Ok before you all start buying the app I used, I have to say there is still one big show stopper.
I used the Ipad App Keypadpro. ($4,99) With this app you can places keybuttons on you Ipad screen anywhere in the matrix of the keypadpro screen and assign it a keypress that is detected by your computer and so by A-10. You can add images for the buttons and an image for the background. you can make more than one screen.. so 2 MFD's a CDU ect.. switching between them is fast.. (I show you in the video)

Now the show stopper for so fare. I can assign all keyboard keys, as long they are not shifted/ctrl/alt based.. for some reason A-10 doesn't like the way it gets the modifier (shift/ctrl/alt)commands from the keymappro server.exe that is translating the keyinput. Strange thing is that it does work in FSX! I did try other sim's, in some it works in others it don't.

So what does this mean.. We could have a great App to assign all cockpit button on your Ipad but as long we only can use default keys the options are limited.

I tried to use the tool HIDmacro to handle as an interface between A-10 and keypadpro and it looks like it should be able to, but I just can't get it to work all the way.. I don't really get it how HIDmacro works. Hope someone more into keyboard programming can have a try..or send me on my way.

I made a demo that you can view here. MFD and CDU with Ipad

It's a little demo what can be done. The look of the MFD is just a tryout, For the CDU I managed to get it look very nice, only for the keys I miss an option to make them smaller but this should be possible in an next version of keypadpro. For the CDU I just push some buttons for the show but they are registered on my system and can me linked into A-10 (as long there's not shift or ctrl key combo's, and so very limited.) Switching between the mdf's or CDU is fast. I think very use able in the sim.

So let's hope we can find a option for the modifier issue.

Very nice work Ghost! Thanks for posting your results and please keep us updated. This looks extremely promising!

Cheers

Agreed.... just got an iPad today, and this app (with work) sounds cool.

Got it kind of working with autohotkey. Not completely happy with the why it handles the alt/ctrl keys but it looks like it works.

Not sure if it stable, have to check it during some missions. The background image is not really ready yet, and I don't like the look of the keys. But it is a start.

If you interested let me know, I can try to submit the keypadpro template and make a zip of the rest you need. .lue file and the autohotkey script.

Ok got the template uploaded in the keypadpro app. check it out.
You gonna need some other files to, gonna place this n my ftp asp. pm me if I can send it by mail.

Would like to know if it works for you.

Very interested! Thanks for the update!

Great work Ghost!

Will the key presses be indicated on the CDU on the iPad as well as the one on the jet when you're finished?

You will see the overlaying keypadpro keys being pushed. I hoped to hide them somehow but it seems that this is not yet possible. But they will to for this moment.

There is another app you may want to look at called Touch IR+. It's designed with media centre remotes in mind but I've found it to be perfect for using as an app for controlling programs. Unlike keypad pro, it does support creating buttons which run an autohotkey script, meaning you can make buttons that can do almost everything (although you do have to make an in-app purchase to enable it). Also you make the layouts on the app-client on the computer, which makes it a lot easier when making the layouts. There is also a button type that allows for a website or http stream to be displayed on the remote, so it may be possible to display updated info from the cdu/mfd panels that way.

It did seem to be a bit buggy, it didn't add an exception to the windows firewall properly, but it was updated recently to a new version which does seems to be far more stable.

Thx! gonna have a look at it. The ablility of displaying a html window on you ipad could be intressing indeed..like a screenshot of the mfd after a button push.)

For now I'm waiting for the release of the keypad pro 2.0. It adds some functionality that makes this tool a very nice Ipad solution.

I had a look at the site of Touch ir+ and read the doc a bit. It does look
promising. It's all a bit more structured and there are more options than keypadpro.. It looks like the background can be bigger than the ipad display and for what I understand this means you could have a bigger cockpit panels more than what fits to one screen.. you can manage the button and background images, have option for animation of pushing a button. And there is an option to import html to the ipad.. in a custom windows! I imagin import screen shot mfd/cdu display?? update every 0.5 sec? not sure how to get this to work (probibly sound to good to be true.) but worth a try. Can anyone give and solution how to get screen dumps of the mfd every 0.5 sec that is dropped in a map that is reachable over http?

Total price will be around 6,99. I gonne give it a try.

Touch ir+

I have problem using this autohotkey script..Idea is that i would like to use my external numerical usb keyboard as simplified programmable unit with 20 keys to program for different flight simulators...The problem is when using autohotkey utility DCS does not detect my programmed keys...

This is my *.ahk script. It should transfer keys 7,8,9,+,4,5,6,- to be used as yaw/pitch/altitude/ dampeners and as 4 targeting modes...

numpad7::send q
numpad8::send {LAlt}s
numpad4::send v
numpad5::send n
numpad9::send {LShift}b
numpadsub::send {LShift}p
numpadadd::send {Lalt}h
numpad6::send {LShift}p

But when i press any button it just isnt programmed as edited in above script. Can somebody help me to fix this. Am i missing some commands in my script?

I had some problems with the correct way to script a key press for A10. I came with the following to get it right.

Send,{RSHIFT DOWN}{LCTRL DOWN}{u down}
Send, {u up}{LCTRL UP}{RSHIFT UP}

[i][/i]Thanks will try that later on, but could you explain me how to..


numpad4::sendinput v this is my code

how to use it like yours code:
;Send,{RSHIFT DOWN}{LCTRL DOWN}{u down}
;Send, {u up}{LCTRL UP}{RSHIFT UP}

Not sure, I don't need the "numpad4::" because of touch Ir.

maybe just something like:


numpad4::
Send,{RSHIFT DOWN}{LCTRL DOWN}{u down}
Send, {u up}{LCTRL UP}{RSHIFT UP}

Check the autohotkey manual, it got a lot of info and examples.

BTW: Got my Ipad version almost ready for first release

Got it fully clickable for: cold Startup,CDU,CMSC and both MFCD's.

Cool! Will you be selling this on iTunes?

It wil be available for free as a normal download you install with a server app on you pc.
It's a little project I started for myself but guess other will like it to.

After saying that.. you will need to get the Ipad app I use: "Touch Ir+" and autohotkey. Together around $6,99 at the I-tune store.
My work is actualy a template you import in this app.

The good thing is, after you got it running your can configer and make it better as you like.
There are still a lot of things that can be improved over my layout. And your free to do so aslong you prepaired to share you results with us

Some things that should be looked at are the moving button animations and how to get feedback from the sim back to touch ir. (should be possible) Except for the CDU I have no real moving button actions at the moment.

A second Big thing I hope to get running is live MFD and CDU display feedback..

You know whats good? Dave, the developer of Touch ir is very willing to look at any request. For now he's gonna look for a way to get the Ipad tab action register as a Push and a release for the script. This version is only triggering the key scripts at release.

Avatar, check you PM.

I think it's ready for some testing. If Anyone is interested let me know.

Ready to test!