New project - MSFS C++ USB interface

[Demon]

Looking forward to your progressing on this.

Ioannis

Ok, well here's an update for you.


First I've learned that MS FS buttons and switches are spread over 3 types of data: events, variables and Lvars. I got to get familiar with C++, I can get to events and variables using one "technology", or I can get to Lvars using another, but I can't mix both. I kept reading comments on forums about "just use the SDK also for the Lvars", except I never saw examples.

So after a gazillion attempts at using the SDK to get to the Lvars (I can get to the events and variables just fine), I finally find the SDK support forum and post there. DING! I get a really quick reply to "just do this, it'S in the docs". Yeah, sure, the instructions were crystal clear, but there was a bug in the sample code, and that's exactly what I had been using blindly.

I eventualy gave up, read the instructions word by word, cross-checking against the sample code word-by-word, and it struck me, a variable was missing. Damn! I don't wanna say how long it took me to find that, it's embarassing. But hey, at least the Dev didn't know there was a bug in the sample either.


Then, got the PICkit 4, spent a ridiculous amount of time to get it working, but it's still not quite right. Turns out I found my U2 USB programmer and it works just fine, in fact, it's faster than the PK4. So the PK4 is going into a TO-DO-ONE-DAY drawer...

Been setting up a room into a small shop, putting up all my cabinets and stuff. Turns out I really need to make an inventory system caause now I'm ordering parts I already have, somewhere, that I find the very next day a shipment comes in from DigiKey.

My Aoyue 738 soldering station crapped out; the bits weren't heating at the very tip, even brand new ones. Wasted too much time on that too, gave up and got a Weller WE1010NA from Amazon. Looks decent, haven't tried it much yet except turning on and seeing how fast it heats; real heavy transformer, digital display, comfy non-slip tool that can't fall out the holder (like my antique Weller), and heats super fast.


EasyHID generated obsolete VB6 code, and of course I can't find my VB6 Development CDs. You can't just slap VB6 code into VS2022, so I paid the money and got an upgrade to HIDmaker FS2 cause it seemed to be the answer to my prayers; it can generate PBP3, and .Net C++ WinForm code. Turns out WinForms isn't what I wanted, I just ran off in the wrong direction with that.

Buried in the documentation for the MS FS SDK, there's this requirement:

"To build SimConnect add-ons, the recommended Visual Studio version is Visual Studio 2019, with a minimum version of 2005. To build the project, make sure you have completed the following steps.

For out-of-process applications, start a new Console Application project if the add-on will have no user interface. Start a new MFC Application if the add-on will have a user interface. In either case, set the platform as x64. In order to use the SimConnect functionality, it is required to include the SimConnect.h header file."

Now to me, I saw Visual Studio, and figured VS2022 would work just fine. Turns out, there's more to those requirements than just a need for 64-bit compiling. I had totally forgotten about that MFC part, mainly cause it meant absolutely nothing to me when I read it earlier this year, and started generating C++ WinForms code. Turns out, that was wrong.


So now I'm generating C++ MFC code, but there's a problem, I only notice now that it's generating in Win32 code (x86), and I need Win64 (x64). So I google, and learn to convert from Win32 to x64 straight from inside VS2022, except it ain't that simple, there's an error generated....

And that's where I am today; overcame a truckload of hurdles, learned a bunch of new stuff, got a better idea of what I need and where I'm going. But I don't know enough about Windows to convert, so I'm waiting for support from HIDmaker to guide me along (no complaints about support, he's a one-man show as far as I know, and I have ZERO complaint).

But I will say this, when I compile the PIC code in the 18F4550 on my Lab X1 while the PIC is connected to my PC, DING! The new device is detected instantly; that is such a reassuring sound that I hadn't heard in a long time. Switch over to VS2022, compile the C++ code and Tadaa! The darn thing works, except it's in Win32.

I just have to figure that part out, and then I can start testing against MS FS.

Robert
"Yes, I'm bored cause I'm sitting on my thumbs, instead of going outside to mow the lawn like I'm supposed to before I lose a dog in there"