Help with an LUA script.. anyone?

[MatzeH84]

I'm trying to use the EDM using only two physical buttons, like in real life. I'm using FSUIPC, and assigning all the functions (short press, long press, both press) to individual buttons works well (so using 5 individual hardware inputs).
As I have no idea of LUA scripting, I asked ChatGPT, but it does not work. Maybe someone with a deeper knowledge could have a look at this.. I'd be grateful:

---

-- JPI_DualButton_Param.lua

-- Parameter 1 -> Taste A press
-- Parameter -1 -> Taste A release
-- Parameter 2 -> Taste B press
-- Parameter -2 -> Taste B release

-- ============= KONFIGURATION =================
hvarA_short = "bksq_JpiButton_1_L_Short"
hvarA_long = "bksq_JpiButton_1_L_Long"
hvarB_short = "bksq_JpiButton_1_R_Short"
hvarB_long = "bksq_JpiButton_1_R_Long"
hvarAB_long = "bksq_JpiButton_1_B_Long"

longpress_ms = 2000

-- ============= INTERN ==============
pressedA = false
pressedB = false
startA = 0
startB = 0

-- HVAR Setter
local function setHVar(name)
pcall(function()
ipc.writeSTR("H:" .. name, "")
end)
end

-- Prüfen ob beide >= longpress
local function bothLong(now)
if not (pressedA and pressedB) then return false end
return (now - startA >= longpress_ms) and (now - startB >= longpress_ms)
end

---

-- HAUPTFUNKTION – wird per LuaValue(Parameter) aus FSUIPC aufgerufen

function ipcPARAM(param)

local now = ipc.elapsedtime()

----------------------------------------------------------------
-- TASTE A
----------------------------------------------------------------
if param == 1 then                      -- A pressed
    pressedA = true
    startA = now

elseif param == -1 then                 -- A released
    local dur = now - startA

    if bothLong(now) then
        setHVar(hvarAB_long)
    else
        if dur >= longpress_ms then
            setHVar(hvarA_long)
        else
            setHVar(hvarA_short)
        end
    end

    pressedA = false
    startA = 0
end


----------------------------------------------------------------
-- TASTE B
----------------------------------------------------------------
if param == 2 then                      -- B pressed
    pressedB = true
    startB = now

elseif param == -2 then                 -- B released
    local dur = now - startB

    if bothLong(now) then
        setHVar(hvarAB_long)
    else
        if dur >= longpress_ms then
            setHVar(hvarB_long)
        else
            setHVar(hvarB_short)
        end
    end

    pressedB = false
    startB = 0
end

end

[jmarkows]

@MatzeH84 From rubbing the sleep from my eyes or the scattering of German (I think) throughout, I'm having trouble figuring out what you're trying to do here.

Are you trying to use the script to send a different input based on which of your 5 hardware buttons you press?

[MatzeH84]

Basically we have 5 Hvars now. Left short press, left long press, right short press, right long press and both buttons long press. I have assigned them individually to 5 buttons via FSUIPC and that works.
However I would like to try to use only two buttons and use the script to activate different Hvars depending on if the button is pressed momentarily or held (or if both buttons are pressed together), in order to operate the EDM as it would be in the real unit.

[jmarkows]

I got involved in some flying of my own this morning. I'll have a look this evening and see if I come up with anything.

I'm no expert, but I've dabbled in Lua briefly for things like monitoring Lvars and setting sim vars when they change.

[jmarkows]

I think I have a script that will work... as soon as I can get FSUIPC to work with the HVars. I have my HVar file in my community folder, I can activate the HVar via FSUIPC's "Execute Calculator Code," but the ipc.activateHvar function in the lua script is not working. I will reach out to John for help.

[jmarkows]

Alright, I have a working first draft.

joyLetter="B"
lButtonNumber=2
rButtonNumber=3
rDepressed=false
lDepressed=false
rDepressedTime=0
lDepressedTime=0

function EDMButtons()
	-- Check buttons and get time
	rNow=ipc.testbutton(joyLetter,rButtonNumber)
	lNow=ipc.testbutton(joyLetter,lButtonNumber)
	timeNow=ipc.elapsedtime()

	-- Update button states
	if rNow == true and rDepressed == false then
		-- Was depressed
		rDepressed = true
		rDepressedTime=timeNow
		--ipc.log("Right Depress")
	elseif rNow == false and rDepressed == true then
		-- Was released
		rDepressed = false
		--ipc.log("Right Release")
	end
	if lNow == true and lDepressed == false then
		-- Was depressed
		lDepressed = true
		lDepressedTime=timeNow
		--ipc.log("Left Depress")
	elseif lNow == false and lDepressed == true then
		-- Was released
		lDepressed = false
		--ipc.log("Left Release")
	end

	-- Begin button logic
	if rDepressed == true and timeNow - rDepressedTime > 2500 and lDepressed == true and timeNow - lDepressedTime > 2500 then
		ipc.execCalcCode("(>H:bksq_JpiButton_1_B_Long)")
		--ipc.log("Long Both Press")
		rDepressedTime=0
		lDepressedTime=0
		rDepressed=false
		lDepressed=false
		ipc.sleep(500)
	elseif rDepressed == true and timeNow - rDepressedTime > 2500 then
		ipc.execCalcCode("(>H:bksq_JpiButton_1_R_Long)")
		--ipc.log("Long Right Press")
		rDepressedTime=0
		rDepressed=false
		ipc.sleep(500)
	elseif lDepressed == true and timeNow - lDepressedTime > 2500 then
		ipc.execCalcCode("(>H:bksq_JpiButton_1_L_Long)")
		--ipc.log("Long Left Press")
		lDepressedTime=0
		lDepressed=false
		ipc.sleep(500)
	elseif rDepressed == false and rDepressedTime > 0 and lDepressed == false and lDepressedTime > 0 then
		if ipc.readLvar("L:var_JpiTempUnit") == 0 then
			ipc.writeLvar("L:var_JpiTempUnit",1)
		else
			ipc.writeLvar("L:var_JpiTempUnit",0)
		end
		--ipc.log("Short Both Press")
		rDepressedTime=0
		lDepressedTime=0
	elseif rDepressed == false and rDepressedTime > 0 then
		ipc.execCalcCode("(>H:bksq_JpiButton_1_R_Short)")
		rDepressed=false
		--ipc.log("Short Right Press")
		rDepressedTime=0
	elseif lDepressed == false and lDepressedTime > 0 then
		ipc.execCalcCode("(>H:bksq_JpiButton_1_L_Short)")
		lDepressed=false
		--ipc.log("Short Left Press")
		lDepressedTime=0
	end
end

event.timer(200,"EDMButtons")

This should hopefully be pretty plug and play. The top three variables, joyLetter and l/rButtonNumber will need to be changed to match whatever device letter FSUIPC has assigned your button box, and the button numbers will need to match what FSUIPC would show if you were trying to bind it.

You will also need a .hvar file in your fsuipc/modules folder in the Community folder of FS 2020 or 2024, whichever you're using, that lists out the HVars in question. It's pretty simple, just a plain text file with the .hvar extension. Mine contains

H:bksq_JpiButton_1_L_Short
H:bksq_JpiButton_1_L_Long
H:bksq_JpiButton_1_R_Short
H:bksq_JpiButton_1_R_Long
H:bksq_JpiButton_1_B_Long

and is named Bonanza.hvar, should work ok. I did this for the Bonanza, obviously, but if you name yours Baron or something that will match at least a sub string of the model name being loaded (e.g. Black Square A36TC Bonanza Professional N3518X for me right now) it will find it.

Drop the top script into a .lua file with a name of your choice and have FSUIPC run it when it loads your aircraft profile. The L and R buttons you assign will need a brief hold; I suspect it's because the script runs at 5Hz, so a very quick press might not read it. I didn't dabble with the polling rate too much, as I was having issues with phantom presses after long holds, so I stuck with 5Hz and after a long press is detected I simply wait 500ms before it resumes again to give you time to release the button.

The script is probably very inelegant and I'm half worried that by posting it, Nick will run me out of the forums for committing crimes against the compiler, but I think it does the job. Refinements are welcome.

I set the threshold for a long press to be 2.5 seconds, so that's also something you can change if you like.