Can't engage/use CWS
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Hi All,
I just wanted to let you know what I've done about this for the next update.
There will be a new option in the tablet called "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events". When it is selected, you can use K:AP_PITCH_REF_SET, K:AP_PITCH_REF_INC_UP, and K:AP_PITCH_REF_INC_DN to control the autopilot pitch. The knob in the cockpit will synchronize with this value. The only caveat is that these events don't seem to obey the maximum autopilot pitch value that is set in the aircraft configuration files. This means that you might want to limit this input on your end, but it's also not a necessity.
I also figured out how to add pitch CWS functionality, and propagated it back to all of my aircraft. You can now either use the virtual CWS buttons, L:var_PilotCws, L:var_CoPilotCws, or K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH to momentarily disable the autopilot pitch servo and set the pitch that you want. The caveat with this one is just that you have to use the L:Vars when you're not using the "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events" tablet option.
I hope that makes my users happy! I have to admit that I'm quite enjoying the CWS functionality in this particular aircraft, and I hope you will too!
@Black-Square said in Can't engage/use CWS:
I hope that makes my users happy! I have to admit that I'm quite enjoying the CWS functionality in this particular aircraft, and I hope you will too!
Indeed! After getting the FSUIPC7 version of the macro script from @Randolf, I’m using that button all the time now, to the point that I wonder how I’d ever lived without it in other aircraft. Once you release the update, I’m wondering if there will be a motivating reason or even a requirement for me to change that.
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@Black-Square said in Can't engage/use CWS:
I hope that makes my users happy! I have to admit that I'm quite enjoying the CWS functionality in this particular aircraft, and I hope you will too!
Indeed! After getting the FSUIPC7 version of the macro script from @Randolf, I’m using that button all the time now, to the point that I wonder how I’d ever lived without it in other aircraft. Once you release the update, I’m wondering if there will be a motivating reason or even a requirement for me to change that.
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@mysticfm once it's supported natively in the plane, I will adapt my solution to use that. It would be simpler and more robust way to use the CWS function.
@Randolf Thank you for this, and thank you for prompting me to look into this in the first place! I definitely recommend that anyone with the own hardware-side solution switch over to using the aircraft's solution when it's updated, because it's not a hacky solution. It turns out that Asobo added this functionality a few Sim Updates ago, but it's not implemented (or named) how you would expect, so I was unaware of the addition. Adapting it for the Duke was one extra challenge, but not too much work.
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@Randolf Thank you for this, and thank you for prompting me to look into this in the first place! I definitely recommend that anyone with the own hardware-side solution switch over to using the aircraft's solution when it's updated, because it's not a hacky solution. It turns out that Asobo added this functionality a few Sim Updates ago, but it's not implemented (or named) how you would expect, so I was unaware of the addition. Adapting it for the Duke was one extra challenge, but not too much work.
@Black-Square thanks so much for working a solution!
I’m a little confused by all these L:VARS tech speak. I don’t use any 3rd party hardware input programmes like spad.next or FSUIPC. Am I able to implement CWS using default bindings?
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Good question. Yes, you should be able to use the control assignment "Flight Director Pitch Sync" in the simulator's control options. You just have to make sure "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events" is selected on the tablet in the aircraft.
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Hi All,
I just wanted to let you know what I've done about this for the next update.
There will be a new option in the tablet called "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events". When it is selected, you can use K:AP_PITCH_REF_SET, K:AP_PITCH_REF_INC_UP, and K:AP_PITCH_REF_INC_DN to control the autopilot pitch. The knob in the cockpit will synchronize with this value. The only caveat is that these events don't seem to obey the maximum autopilot pitch value that is set in the aircraft configuration files. This means that you might want to limit this input on your end, but it's also not a necessity.
I also figured out how to add pitch CWS functionality, and propagated it back to all of my aircraft. You can now either use the virtual CWS buttons, L:var_PilotCws, L:var_CoPilotCws, or K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH to momentarily disable the autopilot pitch servo and set the pitch that you want. The caveat with this one is just that you have to use the L:Vars when you're not using the "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events" tablet option.
I hope that makes my users happy! I have to admit that I'm quite enjoying the CWS functionality in this particular aircraft, and I hope you will too!
@Black-Square said in Can't engage/use CWS:
Hi All,
I just wanted to let you know what I've done about this for the next update.
There will be a new option in the tablet called "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events". When it is selected, you can use K:AP_PITCH_REF_SET, K:AP_PITCH_REF_INC_UP, and K:AP_PITCH_REF_INC_DN to control the autopilot pitch. The knob in the cockpit will synchronize with this value. The only caveat is that these events don't seem to obey the maximum autopilot pitch value that is set in the aircraft configuration files. This means that you might want to limit this input on your end, but it's also not a necessity.
I also figured out how to add pitch CWS functionality, and propagated it back to all of my aircraft. You can now either use the virtual CWS buttons, L:var_PilotCws, L:var_CoPilotCws, or K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH to momentarily disable the autopilot pitch servo and set the pitch that you want. The caveat with this one is just that you have to use the L:Vars when you're not using the "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events" tablet option.
I hope that makes my users happy! I have to admit that I'm quite enjoying the CWS functionality in this particular aircraft, and I hope you will too!
Hi Nick,
I'm coming back to this after a long time (too long!) away from the Duke and flight sim in general. I reread this topic and I'm aware of the option from the tablet. I'll have to enable it and then bind the Flight Director Pitch Sync in my sim to one of my yoke buttons, but my questions is: why would we ever want this option off?
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If memory serves, I first implemented this with L:Vars, which produced a much cleaner interaction with the native autopilot. Then, when people wanted to use the default autopilot events, I added support for that, but didn't want to remove the original method for anyone using L:Vars, or no hardware at all.
I would have to check carefully, but I also think the hardware method might have a slight side effect, like the pitch wheel position not always being 100% correct to the real aircraft, but it's so unnoticeable that I would have to read the manuals and really think about it.
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I spent some time tinkering with this between yesterday and today. I figured out how to "bind" the Pilot_Cws lvar to a button on my yoke and set it to True on press and False on release. It did not seem to work very well. The button would press momentarily and then release. As it happened when I tried binding it to a keyboard key and my joystick, I don't think it's a hardware issue, I think it just doesn't want to stay down. It technically worked, but I had to fight the AP and it really just set the pitch reference instead of disengaging the AP to allow me to freely adjust pitch.
Above, the Cws_Isdown lvar was used, but i don't see it in the manual. Is it still there? Should I be using it?
I did enable the Hardware AP Events option and tried the Pitch Sync sim binding, that did seem to work OK. Since I see that is in the Starship and seemingly without the tablet option (I think), maybe that's the best solution? Pitch wheel seemed to be adjusting as it should.
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It sounds like Cws_Isdown is correct for your situation. All of the buttons in my aircraft for which I call out an L:Var also have an "_IsDown" variable. I should probably mention that this is an option in the manual. Which one you use can depend on the hardware you're using, the software that binds it, and the desired behavior.
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I had some trouble getting this to work so I'm sharing specifically what I had to do in AAO:
Two button binds on the same desired CWS button:
Button <5>:
- Key Down Event: (manual) "L:" "var_PilotCws, Number" "1"
- Key Up Event: (manual) "L:" "var_PilotCws, Number" "0"
Button <5>:
- Key Down Event: (manual) "L:" "var_PilotCws_IsDown, Number" "1"
- Key Up Event: (manual) "L:" "var_PilotCws_IsDown, Number" "0"
All four must be set exactly as shown for this to work. The part that threw me was ", Number" in the manual field... it did not work with just "var_PilotCws". AAO is less than clear on exactly how and when input vars are bound, but this makes sense in hindsight even if the only way to find it is trial-and-error.
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Using both seems redundant. As far as my case goes, I added _IsDown to my up and down events, and they work swimmingly. I've no idea why the difference; maybe the regular ones work better with the Rotorbreak command I see so often in flight sim peripheral channels. Supposed to imitate a mouse click I believe, but I've never used it.
