MobiFlight Community Support

1. Is this software ONLY used to program the Arduino board, or does it have to be running as an interface with the flight simulator?
2. Can this software be used to READ a currently programmed Arduino board (that it supports) and be used to tweak, correct anything that is currently programmed onto the board?
3. Can you use this software to change the NAME of the board? I programmed a Pro Micro and in a round about way was able to change the displayed name of the board so several Pro Micro boards could be used and isolated from each other.

Thanks! I'm sure there will be more questions as I evolve!

TB2

Hi

Welcome to Mobiflight !

1. Is this software ONLY used to program the Arduino board, or does it have to be running as an interface with the flight simulator?

MF is the "interface" Between the Sim(s) (FS9.FSX,P3D,Xplane,FS2020) and the Hardware.
AND its used to programm the Ardunio also (point 2)
So sure.... MF Connector must run all time parallel to the sim to bring data from/to the Arduinos.

2. Can this software be used to READ a currently programmed Arduino board (that it supports) and be used to tweak, correct anything that is currently programmed onto the board?

Mobiflight talks to Arduino Boards (the supported ones) by flash its own Firmware onto it. Means all the Code on that boards no longer exist.
You can then create devices on that Board ( e.g. a button on Pin 5 and a LED on Pin 7) And finally our PC Side Connector Software interface it.... It send the Button Press as a command to the Sim and it otherwise observe the status of a sim Varibale ( Like a LED information) and controll your real LED to ON or OFF based on that data.

In easy words.... A Casula User no longer see or handle Arduino Code.... All is done by MF.

3. Can you use this software to change the NAME of the board? I programmed a Pro Micro and in a round about way was able to change the displayed name of the board so several Pro Micro boards could be used and isolated from each other.

For Windows each Board is showed with same name e.g. "Arduino Mega2560"
But when we flash our Mobiflight Firmware onto it then this Board is shown (within MF) with a name that you can define.
So not care about the name in the Device Manager of Windows..... You will see the Board ( inside MF) perefectly named.


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EDIT: Last Note!
Please join our Discord and talk to us. Explane me what you like to do. then i can guide you better to the needed Solution !

Thank you for the concise answers! I've programmed an Arduino Pro Mini board myself to emulate a "joystick" and use it for multiple functions. I do not have to run any other software or programs for it to work in any simulator since (for all practical purposes) Windows sees it as a separate joystick.

I was hoping that MF would be able to do this as well and not have the need to run MF alongside my simulator for the Arduino to work. I'm guessing this is not possible?
I also am a long time licensed user of FSUIPC and noticed in another post that it is recommend to not use FSUIPC. Sorry, that's not going to happen. That is why I need the Arduino to emulate a joystick, and not be "strapped" to another program to run.

Again, thank you for the reply.

TB2

Hi there,

you cannot "control" FSX without FSUIPC (but joystick axis of course) and even FS2020 is able to run with FSUIPC as far as i know.

And from my experience there is no problem to have MF running parallel to FSX, you can even let it start automatically with FSX.

If you only need joystick axis, then of course you do not need MF. But as soon as you want to go any further like e.g. Gear Lever with switches and LEDs there is no other solution available.

Kai

I think you still not fully understand the basic idea and the elements we do with Mobiflight.

For sure.... You can controll every Sim directly with a Joystick. its no mater if we talk about a real Joystick or a reprogrammed Arduino to a HID Controller.
Both simply emulate Button Presses and Axis Inputs.

Means you NOT define what should happend.... E.g. "Increase AP Altitude" within your Arduino.... You just say "Emulate a Press of Button X"
The final "set" of the command is done with your idea inside the Sim.
E.g. in the FSX/P3D/FS2020 Controll Settings.... Or for sure also within FSUIPC.

The idea of Mobiflight is different.... We not emulate a Button that is defined within the Sim or FSUIPC.... We "Directly" Define what action should be done in the sim.

As i said in other topic and above ..... In the Past ( All Sims prior FS2020) we would need FSUIPC also ( Not Payware.... Just the Freeware interface).
But also there we not emulate Buttons.... We use the FSUIPC Interface to comunicate with the Sim.
In FS2020 we do the same.... But no longer via FSUIPC.... We use our own Interface to say in MF for example "If Arduino Button on Pin3 is pressed then tell the sim to increase AP Altitude by 100ft.
In the Sim controlls there is no setting. All is done in MF Connector ( Communication with Sim) and in Firmware on Mega (Board-PC Communciation)


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If you just need Inputs, you not need Mobiflight basically.... You can handle it like in the past.
But OUTPUTS are not possible for a HID Device like a Joystick.
And here Mobiflight is the Key.
We can read ( via all time running App) from the Sim and can tell our Firmware on the Arduino e.g. to light a LED with this information.

And Yes.... MF not need Coding.
The whole Firmware ( Arduino Side) is autogenerated. Also your Devices are created by the software itself ( You just choose in a GUI what you need)
The only "Coding" is needed if you build advanced Logics that are not available in the sim..... But same time this also is no longer posible with FSUIPC. Also there you must make the same code !

EDIT:

Whatever its a little advanced for the beginning.... Please watch our Videos... like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98sx64YF4h0
It should give you a overview how MF work !

Thanks for the replies! pizman82, I will seriously consider what you say. As stated, I do not fully understand MF yet, but hope to do so soon. I have ordered 3 Pro Micro boards and will experiment with one of them and MobiFlight soon.

I should have explained my setup a bit better. I use FSUIPC, (registered), currently with MSFS and have used it exclusively due to the amount of input devices I have. FSUIPC allows me to build profiles for each unique aircraft and I don't have to plug / unplug devices to meet my needs. I have many years of experience with FSX, and P3D and belong to a flight sim club locally and help many people with their hardware and software so I'm not new to flight simming and most of its issues.

When I stated that I programmed a Pro Micro to emulate a "joystick", I should have explained that one a bit better too. I programmed it as a joystick so I could use 4 axis (Prop / Throttle / Mixture / Trim Wheel), and 8 buttons for various functions (gear, flaps, etc.).

I'm hoping to use MobiFlight and a Pro Micro board to replace my radio unit, (I have a Saitek radio where I can use the hardware, but the chip in it is bad), and I want to make a knob box so I can use real knobs to control all or most of the knobs on an instrument panel.

Two other questions. If I were to flash MobiFlight onto a board, and decide I don't want to use it, can I "undo" those actions and put the board back to its original state?

Also, how many boards can I program and have connected at the same time for use in Flight Simulator? One for radio, one for knob box, etc. Or am I limited to one board?

Thanks all

TB2

Two other questions. If I were to flash MobiFlight onto a board, and decide I don't want to use it, can I "undo" those actions and put the board back to its original state?

Also, how many boards can I program and have connected at the same time for use in Flight Simulator? One for radio, one for knob box, etc. Or am I limited to one board?

Yes, simply load the "reset-script" in the Arduino IDE and run it

If i'm right you / MF could handle more than 100 Arduino Megas. Quiet enough i guess....

Limit of Arduino Boards is the hard cap of USB Devices.
As i know 128 on a Modern Computer.... Whatever your Keyboard, Mouse, Headset, CPU Cooler, PSU and so on are also maybe USB Devices.
So "100" is a good Number.
And its way to much. We have a USer with a Full B737 and he "just" need 40 Boards.

In theory the number is 1600 Arduinos+ Cause we can share 16 Computers in a Network

In theory the number is 1600 Arduinos+ Cause we can share 16 Computers in a Network

Ah yeah, there it came from that i had more than 100 in mind....several computers in a network. Forgot this little fact.

OK, I'm a believer! Using a Pro Micro, (bricked it once during the tutorial, but was able to fix it), I've (so far) been able to set up 2 knobs, one for HSI bug, and the other for the Heading Indicator. THAT one was difficult because the preset is "Gyro Drift". Strange.

I also have VOR 1 and VOR 2 on one knob, (THANKS for the encoder tutorial!)

Anyway, Think I'll stick with MobiFlight and see what I can do!

Thanks!

TB2

I think you mix up some things....
Gyro Drift IS Gyro Drift and not Heading Indicator!

What instrument/Aircraft do we talk about ?

Hi,

for the heading indicator in MSFS 2020 you need (A:HEADING INDICATOR,Degrees)

cheers
Volker

I think you mix up some things....
Gyro Drift IS Gyro Drift and not Heading Indicator!

What instrument/Aircraft do we talk about ?

The Heading Indicator just above the yoke shaft. (MSFS stock Cessna 172). The one with the heading bug. Gyro Drift seems to work just fine for adjusting the "card" and having it correctly positioned.

Volker, I'll certainly give that a try later today / tomorrow. I'm not at my desk at the moment, so I cannot look at the commands, but is it a preset you can simply assign an encoder to it like I did the "Gyro Drift"? I'll look into it and get back to this post.

Thanks all!

TB2

I think this is the missunderstanding part.

You can not "change" the Heading of the Aircraft at any time.
You can ajjust the AP Heading ( the Heading Bug) .... But for sure the "inidcated" Heading is simply the relation from the aircraft to the current Gyro Direction.
If you like to change the "Scale" on the Gauge by the ( i expect) left knob then you not change the "heading" .... Cause as i said. The heading is fixed.
You will change effective the "gyro drift" so the difference between real heading and the indicated heading on the gauge.

If i remember right there is also no "offset" of "variable" where you can read the "indicated Heading" of this gauge.... It alwasy read the True Heading and compare +/- the current Gyro Drift from it.

Please correct me....
I think if we fly at 270° for now ( without any drift) then the Value of HEading is 270 ...
If we "drift" by 10° and the virutal gauge show meanwhile Heading 280° .... The Variable of Heading is still 270° but the Drift is now e.g. +10 .
So We need to calculate Heading+Drift=280 in that case

thats my knowledge from FSX and P3D ..... I´m not sure if FS2020 give us a better variable meanwhile.

Sorry, "pizman82", you lost me on that one.

I am a real world pilot. In a Cessna with "steam" gauges, during flight you would adjust that knob to correct for any gyro drift. BUT prior to flying, you would use the "drift" knob to adjust the heading indicator to be in agreement with the compass.

Volker: I cannot find any preset called (A:HEADING INDICATOR,Degrees). Even with a clean "filter preset" I cannot find it. Not sure how I would use this preset even if I did find it.

Thanks all!

TB2