DCS running) I expect to see the msg after pressing and releasing:

WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN 1
WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN 0

but I get instead only:

1
0

and no sign of life in the cockpit (the virtual button) if I run DCS an press the button.

I checked even the DCSBIOS Ka-50.lua file, but (for my knowledges - very limited) I don't see any issue. And the button as a LED too...

Any suggestion / solution?

Thanks

[Vinc_Vega]

What if you used the hex address instead of the signal name in the sketch?

Regards, Vinc

Edited May 31, 2024 by Vinc_Vega

[Jocman]

Thanks for support.

Do you mean smtg like 

DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn(0x1916, PIN)

Instead of

DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", PIN);

?

(I got the hex address from Bort in the Output section, don't know if is it the right stuff....)

[Vinc_Vega]

Sorry, the hex addresses are for output only. My fault!

Yes, for that function it would be 0x1916.

 

Regards, Vinc

 

[Vinc_Vega]

@Jocman

You could use commands for the switch in "if" statements like

DcsBios::tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "1");

and

DcsBios::tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "0");

 

Regards, Vinc

Edited May 31, 2024 by Vinc_Vega

[Jocman]

Ok I'll give it a try and see what happens

[Jocman]

Ok I tried; this what I did (hope it's correct):
 

DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn(0x1916, 3);

void onWeaponsForwardHemiTargetBtnChange(unsigned int newValue) {
    // your code here
    if (newValue==1){
      DcsBios::tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "1");
    } else {
      DcsBios::tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "0");
    }
}
DcsBios::IntegerBuffer weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtnBuffer(0x1916, 0x0100, 8, onWeaponsForwardHemiTargetBtnChange);

I suppose I can mix both the functions, as they should act as separate stuff.

BTW, in the image what i got.

I expected (is that correct?) to get the first message after the status 1 and the second after the status 0, but nothing. And considering I pushed/released the button immediately (as per "normal use") between 1 and 0 i had to wait about 15 seconds....

.

And obviously, no sign of life running DCS......

 

[Vinc_Vega]

@Jocman

No, you don't need those DcsBios snippets for inputs as you can readout the Arduino pin - digitalRead(pin). Than make a decision, if the input is high, tryToSend a 0, else tryToSend 1 with the above commands. Inverse logic is because the switch is closed to ground.

(Unfortunately, I'm not at my laptop over the weekend, so I have to guess and type at my cellphone)

 

Regars, Vinc

Edited May 31, 2024 by Vinc_Vega

[Jocman]

Ops.....

Well, at the end, I'm not so  into programming, so I expect a lot of mistakes in my coding (and "coding" is really a BIG WORD.....)

BTW (wife allowing.....) I'll try to do some test in the we. Otherwise, next week.

I'll update the situation.

[No1sonuk]

8 hours ago, Vinc_Vega said:

@Jocman

You could use commands for the switch in "if" statements like

DcsBios::tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "1");

and

DcsBios::tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "0");

 

Regards, Vinc

 

Isn't it just :

tryToSendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "1");

Because it's the bottom line function, not the control class which "DcsBios::" defines.

[Vinc_Vega]

@Jocman

Edit: try to update to the latest built of DcsBios, than check again.

Regards, Vinc

Edited June 2, 2024 by Vinc_Vega

[Vinc_Vega]

@No1sonuk

You are right, we get rid of the "DcsBios::" preposition but have to use the "sendDcsBiosMessage" with a lower case "s".

 

@Jocman

Both versions (a and b) work for me in the cockpit of the Ka-50 version 2:

a) Use of the preformed BORT snippets

Spoiler

#define DCSBIOS_IRQ_SERIAL
#include "DcsBios.h"

/* paste code snippets from the reference documentation here */
DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", 3);

void setup() {
  DcsBios::setup();
}

void loop() {
  DcsBios::loop();
}

 

b) Manually sending the switch inputs via Socat

Spoiler

#define DCSBIOS_IRQ_SERIAL
#include "DcsBios.h"

int SwitchPin = 3;  // button connected to digital pin 3
bool old_SwitchValue = 0; // variable to store the old switch position

/* paste code snippets from the reference documentation here */

void setup() {
  DcsBios::setup();
  pinMode(SwitchPin, INPUT_PULLUP);    // sets the digital pin 3 as input
}

void loop() {
  DcsBios::loop();
  if ((digitalRead(SwitchPin) == 0) && (old_SwitchValue == 1)) {sendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "1"); old_SwitchValue = 0;}
  if ((digitalRead(SwitchPin) == 1) && (old_SwitchValue == 0)) {sendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "0"); old_SwitchValue = 1;}
}

 

 

Best Regards, Vinc

Edited June 2, 2024 by Vinc_Vega

[Jocman]

Ok, I downloaded the nightly and replaced  the previous DCSBIOS version.

And tried.

This is what I get: it works. Yes, but only as IRQ SERIAL mode. In RS_485 mode I get the same issue (only 1 and 0, with no message sent)

#define DCSBIOS_IRQ_SERIAL
#include "DcsBios.h"

/* paste code snippets from the reference documentation here */
DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", 3);

void setup() {
  DcsBios::setup();
}

void loop() {
  DcsBios::loop();
}

copy/paste directly from Vinc topic

//#define DCSBIOS_IRQ_SERIAL

#define DCSBIOS_RS485_SLAVE 126   //Nr. massimo: 126

/*
  The Arduino pin that is connected to the
  /RE and DE pins on the RS-485 transceiver.
*/
#define TXENABLE_PIN 2    //PIN RISERVATO PER PROTOCOLLO 487

#include "DcsBios.h"

/* paste code snippets from the reference documentation here */
DcsBios::Switch2Pos weaponsForwardHemiTargetBtn("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", 3);

void setup() {
  DcsBios::setup();
}

void loop() {
  DcsBios::loop();
}

edited to RS_485 mode.

 

Then, I tried again with the "old" DCSBIOS version (DCS Unified 2.9.3) and got the same result: IRQ_SERIAL mode: it works    RS_485 mode: doesn't work

[Vinc_Vega]

@Jocman

Seems to be an internal DcsBios issue.

try the "manual" solution.

Spoiler

//#define DCSBIOS_IRQ_SERIAL
#define DCSBIOS_RS485_SLAVE 126
#define TXENABLE_PIN 2

#include "DcsBios.h"

int SwitchPin = 3;  // button connected to digital pin 3
bool old_SwitchValue = 0; // variable to store the old switch position

/* paste code snippets from the reference documentation here */

void setup() {
  DcsBios::setup();
  pinMode(SwitchPin, INPUT_PULLUP);    // sets the digital pin 3 as input
}

void loop() {
  DcsBios::loop();
  if ((digitalRead(SwitchPin) == 0) && (old_SwitchValue == 1)) {sendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "1"); old_SwitchValue = 0;}
  if ((digitalRead(SwitchPin) == 1) && (old_SwitchValue == 0)) {sendDcsBiosMessage("WEAPONS_FORWARD_HEMI_TARGET_BTN", "0"); old_SwitchValue = 1;}
}

 

 

Regards, Vinc

[Jocman]

Done.

alway 1 and 0 and nothing else....

[Vinc_Vega]

I have no RS485 bus for testing at the time. Sorry, I can't help anymore.

Regards, Vinc 

[Jocman]

Of course, i understand, and you supported me really a lot, and i give thank to you for your efforts and time.

Do you think i can pinpoint an issue on github concerning this?

I was thinking from the beginning about a bcsbios internal issue, and someway you confirmed this idea (and i didn't talk about this idea)

 

[Vinc_Vega]

@Jocman

Yes you can if @No1sonuk not already did. At least someone can walk through the source code and look if there's an issue within the RS485 definitions.

Regards, Vinc