My First Cockpit Build - Need HELP

Warhog · April 9, 2013

Well I just jumped in with both feet and started a cockpit. I have the panels underway and have a U_HID card for I/O. I did a quick check of the switching and all of my toggles are working so I'm pretty happy about that. Everything will be back lit and I intend to also have a working CDU and Caution Panel as well as larger MFDs than the Cougar ones I presently use. I have a small TAIG CNC mill that I use for the engraving and cutting. The panels were done in AutoCAD 2013 and DXF`d to CAMBAM for the g-code development.

Here is a couple of picks of my panels in various states of completion:

These panels are not exact replicas as I don't have room for a full cockpit so I am building for what will fit in my limited space. This means doing some creative alterations to some of the panels as you have probably already noticed.

The U-HID card I just purchased is quite veristile in that I can select pulsed switching for my toggles and an On-off switch only uses one input. I have wired up some 10K pots and they work great. There is a alot of adjustments in the U-HID cfg software for calibrating the pots to act in many different ways.

Here is the problem that I need your help with. The pots show up as an axis in the A-10 options/control page which is a real problem for me. I want to use them to control things like volume on the UHF and VHF radios, adjust the interior lighting and formation lighting from the lighting panel on the right side of the cockpit, etc. All of these functions show in the options/control page as button presses and there is no opportunity to use a slider or potentiometer to adjust the level of whatever function I need. I have seen numerous cockpit builds with pots so there must be a way to use them in this fashion. Please help me solve this issue.

The other problem I have is with the caution panel. The U-HID board will control numerous leds from the game software but I don't know how to make DCS A10 talk to the board to turn the leds on when required. I also want to have the landing gear down lights activated.

These problems have stopped me cold in the further development of my cockpit so any help with solving these problems would most appreciated. BTW, I have spent a whole day going through numerous threads on this board searchinjg for answers but all I found were solutions that are no longer relevant as they were discussed two years ago and things have changed alot since then.

Gadroc · April 9, 2013

You can use Helios to translate axis into commands which set those values.

Warhog · April 9, 2013

Is there any other way. I have not had good experiences with Helios so far. Just a few minutes ago I started up the profile editor and when I went to select an interface my board did not show up in the list. I had it on and a profile loaded so it should have been recognized.

There is so little docuementation on Helios that I'm not sure I can successufully use it to run the pots. I am assuming that Helios changes certain lua files to make it work. Thats what I want to do and bypass using Helios if thats possible. But regardless I am going to need some help. I'm good at building stuff but when it comes for working with certain software packages I am at a loss.

I actually had the LOZ profile working for me at one time but the fps drop was huge and I even had Aero running at the time. Go figure. See my specs below. Not to shabby but I still took a huge hit so I have stayed away from Helios.

JG14_Smil · April 9, 2013

Helios is the best thing that ever happened to cockpit builders. If I can run it, anyone can. No excuses. You give up too soon.

Outstanding looking panels!! :)

Warhog · April 9, 2013

I may be off base here but its my understanding that Helios doesn't work yet with the new upgrade of A10 and requires some tweaking that is yet to happen???

Anyway, Iif you are right then I need to overcome my first problem in that Helios does not see my U-HID board as an interface. Why would that happen. I've tried all sorts of things to make it see the board but to no avail. If that doesn't work then I'm dead in the water before I even get started. Sorry if I sound a bit frustrated but I would like it to work without spending hours trouble shooting. :(

Second, if I can resolve that issue, can I just choose to operate just my pots through Helios and everything else through the A10 options/control page. That would reduce the load Helios places on my machine...I think??

ANy help would be welcome.:helpsmilie:

agrasyuk · April 9, 2013

I do not see why mix and match. For me Helios is one convenient way to store all my key config. It is yet to be updates to be easily used for DCSW but still functional. As far as load it makes no difference really, once Helios is running it is running, and the load is minimal as it is. If you have modern multi core CPU the OS will automatically assign Helios to different core anyways so it is even not an issue .

Now, why doesnt see Uhid I'm not sure, I don't use that controller. If it is visible in DCS I guess there is no choice but to assign it there.

oh , and yes, very nice work on your panels

TomDK · April 9, 2013

Helios is the best thing that ever happened to cockpit builders. If I can run it, anyone can. No excuses. You give up too soon.

Outstanding looking panels!! :)

Amen .... it took me also many hours to figure out how everything will work with Helios. With the nice help of the forums-Folks I am running Helios with my Touchscreen and Panels, using more than 3 joxstickcards.

Do yourself a favor and give it a Chance. YES ... it is not plug n Play and I have also sometimes Problems caused by Helios , but in it all it makes flying a simpit really great !!

BTW: Looks great what you do !!

mr_mojo97 · April 9, 2013

Are there supposed to be issues with Helios running in DCSW? I use Helios all the time in DCSW without any issues at all but I use 4 bodnar cards so not sure about the card you're using. Ask Gadroc for help, he built it! True I don't think there was enough formal instructions maybe but the forum is full of technical advice using it. I know I've had loads of excellent help to get mine up and running including interior/exterior lights and volume controls using pots - they all use the same trigger value script. Good luck and keep searching the forums!

Miles Vorkosigan · April 10, 2013

Very impressive panels, love the texturing.

You had me worried, I am using Teensy++2.0 project boards for my controls. Each one is programmed to be recognized as a unique controller with up to 40 direct inputs/outputs 8 axis, etc.

Plugged a couple of them in and fired up Helios; they were recognized and work perfectly.

Not sure why your i/o board would not be seen by the program.

But I do not yet even know how to work with the Helios, I am very much looking forward to using the tool.

Thanks Gadroc!

Warhog · April 10, 2013

Well I finally got Helios to see my board. :thumbup: So now I really need help!!:helpsmilie:

Well maybe not yet. But I do have a few questions.

As I'm using physical switches and have no intention of using another screen for Helios instruments can I just bind my switches to A10 functions and then run the profile. There won't be any graphics involved at all because I don't want to take a hit in my fps. And, believe me I do... even with a GTX670 and an i-3770. All I would like to do is to use Helios as a means of making my switches communicate with the sim. Or, do I have to actually create switches on the screen as well.

One other quick question. I want to control light in the cockpit and volume for the radios by using pots on my UHID board. If you drag from the actions side a decrease light command and an increase light command over to the bindings side and drop them both onto a slider or lets say the x-axis will it know that when you turn your pot one way it increases the light and turning it the other way decreases the light? Or is there another setting I need to apply? The reason I ask is with toggle switches it appears you have to choose commands for both press and not press and then assign values to each side of the switch to tell it what to do. There is no such detailed configuration for sliders or axis.

Looks like I may start using Helios after all.:thumbup:

mr_mojo97 · April 10, 2013

I use only the increase setting (i don't use decrease) in Helios then in Properties choose Lua script then in the box below type return TriggerValue/65536, that'll make your lights/ volume etc work with pots. I only use another screen for the cdu export of iControl onto my iPad mini - all my switches, buttons, rotery encoders and rotary switches are physical devices. Helios is all you need - it's perfect to me.

Not sure how much you've searched the threads but there is simply tonnes of stuff available. The reason why you have to assign a press and a depress is cos in DCS Options you only have one (press) so you have to press the button again to switch it off. Assigning it in Helios allows you to switch to work as it should. It takes seconds to do as you'll find out

MacFevre · April 10, 2013

I really wish I could help, but I'm still around the same place your at. A source that continues to surprise me for how-to's is YouTube. I just wanted to say that your panels look really sharp! :)

Miles Vorkosigan · April 10, 2013

Here is a good thread with how-to videos on setting up buttons and switches only with Helios.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=80106

Warhog · April 10, 2013

First I want to say thanks for the comments on my panels. I was very please with how they came out and once I have the whole thing together I'll post some pics.

Secondly thanks to all for the support on Helios. I was rather discouraged with it at first. Problem was the long threads about how someone fixed a problem and then someone else tried it and that didn;'t work for him so he eventually posted a different solution and this kept gpoing on and on until you didn't know what or who was correct. When you don`t have in depth knowledge of a piece of software you don`t want to experiment for fear of cause major issues with the sim and then I would have to start all over. Not appealing at all.

Well now I have my pots working perfectly in Helios and that of course translated into working pots in my A-10. Excellent.:) I couldn`t be more pleased. Thanks mr_mojo97. Your tip made it all happen. But at the same time thats what is scary about Helios. How would I have ever found that out if not for this forum.

So now its back to the shop to continue the work developing my panels. I can`t wait to get it all wired up and take my A-10 out for a spin.;)

There is one little bit that I`m unsure about. Can I get Helios to send info to my board to light up my caution panel. Is that possible.

Thanks again everyone for all your input.:)

Sabre-TLA · April 11, 2013

"There is one little bit that I`m unsure about. Can I get Helios to send info to my board to light up my caution panel. Is that possible."

Yes it is and surprisingly easy too.

Here is a screen shot of some early testing I did to test my Phidgets card. Adding the indicators is basically the same process as the switches.

I'm also early in my pit development but here is a document I found online that helped me understand how Helios works. Sorry but I can't recall the author's name. Getting the LEDs to work was similar. I'm putting all my learning into a cockpit building doc and will publish when it is ready.

How to use Helios.pdf

Helios is the best software I've seen for making the interface between physical switches and the game easier. Congrats to Gadroc and the others that worked to make this software possible. It's donationware and I'll certainly be donating once my pit is done.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Sabre-TLA
fixing link...

Warhog · April 11, 2013

Sabre-TLA I could not get your link to work and the screen shot came up blank. Any chance you could try it again or email me the attachement to me.

And yes I do believe you are correct. I've just started some researching into the caution panel and I see how it can work with Helios. The exact specifics are yet unknown to me so any help you and others can supply would be a great help.

jander · April 11, 2013

Sabre-TLA I could not get your link to work and the screen shot came up blank. Any chance you could try it again or email me the attachement to me.

And yes I do believe you are correct. I've just started some researching into the caution panel and I see how it can work with Helios. The exact specifics are yet unknown to me so any help you and others can supply would be a great help.

Hope this helps, know i had my far share of issues,

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=101252&highlight=phidget+led

the first post and a few others have some screen shots of my helios setup which may assist you. Not sure how your board shows up in Helios so may be a bit different to setup but the principles i imagine would be the same....

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