Help with basic Arduino set up?

[LikelyMatt]

In the Arduino software under the Tools menu you can select programmer for installing the Arduino bootloader. It is possible to use another Arduino board for this. Then, you can install the bootloader from the same Tools menu. You do not need to use Atmel Studio, like they do in the article.

[Tjoeker]

He’s saying that you can combine buttons to have more than 32 assignments.
So you have 1 - 32, but you can also bind a function to 1 + 2 -32 (for example if 1 and 2 are positive at the same time, this is a different function)

However, this can lead to issues if you press multiple buttons at the same time.

Thanks for the bootloader, I’ll have a look at that this week.

[BtsAndDroids]

@LikelyMatt

Another negative thing about using a Leonardo this way is the fact that you wont be able to read data from the sim to you Leonardo, i.e. your generic joystick. So you will not be able to build a radio unit with 7-seg leds showing the frequency.

This part isn’t correct right? It can still read over Serial while using it as a Joystick. I have a Leonardo tucked in my Radio unit and it works fine. I have 4 rotary encoders + 5 buttons sending joystick commands and meanwhile an lcd displays the coms. I did however create my own connector but that shouldn’t make a difference since it uses the plain old serial line to talk to the Arduino.

[LikelyMatt]

Then I stand corrected, good to know.

[BTripleSeven]

Sure @LikelyMatt: Instead of thinking 1 button = 1 action in the simulator think about 1 button on the simulator control panel stimulates TWO buttons in the HID. So in my Arduino if input 64 changes, then I will activate button 22 AND button 21. And then into the simulator you can bind an action to those 2 buttons combined. And TADA, with 32 buttons you have created more possibilities… On the pictures the 3D printed box with my Arduino and the way it shows as a HID. Code is standard joystick libs plus some custom code.

[BTripleSeven]

@Tjoeker in a cockpit even when you have 2 pilots you do not press several buttons at the same time. Why? It is because inside the FCOM every panel is under defined area of responsabilities depending of who is pilot flying/pilot monitoring. The only case I can recall when I was on 737 is the landing gear override where you have to press on the button to unlock the solenoid while raising the landing gear. Same applies to 777.

[Tjoeker]

Sure, but it’s good to state the possible problems if you start using the grid system for other uses outside flightsims.