Community Event / Creation DIY Controller and Throttle

What ya gonna put up [display] on the mini TFT?

I remember writing it down before. It is a long thread, so i can't blame you for missing it. Even I had to look it up a few pages back.

this thing will basically become some sort of macro processor. You program it to active quickcomms and set a message, or switch to 'nav' (star map) and type a system name, or a preconfigured location. I don't know how it will work together with the new 2.1 features like location markers but we will cross that bridge when we get there. The whole idea is that i can play the game without picking up a keyboard.

System will bring you back to the start screen (config, solo, exit to desktop etc.)
Prog lets you record macros
next/prev will map to UI panel left/right or to menu items
0-9 / a-z optional
the 6 '-' buttons next to the mdf are generic buttons tonactive displayed items
Exit
comms quickcomms
nav ui panel
stat ui panel
exec will send the entered text to the computer
there will be a 'keyboard' mode to allow basic pc usage.

smart keyboard it is. But no caps/shift/alt modifiers, function keys or cursor keys, most of those are already covered by the hotas and other switches.
So there you have it. The MFD will basically allow me to do more with the keys than just sending the keys. That said, i'm still waiting in my 3.95" TFT panel before I can move forwards with the circuitry.
 
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Waiting on the displays i moved to the next step. 'Overhead' panel (above te screens)

- amplifier switch and volume
- backlight switch and brightness
- microphone on or off

- scanner range (rotary)
- next/prev target (rotary)
- next/prev hostile (rotary)
- next/prev subsystem
 
I like the idea for scanner range, I might add a linear slider for mine. Be a cool addition and really simple to integrate.
Slider was a no go, because i thought the sensor range couldn't take an analog value and only had an up/down button assignment. Now i'm not sure any more.
 
Can just convert the analog to a digital value or can just make a simple lookup table for the value based on the pot/slider value.
Or do a pulse per pot value move based on a direction etc, No problem.
Probably a few ways to implement this. I might even add a touch slider on my right hand panel for it, hmm.
 
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Can just convert the analog to a digital value or can just make a simple lookup table for the value based on the pot/slider value.
Or do a pulse per pot value move based on a direction etc, No problem.
Probably a few ways to implement this. I might even add a touch slider on my right hand panel for it, hmm.
Potmeters have a limit, so it dorsn't work near the end stop. Rotary encoders allow me best of both. I can useup/down per pulse or eep a 16 bit value amd send it off to the HID device with just 2 dogital pins. It doesn't need the resolution of an ADC. But mostly because the panel contans more similar inputs it makes it easier for me while keeping a similar design.

oh and my IO expanders are digital pins only, and i hae 6x16 spare.
 
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Today was a productive day...

w55BALel.jpg
 
Wires all done, seems to work. I have to clean up the firmware. Thr prototypes all work, basically every part works now but not together! And that needs a little work. Tomorrow i plan to cut a hole in the cowl for mounting, finish the firmware and do some well deserved game time! Also i need to patch the HID descriptor so the potmeters actually show up a sliders and not as a joystick.

vOG6W5Kl.jpg
 
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Switching the descriptor from X axis to Slider was done in one minute. However, merging the Consumer control allowing me to control the audio volume took considerable more effort.
 
Looking good. :)

Been looking around for and tossing around different ideas for version 2 of the left hand controller, and starting to lean towards sticking multiple hats on there now... because you can never have too many buttons...
 
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