Simviation Forum - Accessing panel functions with keyboard?

Apr 16^th, 2005 at 2:52pm

JBaymore Offline
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Is there any way to access a function that a custom panel has WITHOUT displaying the panel on the screen and clicking on the virtual "control" with a mouse?

I want to assign a key press to a panel function.

best,

....................john

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Reply #1 - Apr 16^th, 2005 at 5:19pm

Webb Ex Member
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Yes, but you need to be a little more specific. Throttle, flaps, mixture, autopilot, etc. and popup windows are all accessible via keyboard controls.

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Reply #2 - Apr 16^th, 2005 at 11:21pm

JBaymore Offline
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Webb,

Thanks for the reply... but the key issue here is from a "custom" panel. Not functions that are default in the MS sim itself. These are functions that are not listed in the normal assignments section of the sim, NOR are directly addressable by using straightforward key assignments in FSUIPC.

These are controls that are add-ons to the default systems. They obviously access data from the simulator data stream...... but they are only accessible (that I know of) by clicking on the displayed panel to activate / change them.

For example one is the GPWS. I need to be able to access both it's test function and it's "alarm silence" function. Both are "mouse click" switches on the panel.

I need to be able to get the same function by hitting a keypress...... without the panel shown on the screen. This keypress will be generated by a Hagstrom KE72 keyboard encoder in my simpit. Hence the question.

"KeyToMouse" is not an option......... because in the simpit... none of the aircraft panels will be displayed. The main view will be the outside windscreen view. All the flight controls are in the "real" cockpit.

best,

.....................john

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Reply #3 - Apr 17^th, 2005 at 12:40am

Webb Ex Member
I Like Flight Simulation!

That's why I asked you to be more specific.

Your problem is a little over my head. If you are designing your own gauge you may be able to find a way to work these into it. If you are using an existing gauge you could try editing the default keypad options (like adding a tailhook), but, of course, that would only work on your machine and no one else's. One problem is that most key commands are already assigned so you will need to find an unused one or 2 or 3.

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Reply #4 - Apr 17^th, 2005 at 7:55am

Gary R. Offline
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Also what might be handy and certainly cheaper than buying goflight controls. There are USB keyboards that are PC/Xbox, and PS2 compliant just for gamers. Usually sold in most game software chains like EB and Game Spot here in the States. If you plug one of them in it will be recognized as a USB controller and everything you would do on the main keyboard can be mapped and since it isn't the main keyboard labels cou;d actually be made for the keys using plastic labels and print templates available in most Office warehouse stores IE Office Max, Office Depot, Staples here in the States. Also, a Company called Belkin produces a very useful controller called the Nostromo X32 with a mini keypad.

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Reply #5 - Apr 17^th, 2005 at 8:55am

JBaymore Offline
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Webb and Gary,

Thanks for the input on the matter. Yes... it is "over my head" too a tad. Wink

I am thinking it may not be possible. Tongue

I am pretty familiar wih many of the hardware controls available.... being a simpit builder. I have a bunch of Goflight units and am planning on a Hagstrom KE72 keyboard encoder and a Phidget 8/8/8 to interface most of the switch inputs in the simpit that aren't already covered by the CH yoke and pedals.

The issue is "accessing" a mouseclick only event without using the screen itself. It seems so close ..... but so far away. "Key -to -Mouse" is almost what I need...... but it requires the panel be displayed on the screen when the key that is linked to the mouse click is pressed.

I need a "Key-To-Mouse" that somehow "remembers" the screen coordinates of where it was on the screen that it is supposed to work on AND accesses that screen as "active" and having Windows focus, even though it isn't.

For the GPWS guage.... I have the written documentation that shows what events trigger the various modes to "go off". That info should allow me to write a custom guage (as a stand alone program) in VB6 that can run on one of the secondary computers in the pit. But that coding will take a LOT of time to write na de-bug. Hoping to avoid that. Wink

Anyway...... thanks again.

best,

..................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #6 - Apr 22^nd, 2005 at 10:37pm

Gary R. Offline
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With a complete hardware control set-ip, what aircraft control functions are only available by mouse?? I would think certain SIM functions only but as far as I've studied just about every control possible can be mapped to a key or button, even for up to four engine birds.

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Reply #7 - May 8^th, 2005 at 2:23pm

JBaymore Offline
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Quote:

With a complete hardware control set-ip, what aircraft control functions are only available by mouse??

Gary,

I am building a simpit based (somewhat) on a custom freeware aircraft... the BAe-146-200 by Jon Murcheson of Aircraft Repaints of New Zealand http://arnz.myhost.co.nz/. The "panels" for this aircraft are a custom freeware implementation by Matthias Lieberecht of the BAe Panel Project (Version 3.0) http://www.baepanelproject.com/, and are a close emulation of the real aircxraft systems including stuff like electrical, hydraulics, bleed air, fuel, pressurization, engines, and so on. There's simulated Ground Power, APU, and so on. The plane just comes up "cold and dark" with this panel......... period.

Basically the combination of the 146-200 by Jon Murcheson and this panel combined easily rival a lot of payware aircraft in model quality, flight dynamics, and systems operation.

The problem is that most of the functionality is only addressable via the mouseclicks on the simulated controls. All the basic FS stuff is mappable via either the sim itself, the Goflight intetrface, and FSUIPC. But he has emulated some systems that are not available that way as far as I can tell.

I want to be able to access them. That is what I am after.

best,

..................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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