I have the FlightSimbuilder GNS 530 and am very pleased with it (my favourite plane in MSFS is the C172 Skyhawk with steam gauges and the GNS 530 + 430).
All the buttons etc. seem to work well, apart from CLR, which, if in the aircraft in the Sim, or in the bezel in Air Manger, correctly goes back to default map view if it is held down for 2 seconds.
The CLR button works as it should (I think - I am no expert) on my hardware bezel apart from this.
Does anyone else with this piece of hardware have the same problem, or am I doing something stupid?
Thanks in advance to all, Alasdair (aka Flybasher…)
I don’t have this, but I recall discussing this with someone who had the same problem. He ended up binding the long clear press with Spad/AAO I think.
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Thanks for this info Pantszer - at least I know it is not me doing something stupid…
Will look at SPAD/AAO if I don’t manage to find another answer.
Regards, A
I have the RealSimGear GNS530 bezel and I had the same problem. RSG has their own interface software but even it doesn’t support the long press (which is annoying).
I ended up writing a script in Spad.next that stores the time when the CLR button is pressed, and then takes one action when the button is released after less than two seconds and another action after the button is released after more than 2 seconds. That’s not exactly the behaviour of the CLR button on the GNS530 UI in the sim (e.g. a long press of the CLR button in the sim registers after pressing the CLR button for ~2 seconds, without needing to release it first), but it’s the best I could do with the tools I have.
I do recall reading that Spad.next was planning to add support for long presses of those buttons, I just don’t know if it’s in the latest version yet, and I’m tired of frigging around with it all anyway. I want to fly, not program hardware. I wish this stuff would work out of the box, rather than companies (I’m looking at you, RealSimGear, Aerosoft, etc.) cheaping out and leaving it to their customers to solve their problems.
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Hi LKFJP - thanks for this - which unfortunately confirms my fears that the unit will need some sort of “tinkering” to get it to work properly (long press on the CLR button/key anyway).
I have not used SPADnext before - may look into it to see if they now have support for long presses of buttons.
As you say, I really wish all the hardware just “worked” out of the box with MSFS - I don’t know though if the fault is with Asobo/MS or the hardware producers, or maybe even both.
At least everything else on my GNS 530 seems fine, and I have absolutely no regrets about buying it.
Regards, A
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I’d say both. You need to script around the usual game control options to bind most keys on the GNS530 to begin with, long press is no different from that. Don’t get why the OEM doesn’t do that.
On the other hand, Asobo could just offer keybindings for this stuff in the control options so we wouldn’t need to use third party payware programs to script basic commands.
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I agree that I’m ultimately pretty happy with my GNS530 bezel. It is sure a lot easier/nicer to interact with the unit using real buttons and knobs than trying to do it with the mouse.
But that doesn’t change the fact that RSG clearly cut corners when they developed their interface software. If it’s possible to implement the CLR button long press in Spad.next, then it is possible to implement the CLR button long press in the custom software that they ship with the bezel. But they evidently didn’t bother implementing that fairly critical functionality because… reasons.
So, instead of using RSG’s interface software, I am using Spad.next to trigger the events for all of those buttons, as exposed by MSFS/Asobo. (And clearly it isn’t any fault of MSFS/Asobo because MSFS/Asobo do make that possible on their end.)
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Folks have kindly indicated I should use SPADnext to get the CLR button working correctly when held down.
Apologies for my total ignorance, but as I know nothing about how to do this, I would like to ask a horribly basic question first before I look further into it.
The GNS 530 that I have from Flightsimbuilder works flawlessly apart from the above - I did not need to do anything clever to get it to do so - simply followed their instructions (basically install their WASM module in my Community Folder, and then just plug the unit in).
If I go the SPADnext route, will I need to re-configure everything on the unit from scratch (and I am not sure I know how to, or would want to), or can I use it somehow to just alter the long hold on the CLR key/button?
Thanks again, A
If the hardware functions like a normal game controller (e.g. the OEM software doesn’t hide it from Windows system or anything) then you should be able use it in combination and only use Spad for the clear function.
I’d also consider Axis and Ohs (AAO) over Spad if you are getting such suite just for this. It’s cheaper and has all the GNS430/530 functions there by default so you don’t need to script anything.
I had a look at the Flightsimbuilder GNS 530 online, but it isn’t clear what the interface is. It says something about it appearing as a joystick, so It is almost certainly different than the RealSimGear unit. I’d offer my Spad.next config for the RSG GNS530, but it wouldn’t work for you (the RSG unit uses serial via a USB to serial converter. It sends simple ASCII text messages when buttons are pressed/released).
Maybe your best hope is to try find someone who’s done a profile for the Flightsimbuilder unit in Axis and Ohs, or Spad.next and get ahold of that? Either that or contact Flightsimbuilder and ask them to fix it on their end in their WASM module?
Hi LKFJP - as you suggested I have emailed FlightSimBuilder about this and await their response.
Thanks for taking the time to look at the product online to clarify that it does not connect to MSFS in the same way that the RSG unit does.
Regards, A
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Swift response from FlightSimBuilder to my query about this - their reply is as follows:
“Unfortunately MSFS doesn’t support long press CLR (like x-plane does) at the moment unless you press it with the mouse so it doesn’t work. Once MSFS fixes it, it will work. We are also looking for a workaround until it’s fixed but nothing yet.”
So at least I am not missing anything or doing anything stupid!
Now waiting patiently to see if MSFS enables the long press, or if FSB manage to come up with a workaround.
Regards to all.
Hi @FlyBasher16420:
That makes no sense. In my Spad.next script, I trigger MSFS’ “AS530_CLR_PUSH_LONG” event. To my knowledge, Spad.next doesn’t have any special “reach arounds” to hook into the game. All it does it push the buttons and twiddle the knobs that the game exposes to it. If Spad.next can access the AS530_CLR_PUSH_LONG event, then surely FlightSimBuilder and RealSimGear could do the same?
Would you be willing to ask them a follow-up question about the “AS530_CLR_PUSH_LONG” event and why they can’t access it? Some of the other events that Spad.next is triggering in my script include:
AS530_COMSWAP_PUSH
AS530_NAVSWAP_PUSH
AS530_OBS_PUSH
AS530_MSG_PUSH
AS530_FPL_PUSH
AS530_VNAV_PUSH
AS530_PROC_PUSH
AS530_ENT_PUSH
AS530_MENU_PUSH
AS530_DIRECTTO_PUSH
AS530_RNG_ZOOM
AS530_RNG_DEZOOM
AS530_LEFTSMALLKNOB_PUSH
… etc.
Maybe they are already using some of those events in their plugin, and they just don’t know about the AS530_CLR_PUSH_LONG one?
I duly sent a follow-up question to FSB, and the reply is as follows:
“The challenge is that we try to avoid programming any additional workarounds to compensate for the sim temporary limitations to avoid issues in the future. The unit works as a joystick so the sim can see the long press and map it to the correct function. It works in X-Plane, however MSFS didn’t implement this yet so it can’t see the long presses. The workaround is to use an interface (i.e. Spad.net) which will detect the long press and then map it to the right function. We are also looking into adding this to our add on but no ETC on this yet. I hope this helps.”
I will therefore remain the optimist, and hope this gets resolved in the future by either MSFS/Asobo or FSB.
Regards, A
FlightSimBuilder have now released a new version of their FSB Launcher that should sort my problem out:
Link to where to download - FSBLauncher-Setup v1.2.exe - Google Drive
YT vid of demonstration - Discover Popular Videos | Facebook
So am now a happy bunny!
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I just received this, and i cannot get any of the buttons to work… Even Spad doesn’t recognize any buttons… ??? did I get a defective unit?
EDIT: While Spad recognizes the device, none of the buttons or nobs are recognized. I can access the menu on the device though…???
I can’t speak for the FlightSimBuilder unit, but maybe it is similar to the RealSimGear one that just sends serial messages when buttons and knobs are pushed? If so, maybe you can look to see if the serial connection is working using something like RealTerm?
UPDATE: Plugged the unit into a powered USB (and swapped around some cable), and now it works… 
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