IPAD CDU/MFD option (almost working)

[Ghost_unit13]

Ok before you all start buying the app I used, I have to say there is still one big show stopper.

I used the Ipad App Keypadpro. ($4,99) With this app you can places keybuttons on you Ipad screen anywhere in the matrix of the keypadpro screen and assign it a keypress that is detected by your computer and so by A-10. You can add images for the buttons and an image for the background. you can make more than one screen.. so 2 MFD's a CDU ect.. switching between them is fast.. (I show you in the video)

 

Now the show stopper for so fare. I can assign all keyboard keys, as long they are not shifted/ctrl/alt based.. for some reason A-10 doesn't like the way it gets the modifier (shift/ctrl/alt)commands from the keymappro server.exe that is translating the keyinput. Strange thing is that it does work in FSX! I did try other sim's, in some it works in others it don't.

 

So what does this mean.. We could have a great App to assign all cockpit button on your Ipad but as long we only can use default keys the options are limited.

 

I tried to use the tool HIDmacro to handle as an interface between A-10 and keypadpro and it looks like it should be able to, but I just can't get it to work all the way.. I don't really get it how HIDmacro works. Hope someone more into keyboard programming can have a try..or send me on my way.

 

I made a demo that you can view here.

 

It's a little demo what can be done. The look of the MFD is just a tryout, For the CDU I managed to get it look very nice, only for the keys I miss an option to make them smaller but this should be possible in an next version of keypadpro. For the CDU I just push some buttons for the show but they are registered on my system and can me linked into A-10 (as long there's not shift or ctrl key combo's, and so very limited.) Switching between the mdf's or CDU is fast. I think very use able in the sim.

 

So let's hope we can find a option for the modifier issue.

 

(hope you don't mind I copy past my text from Simhq)

[jimiC]

very cool mate. this is something that may persuade me to get the ipad in the first place (tossing up between a generic 10inch lcd for this stuff or an ipad)

[Botch]

Some nice work being done there.

 

The only thing I could think of is to use normally ignored ASCII codes in KeyPadPro (not mapped to anything in A-10) for generating keystrokes and use a macro tool to convert them to function codes for A-10 to control the CDU / UFC.

 

I've never used HIDMarco apart from a quick test the other day. You can do things like Modifier + key I believe (ie. Left Control + 1 would be <^1). Have a look in the help and make sure you have V2.0 Beta.

 

The only strange issue I can see is the that server for KeyPadPro is not really detected as an input device. That is a bit dodgy.

 

Keen to see where this one goes.

 

Edit: or edit the lua files for these controls and use the ASCII codes directly. No idea if that would be possible.

 

 

Botch...

Edited December 26, 2010 by Botch

[CyBerkut]

This probably isn't the solution, and sounds dumb to boot... but I remember seeing something before (I don't remember if it was BlackShark, or Saitek related, but one of them...) where for a key command that would be Left Control + 1, it was listed in the table or chart backwards, as 1 + Left Control. Maybe try reversing what your sending.

[azl]

any chance of you sharing your bitmaps and config, Ghost? I downloaded the free version of keypad pro and it seems like it works well enough, so Im thinking of getting the $4 version but don't really feel like going through all the trouble setting up the layouts :)

[Ghost_unit13]

It is still in an try and error status. Got the cdu keys configered in the keyboard.lue file. Got the same key combo's configered in keypadpro. Had some good results with a tool named Autohotkey as an interface to solve the shift and crtl key issue. It works now in the sim. But with different results of slow response and not reacting keys. Have to test it more before it is worth to publish.

[metalnwood]

Ghost, I had a look at it again and the issue is that DCS is looking specifically for the keys 'left control' or 'right control' which are different.

 

Some software just looks for 'control' and either left or right will work. DCS is looking for specific keys and it appears the software you are using is not using them, just 'control'.

 

You can see when you set a key in dcs that the modifier will say either left or right shift or control etc.

 

I wrote some quick code and was able to send some commands like left control+left shit+o to set commands and they were able to work fine. This is how I wrote the software for controlling FSX from my ipad.

 

It's good how they did it really because there are so many commands you can set that using either left or right modifiers essentially doubles the number or mappable options.

 

I will probably add a cdu and ufc to my systems as well.

[Ghost_unit13]

Got it kind of working with autohotkey. Not completely happy with the why it handles the alt/ctrl keys but it looks like it works.

 

Not sure if it stable, have to check it during some missions. The background image is not really ready yet, and I don't like the look of the keys. But it is a start.

 

If you interested let me know, I can try to submit the keypadpro template and make a zip of the rest you need. .lue file and the autohotkey script.

[Jorgensen]

I think this thread is interesting cause I also have a iPad and would like to use it with dcs a10 :-)

 

Btw have any of you tried the airdisplay app ?

[Ghost_unit13]

Ok got the template uploaded in the keypadpro app. check it out.

You gonna need some other files to, I gonna place it on my ftp asp. pm me if I can send it by mail.

 

Would like to know if it works for you.

Edited December 27, 2010 by Ghost_unit13

[DayGlow]

Have you tried contacting the dev about the issues?

[DayGlow]

just a thought, you can program swtches into the DCS controller interface under the modifier menu.

 

from the DCS GUI manual:

 

Switches

The switches window in the right part of the Modifiers Panel works as a toggle as

opposed to the modifiers. With modifiers you must press the modifier and key

simultaneously – Ctrl + T. With a switch you can first activate the switch, then press

any needed keys and then turn off the switch. You can think of it as setting a key to a

mode. For example, you could assign the “E” button on the throttle as a switch and one

Hat on the stick to control the landing light. Before landing you could press “E” one time

and use the hat to now control the landing light instead of its default function.

 

Can you program a string into the Keypad Pro interface, say when you click the button on the iPad it sends the switch key, ie [1] or whatever, then the keypress you want assigned to the key, then the switch key again to turn it off? That way you can have the effect of a modifier, but not have to worry about the combined keypress. So I program the num-pad keys to the UFC numpads, but have them on a switch using the [/] key. When I press the UFC button 1 on the iPad it sends the string [/]-[1]-[/] to the game, turning the switch on and off.

 

Does this make sense?

[metalnwood]

There is potentially an issue with this DayGlow. The virtual keypresses that are sent to the application are not always 100% successful, even the windows documentation says that strange things can happen.

 

So, if you flick a switch changing the behavior of things and it's the switch that goes funny you will be executing other commands, presumably you need to flick the switch again at the end so one case is that you flick the switch and it doesnt get sent properly. You then execute the wrong command (because said switch was not flicked) and then you flick the switch again to reset, which in fact will send the switch for the first time toggling the functionality at the wrong place.

 

I think the developer of the app needs to take a different approach in how they do it or there may always be a few surprises for the user :)

[DayGlow]

How about Air Display to extend the desktop and using touchbuddy?

[metalnwood]

I think that could be possible, you would have to have a look over at the TB forums but I dont think the success has been great in that area.