Interface development history, archive

X-Plane and Baron 58 Panel:

Like many aviation enthusiasts, I became a fan of flight sims as soon as they appeared on the PC, and naturally began to look for a suitable I / O interface for FS and tried solutions available at that time (early 2000s), but not with great success.

Many of the home cockpits we've seen on the internet since then have been left unfinished or were building over the years due to the limitations or complexity of the interface. You had to become an expert in coding or electronics (or spend a lot of money) to get all the controls in your cockpit to work.

XPData Arduino Library

Later, when Roman (son) has involved into X-Plane project and has created plugins and protocols for communication with his instrument panel program (now it's SimVimPanel) and with hardware, I have created Arduino libraries to work with ARDref, and ArdSim(X) plugins.

Here is the brief historyI/O interface:

1) First UDP tests (2011-2012

Our first "pre-library" Arduino code developments since 2011, related to X-Plane UDP protocol, test code, evolution of algorithms for various input actuators, encoders, early code versions of Baron 58 cockpit program, etc..

Do not consider the samples collected here as practical or finished programs for you cockpit simulator!

These code samples are uploaded here for information purpose, some of them were written as tests programs for familiarizing with Ethernet UDP protocol used in X-Plane to adapt it for Ardino to get data from X-Plane and send data from Arduino to X-Plane.

Some of them ( such as "B58-final") were used in our Baron 58 simulator, before we switched to our later "library-plugin-based" interface.

As you could see, in the earlier program code the "DATA" type message protocol was used, and the size of the program code was huge. Later versions gradually become more compact, the "CMND" and "DREF" type messages was used as primary data protocol. The X-Plane inbuilt Ethernet UDP protocol initially was used in our Baron Arduino/X-Plane interface.

Later, based on these works we have created Arduino libraries (XPData, ARDref, ArdSim) to replace a mess of single sketches. All these libraries were developed as a simple instrument for cockpit builders and they include several functions for sending input commands and dataref values to X-Plane and receiving data from it for output.

One of the first successful test to receive UDP packets from X-Plane. X-Plane UDP Data Structure analysis.(May 2012)
It receives UDP packets from X-Plane and show it in the terminal in the raw view.

/*
X-Plane UDP Data Structure 
May 2012,  Vlad S,   http://simvim.com
Test sketch that receives UDP packets from X-Plane in the raw view.
and prints to Serial terminal  data of the group #131 ("ground location") 
Check this group in the Data Input & Output Screen of the X-Plane for sending.

Packet size: 41
Xplane Data:
68-65-84-65-60-131-0-0-0-166-138-16-71-193-114-2-195-58-143-139-70-244-238-135-59-61-207-225-58-
0-192-121-196-0-192-121-196-0-192-121-196- 

 */  

#include <SPI.h>        
#include <Ethernet.h>
#include <EthernetUdp.h>

byte mac[] = {  0xDE, 0xAD, 0xBE, 0xEF, 0xFE, 0xED };
IPAddress ip(192, 168, 1, 6);    // local IP - address of my Arduino 
unsigned int localPort = 49001;      // local port to listen - default X-Plane port 
byte buf = 00;   // buffer for  UDP packet (BYTE, not char)

EthernetUDP Udp; // An EthernetUDP instance to send and receive packets over UDP

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

void setup() 
{
  Ethernet.begin(mac,ip);   // start the Ethernet 
  Udp.begin(localPort);     //..and UDP:

  Serial.begin(9600);       // init serial port
}
void loop() {
  int packetSize = Udp.parsePacket();   //  Checks for the presence of a UDP packet, and returns its size
  if(packetSize)                        //  UDP packet was received and its size defined
  {
    Serial.println();
    Serial.print("Packet size: ");
    Serial.println(packetSize);         // Packet Size in bytes

 // When Udp.read used without parameters, it returns next char (byte in this case) :
 
      Serial.println("Xplane Data:");  
        for (int i =0; i < packetSize; i++)
        {
          buf = Udp.read();
          Serial.print(buf);
          Serial.print("-");
        }
  }
  delay(10); } 

2) Baron 58 simulator standalone Arduino code development archive (2012-2013)

The Baron 58 panel simulator project was considered as platform for creating an effective control interface based on Arduino. Here you can see our early "pre-library" Arduino program code developments for Baron 58 cockpit before we switched to our later "library-plugin-based" interface.

Arduino controls for Baron 58 cockpit with 128-inputs extentsion board

Control interface for Baron-58 panel is based on one Arduino Mega-1280 and one Ethernet Shield. For input extension DIY extension board for additional 128 inputs was made (it uses 12 digital pins of Arduino). Together with another Arduino pins this interface represents all of Baron controls. For annunciators the output extension board was used. It controls the 24 LEDs of annunciators panel, gear and flap lamps and audio panel LEDs.

Program

Later it was rebuilt for XPData Library. Currently We plan to use this B58 Panel as test platform for our latest SimVimCockpit interface.

3) XPData Library for X-Plane data Input/Output ( 2013 to 2014)

The XPlaneData a Library (later XPData) project was started (in 2014) to unificate of all our previous X-plane interface code samples.

The XPlaneData library provides network interaction between Arduino and X-Plane and includes functions for easy assignment different types of input, including common buttons, switches, encoders to each Arduino pins and functions for transmission of control data to X-Plane.

No other software and plugin is needed! All data is transmitted directly to X-Plane using its built-in UDP protocol.

You can use as many Arduino boards with XPData input library as you need to. All boards should have an Ethernet shield (or module) connected to your LAN.

About X-Plane

Network settings

X-Plane Data format

       Flaps = ReadData ( 13, 5 );

			LEDout (13, 127, 6);   // Control the LED on the pin #13 by data from group #127/6 ("Gear Warning")

XPData library functions

Digital Inputs / Actuator types

if  (enc==1)   Encoder ( 38, "radios/stby_com1_fine_up","radios/stby_com1_fine_down", 0 );             // Com1 frequency fine if button "enc" is pressed
            else  Encoder ( 38, "radios/stby_com1_coarse_up", "radios/stby_com1_coarse_down", 0 );    // Com1 frequency coarse if button "enc" is released

Analog Inputs

Outputs / Configure and read incoming data for output

Output control - LEDs

Output control - Servo

Output control - Coil ammeters

XPData library Sample -Single-Prop Inputs

/*
base code template for one-engine piston airplane.
(as Cessna-172, Cessna-182. etc) using XPData library
for X-Plane Simulator.
Inputs only

XPlaneData Library 

  by Vlad Sychev 2014-15
http://simvim.com
 */

//---------------------------
#include <SPI.h>         
#include <Ethernet.h> 
#include <XPData.h>          // -- include XPlaneData library
//-----------------------------
byte MAC[] = {0xDE, 0xAD, 0xBE, 0xEF, 0xFE, 0xED}; // MAC-Address of Arduino Ethernet shield
unsigned int XPR = 49001;  // or 5080, if plugin       // port to to receive data from X-Plane
unsigned int XPW = 49000;                              // port to send data to X-Plane
byte IP[] = {192, 168, 1, 10};                 // This Arduino IP address (0,0,0,0 - for auto)
//------------------------------------


int enc;  // Encoders built-in button
int adf; // ADF encoder built-in button status (cyclic  3-digits positions ) 

void setup()
      {
    XPDStart (XPR, XPW, MAC, IP);         //==! init XPlaneData  
   
  }

//---------------------------------------------------
void loop() 
{
XPDScan();  
 // ------ 3-Axis -------------
  
AnalogIn (0, "cockpit2/controls/yoke_pitch_ratio[0]", -1, 1, 500);  // Pitch yoke, precision 500
AnalogIn (1, "cockpit2/controls/yoke_roll_ratio[0]", -1, 1, 500);    // Roll  yoke, precision 500
AnalogIn (2, "cockpit2/controls/yoke_heading_ratio[0]", -1, 1, 500);  // Rudder, precision 1000
 
//=== Throttle  --------- 

AnalogIn (3, "cockpit2/engine/actuators/throttle_ratio[0]", 0, 1, 300);  // Throttle, precision 300

//=========================  Prop Pitch Angle for Cessna 182 etc. (2 variants) ---------

AnalogIn(4, "cockpit2/engine/actuators/prop_pitch_deg[0]", 0, 60, 300);  // 
//AnalogIn(4, "cockpit2/engine/actuators/prop_rotation_speed_rad_sec[0]", 0, 300, 300);  // 

 //=======================================-  Mixture  ---------

AnalogIn(5, "cockpit2/engine/actuators/mixture_ratio[0]", 0, 1, 300);  // 

//==================================  Flaps ( DREF packet ) ================================

//-------Connect to analog input potentiometer 10 kOm - and make lever with several fixed positions (if needed)
//-------( must  be the full stroke of potentiometer, use the gears ) 

AnalogIn(6, "cockpit2/controls/flap_ratio[0]", 0, 1, 4);     // Flaps, 5 positions precision
        
//=======================================-  Starter/Magnetos =======================================

MultiPosition(7, 5);         
  MPcom(1, "magnetos/magnetos_off_1"); 
  MPcom(2, "magnetos/magnetos_right_1");  
  MPcom(3, "magnetos/magnetos_left_1");  
  MPcom(4, "magnetos/magnetos_both_1"); 
  MPcom(5, "starters/engage_starter_1"); MPrepeat(5,1);

//=======================================-  Transponder Mode Switch ===================================

//------------------------ 6 positions  Transponder Mode ------------------------------

MultiPosition(8, 5);  
      MPcom(1, "transponder/transponder_off");      // - OFF               
      MPcom(2, "transponder/transponder_standby");  // - STBY 
      MPcom(3, "transponder/transponder_alt");      // - ALT mode
      MPcom(4, "transponder/transponder_test");     // - TEST mode
      MPcom(5, "transponder/transponder_on");       // - ON mode
      MPcom(6, "transponder/transponder_ground");   // - GND mode      
      
//=======================  Panel/Radio Lighting Brightness ( DREF packet ) =============================

AnalogIn(9, "cockpit2/switches/instrument_brightness_ratio[0]", 0, 1, 100);  
AnalogIn(10, "cockpit2/switches/instrument_brightness_ratio[1]", 0, 1, 100);

//============================ Digital inputs section ===================================================


 // ---- Toogles and Buttons

Toggle (13, "systems/avionics_on", "systems/avionics_off");   /* Master Avionics switch  (active "1") Pin#13 must be connected 
                                                                                  to the GND through resistor 5-10k ("pulldown" resistor)
                                                                                  active toggle must connect Pin #13 to the +5v 
                                                                                   */                    
            // all other buttons/toggles connects pins to the GND (active state - "0"), no resistors are used:
                                
Toggle (12, "electrical/generator_1_off", "electrical/generator_1_on");      // Alternator  switch  
Toggle (11, "electrical/battery_1_on", "electrical/battery_1_off");         // BATTERY switch 
Toggle (9, "lights/beacon_lights_on", "lights/beacon_lights_off");         // Beacon Light switch 
Toggle (8, "lights/strobe_lights_on", "lights/strobe_lights_off");        // Strobe Light switch    
Toggle (7, "lights/nav_lights_on", "lights/nav_lights_off");             // NAV light  switch       
Toggle (6, "lights/taxi_lights_on", "lights/taxi_lights_off");          // Taxi  light switch        
Toggle_D (5, "cockpit2/switches/landing_lights_on[0]", 0, 1);               //-- Landing Lights  ---
Toggle (3, "fuel/fuel_pump_1_on", "fuel/fuel_pump_1_off");            // FUEL Pump
Toggle (2, "ice/pitot_heat0_on", "ice/pitot_heat0_off");             // Pitot Heat switch 

Button (1, "flight_controls/landing_gear_up");                        //---- GEAR UP  
Button (0, "flight_controls/landing_gear_down");                     //---- GEAR DN         

//============ Audio selector Panel (7 buttons on the  pins #14-20 ) - for X-Plane 10 only

Button (14, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_com1");        //  A_Com1
Button (15, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_com2");        //  A_Com2    
Button (16, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_nav1");        //  A_Nav1
Button (17, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_nav2");        //  A_Nav2     
Button (18, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_adf1");        //  A_Adf 1
Button (19, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_dme");         //  A_DME  
Button (20, "audio_panel/monitor_audio_mkr");         //  A_Mkr 
 
Button (21, "transponder/transponder_ident");         //------Transponder IDENT button ----  
      
Button(22, "radios/com1_standy_flip");                  //--  Com1/Com1-stby flip
Button(23, "radios/nav1_standy_flip");                  //--- NAV1/NAV1-stby flip
Button(24, "radios/com2_standy_flip");                  //--- Com2/Com2-stby flip
Button(25, "radios/nav2_standy_flip");                  //--- NAV2/NAV2-stby flip
Button(26, "radios/adf1_standy_flip");                  //--- Change ADF stdby Freq 

enc = Mode(27); 
 if (enc) { adf++; if (adf == 3) adf = 0; delay(15); }   
 
  //--- Encoders button PUSH/OFF
  //for  ADF: push one = "1"; push two = "10", push three = "100"
                                                                                      

//=================================== Encoders Section ==================

//------! encoders use paired inputs - 28-29,  30-31,  32-33,  34-35... ... 48-49, common pin is connected to "GND"

// -----!- Encoders for Com/Nav have the built-in  Push Button (If Pressed - fine up/dn) - Pin #27

                 
if(enc) Encoder(28, "radios/stby_com1_fine_up", "radios/stby_com1_fine_down", 0);             // Com1 Freq
        else  Encoder(28, "radios/stby_com1_coarse_up", "radios/stby_com1_coarse_down", 0);           
             
if(enc) Encoder(30, "radios/stby_com2_fine_up", "radios/stby_com2_fine_down", 0);           // Com2 Freq
       else   Encoder(30, "radios/stby_com2_coarse_up", "radios/stby_com2_coarse_down", 0);          
            
if(enc) Encoder(32, "radios/stby_nav1_fine_up", "radios/stby_nav1_fine_down", 0);           // Nav1 Freq
         else Encoder(32, "radios/stby_nav1_coarse_up", "radios/stby_nav1_coarse_down", 0);           
           
if(enc) Encoder(34, "radios/stby_nav2_fine_up", "radios/stby_nav2_fine_down", 0);              // Nav2 Freq
        else  Encoder(34, "radios/stby_nav2_coarse_up", "radios/stby_nav2_coarse_down", 0);   


if(adf==0) Encoder(36, "radios/stby_adf1_ones_up", "radios/stby_adf1_ones_down", 0);          // ADF Freq 1
if(adf==1) Encoder(36, "radios/stby_adf1_tens_up", "radios/stby_adf1_tens_down", 0);          // ADF Freq 10
if(adf==2) Encoder(36, "radios/stby_adf1_hundreds_up", "radios/stby_adf1_hundreds_down", 0);  // ADF Freq 100

Encoder(38, "radios/obs2_up", "radios/obs2_down", 0);                        // Nav2 OBS 
Encoder(40, "instruments/barometer_up", "instruments/barometer_down", 0); // Barometer, alt  

//---------------- Transponder code (4 encoders on the pins #42-43, 44-45, 46-47, 48-49

Encoder(42, "transponder/transponder_ones_up", "transponder/transponder_ones_down", 0);           // Transponder 1
Encoder(44, "transponder/transponder_tens_up", "transponder/transponder_tens_down", 0);           // Transponder 10   
Encoder(46, "transponder/transponder_hundreds_up", "transponder/transponder_hundreds_down", 0);   // Transponder 100
Encoder(48, "transponder/transponder_thousands_up", "transponder/transponder_thousands_down", 0); // Transponder 1000
//---------------------------------------

 }  //=========--- end 

/* 
Don't leave in the final code any lines with Serial.print(), that you could used for testing! 
That will take a lot of processing time, and lead to encoders timing inconsistency. 
Comment  or delete the lines with Serial.print() ! 

If you're not using some analog input, which has active code - connect it to GND, or "comment' this part of code! 
(Or it will constantly send interference data and take time too)

  by Vlad Sychev .2014-2015
 */

4) ARDref Arduino Library ( up to July, 2015)

Closed project because of I2C multiple long wires protocol instability and some coding issues.

ARDref project was initiated as alternative for XPData library and has different data exchange protocol.

1. ARDref uses the plugin for data exchange between X-Plane and Arduino (without using built-in X-Plane UDP DATA protocol as XPData did). ARDref library works in conjunction with ARDref plugin using LAN UDP connection only.
2. Opposed to previous XPData libray no need to use functions with commands/datarefs for each pin in Arduino program code, the program includes only a small base code and ARDref library.
3. All configuration for Arduino inputs/outputs functions is presented as a simple "input and output config" text file. These two files for input and output are located in the plugin folder. All configuration for inputs (and outputs) was made using our "online configurator" for ARdref
4. For additional inputs/outputs you can add more Arduino boards (Uno, Mega, Micro etc ...) connecting them to the "master" board using 2-wire I2C bus.
5. No need to assign inputs (their modes) in Arduino and specify the input scan functions - the plugin will automatically send all configuration data to Arduino upon connection.
6. Some functions was included to the Arduino library for easier handling of outputs, such as LEDs and Servos.

In online input configurator for ARDref you can easily assign any Arduini pin for the input action you need - for Toggle button, Increment button, Set button, Toggle switch or Encoder.

As a minimum, for basic input/output interface only one Arduino Mega with Ethernet Shield and with the little "master" program uploaded to it. All Arduino boards in the system should use the ARDref Library - you need to upload the program code to every board using this library, adding it to Arduino IDE.

5) ArdSim Interface (2015...2017)

CLOSED (in 2017) project, not updated. Next ArdSimX has fully replaced it.

The latest SimVimCockpit Interface is recommended if you are going to start your cockpit project.

ArdSim interface consists the plugin and custom library for Arduino and requires minimum coding. Any pin configured as input control linking it with specific X-Plane command or dataref to send data, or for use it as output getting dataref values through ArdSim plugin. To configure ArdSim input controls for X-Plane or get data from X-Plane for outputs ArdSim library has a set of convenient functions that you can use in Arduino code to setup input controls and assign specific action (switch, encoder, LED etc.) for any Arduino pin.

Next ArdSimX Interface doesn't include any functions that need to be used in Arduino code - all inputs/outputs are assigned using the online Configurator only!

ArdSim features:

• Either LAN or USB communication can be selected for any single Arduino
• Most of the configuration is done with input/output config files located in the plugin folder.
• You don't need to write custom Arduino code for most input (and some output) controls, as you can use simple functions provided by ArdSim library for them.
• As an option, you can extend the number of inputs for one Arduino using "matrix" connection.
• Up to 9 different boards can be used for one system, with LAN and USB in any combination..
• Up to 25 rotary encoders can be used on one Arduino.
• You can configure Analog input precision (sensitivity) and input range.
• The library includes some output functions for direct LEDs, analog Gauge, Servo
• You can receive dataref value from X-Plane and use it in your specific code for output

ArdSim 4.x library function list

The functions described on this page are related to ArdSim library ONLY.

Next ArdSimX Interface didn't require any custom I/O functions.

The latest current SimVimCockpit Interface is recommended if you are going to start your cockpit project.

Custom Data I/O

Get dataref values for output

ArdSim library includes functions (below) that let you easily configure your output devices for a specific dataref value output. You can link any dataref value with a specific LED, servo, analog gauge, simple stepper (later more devices will be supported). In these cases you don't need to read dataref values in your code to control such output devices.

Otherwise, if you need to get a dataref value for use in your specific program code or send it to some output device not included in the library, you can use the library functions "GetData()" together with "NewData()" with the dataref number from the out_#.cfg output list as argument.

Example - Using ArdSim library for LCD output

5) ArdSimX, Input/Output Interface for X-Plane (2015...2017)

ArdSimX features

The main part of this interface was the ArdSimX Plugin for X-Plane, that provided a link with ArdSimX firmware uploaded to Arduino board. You had to upload ArdSimX base skecth with the installed ArdSimX library (firmware). No Arduino coding required! Plugin and Firmware cannot work separately and are only used together! Arduino in this project is used only as a convenient controller platform for ArdSimX firmware and is not supposed to be programmed by user as usual Arduino.

ArdSimX Plugin and ArdSimX Firmware is archived project (active development in period of 2016-2018). It was a predecessor of the current RealSimControl/SimVim Interface and it is not supposed to be developed and supported further.