Previous    Contents     Next

3. Operation

Operation of the CL software is fairly straightforward.

Double click the .exe in your CL software folder and the software will run and firstly check the registration status. If it is not a registered copy then follow the prompts: either to obtain a unique PC ID to send to me for an unlock key, to enter your unlock key details or to proceed to run the program in DEMO mode.

In DEMO mode the software will run with full function for approximately 10 minutes run time and will then RELEASE the FFB output. Re-start the software if you need further 10 minute trial periods.

In vBeta9.911 or later of the CL software the name of the configuration file can be added as a command line parameter. This allows the file selection step to be bypassed when the system is used with the same configuration file all the time. The easiest way to use this feature is to create a shortcut to the CL software .exe and then to add the configuration file name to the end of the Target field contents in the shortcut's properties (under the Shortcut tab). (Note that the filename should be added after the existing final inverted comma in the Target field eg

 .....Beta_v9.911"  myfilename.cfg ). The software should then be started by clicking the shortcut.

Buttons -

ENGAGE – make the force demand output active - force will ramp up to the active level.

NOTE - a flight must be ACTIVE for control loading to be generated. If a flight is not active then the CL software will automatically release the loading. Conditions that will cause auto-release are - selecting a menu item in FS, crashing, entering slew mode. Loading will also release on other events and these will be reported in the BFF_CL and BFF_Pry.log files.

RELEASE – release the controls – force will ramp down to zero.

CLOSE – release the controls and close the application.

Show/Hide – minimise the window display.

Show_LEDs – display the small LED panel to display the brushless driver card LED status. This can be used to provide an indication of the calibration status of the cards in circumstances where you can not see the cards themselves. WARNING this is an indication only - please check the actual card LEDs to confirm any error conditions should they occur.

This requires beta6 or later firmware programming of the BLDRV-12/24 cards - it will not work with earlier card programming.

Show_Conts – display the control positions window. This displays the control axis and trim positions as used by the CL system.

Ping – ping the BLDRV-12/24 cards and display their status (on the GUI text line below the force progress bars).

Zero – run the automatic zeroing procedure (affects AP following mode only). This will only proceed if at least one card is active and calibrated. NOT used for pot-less operation.

ZD – Zero the progress bar outputs. For use when the controls are active and engaged and sitting in a neutral (zero force) position. This will only zero the progress bar displays - it does not alter the output force demand. Click the ZD button again to remove the correction.

Show_Logs – click to open the BFF_CL and BFF_Pry.log files to show their current contents. Useful if a driver card error has been reported and details are required of the error.

NOTE: ENGAGE and RELEASE joystick HOT BUTTONS can be programmed on the pilot station joystick. See the Configuration Manager Tab 6 Items 8 & 9.

When the Engage or Release buttons are clicked the software will check the status of any BLDRV-12/24 cards and report their calibration status. If there are active cards which have not been position calibrated then the software will prevent engagement of the drive.

Show_Elev, Show_Ail and Show_Rud – show detailed output windows for control axes. These can be used to see the individual force components vary in real-time. Each window also has an option to scope the force output, position and rate of position change for that axis.

The loop refresh rates are displayed in the main GUI for both the flight data (usually at the flight sim FPS) and for the force calculation loop.

Keys Alt+S will display the background process, Alt+H will hide the background process window. You will see that opening the background process window will reduce the force loop refresh rate, so keep it closed when you don't need to see it.

Program log files are held in the /Logs subfolder – these are re-written each program session.

Previous    Contents     Next