Top bottons with working lights FBW A32NX only

BJ1960 commented 2 years ago

Software version

0.7.0

Modifying or adding?

Adding

Which Aircrafts?

FBW A32NX

The configuration

Better Bravo Lights Variable List FSUIPC7

See https://github.com/RoystonS/BetterBravoLights/blob/f4574ea871ac09f1936b48478ef1f9be8ea13ff9/BravoLights/Config.ini#L110-L117 for examples. -->

[Aircraft.FlyByWire_A320_NEO]
HDG = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES == 1
NAV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 1
APR = L:A32NX_FCU_APPR_MODE_ACTIVE == 1
REV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 2
ALT = A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE SLOT INDEX, bool == 2
VS = L:A32NX_AUTOPILOT_VS_SELECTED == 0
IAS = L:A32NX_FCU_SPD_MANAGED_DASHES == 1

Additional context

I don´t use NAV and REV, so I replaced them to set NAV = [QNH local] and REV = [QNH STD]

A320AutoPilot commented 2 years ago

So I copied this code

[Aircraft.FlyByWire_A320_NEO] HDG = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES == 1 NAV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 1 APR = L:A32NX_FCU_APPR_MODE_ACTIVE == 1 REV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 2 ALT = A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE SLOT INDEX, bool == 2 VS = L:A32NX_AUTOPILOT_VS_SELECTED == 0 IAS = L:A32NX_FCU_SPD_MANAGED_DASHES == 1

into my config folder at the bottom and saved it. Nothing seems to have changed though. The HDG and VS buttons still stay lit up the entire time in the FBW A320 and the code doesn't seem to have changed anything.

BJ1960 commented 2 years ago

Hm, at my throttle everything works fine, do you use FSUIPC7 ? Here a picture during normal flight: HDG, REV (for me: QNH = Std), ALT, VS and HDG are in managed mode an lights are on.

A320AutoPilot commented 2 years ago

I don’t have FSUIPC7. Does that help? It’s strange that the code being pasted into the config document doesn’t apply to the lights. Maybe I’m doing something wrong? If it’s not too much to ask, could you screenshot the area of the config doc that you have the code so I can see exactly how it should look? I really appreciate the help.

BJ1960 commented 2 years ago

Hello, I am not sure about FSUIPC7. Here is my config.ini, BBL Version 0.7.0:

[Default]
;AUTOPILOT = A:AUTOPILOT MASTER, percent over 100 == 1

;Uncomment the line below to invert the display logic for the top row of auto-pilot lights
;Invert = HDG, NAV, APR, REV, ALT, VS, IAS, AUTOPILOT

[Aircraft.AircraftName]
;AUTOPILOT = L:XMLVAR_Autopilot_1_Status == 1 OR L:XMLVAR_Autopilot_2_Status == 1

[Aircraft.FlyByWire_A320_NEO]
HDG = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES == 1
NAV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 1
APR = L:A32NX_FCU_APPR_MODE_ACTIVE == 1
REV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 2
ALT = A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE SLOT INDEX, bool == 2
VS = L:A32NX_AUTOPILOT_VS_SELECTED == 0
IAS = L:A32NX_FCU_SPD_MANAGED_DASHES == 1

A320AutoPilot commented 2 years ago

I copied your text into my config folder and nothing changed. HDG and VS lights stay on, no other AP panel lights work. Landing gear and all of the alarm lights work though. Really strange. I'll try downloading FSUIPC7 and see if that changes anything.

RoystonS commented 2 years ago

You don't need FSUIPC7 at all. Older versions of BBL used to use it. New ones don't. It'll definitely make no difference.

RoystonS commented 2 years ago

When BetterBravoLights is running, right click its (light bulb) icon on the system tray and select 'Debugger'. That'll bring up the Lights Monitor window which will allow you to inspect the conditions and status of every individual light.

That'll tell you which expressions are being used, whether they're working correctly and so on.

RoystonS commented 2 years ago

Thanks @BJ1960. I'll take a look at these values and compare them with what we ship as standard. I'm not a 320 flyer so I might have some questions!

RoystonS commented 2 years ago

@A320AutoPilot This issue #33 is for an extra set of configuration kindly supplied by @BJ1960. Please can you keep your questions to the other issue you've raised at #36? Splitting your queries across two issues will be very confusing.

RoystonS commented 2 years ago

Hi @BJ1960!

Sorry for the delay - I've just been having a play with your configuration entries, and I have some questions about them.

I'll go through them one-by-one:

HDG = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES == 1 Do you only want A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES here?

I don't really understand the A32NX AP modes, so I'll ask a clarifying question for my own understanding. There seem to be three main modes for each of the AP controls such as speed:

Mode 1: no dashes, no dot, just numbers ("crew selected value mode")

In this mode the autopilot controls the speed based on the shown value.

Mode 2: dashes and dot ("FMGS managed mode")

In this mode the autopilot controls the speed based on the FMGS.

Mode 3: numbers and dot ("FMGS managed, but showing [as yet ignored] crew setting")

In this mode the autopilot ignores the shown numbers and flies the FMGS speed.

By mapping only the A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES setting to the HDG light, you'll light the HDG only in the mode 2 setup above. Is that what you want? If you want to show the HDG light when the FMGS is managing the speed, the setting should be using A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DOT instead. (I think?)

Official FBW docs: https://github.com/flybywiresim/a32nx/blob/master/docs/a320-simvars.md#flight-management-system
NAV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 1 I think this is your own personal preference, so I'll not pick this one up in the standard BBL settings
APR = L:A32NX_FCU_APPR_MODE_ACTIVE == 1 This one seems straightforwardly and obviously correct.
REV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 2 Another personal preference one.
ALT = A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE SLOT INDEX, bool == 2 I've found almost no documentation on this. Could you describe what it's doing please?
VS = L:A32NX_AUTOPILOT_VS_SELECTED == 0 I'm confused about this setting. It almost seems the reverse of what it should be?

This says "If there is no vertical speed selected, turn the VS light on". For instance, if I set a vertical speed of 800ft/min, the value of this variable will be 800, turning the light off. If I tell the aircraft to level off, clearing the vertical speed, it turns the VS light on. That feels the wrong way round to me?

e.g.

There is also an A32NX_FCU_VS_MANAGED lvar. Is that more appropriate?
IAS = L:A32NX_FCU_SPD_MANAGED_DASHES == 1 I have the same question here as for the HDG light. Why dashes and not dot?

BJ1960 commented 2 years ago

Hello, yes, some of my settings are specially adapted for my needs:

I prefer [lights ON] if I am in managed mode.

Maybe some of my settings are confused for you, because I use FSUIPC7 too:

NAV + REV: Yes, my own settings, don´t need them, but it is nice to set them to [QNH local] and [QNH STD] with only 1 click and "light feedback"

ALT: If I am in managed mode, first i set the new altitude and if I press [ALT] now the AP goes to "Open descend"

VS: The same: 1st I select the VS and if I press VS now the plane desc with the selected rate.

IAS: Don´t know why, but dashes works fine for me: 1st I press IAS, then I am able to select the speed with the "Rotary knob"

Kind regards: Bernhard

Am 30.04.2022 um 18:00 schrieb Royston Shufflebotham:

Hi @BJ1960 https://github.com/BJ1960!

Sorry for the delay - I've just been having a play with your configuration entries, and I have some questions about them.

I'll go through them one-by-one:

*

|HDG = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES == 1|
Do you only want |A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES| here?

I don't /really/ understand the A32NX AP modes, so I'll ask a
clarifying question for my own understanding. There seem to be
three main modes for each of the AP controls such as speed:

Mode 1: no dashes, no dot, just numbers ("crew selected value mode")
image
<https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/19773/166112609-38324b0f-d47d-4eef-b61d-2fdc7c36ce13.png>
In this mode the autopilot controls the speed based on the shown
value.

Mode 2: dashes and dot ("FMGS managed mode")
image
<https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/19773/166112619-41217173-9879-47a6-9ed5-35abaae8b9c6.png>
In this mode the autopilot controls the speed based on the FMGS.

Mode 3: numbers and dot ("FMGS managed, but showing [as yet
ignored] crew setting")
image
<https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/19773/166112596-4831b6e1-4a7e-4b61-90f3-ad555ff1efa9.png>
In this mode the autopilot ignores the shown numbers and flies the
FMGS speed.

By mapping only the |A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DASHES| setting to the
|HDG| light, you'll light the |HDG| only in the mode 2 setup
above. Is that what you want? If you want to show the HDG light
when the FMGS is managing the speed, the setting should be using
|A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DOT| instead. (I think?)

Official FBW docs:
https://github.com/flybywiresim/a32nx/blob/master/docs/a320-simvars.md#flight-management-system

*

|NAV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 1|
I think this is your own personal preference, so I'll not pick
this one up in the standard BBL settings

*

|APR = L:A32NX_FCU_APPR_MODE_ACTIVE == 1|
This one seems straightforwardly and obviously correct.

*

|REV = L:XMLVAR_Baro1_Mode == 2|
Another personal preference one.

*

|ALT = A:AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE SLOT INDEX, bool == 2|
I've found almost no documentation on this. Could you describe
what it's doing please?

*

|VS = L:A32NX_AUTOPILOT_VS_SELECTED == 0|
I'm confused about this setting. It almost seems the reverse of
what it should be?

This says "If there is /no/ vertical speed selected, turn the VS
light /on/". For instance, if I set a vertical speed of 800ft/min,
the value of this variable will be 800, turning the light /off/.
If I tell the aircraft to level off, clearing the vertical speed,
it turns the VS light /on/. That feels the wrong way round to me?

e.g.
image
<https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/19773/166111366-ba3053be-f8ba-4b35-8b67-514804b67e07.png>

There is also an |A32NX_FCU_VS_MANAGED| lvar. Is that more
appropriate?

*

|IAS = L:A32NX_FCU_SPD_MANAGED_DASHES == 1|
I have the same question here as for the |HDG| light. Why dashes
and not dot?

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RoystonS commented 2 years ago

There was an interesting MentourPilot video from a few days ago where the managed heading mode was (terribly and serious consequences) relevant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kamyxB-yKrc (from around 23:12)

That's left me wondering whether, for most users, we should either be showing the NAV light or the HDG light, reflecting whether we're in managed nav mode or selected heading mode?

That is, a configuration of

NAV = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DOT == 1 HDG = L:A32NX_FCU_HDG_MANAGED_DOT == 0

?

(I understand that you're using NAV for something else.)

RoystonS commented 2 years ago

I've shipped the APR, ALT and VS changes in BBL v0.8.0. I'm planning another release soon (with a new first-class installer) so we can get NAV + IAS into that without rushing.

RoystonS / BetterBravoLights

Top bottons with working lights FBW A32NX only #33