MobiFlight Community Support

Hi,
I have built the complete 737 Motorized Throttle (www.737diysim.com)
I have no idea how to configure the steppers motors and the servo ...
Can someone please send a tutorial or guide me how to do that ?
I need help to configure the :

1. Throttles 1+2 (Stepper motors)
2. Trim Indicator Left + Right (Stepper motors+Switch)
3. Trim Wheel (Stepper motor)
4. Parking Break (Servo)
5. SPD Brk (Stepper motor)

Thanks !

Welcome to Mobiflight!


We pretty sure can help you if you struggle on a point..... But you can not expect that we spent hours to build a config for you in case you not like to do it yourself :-)

Pretty sure Karl from DIYSim include a Manual.
I knwo its based on ProSim and not PMDG but it show you how to create Configs and how the basic stuff work.
Your only last step is to change the Raw Data Source from ProSim Offsets/Variables to the needed PMDG Stuff.

E.g. if you need the Status of the AT Arm Switch..... You simply change the used Offset from Karl ( ProSim) to the correct one for PMDG.

If you like to talk to other people who do this the B737DIY Support is the better adress or you join our Discord and hope there are other PMDG users who own the same stuff from Karl.

As i said. We help with specific problems and we can also support your project by making from time to time a Voice seasson in discord and be a part of your build....
But you will not get a premade config file here !

This is not a warm wellcome...
Karl doesn't support PMDG , He told me this himself.
I Couldn't find any instructions on how to do that , if I had them I didnt have to make this post...
I tried in Discord and didn't find answer .

I hope that someone here can instruct me , pizman82 you don't have to do that.

Welcome to Mobiflight!


We pretty sure can help you if you struggle on a point..... But you can not expect that we spent hours to build a config for you in case you not like to do it yourself :-)

Pretty sure Karl from DIYSim include a Manual.
I knwo its based on ProSim and not PMDG but it show you how to create Configs and how the basic stuff work.
Your only last step is to change the Raw Data Source from ProSim Offsets/Variables to the needed PMDG Stuff.

E.g. if you need the Status of the AT Arm Switch..... You simply change the used Offset from Karl ( ProSim) to the correct one for PMDG.

If you like to talk to other people who do this the B737DIY Support is the better adress or you join our Discord and hope there are other PMDG users who own the same stuff from Karl.

As i said. We help with specific problems and we can also support your project by making from time to time a Voice seasson in discord and be a part of your build....
But you will not get a premade config file here !

This is not a warm wellcome...

Sorry. This was not my intention!

But i hope you understand.... Our work and target here is to support people who struggle with the usage of Mobiflight.
If a user by fault not understand the difference between Integer and String we will explane it for sure.... And we will take care about everything that is a bug, and mobiflight not do what you expect to do....

BUT

Its not possible to make premade solutions.

In your case .... You like to controll for example a Motor with the data of Throttle Engine 1 Position.
So its for sure your work to at first know where you can readout the sim position of throttle 1 .... And its also your work to read the manual or to watch videos how you can build a Config that controll this motor. Nobody will tell you what Offset PMDG Throttle Position is in case there are lists you can find with 10 seconds of Google search.

As i said... We help if you come to a death end. But pleace accept. Whatever myself, a other mod or most of the users will share you a premade config.
Cause this is finally not possible. Whatever a user work with the same Printing Files for the Throtttle from Karl and also use PMDG. If he use a different motor like yours (other brand) or his cogwheel have 1 teeht less or more then the "config" will not work.
We can support you, but we can not give you a download link to a Mobiflight MCC File that will work perfect after you download it.

My recomendation to you....
Join DISCORD ! https://discord.gg/99vHbK7 (for free)
There you can talk to me and lots of PMDG guys via Voice all over the world.
You can ask questions to guys who build it already.
There you can tell us more easy where you stuck and where you need help !

I have asked for guidnes...
I couldn't find the lever position value and don't know exactly how to configure that in mobiflight.
If someone has done it before it's not hours to copy paste the values code and help with the configurations .

Now we come to the interesting Point.....
You need something you can not figure out yourself. So we will give you the awnser and better.... We give you a guidnes to find the other things yourself !

Way 1... Use the Mobiflight Search Mask.
Open a Output Config ( just for testing). Use the preselected Simconnect(MSFS2020) feature ( We want a FS2020 controll/output so we try this first)
In Search mask you can set a Vendor. In case "PMDG" you wuld try this, but i still can say you.... PMDG same as most other AddOns not have there own Lever Postitions.... They use the generic ones.
So choose for Vendor Microsoft or Asobo ( Most are set to Microsoft)
Then type in the search mask what you need.... E.g. "Throttle".
And then it will give you in this example 4 Hits....
Best sounded is "General Throttle Lever Position " . So you click it.
And by Activate the Config ands Press RUN you can pretty easy test it.... Move the throttle and you will see if your choice was right by confirm the Value change with throttle moving.

Tip: You could also leave out the Vendor Choice.... But then you get all Hits fro Throttle we got. E.g. a lot of "AirbusA320 FlyByWire"
I Personally search always without a Vendor but when i got 20 or more Hits i use Vendor, Aircraft and so on to get a better result.


Way 2.... Use Our HubHop.
https://hubhop.mobiflight.com/
The same like Point 1 but as a webpage. Better comfort for search. If you find the best Variable then you could copy paste or you just remember the name and search for the same in Mobiflight like in Point 1

At last here is the List for generic elements.
https://docs.flightsimulator.com/html/Programming_Tools/SimVars/Simulation_Variables.htm
Interesting here is also the "units" page.
Cause e.g. on the throttle you could show the value as Percent 0-100 or a Value16bit or maybe as Booleanfor LED for example..... Whatever is better for your neednes.

PIZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAA this link helped me !
I have found this code : (A:GENERAL ENG THROTTLE LEVER POSITION:1,Percent) , I am getting the values of the lever !
Now how do I configure that correctly to the stepper motor ?
This is how I have connected it:
https://i.imgur.com/P61MHYZ.jpeg

Another point i can not help you directly.
Mobiflight official support Stepper Motors with ULN2003 Controller
The ULN use 4 Pins.
Yours use 5 Pins .
I dont know this stepper and if or how it will work with Mobiflight.

EDIT: I expect the 5th line is a PWM Signal to define the Motor speed.
This would be compatible by using a PWM Pin as a LED Output.


Best way here is to talk to Karl or do testings yourself.....

Step 1. Make the stepper basically work....
Step 2 is then easy... We just need to set the Stepper Range fitting to the Value we read from Sim.

Yes the 5th is for led output , But how the led need to be configured ?
And how to configure the motor it self ?

This is the driver :
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001436951285.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.583a180255CFKA


TB6600

Yes the 5th is for led output , But how the led need to be configured ?
And how to configure the motor it self ?

the Motor is configured like every other Motor.... Read manual.... do testings. Its not a big deal.

The LED as i tell you is a PWM Output.
So we not say "1" or "0" for ON and OFF.... We say 0-255 to define a Value between 0% and 100%

For Motor throttle Controlls this is used e.g. to say "if difference from Real Lever and Virtual Lever is pretty high then run in 100% speed" to sync both as soon as possible....
BUT
If difference get smaller then the motor need to get slower to not override.
(By the way this is normaly not need for Steppers)
So for DC Motors we can say here.... as nearer the difference of both levers is, as slower run the mortor.

You also need to knwo if you like a system where can do a manual override or if the Motor work like a Auto Mode where manual touch of throttle is simple not possible.
Here you need to know yourself if Karls Hardware is build for way a or b.

I can't even get the motor to move in the mobiflight Test

I can't even get the motor to move in the mobiflight Test

We really need to get in contact via Discord to avoid this time delay here in forum between write a comment and the other one read it.
Lets talk together THERE if you can.

As i said.... Not feel atacked.... But if your motor not turn in Test mode then you have a issue.... Maybe wrong setup, maybe electrical.
I also will help you here, BUT you have to understand it schould be the first step to try to find out the issue yourself.
We can not make a personal support for every user. We try to guide you but its also your work to read manuals or to do "trial and error" testings .... or alternate to watch Youtube videos.

If you spent 5 Hours of testing and your motor still not work.... i´m happy to support you.
But if you just try out for 10 minutes 2 things, not read and research yourself and ask for help, then my time is a little wasted in case i could same time help other users who still do a lot of testing and research work and stuck in case they not find a solution.

So please feel welcome. We happy to have you in our community and we looking forward to help you. But you need to figure out problems yourself.... Tell us exactly where you struggle and the 5-10 things you still try out yourself.... Then we much more effective can help you to do the right things !

It's the second time you assume something that is compleley wrong...
Did you see me only just try out for 10 minutes 2 things ??????
It's better not to respond at all and not to help than to talk bullshit

Sorry. We both get a difficult situation i think.

But please also take a look on the other point of view.
Hundrets of users work with there motors.... so we know MF work fine.
There exist lots of videos on youtube, we have guides on our wiki, you can use search in forum !!!

What you do is request in one line "I can't even get the motor to move in the mobiflight Test"

So what about tell us what you do.

Tell us if you already test the motor with a own written or a premade simple arduino sketch from the web ?
So can you confirm the motor iteslf work or if its broke ?
Do you confirm the Mobifligth Logic (ULN2003) with the a,b,c,d Pin System is compatible in the way you wired to your Motor controller?
For sure you send me the wire diagram picture..... But i not know this controller and will also not read the manual for you to confirm that .... cause i not plan to use it myself !

Do you already test the motor without the "custom" PWM Pin ?
For sure a Motor test can not work if that Pin is currently not set in MF in a special way.....
While test all Pins (Expect the tested Device) are "0".
The PWM Controll Pin in state "0" logical result in a non working motor.
So what i would do is set this pin ( for testing the motor) to a 5V Pin instead of Pin e.g. 6.

Another fact.... Do you use Motor Test as expected ? E.g. some people not understand the test must be done while MF is in STOP Mode.
Also the used Test Setting must be correct. If you not know what value you have to set in "Sim" and "Stepper" and "Test" and just click on "Test" by intent.... Also sure the test will not work !


*********
Summary:

Did you see me only just try out for 10 minutes 2 things ??????

No, but the fact you not give me the whole informations i need to help you and a detailed step by step list what you still try out, and where you struggle, let me expect exactly this !