fs2024 version CWS yoke button assignment

airvice

Hello dev team

im unable to find any way of using the CWS button on the yoke unless i click it which isnt viable.
Is there any way to assign it to a button or key command without using 3rd party software to map it etc?
I tried assigning it in the fs controller settings but no luck using theis option in fs2024
SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH.

The only way i see the CWS notification on the HSI is if i click it with a mouse.

the only reference i can find in the manuals is either this

Instrument Events
Description
Variable
CWS (only if “hardware ctrl. AP pitch”)
K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH

or this which appears to be for fs2020

**v1.1.0 - Sim Update 15
New Features:

Added support for Control Wheel Steering (CWS) or Vertical Sync autopilot mode. This allows the operator to hold a button on the yoke to momentarily disconnect the autopilot pitch servos while manually adjusting the aircraft’s pitch. Releasing the button will have the flight director resume pitch holding at this new pitch.
CWS can be triggered with either L:var_PilotCws or L:var_CopilotCws. If you wish to use the native event “K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH”, then you must also use the “Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events” tablet option. “K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH” cannot be used when “Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events” is not selected.
An option has been added to control the autopilot pitch knob with hardware controls. When “Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events” is selected on the options page of the tablet interface, “AP_PITCH_REF_INC_DN”, “AP_PITCH_REF_INC_UP”, and “AP_PITCH_REF_SET” can be used to adjust the autopilot’s pitch holding reference. The reference can also now be adjusted with L:var_PilotCws, L:var_CopilotCws or “K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH” when using this option.**

neither of which i know what to do with.

the manual says there should be the following option in the table options tab but i see nothing there?

“K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH” cannot be used when “Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events” is not selected.

any suggestions

thanks

hughesj2

Just checked and I see the same in 2024, i.e. no “Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events” option in the tablet and binding K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH does nothing

hughesj2

Also the same in 2020 FWIW

Black Square

Oh, we're talking about the TBM here? I'm very confused. Where do you see this note about "Control AP Pitch with Hardware Events" in regards to the TBM? Those notes are in the v1.1 changelog for the Dukes, not the TBM.

Either way, the CWS functionality of the native autopilot is very poorly implemented, and I don't even have a variable to access to know when it's activated. Your two options are K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH, and L:var_PilotCws_IsDown, which can be configured with any 3rd party binding software. I believe there is also a native binding in the MSFS controls menu for the K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH event, though I would have to look next time I'm at my desk. If that doesn't clear things up, please let me know! Always happy to help.

hughesj2

@Black-Square Thanks Nick, yes sorry the post was tagged TBM I thought so didn't specify (I actually thought the instructions were also the same for TBM and Dukes but obviously was wrong)
I have the Sync flight director command bound natively to my "5" button on my warthog which I believed would operate as "CWS" however as Airvice mentions you don't get an EADI indication that CWS is in operation when using the binding and the yoke button in sim doesn't animate (unless you click on it in sim with mouse)...So it's not activating "CWS". It is however acting as an FD Pitch sync button as I set the pitch to ~10 degrees and then pressed Sync flight director and it returns the pitch to near 0....So it's working fine for syncing pitch just not I guess as CWS? But then again my understanding of CWS is from 737 sim so may be a different function here (no roll?)
Cheers
James

Black Square

Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like everything is working correctly. Like I said, there is no variable in the simulator for when the pitch sync mode is activated, so I have no way to trigger the "CWS" flag on the EADI when you use the native command. Your understanding of CWS is probably correct, but MSFS does not have any CWS functionality natively, so I gave you the next best thing I had available.

hughesj2

@Black-Square Fair enough

airvice

@Black-Square blacksquare perhaps i am misunderstanding something here, are you saying that there is no way of activating the inbuilt cws function on the TBM via a button binding, or that the cws feature doesnt actually work in the sim. lets say i was able to click the yoke cws button and see the announciated cws appear on the EADI, would it then work correctly?. The way i read the tbm manual new feature section v1.1 is that its a new feature therefore i assumed it wouild not only be accessable but also work correctly? Or If i use a 3rd party binding software i should be able to activate this feature using a joystick binding and see it announciate on the eadi and its just the native sim option K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH that has no variables to trigger the cws flag and indication on the eadi?

airvice

@Black-Square is there a way of setting cws up with fsuipc? as in binding a joysick button to activate it so that it clicks the cws button on the yoke and announciates on the eadi just by pressing a button on my yoke?

Black Square

You are correct on all accounts, but one clarification is also necessary.

No, the CWS message will not appear on the EADI when using K:SYNC_FLIGHT_DIRECTOR_PITCH, because the simulator does not have a method for me to access when this event is triggered. This is just an oversight in the sim, which has probably existed for 30 years in its code.

Yes, you can easily use fsuipc to trigger L:var_PilotCws_IsDown, so the message will illuminate and the pitch sync functionality will be triggered.

Clarification: What you are triggered here is a pitch sync functionality, and not CWS. The simulator's native autopilot implementation does not have any sense of real control-wheel-steering.

airvice

@Black-Square thank you for the explanation. I'm struggling to find any documentation on how to set this up in fsuipc, do you have any info in that? seems like i would have to write some code snippets or at least edit the fsuipc ini which ive tried and no luck so far

jmarkows

@airvice FSUIPC has the documentation you need in order to bind keys to LVar settings. It's under the Advanced Users guide. It does require the paid version of FSUIPC though.