FS2004 Controlling L:Vars by key?

[Heretic]

Since the default spoiler keys are deliberately broken in my B737-200, I can only control the spoilers by dragging the levers.
Having an additional possibility to control the spoiler lever by keys might be a plus for users and this post implies that it can be done.

Hence:

1) Are there any other hindrances (apart from finding a key combination not already in use) and/or caveats?

2) What is the best method to obtain the key code used in EduHir's example above?

3) Can I use this for 3D model and 2D panel code alike?

 

[EduHir]

Do i understand you properly?
Are you looking for this?

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=&Name=&FileName=spoiler_by_keystroke.zip&Author=&CatID=fs2004gau

I'm using F11 and F12, originally for differntial braking!
But you can use any key! Thanks to Rob Barentregth!
At all this gauge is very old.

Meanwhile i have updatet this gauge for the really nice Erick Cantu B727 and for
really nice Richard Probst- Panel.
And of course you can arm the spoiler in the parking position.

Edi

 

[Heretic]

No, I am not looking for a gauge, I am only looking for more information on assigning key bindings to L: vars.

 

[EduHir]

Huuuch,

in former days i looked into gauges to learn and understand XML- programming.
Sometimes i also do it in nowadays!

Everthing is explained in the gauge.

Otherwise look into the avsim - form.
Rob Barentregt did some very nice interesting explanations.

How was it said: 90 percent can be found in forums!

 

[EduHir]

By Mr. Rob B.

Years ago!

The old avsim - links don't work!

With a little educated guessing, I found the answer to my
question: "How to trap Shifted/Controlled keystrokes in
XML"

I discovered, that instead of using:

<On Key="Z">...</On>

FS also accepts

<On Key="90">...</On>

with '90' being the Windows keycode for the 'Z' key.

Now, since keycodes are ranging from 0-255, I wondered how MS
would internally store the value for shift/control sequences.
I took an educated guess, by adding multiples of 256 to the
keycode; and behold: IT WORKED !!

Iow:

- <On Key="90">...</On> traps "Z"

- <On Key="346">...</On> traps "Shift-Z" 256 + 90 = 346

- <On Key="602">...</On> traps "Control-Z" 512 + 90 = 602

- <On Key="858">...</On> traps "Shift-Control-Z" 768 + 90 = 858

FYI: A list of all Windows keycodes can o.a. be found in
Peter Dowson's FSUIPC Userguide. An extract of that info is
attached to this post..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<!-- Crtl plus Key Left arrow 512 plus 37 -->
<On Key="549">
(&gt;K:VOR1_OBI_DEC,degree)
</On>

<!-- Crtl plus Key Right arrow 512 plus 39-->
<On Key="551">
(&gt;K:VOR1_OBI_INC,degree)
</On>

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<On Event="AXIS_ELEVATOR_SET">
(L:Flight Controls Press Avail, bool) !
if{
(L:Elevator Deflection, percent) 163.83 /-/ * (>K:ELEVATOR_SET)
}
els{
(A:Elevator Position, percent) (>L:Elevator Deflection, percent)
}
</On>


Will let you move the elevators free as long as you have hyd press.
When you have none, it freezes in the last known position.
This is a basic example, but indeed very powerful.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<Keys>
<On Key="AlphaNumeric">
<Visible>10 19 (C:fs9gps:enteringInput) rng 31
(C:fs9gps:enteringInput) == or</Visible>

(M:Key) chr (>C:fs9gps:IcaoSearchEnterChar) @InitBlinker
</On>

<On Key="Ascii">
<Visible>110 119 (C:fs9gps:enteringInput) rng 131
(C:fs9gps:enteringInput) == or</Visible>
(M:Key) chr (>C:fs9gps:NameSearchEnterChar) @InitBlinker
</On>

<On Key="Backspace">
<Visible>(C:fs9gps:enteringInput)</Visible>
10 19 (C:fs9gps:enteringInput) rng 31
(C:fs9gps:enteringInput) ==
||
if{
-1 (>C:fs9gps:IcaoSearchBackupChar) @InitBlinker quit
}
110 119 (C:fs9gps:enteringInput) rng 131
(C:fs9gps:enteringInput) ==
||
if{
-1 (>C:fs9gps:NameSearchBackupChar) @InitBlinker quit
}
</On>
</Keys>


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I tested this one and it works, only full screen.
Panel, ID-400, always visible.

<Keys>
<On Event="VIEW_MODE">
400 (>KANEL_ID_OPEN)
</On>
<On Event="VIEW_MODE_REV">
400 (>KANEL_ID_OPEN)
</On>
</Keys>

 

[EduHir]

Just found the ASCII-code.

The following list was originally compiled by Rob Barendregt
Original source from Pete Dowson


8 Backspace
12 NumPad 5 (NumLock OFF)
13 Enter
19 Pause
32 Space bar
33 Page Up
34 Page Down
35 End
36 Home
37 Left arrow
38 Up arrow
39 Right arrow
40 Down arrow
45 Insert
46 Delete
48 0 on main keyboard
49 1 on main keyboard
50 2 on main keyboard
51 3 on main keyboard
52 4 on main keyboard
53 5 on main keyboard
54 6 on main keyboard
55 7 on main keyboard
56 8 on main keyboard
57 9 on main keyboard
65 A
66 B
67 C
68 D
69 E
70 F
71 G
72 H
73 I
74 J
75 K
76 L
77 M
78 N
79 O
80 P
81 Q
82 R
83 S
84 T
85 U
86 V
87 W
88 X
89 Y
90 Z
96 NumPad 0 (NumLock ON)
97 NumPad 1 (NumLock ON)
98 NumPad 2 (NumLock ON)
99 NumPad 3 (NumLock ON)
100 NumPad 4 (NumLock ON)
101 NumPad 5 (NumLock ON)
102 NumPad 6 (NumLock ON)
103 NumPad 7 (NumLock ON)
104 NumPad 8 (NumLock ON)
105 NumPad 9 (NumLock ON)
106 NumPad *
107 NumPad +
109 NumPad -
110 NumPad .
111 NumPad /
112 F1
113 F2
114 F3
115 F4
116 F5
117 F6
118 F7
119 F8
120 F9
121 F10
122 F11
123 F12
135 NumPad Enter
144 NumLock
145 ScrollLock
186 ; : Key*
187 = + Key*
188 , < Key*
189 - _ Key*
190 . > Key*
191 / ? Key*
192 # ~ Key*
219 [ { Key*
220 \ | Key*
221 ] } Key*
222 ' @ Key*
223 ` ¦ Key*


* The following keys are keyboard dependant:

223 ` ¦ is top left, just left of the main keyboard 1 key
189 - _ is also in the top row, just to the right of the 0 key
187 = + is to the right of 189
219 [{ is in the 2nd row down, to the right of the alpha keys.
221 ]} is to the right of 219
186 ; : is in the 3rd row down, to the right of the alpha keys.
222 ' @ is to the right of 186
192 # ~ is to the right of 222 (tucked in with the Enter key)
220 \ | is in the 4th row down, to the left of all the alpha keys
188 , < is also in the 4th row down, to the right of the alpha keys
190 . > is to the right of 188
191 / ? is to the right of 190

Another example by Rob B.

Yes and No

As said above, the VC-View is coded in the model and cannot
be omitted from the view cycle sequence on a per-aircraft
basis.

But if you add a little xml gauge with the contents below to
the panel.cfg: when the VC view is detected, the gauge
automatically selects the next view in the cycle (depending
if you use cycle view forward or backward).


<Gauge Name="VCViewSkip"
Version="1.0">
<Keys>
<On Event="VIEW_MODE">
1 (&gt;G:Var1)
</On>
<On Event="VIEW_MODE_REV">
0 (&gt;G:Var1)
</On>
</Keys>
<Element>
<Select>
<Value>
(P:ACTIVE VIEW MODE,enum) 2 ==
if{
(G:Var1)
if{ (&gt;K:VIEW_MODE) }
els{ (&gt;K:VIEW_MODE_REV) }
}
</Value>
</Select>
</Element>
</Gauge>

Cheers, Rob Barendregt

Oh, sorry, that's an event and not key!
But nevertheless it was very interessting in the younger days.

 

[Heretic]

Just what I was looking for! Dankeschön!

 

[Heretic]

Aaaaaand it works perfectly!

Thanks again, Edi!

 

[EduHir]

What??
I'm very curious!!
Let me see, please!
Edi

 

[Heretic]

Panel.cfg:
Place it somewhere on-screen (preferably at x,y = 1,1) with a size of 1,1.
Preferably in the [VCockpit01] section to have it constantly running.


Gauge:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Gauge Name="Control Spoilers By Key" Version="1.0">
  <Keys>
    <On Key="374">
    <!-- Shift + F7 -->
    (L:SPOILER LEVER,number) 13 &lt;
    if{ 13 (&gt;L:SPOILER LEVER,number) }
    els{ (L:SPOILER LEVER,number) 5 + 100 min (&gt;L:SPOILER LEVER,number) }
    </On>
    <On Key="373">
    <!-- Shift + F6 -->
    (L:SPOILER LEVER,number) 5 - 0 max (&gt;L:SPOILER LEVER,number)
    </On>
    <On Key="372">
    <!-- Shift + F5 -->
    0 (&gt;L:SPOILER LEVER,number)
    </On>
    <On Key="375">
    <!-- Shift + F8 -->
    100 (&gt;L:SPOILER LEVER,number)
    </On>
  </Keys>
</Gauge>

Shift+F7 moves the lever to the "Armed" position befoe you can freely move it, hence the weird value.