Autopilot woes

[G-Marv]

I'm well and truely hooked now but have run into my first stumbling block, hopefully someone can help please.

The plan is to create Boeing 737 simpit but with certain constraints, eg. budget, available space, and available diy skills (or lack of). With this in mind my plan is to create a panel that's easily removable so the family can go on the internet, do schoolwork etc on the pc.

Anyway, the problem is to do with my autopilot panel. Using a hacked USB gamepad I've wired a rotary switch to the Heading selection knob. Twist to the left or right and the heading decreases or increases accordingly. I've assigned the Heading select button in the FSX controls and the CMD to the master autopilot.
What I would normally do is select the desired heading by turning the knob, then press the heading select button. Once required I'd press the CMD button and let the autopilot take over. What seems to happen now though is when I press the Heading Select button the displayed heading changes to the current heading, over-riding whatever value I'd selected previously.

Lots of head scratching this end. Is there a problem in my key assignments, wiring, or my (basic) understanding of the autopilot itself?

Cheers,
Martin

[Romflyer]

Unfortunetly I think this is a limiation within the game, when you map auto pilot settings to particular buttons, the options are set-up for more simple auto-pilots than the one you are trying to emulate in a 737, both hdg and alt hold will only hold on your current hdg/alt  ::) I have spent hours trying to get around this but decided to either hand fly to the desire alt/hdg then engage the auto-pilot 8-) or use the mouse to engage these settings, in which case they work as you expect in a 737.

[G-Marv]

Ah, thanks for this. I was starting to think I had missed something somewhere. I was hoping to be able to do without the mouse etc. during flight to try and get as fully immersive as possible, but it's not a problem, I can work around it. I'm finding that trial and error is actually all part of the fun of simpits
To be honest I've not really looked into it too heavily but am I right in thinking FSUIPC might get around this limitation?

Cheers,
Martin

[Romflyer]

Yes, like I said, I've found that hand flying to my alt/hdg then pulling the trigger on the AP keeps me away from the mouse. I have one button mapped to increase hdg (turn right) and one to decrease hdg (turn left) and  of course one to turn hdg off/on.
This thread http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1158669727 has a couple of pictures at the bottom of it that is my simple little portable mini-pits.
I believe that FSUIPC would solve our mutual problem.

[G-Marv]

Cool, thanks for the link. I'm trying to catch up with all of the previous threads but it's taking me a while. There's so much good help and info on the site I'm picking up tons of tips and ideas for simpit mkII

Cheers,
Martin

[JBaymore]

Martin,

Sorry I can't help with productive comments on the autopilot issue you are having.  I use the Goflight one in my pit and it works flawlwessly so I've not experienced this kind of issue.  

(BTW... they are having a 20% off sale on them thru PCAviator.)

You can try the mouse macro function in the paid version of FSUIPC.  It allow you to convert SOME mouse-click only events on aircreaft panels to stuff that you can keypress map to.  And unlike Key-2-Mouse, the panels with the gauges do not have to be displayed on the screen for it to work.  HOWEVER ... I said "some" above because the gauge deveoper has to have used "standard" mouseclick mapping techniqes on the gauge in question.  If not, the MouseMacro function can't "see" the location of the click.

Hope that info helps.

best,

.....................john