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How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-161

Modeling aircraft systems, like electrical stuff, hydraulics, pneumatics? Feel free to ask support.

How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-161

Postby gkick » Sat Feb 04, 2017 1:04 am

Am a little stuck with this one, have copied the KSC55 folder from the Seneca into the Cherokee models folder and adjusted the x y z position accordingly and it sits there nicely, but does not do thing, also copied the nas file into the set file section. But I seem to miss something. Browsing through all the Seneca xml files but no clue how to proceed.
Thanks for a helping hand

GK
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby D-ECHO » Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:23 pm

The reasons for these can be various from a wrong path to a file missing. May I request you to send me the Cherokee with the KSC55 built in as you did so I can have a look what's going wrong?
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby Zilesio » Sat Jun 06, 2020 10:48 am

How did this "transplant" end up?

I am doing the same thing in another plane, but same result: I can see the KCS55 in my cockpit; bug and cdi can be turned with knobs, but nothing else... no power is sourced to the instrument, and it stays pitch dark at night when the rest of the cockpit is lit up...
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby D-ECHO » Sat Jun 06, 2020 11:12 am

Did you make sure to not only port the model but also copy and include the relevant nasal and system files?
(Nasal/kcs55.nas and Systems/kcs55.xml)
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby Zilesio » Sun Jun 07, 2020 2:03 am

Thanks for quick reply :)

Yes, I copy/pasted both the nasal and xml (in the "Systems" and "Nasal" folders) you mentioned but still no change...

That's why I was curious to know if the Cherokee mentioned above was finally sorted; I seem to be in exactly the same situation: the thing is there, but disconnected from the rest of the systems.

For example: I mentioned that I can rotate the bug by acting on the knob, but the Kcs55 bug and the 2D panel DG bug are independet from each other
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby D-ECHO » Sun Jun 07, 2020 6:22 am

Additional to copy/pasting, you have to include the files - they aren't just loaded.

For the Seneca II, this is done in
Code: Select all
 <nasal>
    <SenecaII>
      [...]
      <file>Aircraft/SenecaII/Systems/kcs55.nas</file>
      [...]     
    </SenecaII>
  [...]
  </nasal>
for kcs55.nas and

Code: Select all
  <instrumentation>
   [...]
    <kcs55 include="Systems/kcs55.xml"/>
    [...]
  </instrumentation>
for kcs55.xml
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby Zilesio » Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:00 pm

Ok, so, I defined in the main "set" xml file where to go pick up the nas, but I just can't find the right spot where to paste the
<kcs55 include="Systems/kcs55.xml"/>
line.

Instrumentation on this plane (Velocity XL-RG downloaded from the wiki) is detailed in a separate xml, which I already tried but to no avail...
I obviously also tried to paste this "include" line in the main "set" xml, but it didn't work either.

Now, this plane has its own electrical system, so I thought I may have to go look there to feed current to the kcs55...
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby D-ECHO » Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:13 pm

Careful: the Velocity XL-RG (as well as many other aircraft) have two locations with <instrumentation> tags, one is inside <sim></sim> and the other is not. In your case, putting the include-line into Systems/Velocity-XL-RG-init-instrumentation.xml, e.g. line 83 would be possible. The kcs55 in the Seneca uses the property "/systems/electrical/outputs/hsi" for its power supply (in volts) so yes you need to make sure that the custom electrical system supplies this property.

As far as I understand this electrical system, in file Systems/Velocity-XL-RG-electrical.xml e.g. between lines 80 and 82, you need to put
Code: Select all
  <component>
    <kind type="string">output</kind>
    <name type="string">HSI</name>
    <prop type="string">/systems/electrical/outputs/hsi</prop>
  </component>

and, e.g. between lines 221 and 223, you need to put
Code: Select all
  <connector>
    <input type="string">Avionics Bus</input>
    <output type="string">HSI</output>
  </connector>


[EDIT] fixed previously wrong suggestion
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby Zilesio » Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:53 pm

I'm very happy to receive so much support, so first of all I want to thank you for your help.

unfortunately though, it still won't work.

I've added the "component" and "connector" lines in the Systems/Velocity-XL-RG-electrical.xml as you suggested, and it is probably a good step forward but there must still be something missing.

Adding the "include" line in the Systems/Velocity-XL-RG-init-instrumentation.xml is probably not the right approach, since the plane disappears from the selectable airplanes in the launch window; so I had to revert that xml back to normal.

I'm trying by making small attempts and testing them, but no luck so far.

I'll keep trying though.
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby D-ECHO » Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:25 pm

You're welcome :)

I think you're pretty close to having it working.

You can check that the changes to the electrical system worked out as expected by using the Property Browser in FlightGear (press "/") and navigating to /systems/electrical/outputs/ and checking that hsi is not 0 when _both_ the battery switch and the avionics switch are set to ON.

The plane disappearing from the launcher indicated that there is some malformed XML in one of the files called from the -set.xml file using <include>. First of all, I'd check that the path points to the right file. As the -init-instrumentation.xml file is located inside Systems/, this will be the base path for anything called from said file. This means that if kcs55.xml is also in the Systems/ folder, you will need to change the <include> line to point to read <kcs55 include="kcs55.xml"/>
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby Zilesio » Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:30 am

Few steps forward:

Now that I know about the "/" property browser, I think I can confirmt that electricity is supplied to the KCS55:
"/systems/electrical/outputs" shows "hsi = '14' (double)", so basically this is different from zero.
...but still, the instrument itsef does not work. So, I took a look at both the Seneca, and my modified Velocity.


SIMILARITIES

-"instrumentation/kcs55/kg102" shows (among other thins) "input-power-node = 'systems/electrical/outputs/hsi' (unspecified)"
"unspecified", but it works perfectly on the Seneca. :?
-the 2D panel Directionl Gyro Heading Bug is indepenent/disconnected/unrelated to the one in the KCS55


DIFFERENCES

*Seneca II original installation*
-Prop. Browser (/instrimentation/kcs55) shows 4 sub components: ka51 + kg102 + ki525 + kmt112
-If Master is ON, hsi aligns with magnetic compass (and, obviously, the 2D panel Directional Gyro)
-If Insrument Lighs switch is ON, hsi glows a nice orange color at night (together with all the other dials, etc.)
-the 2D panel NAV1 CDI is CONNECTED to the one in the KCS55 (you turn one, the other one follows)

*Velocity XL-RG custom installation*
-Prop. Browser (/instrimentation/kcs55) shows only 3 sub components: ka51 + kg102 + ki525
-Even if Master is ON, hsi does NOT align with magnetic compass (neither, obviously, with the 2D panel Directional Gyro)
-Even if Insrument Lighs switch is ON, hsi stays dark at night (all the other dials, etc. are lit up)
-the 2D panel NAV1 CDI is indepenent/disconnected/unrelated to the one in the KCS55 (you turn one, the other one does NOT move)

I wish there was an "All-inclusive Guide to coding FG", so I wouldn't have to bother you guys with so many details... :roll:
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby Zilesio » Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:38 am

I also tried "<kcs55 include="kcs55.xml"/>" inside the "init-instrumentation" file beause, yes, the kcs55.xml is also inside the Systems folder. But as I said, not working just yet.
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby kgwedi » Thu Jul 15, 2021 4:12 pm

I really wish you had solved this. I installed a ki266 DME, a garmin196, a KX165, and a ki206 vor indicator into a Grob109. Only the KY165 has power, and seems to work fine. I can not get power to the other 3.
I tried everything you tried, and no joy at all.
FlightGear is not made for new designers. It is just to undocumented, or obscure for me to continue. I am sad about that.
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby sfr » Thu Jul 15, 2021 4:31 pm

hi kgwedi,

don't give up just yet. visit FG's discord server and ask there, see https://wiki.flightgear.org/Discord

bye, sfr
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Re: How to install the KCS55 from the Seneca into the PA28-1

Postby wlbragg » Thu Jul 15, 2021 6:27 pm

Might I make a suggestion.

Use an editor that you can do a "search in files" or grep and search the property you know is not working. For example, no power, search the property for the "on" knob in the instrument in question. You will find all the places that touch this property. then trace the next suspect property the same way. Map it out, I'm talking about the aircraft your getting the system from. Beware, sometimes you might need the origin of a property and instead of searching some/property/power, you will need to search for only "power" as the origin is
Code: Select all
<some>
    <property>
      <power type="double">0</power>
    </property>
</some>

so the entire property path won't be found in that case.
In other words, I'm trying to teach you how to dissect a system to find all the working components. That's generally what I have to do if I don't understand a system that is unfamiliar to me.
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