Wow!!! Very, VERY cool!
I've seen several pics of guys that have built the shell but they leave alot of the panels "drawn in". To see one this complete and functional, is a real treat!



Wait a minute!.....Michi???
Are you the same programmer that created FAST? (The Falcon-SIOC bridge.)
If so, I kneel before you, humbled by your greatness. Your name has been mentioned, as just the guy we need to talk to....

By "we", I mean the small group of rotor-head pit builders, that are designing pits around EECH. (My Comanche pit is posted above.)
I don't know if you follow EECH's development but one of our devs (Retro) created a shared memory/data export utility called CommServer. It's currently being used for exporting the data to UDPSpeed gauge sets. (See DickDastardly's post above.) However, it should be able to work well with SIOC, too....if someone could figure out how to make the bridge. Unfortunately, my/our skills lie in fabrication, not programming. And most of our devs are not pit builders, so their interests are on other things.

We could REALLY use your help with it. I, for one, would love to be able to have my upper panel's warning lights and stealth indicator responding correctly.
Is there any chance that FAST could be modified, to work with EECH? (EEST maybe??? Enemy-Engaged-Sioc-Transfer.)
There was even talk of collectively paying someone to do it, so if money is a motivator.... I'm not above begging, bribing, or blo....uhhhhh,... well, at least begging or bribing.

Grizz

I MIGHT be able to help here... I've just finished a VB6 exe that connects to the EECH CommServer and grabs the values out for an Altimeter on another PC.


Simpit flickr set

Send me a PM with what kit the warning lights are connected to please. I'll have a look when I have finished work.

Edit: Mmmm might take me a while to wrap my head round SIOC sorry Griz - I will download Michi's FAST and see if that gives me any clues...

Cheers

That would be great! (I didn't know you were a programmer, too.)


Yeah...That's the rub, isn't it? Retro knows how to work with EECH, FuFunka knows how to work with SIOC, and Michi probably knows how to connect them together. (Me?... I barely understand any of it. ) If we could just get the three of them together!!!

As far as the "kit", there isn't anything yet. Not until I know it can work.
The idea is to have a networked 2nd PC (using mue's MFD hack) to run MaxiVista without the UPDSpeed overlays and put the MFDs on small LCDs. Then, (using Commserver and EEST?) control an OpenCockpits Master Board off that same 2nd PC (Or a 3rd PC if needed), to properly trigger it's inputs, through SIOC.

ahem, *cough* *cough*, humm.. yes, that would be me..

you may rise now, unworthy! :-D

I read the whole CommServer thread with great interest, also your's, Kimchock's and Dick's cockpit progress reports. Actually, I'm in planning stage for a multifunction heli pit and will borrow quite some of your ideas ;-)

Absolutely... I remember, that some time ago someone of the team contacted me - but I don't remember, if I really sent the sourcecode as promised *g*.
FAST is really, really simple. I haven't checked EEComm's protocol, but there should only small modifications be necessary to work with EEC.

@GlynD: The sourcecode is not available (yet) for download. Please send me an email to fast AT f16simulator.net and I'll send you the code, so you can have a look at it.

As written above, it should only be necessary to modify the data extraction function and define the Vars to use in SIOC.

I haven't had a look at the code for some monthes now, and there definitely are some bugs, but I think we should be able to work them out.

greetings
michi

I love this place. A place where we can come together, share ideas and learn from each other. Thanks guys!

YES!!!!!
OMG! You just made my year!
I'm so friggin' happy I could...............oops, I think I just did.

Grizz - I do stuff for work in VB6 (not C or C++ unfortunately)...

Michi what is the code written in please, as if its C/C++ or .Net I probably wont be able understand it?

Cheers

WOW

that's all I can say

I think you will like it - it's VB6

greetings
michi

Michi - dropped you an email for the source code please?

There is a small fly in the ointment with CommServer however. Retro very kindly supplied me with a list of IDs that the CommServer uses for the various helos - problem is each helo has it's own set and there are major differences between the helos!

For instance if you are in the Havoc and ask the CommServer for the value of the "R/502" variable you will get the "Weapons Management Left hand outer pylon green" status back. Whereas in the Comanche this is returning info on the "Left engine Ignition", for the Hokum it will return the value for the "Left engine fire" and the Apache is set to the same as the Comanche but apparently not all values are being exported...

The problem will be when you want to fly in different helos and have a generic pit wired up to "EEST" (nice one Grizz ). Every time you jump in a different helo you will have to let the software know which helo you are in, otherwise incorrect lights will be coming on or wrong data will be returned.

I imagine it would be a major job to standardise the data coming into/out of the CommServer! It will probably be easier to have a "helo switch", this would allow EEST to adjust to what values it is expecting, if you swap helos...

Cheers