MCP / Enhanced Autopilot
Monday, March 07, 2005
For the newest online
version of this document, go to www.schiratti.com/docs
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Index
Settings
EPIC Users
Keyboard Commands
Settings
MCP.INI
There are various items you can customize both within the program and in the program's INItialization file, MCP.INI.
NetDir=
Network directory that will be used for the exchange of files between the PFD/ND, the MCP and the CDU. Entries could be Netdir=E:\Data\ NetDir=\\SERVER1\C\, please check the correct path on your system.
N1ref=91
N1TOref=98
N1GAref=101
N1CLBref=91.5
N1CRZref=89.5
Sets the default values for the N1 Limits of the AutoThrottle. N1ref=91 sets the general N1 Limit, then N1TO for Takeoff, GA for Go Around, CLB for Climb and CRZ for cruise. The CDU allows you to set these values as well and overrides any of these settings in MCP.INI
FSWindow=On
This setting allows you to have the MCP run within the FS98 main Window. Every time the MCP is selected or a "button" is clicked on, the MCP executes it and then gives the control back to FS. Allowable values are FSWindow=Yes and FSWindow=No.
TopMost=Off
Changing this option to Topmost=Yes will force the system to keep the MCP as the topmost window.
WindowName=COMPUTER1
Interesting for EPIC programmers who want to send Keyboard Commands to a specific window...
Title=Off
Removes Windows Title Bar.
PushButton=Off
Disables use of Pushbutton for the Speed, Heading and Altitude Knobs
Minimized=Off
Defines whether the MCP starts up and minimizes to the taskbar or stays open.
Menu=On
Enables/Disables the Menu
CycleMilliseconds=100
Defines the minimum cycle speed for the MCP (should conflicts with other programs arise)
Top/Left/Width/Height
Defines the positon/size of the MCP bitmap
MCPType=747
Defines the type of the MCP Panel used, current options 747/737d/737/777
Serial=0
Please contact enrico@schiratti.com if you have MCP Hardware which can have a serial connection to a PC. If you don't have it, this value stays 0.
MinIAS=120
Minimum selectable IAS on the MCP
AutoHDG=On
Automatically sets current heading as default MCP heading when set to on
AutoVS=On
Automatically enables V/S selection without changing altitude
UsePanel=On
When you use the FS MCP panel, this entry should be set to On
Flare=20
During Autoland, flare is initiated at the altitude set here. As this value is set by the CDU if it is used, the entry is only needed when the MCP is used stand-alone.
ThrRedAlt=1000
When using the TO/GA mode, you can define an altitude after which the Thrust Limites selects the CLB N1 thrust. This value can also be set in the CDU.
MaxROC=6000
MaxROD=6000
If you want to limit the maximum rate of climb (ROC) or the mamimum rate of descent (ROD), you can set it here. When using LVL CHNG (or FLCH) this is the limit that will be observed. Please note that if your flight model is overpowered and you select a slow speed using FLCH then the MCP will instruct the aircraft to climb at a very steep rate, to keep a lower speed. Same is true for descents, if you select a high speed for descent but your spoilers are out, the aircraft will descend with a higher V/S to keep the speed high.
EPIC Users
The MCP has several facilities for EPIC Users, please check also the keyboard commands below.
Rotaries - sending values to the MCP
You can assign the source of the MCP values for Speed, Heading, Altitude, Vertical Speed and the NAV Course Selector.
To assign an Epic Joystick Axis or POV to a value, edit MCP.INI to reflect the settings as follows:
Value=Joystick,Axis
where
Value can be spe, mach, hdg, alt, vs, crs
Joystick the joystick number where 0 is the first joystick, 1 the second joystick etc. (as per FS settings)
Axis can be 1 to 7 where 1=X, 2=Y, 3=Z, 4=R, 5=U, 6=V, 7=POV
Examples:alt=0,7
spe=3,4
hdg=3,5
mach=4,1
crs=4,2
vs=4,7
Important Note: "alt" and "vs" should always use the POV axis, thus use 7 as the axis value.
Lights - Reading states from the MCP
Please contact support@projectmagenta.com to receive a list of the FS offsets where you can read the state offsets for the lights of the MCP...
Keyboard Commands
These keyboard commands are essentially for those who use Epic and want to generate SendKeys to the MCP program. Ctrl-Key discreet On, Alt-Key discreet off.