Boeing 727 offsets/add-on gauges

[KHBO]

My name is Matthias Lathouwers, student Bachelor/Graduate in Aviation at KHBO, Ostend, Belgium, Europe. I’am currently studying in my last and final year. Like every student in his final year, we are also supposed to make an essay/thesis.

Our school is owner of an Sabena Technics Cockpit Procedure Trainer for the Boeing 727-200 as you can see here: (hydraulic systems trainer) http://www.khbo.be/%7Ebecuwe/CPT_727_SN.jpg .

Our task will be to rewire the cockpit/or a certain part of the cockpit, install interface cards, connect the simulator to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, A Century of Flight, using the JustFlight B727 Professional/Captain sim 'Legendary 727' Add-on. Using interface cards like Opencockpits we will connect the interface to the add-on. However therefore we need the details/offsets of all switches and gauges included in the 2D panel.

However Captain Sim does not want to offer us the necessary offsets (to assign the flight sim functions) needed to complete this project. We are urgently looking for alternative Boeing 727 software for Microsoft Flight Simulator (realistic) which offsets are available. (interface used: OpenCockpits IOCards)

All help is welcome, if you think you can assist us, please contact me asap.

Thanks a lot

[HartmannH]

Hi Matthias,

this is not as easy as you think. Actually even the people who create panel do not know the offsets because they only write the gauge source code in C or C++ and run the compiler. The result is a binary file without any visible references to its source code. If a programmer wants to make the panel and systems data accessible from the outside, he/she must explicitly add an interface (where are several ways to do so) to the gauge code.
Chances are good that CS haven't done that. In fact most third party aircraft don't have such an interface. The bottom line is that if you don't have somebody available who can debug/disassemble CS's gauge code and find the memory locations you need, chances for a success of your project are not very good.

Best regards,
Hans
http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/Forum_Banners/DF_BANNER_FORUM_HANS.gif

[n4gix]

What Hans has written is indeed a good synopsis of the situation...

However, a great deal of the information you will need is available through FSUIPC (see: http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html) at least insofar as normal FS9 functions and data are concerned.

What you will not be able to access are any "custom designed variables" that may have been used (such as APU or Pressurization controls), because of the very reasons Hans has cited.

One possible workaround for this might be through use of a program called Key2Mouse, which was designed to assign a 'mouse action' to a 'key-combination'. Once defined, the key-combination may be mapped via FSUIPC to your control interface. It's a kludge, but one that has been used successfully by folks who wanted to interface hardware buttons to operate the Eaglesoft Avidyne PFD/MFD gauges on their GoFlight modules.

As an additional resource for help and ideas, might I suggest http://avsim.com and their dedicated forum:

The Home Cockpit Support Forum

Interested in building your own home grown cockpit? Here you can seek advice, help and assistance from those that have "been there - done that". A great learning experience you can share.

While they might not have all that you need, it's a fair bet that the forum participants can point you to even more resources than I'm currently aware of...

Good luck with your project and your studies. I only wish we could be of more help! ;)