StreamDeck Plugin: Pilot's Deck

[Daniel Saffran]

Hello fellow Bus-Drivers! 

I have been working for some time now on a StreamDeck Plugin which connects to Prepar3D via FSUIPC. So that a StreamDeck can be used as Input (and Display) Device.

You can get it from my Github-Repository under Releases (current is v0.6.2). Installation is just extracting the Zip and Re/Start StreamDeck. What Actions are available and how they are configured can be read in the Readme.

Suggestions and Feedback appreciated!
If you have any Questions or Problems, feel free to ask me! 

Have Fun  

 

**Update for FSL Users**
You can find now an Example with preconfigured Profiles in the Downloads-Section! 

 

[Moritz Frenken]

Hey,

I already downloaded it and gave it a try. actually I didnt get it woking.
I inserted some control parameters but the sim didnt recognized it.
But if you are still searching beta testers send me a PM.

Regards

[Daniel Saffran]

I've tried to test as much as possible - of course it is in development, but that nothing works is a bit suprising. Let's work it out via PM  

[Daniel Saffran]

Problem identified and fixed!  

Fix and new Features uploaded/available in Version 0.4.8

[Mats Kronberg]

Yes please.

This looks very promising, but I wasn't quite able to get it to work.

I can see the Actions in the Stream Deck UI, but I'm not able to make even a simple Display Value work.

I enabled the FSUIPC (registered version) log Console Log window, but it shows nothing when I start Stream Deck and open the folder containing the action.

The Stream Deck log suggests the plugin is crashing:

ESDCustomPlugin::StartPlugin::<lambda_0b565748c80c245c6dacbb627626632b>::operator ()(): The plugin 'PilotsDeck' crashed with code 0:-532462766
ESDCustomPlugin::StartPlugin::<lambda_0b565748c80c245c6dacbb627626632b>::operator ()(): Restarting plugin 'PilotsDeck'
ESDCustomPlugin::StartPlugin::<lambda_0b565748c80c245c6dacbb627626632b>::operator ()(): The plugin 'PilotsDeck' crashed with code 0:-532462766
ESDCustomPlugin::StartPlugin::<lambda_0b565748c80c245c6dacbb627626632b>::()::<lambda_f28c194402b52051a8ce98ebab4f5e3f>::operator ()(): Restarting plugin 'PilotsDeck' after one minute

Any suggestions?

 

 

[Daniel Saffran]

Hello Mats,

did you try to unblock/exclude the Plugin like described in the Readme?

When you don't find a log-directory inside the plugin-dir, it very likely that the executable and/or its dll's are blocked.

 

[Mats Kronberg]

Yes, that helped! Thanks!!!

Now I just have to figure out how to do the lvar dance with the rotorbrake. Oh the vjoy!

 

[Daniel Saffran]

Great to hear

What do you mean with "lvar dance"? 

You can any way of input you like, if thats rotorbrake, thats fine. I did 99% of my profile with Lua(Toggle) and Macros  

[Mats Kronberg]

I was just trying to be funny. What I meant is that now it's time to learn how to make FSUIPC do the things I want.

I was able to make some basic buttons (show the xpdr code, toggle seatbelt sign, ...), and I think your plugin is very promising!

It feels more rewarding to get a single button working when it's complicated to do so than to just get a finished product that Just Works.

Are there some examples profiles in the repo too? There were some extra profiles that StreamDeck offered to import, but they seemed empty.

[Daniel Saffran]

The bigger problem is imho if and how the A320X does respectively reports the things one wants *cough* 

You can use what you used before to map the cockpit-buttons/-controls to the joystick. But you're right to get dynamic buttons, you have to dance the lvar-dance
What I used as Lvar Reference is the FSL2Lua Library from Peter Pukhnoy's Virtual copilot. There's a file called "FSL.lua" where you can find the lvar-names.

The included Profiles are for the (StreamDeck) profile-switching-feature of the plugin. The profiles can be switched on basis of a FSUIPC-profile.
Unfortunately there are no example profiles, since there are many ways to control a button and there are different user-preferences. For example, I make heavy use of Lua and Macros, other may prefer Controls/RotorBrake. And again others maybe want to map everything within the FSUIPC-GUI and therefore only use the (FSUIPC's) vJoy in the Plugin.

[Matti Janowski]

l

[Benjamin newton]

i

 

[Thomas Hempel]

I really tried my best, but i can´t get it work. 

Is it possbile to get an example e.g. for the radios?

[Daniel Saffran]

Hello Thomas,

but the Plugin does basically work, right? For example, the Drop-Downs for Action-Type and Images work and you have a log-Folder inside the Plugin-Folder (not Streamdeck-Folder)?

What is the Challenge with the Radios?
You would need some Action to trigger the Swap - either by Macro, RotorBrake-Code aka Control (if existing for Radio-Swap) or when I remember correctly even the FSUIPC-Offset works with FSL to do the Swap.
For the Frequencies you can either user the BCD-encoded Offsets (3118-3120 / 034E) or the integer-Offsets (05C4-05D0). But be warned, FSL does not synch these Offsets with the real Values active in the Cockpit very well, only the Active is more or less accurate.

[Shand Stewart]

Seems like an odd question but, does it/would it work with PMDG aircraft since their coding tends to not follow the “standard” way of using FSUIPC …?

[Daniel Saffran]

I'm not sure I can follow you, what for example should be so different?

When I look at the Offset-Mapping Documentation I see nothing special (besides I'm becoming somehow jealous that all that is not available for FSL  )

[Daniel Saffran]

*bump*

New Version released: https://github.com/Fragtality/PilotsDeck/releases/tag/v0.6.0

[Daniel Saffran]

*bump again* 

New Version released: https://github.com/Fragtality/PilotsDeck/releases/tag/v0.6.2
to go along with an Example / preconfigured Profiles here in the Download-Section: 

 

[Eric Fisher]

Is this still available? And are their instructions for dummies? I use fsuipc and LINDA currently with the FSL Plugin for the VRinsight hardware. Does this require AAO software as well? 

[Daniel Saffran]

Uhm ... what makes you think it is not available anymore? ^^
It is tripple-A: alive, active and available 

You can always find the latest Release under https://github.com/Fragtality/PilotsDeck/releases (currently 0.6.5)
The Readme is extensive and describes the Installation and Configuration/Usage. I'm glad to answer Questions and help out with Problems ... after reading the Readme  
There are also preconfigured (StreamDeck) Profiles available for FSLabs (here in the Downloads-Section) and also the PMDG 747-8, MadDog MD-82 and QW 787 on GitHub. The former two are a User-Contribution, the later is also created by me (if you also own the QW 787 I'd recommend to take a look at QualityWings2GSX).

AAO (Axis-and-ohs?) is not required by any means (?!).
PilotsDeck is a "normal" and standalone StreamDeck Plugin which uses FSUIPC to connect to the Sim(s). So you basically need StreamDeck Software + FSUIPC6/7 (registered recommended) + Prepar3D/MSFS. To my understanding AAO is also implemented as StreamDeck Plugin, so you theoretically could use both on the same StreamDeck (Profile) if needed.

[Eric Fisher]

15 minutes ago, Daniel Saffran said:

Uhm ... what makes you think it is not available anymore? ^^
It is tripple-A: alive, active and available 

You can always find the latest Release under https://github.com/Fragtality/PilotsDeck/releases (currently 0.6.5)
The Readme is extensive and describes the Installation and Configuration/Usage. I'm glad to answer Questions and help out with Problems ... after reading the Readme  
There are also preconfigured (StreamDeck) Profiles available for FSLabs (here in the Downloads-Section) and also the PMDG 747-8, MadDog MD-82 and QW 787 on GitHub. The former two are a User-Contribution, the later is also created by me (if you also own the QW 787 I'd recommend to take a look at QualityWings2GSX).

AAO (Axis-and-ohs?) is not required by any means (?!).
PilotsDeck is a "normal" and standalone StreamDeck Plugin which uses FSUIPC to connect to the Sim(s). So you basically need StreamDeck Software + FSUIPC6/7 (registered recommended) + Prepar3D/MSFS. To my understanding AAO is also implemented as StreamDeck Plugin, so you theoretically could use both on the same StreamDeck (Profile) if needed.

Many thanks Daniel! 

[Simon Tam]

Hi Daniel,

First of all thank you so much for all your hard work in getting this working. It is seriously an impressive piece of work. I was able to get the default profile installed with little effort and generally works quite well. Some comments from myself on my experience:

• Maybe cuz I'm using chase plane, the internal VC views seem to be at the wrong zoom level. The Pedestal and Overhead views are mixed up.
• As much as I appreciate how everything is modelled, I do feel it takes a bit away from the sim a bit if I have everything right there for each phase of flight. For myself I have really focused on the overhead section with the lights, APU and AI instead, recombining from different parts - the part that I tend to fumble around with in key phases of flight.
• I Have modified some of the switches to not use the long press for the 3 stage switches, but cannot seem to do this for the Smoking light of all switches
• APU START is not working for me which is a bit unfortunate. It only flashes ON briefly but never shows AVAIL for me.
• The MCP section is also really great and very handy!
• The VH1 frequency changer is very nice however the font size seemed a bit large because by default the frequency number would line break. Some frequencies like 125.565 do not show correctly in the display

Not sure if you had any input on these bugs but even if they are not ironed out super happy with what you have done here. Thanks again!
 

[Daniel Saffran]

Hello Sam,

glad to hear you like my work

You have to differentiate between the Plugin and the FSL Profile. The Plugin is more or less a "general framework" to configure anything a Sim and a Plane enables with the Appearance on the StreamDeck also being highly configurable. Since that can be somewhat "overwhelming" I've created the Profile which is available here in the Forum. It is a starting Point / some kind of Tutorial to get the Users started. It just delivers a set of preconfigured Actions which can be configured and arranged to one's personal liking. Specifically, it's just a public Copy of the Profile I use. ^^

5 hours ago, Simon Tam said:

• Maybe cuz I'm using chase plane, the internal VC views seem to be at the wrong zoom level. The Pedestal and Overhead views are mixed up.
• As much as I appreciate how everything is modelled, I do feel it takes a bit away from the sim a bit if I have everything right there for each phase of flight. For myself I have really focused on the overhead section with the lights, APU and AI instead, recombining from different parts - the part that I tend to fumble around with in key phases of flight.
• I Have modified some of the switches to not use the long press for the 3 stage switches, but cannot seem to do this for the Smoking light of all switches
• APU START is not working for me which is a bit unfortunate. It only flashes ON briefly but never shows AVAIL for me.
• The MCP section is also really great and very handy!
• The VH1 frequency changer is very nice however the font size seemed a bit large because by default the frequency number would line break. Some frequencies like 125.565 do not show correctly in the display

• Yeah sorry, did not mention that in the Description or Readme: the View-Buttons are for my customized Camera Settings (I've tweaked / rearranged the Cameras in the aircraft.cfg's) - so the Sequence switches to the "wrong" camera with the default Camera Settings. But neither the Plugin nor the Profile change the Zoom Level in any way. When the Zoom Level is wrong, it is either "as delivered" by FSL or as configured by yourself. The Actions only do a Sequence like "Select Category VC -> Next View in Category".
  Also, if you use Chaseplane and not the custom Camera System - then configure the Actions for Chaseplane!  I don't know it, so I can't say how to do that ... but if it can be controlled via FSUIPC or at least can be assigned Joystick Buttons (vJoy Driver), there is a way.
• That's the very Idea behind the Plugin and the Profile here ... configure and arrange to your needs (without the need to define all the Buttons/Actions first). So there is nothing to "iron out" here, you're using it as intended ;D
• Same as above!
• Yeah, like some other Switches too. Nothing I can do about that, that is just how FSL designed the "not intended for use" lvars!
• Glad you like it, although it is a very basic Implementation compared to the QW787 or PMDG 747 Profiles ... but again: FSL does not support more.
  (And it is called "FCU" on Airbus xD )
• Then just change the Font to your Preferences ... Font, Size, Style, Color are all configurable

Greetings,
Daniel

[Simon Tam]

13 hours ago, Daniel Saffran said:

• Yeah sorry, did not mention that in the Description or Readme: the View-Buttons are for my customized Camera Settings (I've tweaked / rearranged the Cameras in the aircraft.cfg's) - so the Sequence switches to the "wrong" camera with the default Camera Settings. But neither the Plugin nor the Profile change the Zoom Level in any way. When the Zoom Level is wrong, it is either "as delivered" by FSL or as configured by yourself. The Actions only do a Sequence like "Select Category VC -> Next View in Category".
  Also, if you use Chaseplane and not the custom Camera System - then configure the Actions for Chaseplane!  I don't know it, so I can't say how to do that ... but if it can be controlled via FSUIPC or at least can be assigned Joystick Buttons (vJoy Driver), there is a way.
• That's the very Idea behind the Plugin and the Profile here ... configure and arrange to your needs (without the need to define all the Buttons/Actions first). So there is nothing to "iron out" here, you're using it as intended ;D
• Same as above!
• Yeah, like some other Switches too. Nothing I can do about that, that is just how FSL designed the "not intended for use" lvars!
• Glad you like it, although it is a very basic Implementation compared to the QW787 or PMDG 747 Profiles ... but again: FSL does not support more.
  (And it is called "FCU" on Airbus xD )
• Then just change the Font to your Preferences ... Font, Size, Style, Color are all configurable

Hi Daniel,

• The views make a lot more sense now. I have also customized this a bit for my use too (I love the 2D panels). Right the zoom is not your end but a reflection of the personalized settings you have. I thought about installing vJoy for ChasePlane integration but for now have decided not to jump to that complexity.
•  unfortunate about some of the switches not working as intended but it's pretty awesome you took the effort to program all the switches to their intended full functionality.
• When I said MCP ... I meant the ECAM control panel!
• For the VH1 I did adjust the fonts a bit to my preference but some of the frequencies do not seem to show up correctly as in some of the ending digits are not correct.

I will try to have more of a go at customizing more of the settings. Thanks again!