magneto switches

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Tutmeister
Technical Sergeant
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Joined: 07 Mar 2014, 10:32
Location: Manchester, UK

magneto switches

Post by Tutmeister »

I seem to remember asking this but it was a while ago and I never actually got around to doing this properly. Using 2 rocker switches for left and right mags, is it possible to have the work via fsuipc correctly?

I set up the fuel cocks using 2 rockers on a Saitek quad so I can switch them on and off using fsuipc and a lua.
I cant find the details on how to do this for the 2 mags though. There needs to be a separate on and off for both.

I can make it switch on left or right but there only seems to a mag off which means I'm struggling to do mag checks....

Not totally got my head round programming them it seems!

Chris
Owner of Fulcrum Simulator Controls
Spitfire Obsessive, GA Enthusiast.
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alan CXA651
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Re: magneto switches

Post by alan CXA651 »

Hi.
I do mine using saitek sw panel,but if you dont have that , you can use a2a spit configurator.not look in fsuipc yet .
regards alan. 8)

UPDATE:- yes you can do buttons switches in fsuipc for single or multi engined aircraft .
look for magneto and choices are both/decr/incr/left/off/right
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Tutmeister
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Re: magneto switches

Post by Tutmeister »

Thanks Alan, the problem I'm finding is there is no way to set left or right mags off separately to allow me to do mag checks there only seems to be a mag off.
The configuration tool also only allows a toggle on/off for the mags. I want to use two rocker switches for left and right mags so up for on and down for off. I have made it work like that for the two fuel cocks through fsuipc.

Chris
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Killratio
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Re: magneto switches

Post by Killratio »

Chris,

My simulator is not perfect but I worked out a compromise on this. The problem is that the Mag logic is designed on the modern rotary key switch. Hence both mags have a single "on".

What I was able to design was a suitable work around, based on the fact that there is seldom if ever a reason to switch on a single Mag...you are usually wanting to go from " both" to ONE on.

So switching either switch on in my sim will turn BOTH on, (not a problem as they are always flipped on together) and then switching either off will turn it off individually and switching it on again will turn both on...but one was on already, anyway.

This allows a standard Mag Check to be performed.

EDIT.. ( this is because I have discrete 2 position, marked, switches..makes "toggle" type functions as below, impractical)


Regards

Darryl
Last edited by Killratio on 17 Oct 2016, 05:54, edited 1 time in total.
<Sent from my 1988 Sony Walkman with Dolby Noise Reduction and 24" earphone cord extension>


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Gypsy Baron
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Re: magneto switches

Post by Gypsy Baron »

I use FSUIPC4 and two switches on one of my Saitek throttle quads. Each
switch with 3 positions, center off, up or down seen as different switch closures.

Here is the excerpt from my FSUIPC4.ini file:

2=PD,14,C66400,0 ;//Magneto - OFF
3=PD,15,C66400,2 ;//Magneto - Left
4=PD,16,C66400,3 ;//Magneto - Both
5=PD,17,C66400,1 ;//Magneto - Right

my 'left' Saitek throttle Quad is device "D" so the above code "PD" is
a press of a switch on that quad. The 3 switches and their two active
positions are:

Top Row 14, 16, 18
Bottom row 15, 17, 19

So the above code uses the two left most switches.

On other aircraft I have implemented Mags using a single double-throw
switch with the code set to increment or decrement the mag variable
within the range of 0 to 3 and 3 to 0.

Here is the code that uses the default FSX Mag 1 control offset 0892:

RD,14,Cx11000892,x00030001 ;//MAG1 INC
RD,15,Cx21000892,x00000001 ;//MAG1 DEC

Here you go through the off, left, right , both with switch 14
and switch 15 would sequence both, right, left, off
(I may have the left/right order reversed but the concept is the same)

To do the mag check you
press switch 15 twice to select 'right'
then click 14 twice to get both,
then 15 again once for left and
then 14 again once for both.

Paul

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alan CXA651
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Re: magneto switches

Post by alan CXA651 »

Hi Chris.
I figured it out , as it happens its a case of conning the mags.
Go to FSUIPC buttons/switches , select profile specific , select for fs control.
then operate your switch you intend for mag left on , then select magneto 1 left.
then operate your switch for left off , then select magneto 1 left.
then operate your switch for your right mag on , then select magneto 1 right.
Then operate your switch for your right off , then select magnet 1 right.
BASICALLY IT IS ACTING AS A TOGGLE IN EACH CASE , so if you operate your switch up twice it will toggle on/off same if you operate switch down twice , but it kids the system , so as far as you are concerned operate switch up for on / down for off , i know its a con , but at least you are able to do your mag checks , in a logical manor regarding your controller switches .
regards alan. 8)
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Tutmeister
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Location: Manchester, UK

Re: magneto switches

Post by Tutmeister »

Thanks guys,

Just finished messing around with it and have it set now. You are all right, it cannot be done correctly so you have to fudge it. I also wasted ages trying to record a mouse macro in fsuipc but to no avail. Not sure it works with a2a aircraft.....

I ended up with it like killratio as it fits what I'm trying to achieve the best.

Up on the mags to switch them on together and down switches each individually although you can toggle it etc etc.

Best we are going to get I think. It is a shame because the fuel cocks work perfectly but I understand it seems to be a limitation of the fsx code.

Chris
Owner of Fulcrum Simulator Controls
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alan CXA651
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 2438
Joined: 15 Mar 2016, 08:23

Re: magneto switches

Post by alan CXA651 »

Hi Chris.
As long as you are happy , thats main thing , but my method does select each engine individually , but is still a con as such to the system.
Regards alan. 8)
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Tutmeister
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Joined: 07 Mar 2014, 10:32
Location: Manchester, UK

Re: magneto switches

Post by Tutmeister »

You are right Alan, it does select each magneto separately and I did have it that way for a bit but because it is just toggling you can end up with switches out of sync with the virtual cockpit. This doesn't matter with the saitek switches as they are only momentary switches but when I change to actual switches it will. I decided to go the other way because with the switches up then the magnetos will only ever be on and can't go out of sync. I really appreciate the help from everyone though.

Chris
Owner of Fulcrum Simulator Controls
Spitfire Obsessive, GA Enthusiast.
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ft
Staff Sergeant
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Joined: 01 Feb 2005, 08:13

Re: magneto switches

Post by ft »

If you can program two keypresses to one press of a button, I think programming

Left mag on/off - 1 step CW/CCW
Right mag on/off - 2 steps CW/CCW

(with the FSX increase/decrease commands)

should do it for the standard off-left-right-both rotary.

Should automagically sync any time you flip both switches down or up.

Those inclined to think in binary can think of the rotary as the 0-3 decimal encoding of two bits, with the left mag switch as the LSB and the right as the MSB.

If that emulates any of the above solutions, my apologies - didn't read them in detail but I thought I should throw this idea into the mix.

Edit: Using two instantaneous buttons rather than one toggle switch per mag will enable the user to throw a spanner in the works by e g hitting left mag on twice to end up on the right mag.

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