Parking brake recognition in FSX L2

[brian747]

I use both POSKY and default Microsoft Boeing 747-400 models in P3Dv4.3: they are driven by PSX via a link program and work very well, apart from the fact that GSX L2 (I upgraded at the same time that I went to P3Dv4.3) cannot recognise the park brake being set. This leads to the incongruous situation of P3Dv4.3 saying "PARKING BRAKES - Press 'CTRL + .' to release" at the same time as a message from GSX L2 is onscreen saying "[GSX] You need to set Parking Brakes to request ground services". Here is a composite shot (since one message is at the top of the screen and the other at the bottom, I have cut out the intervening area to save space):



I am puzzled about why GSX is not recognising the fact that P3Dv4.3 knows the parking brake is applied? Should it not be guided by the sim in this respect? (I have also experimented with variations on pressurised/unpressurised hydraulics and so on, without success).

I have noted your reply here: http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,15013.msg109168.html#msg109168 — "If GSX ask for the parking brake, then just set the parking brake so, this is not a bug."

In my case the parking brake is already set and declines to be set again; however I'm not using the b-word here, merely asking politely whether it might be possible to align GSX's understanding of the parking brake position with that of the sim?   

With thanks,

Brian

[virtuali]

In my case the parking brake is already set and declines to be set again; however I'm not using the b-word here, merely asking politely whether it might be possible to align GSX's understanding of the parking brake position with that of the sim? 

GSX surely recognize the parking brake on the sim, and it does it in the most standard way, by checking the official "BRAKE PARKING POSITION" variable.

This always works, and nobody ever reported it before. If this problem really happened, we would have thousands of reports by now, considering the parking brake check is the main way GSX is activated.

they are driven by PSX via a link program and work very well

Please clarify: what is PSX, and what that link program does. It might be exactly what's causing this. A failure to correctly update the standard brake position variable, which is the only possible explanation why GSX cannot detect it.

I have noted your reply here:  "If GSX ask for the parking brake, then just set the parking brake so, this is not a bug."

That was an entirely different issue, and it was a reply following a request if it would be possible to allow GSX to be used with only Wheelchocks *instead* of the Parking Brakes, and I replied this is already working on many internally supported airplanes (including the PMDG which was the subject of the question), which needs a special customization to have GSX check their own custom wheelchocks variable, which is different for each airplane, since it's not a standard system, and while this customization is not exposed in the GSX airplane customization interface, we can surely do it, and it works.

But it's entirely unrelated to your issue.

[brian747]

Hello, Umberto!

And thank you for your prompt reply.

GSX surely recognize the parking brake on the sim, and it does it in the most standard way, by checking the official "BRAKE PARKING POSITION" variable.

My point precisely: P3Dv4 recognises that the parking brake is applied and displays it on the screen, yet GSX is for some reason unable to recognise it.

Please clarify: what is PSX, and what that link program does.

PSX, or Precision Simulator X to give it its full name, describes itself thus on its website (aerowinx.com): "Precision Simulator is a stand-alone flight & systems trainer for professionals – and for everyone interested in professional operations." Its customers include airline training organisations, universitites, NASA, many RW 744 pilots who use it to practice for their 6-monthly checks in the big sim, and a few hardcore simmers. It can be linked via various link programs to P3Dv4 (or XPlane or FSX) to provide external visuals; the link then drives a "puppet" aircraft within the sim from the movements of the PSX model.

Furthermore, I have been using GSX with FSX for many years (again, driven by PSX via a link) without any issues. This problem has only arisen now I have moved to P3Dv4 (and GSX L2, although I don't for a moment believe that L2 is a factor). But hence my question. 

...what that link program does. It might be exactly what's causing this. A failure to correctly update the standard brake position variable, which is the only possible explanation why GSX cannot detect it.

A fair point: however unfortunately the author of the link program is not contactable until mid-November. I requested the benefit of your comments since this issue has only arisen since I moved to P3Dv4 (at present I'm unable to rule out the link program as the cause, yet I remain baffled as to how the link program could be causing the issue for the reason given).

Nonetheless, you are evidently convinced that in spite of the disparity between the messages from GSX and P3Dv4 the problem cannot possibly be with GSX — therefore I do of course accept your judgement until I can investigate the link. As a workaround, is there any way to disable the parking brake check in circumstances such as this, using FSUIPC offsets or some other mechanism, so that I can continue to set up GSX in the meantime?

With thanks for your kind assistance,

Brian

[virtuali]

Nonetheless, you are evidently convinced that in spite of the disparity between the messages from GSX and P3Dv4 the problem cannot possibly be with GSX — therefore I do of course accept your judgement until I can investigate the link. As a workaround, is there any way to disable the parking brake check in circumstances such as this, using FSUIPC offsets or some other mechanism, so that I can continue to set up GSX in the meantime?

There isn't. Or, more precisely, it can be done, but not in a way that can be accessed by users.

We don't use FSUIPC in GSX but, you might try using it to troubleshoot the problem instead. You could use a LUA script to check the value of the "BRAKE PARKING POSITION" variable at that time, it would be useful for us to know.