Center Off Toggle Switches

[psylent]

Hello,

 

I bought a 2160 single pulse generator board from Desktop Aviator to try and wire my armament HUD control panel.

 

My DPDT switches work fine when there are just two positions for a switch.

 

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to wire up my center off position switches to give me three different signals(ARM/OFF/TRAIN). I can make the up and down positions work as two seperate buttons, but the center switch doesn't have a signal (And that's probably where I am off on this device). Maybe a should have gone with another product that wasn't single pulse? Or is there a way to get some sort of signal to assign it a third button?

 

Thanks!

 

Psylent

[cichlidfan]

The logic in Helios or in possibly in DCS itself, with some lua editing, can create a structure where if the switch is not in position A or C therefore it is in position B. I am not an expert on doing this but from what I toyed with, it should be quite doable.

 

That is how the autopilot mode switch on the Laste panel (on the TM Warthog throttle base) works in the sim.

 

EDIT: Have a look at this thread from the DCS lua side of things.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=89226

Edited October 12, 2012 by cichlidfan

[psylent]

Thanks Cichlidfan,

 

Unfortunately, when I add the up = command in the LUA, with the 1/4 second pulse the 2160 sends to the PC, the game sees the pulse switching my GUN/PAC into arm, and then when the pulse goes away, automatically switches it to safe. Would work if I had a constant signal as if the key was held down like the Warthog HOTAS or the GroovyGame gear controller.

 

Or if I can get some sort of pulse when moving the switch to center off.

[cichlidfan]

Thanks Cichlidfan,

 

Unfortunately, when I add the up = command in the LUA, with the 1/4 second pulse the 2160 sends to the PC, the game sees the pulse switching my GUN/PAC into arm, and then when the pulse goes away, automatically switches it to safe. Would work if I had a constant signal as if the key was held down like the Warthog HOTAS or the GroovyGame gear controller.

 

Or if I can get some sort of pulse when moving the switch to center off.

 

It was a thought. :)

[MTFDarkEagle]

Hi!

 

Try using this (change the number for the button corresponding to the ones you want it to) in the correct input lua file:

 

{combos = {{key = "JOY_BTN1"}, }, down = iCommandPlaneAHCPMasterArm, up = iCommandPlaneAHCPMasterSafe, name = "Master switch ARM", category = "Armament HUD Control Panel"},

-and-

{combos = {{key = "JOY_BTN2"}, }, down = iCommandPlaneAHCPMasterTrain, up = iCommandPlaneAHCPMasterSafe, name = "Master switch TRAIN", category = "Armament HUD Control Panel"},

 

The top one is for the ARM position, the lower one for the TRAIN position. Notice the UP = SAFE on both.

 

Hope this helps :)

[psylent]

Turns out, for the Desktop Aviator board, I need DP3T ON ON ON toggle switches to get that third pulse. Those switches are more expensive than the center off toggles. Its more economical to purchase the groovy game gear board for 37 bucks rather than buying 4 DP3T switches for close to 60 bucks.

 

At least I can use the Desktop Aviator board for another panel or a CDU.

[hawk2495]

Use xpadder, you can program each switch to do one thing while on, and at release it does something else.. The software costs $10 and works on anything out there as far as I know.

[agrasyuk]

Not sure if this issue is hardware specific, I'm not familiar with that board.

Almost all mapping of my 4 gpwiz cards is done via Helios. Once there you can bind both press and release events :

Toggle up engage - set to Arm

Toggle up disengage - set to Off

Toggle down engage - set to Train

Toggle down disengage - set to Off

 

Yes you can edit the LUA files as noted above as well. I did that at first but it is so much more comfortable to keep everything in Helios and any changes are breathe.

[psylent]

My Groovy Game Gear GPWIZ board just came in today. Less expensive, nicer board, and the switches all worked like a charm with it. Added the up = commands in the LUA for the center off switches and am very happy with my AHCP now.