Flaps Switch Hardware Binding
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At first glance, I thought my HC Bravo flaps switch was doing the job perfectly. But after reading this post I decided I'd try to help, and this is what I found.
2024 native INCREASE FLAPS/DECREASE FLAPS / Axis and Ohs FLAPS_INCR/FLAPS_DECR
Extension: First stop is 10. Second stop is about 22. Final stop is 35. Switch returns to centered position.
Retraction: First stop is about 22. Second stop is 10. Final stop is 0. Switch does not return to centered position.I see the same behavior with both methods.
It seems like the best way to get flaps to work the way I'd like them to would be to write a script. I don't really care to do that, so I'll stick to the following. It results in stops that don't quite match the indicator marks, but at least it's simple.
2024 native INCREASE FLAPS/DECREASE FLAPS / Axis and Ohs FLAPS_INCR/FLAPS_DECR
Extension: First stop is 10. Second stop is about 22. Final stop is 35. Switch returns to centered position.
Retraction: First stop is about 22. Second stop is 10. Final stop is 0. Switch does not return to centered position.Edit: Also, if you read back in the thread Nick says this is the intended behavior.
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Also, from the v1.1 changelog:
Added L:Var to manually control flap switch position. The flap switch will behave normally when L:var_FlapSwitchOverride = 0. The switch can then be manually positioned with values 1-3, with 1 being retracted, and 3 being extended. The switch will still animate, regardless of this variable, when the increment flap events are triggered.
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Hello, I'm using MSFS 2020 and I programmed the flaps to INCREASE FLAPS CONTINUOUS and DECREASE FLAPS CONTINUOUS on my joystick, but nothing happens; it only works in increment mode. The A2A Aerostar aircraft also uses the same principle; in that aircraft, it works with both INCREASE FLAPS CONTINUOUS and DECREASE FLAPS CONTINUOUS.
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@Black-Square Nick, would it be possible to also use the native INCREASE FLAPS CONTINUOUS and DECREASE FLAPS CONTINUOUS ? I do not use extra software to do binds. Thank you!
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@Black-Square when do you expect 1.1 to be released?
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So, the FLAPS_CONTINUOUS_INCR and FLAPS_CONTINUOUS_DECR events totally work for me in MobiFlight. I set up Flaps Down with an on hold action that repeats the
190 (>K:FLAPS_CONTINUOUS_INCR)command every 20 ms and it works... but that flaps gauge needle is veeeeery sticky and you have to tap the glass (emphasis on the have to... it is an absolute MUST) several times when lowering flaps.And I'm sure it's realistic and immersive...
But the problem is on the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle... there is no glass you can tap so either you do something like bind the AUTO PILOT button to the glass tap action (which does score high on the immersion factor...) or you're reaching with the other hand to the mouse to click on the glass while your third arm is holding the yoke and piloting the plane while on final.
I'm happy with the less immersive and more convenient FLAPS_INCR and FLAPS_DECR events. My smooth brain has enough to do when landing.
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So, the FLAPS_CONTINUOUS_INCR and FLAPS_CONTINUOUS_DECR events totally work for me in MobiFlight. I set up Flaps Down with an on hold action that repeats the
190 (>K:FLAPS_CONTINUOUS_INCR)command every 20 ms and it works... but that flaps gauge needle is veeeeery sticky and you have to tap the glass (emphasis on the have to... it is an absolute MUST) several times when lowering flaps.And I'm sure it's realistic and immersive...
But the problem is on the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle... there is no glass you can tap so either you do something like bind the AUTO PILOT button to the glass tap action (which does score high on the immersion factor...) or you're reaching with the other hand to the mouse to click on the glass while your third arm is holding the yoke and piloting the plane while on final.
I'm happy with the less immersive and more convenient FLAPS_INCR and FLAPS_DECR events. My smooth brain has enough to do when landing.
@fizzboy Glad to see that this does, in fact, work with 3rd party bindings. I have implemented this with the native binding for the next update, and provided an L:Var, but using 3rd party binding applications will always be more reliable and flexible.
The issue with many of these native bindings, btw, is that Asobo added them to the list of inputs, seemingly without realizing that many of them require input values, like your 190 above. Without any way to provide this input value in the native controls UI, I believe we're just sending a zero, so the flaps never move...
Also, just to make sure, did you have the engine running and the cabin warmed up when testing the flap gauge? On the ground, it's very sticky, but once the cabin is at a comfortable temperature and the engine is running at flight RPM, it should move pretty reliably, or at least arrive at the correct position after a second or two without needing to tap on the glass.
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@fizzboy Thank you for the 190 value. I am now able to get the the flaps to increase/decrease continuously with the Honeycomb Bravo using SPAD.neXt, for example, by Send FLAP_CONTINUOUS_INCR-Event (190). I set a threshold and frequency of 15 ms, as I found the response and graphical representation of the lever to be best at this setting.
I initially tested on the ground with engine at ~1000rpm, and a warm cockpit. I did notice a fair amount of the gauge sticking. Though I didn't feel like it was as often as you had mentioned with the plane cold and dark. At first, it was easy to overshoot the amount of flaps I was trying to stop on. But I quickly learned when to stop and tap the glass if necessary. I took the 114 out for a flight, and the gauge and flaps responded quite nicely. No real issue setting the flap to exactly where I wanted them while flying.
Thanks again so much for the 190 value clue. I would not have figured that one out. I'm a hardware and software tester by day, and it was driving me crazy that I couldn't figure out how to make this work like I wanted it to.
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Last night the 20 ms timing was causing the flaps lever to behave erratically (flippy flippy flaps!) and I, too, turned it down to 15 ms so we both ended up at the same implementation. I think it'd also work at 20 ms if the value is increased from 190 to something like 200 or 210.
I'll get some more practice in... just need to get the timing down for 20 degree approach flaps.
