AS1000_CONTROL_PAD_ Events

[bstudtma]

First of all, this is really impressive! Cool to see it in action. I tried to trigger the AS1000_CONTROL_PAD_* H events (new in SU14) from MSFS.trigger('AS1000_CONTROL_PAD_1",1) but noticed the API logged an error. Any idea if something like that would be possible? I was thinking about creating a web UI for a tablet to with buttons for the Cirrus Perspective+ using your API.

Thanks!

[Pomax]

What was the error?

[bstudtma]

On the API server:

Triggering sim event AS1000_CONTROL_PAD_1
RecvException { exception: 7, sendId: 595, index: 2 }
RecvException { exception: 1, sendId: 596, index: 2 }

Note that I triggered it from the browser running "are we flying". Thanks!

[Pomax]

exception 7 is SIMCONNECT_EXCEPTION_NAME_UNRECOGNIZED, meaning that the simconnect DLL doesn't know that variable. Are you sure it got added in SU14? (I don't see any mention of it when I search https://docs.flightsimulator.com/html/Introduction/Introduction.htm)

[EvenAR]

I was able to implement those new node-simmconnect functions in a clone of msfs-simconnect-api-wrapper and it's working great for the most part. I can put in a pull request if that would be helpful. I was able to add most of the console buttons on the SR22T to a webpage (cloned 'are we flying' and created a sr22t.html and .js using the same APIs). I'm running the webpage on an iPad and can control the keypad and autopilot without moving the view. I'm struggling a with knobs still. Considering these events aren't documented, it's hard to know exactly what to send. AS1000_ControlPad_1_Heading sometimes makes it increment and sometimes decrements which seems strange. I can probably use a different sim connect event for changing the heading bug, but some of the other FMS knobs might not be so easy.

Have you tried calling enumerateInputEventParams for the heading input event? Perhaps it requires some input parameters?

[EvenAR]

Nevermind, there was a bug in node-simconnect.. Please try the newly released v3.6.2 @bstudtma

[bstudtma]

Thanks @EvenAR. I noticed that last night and was going to submit an issue. I'll try your update tonight. I'm not sure if all numeric parameters are float64, but that seemed to be the case for the SR22T at least. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

[EvenAR]

I'm struggling to find any documentation or sample code which confirms the alllowed SetInputEvent-types and size values, but my assumption is that it is limited to the SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE which you can get by calling SimConnect_GetInputEvent. According to SimConnect.h (look below) this is either SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE_DOUBLE (float64 / 8 bytes) or SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE_STRING.

That's why I assume 8 bytes is correct for numeric values. As with the strings, in the notes for C# in the SimConnect_GetInputEvent docs, they refer to an InputEventString struct. After installing the SDK samples I found this by looking in the SimvarWatcher C# sample project:

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Pack = 1)]
    public class InputEventString
    {
        [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = 256)]
        public string value;
    }

... which makes me think you are right that the strings has a fixed length (256?) 🤔 I haven't been able to test any string-based input events to see what works, buf if you do please let me know!

Just a headsup; the enums and structures shown in the online docs does not match what I find in SimConnect.h:

SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_DESCRIPTOR:

• Online docs
• SimConnect.h:

  SIMCONNECT_REFSTRUCT SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_DESCRIPTOR
  {
      SIMCONNECT_STRING(Name, 64);     // Input event name
      unsigned __int64	Hash;        // Hash
      SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE	eType;
  };

SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE:

• Online docs
• SimConnect.h:

  SIMCONNECT_ENUM SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE : DWORD
  {
      SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE_DOUBLE,
      SIMCONNECT_INPUT_EVENT_TYPE_STRING
  };

[bstudtma]

The fix in v3.6.2 is working great. I'll keep an eye out for a string param. I didn't see one on the SR22T when I checked last night.. only noticed float64. I appreciate the quick fix!