Need help with controller configuration

Tips for the tuning of the helicopters / Tipps für die Einstellung der Helis
vmsda
Posts: 10
Joined: 24 Sep 2015 20:23

Need help with controller configuration

Post by vmsda »

After I bought HELI-X and had actually managed to calibrate the sticks from the Align T6 radio (aka Futaba 6J), a hw crash forced me to reinstall my Linux 15.04.

Now, HELI-X cannot detect the channels. The fact that the manual is very coy about explaining parameters and so forth - not to mention the fact that the Controller Configuration menu in the manual is different from the one shown by the application - goes some way toward my being at a loss on what to do next.

My objective is very modest: I want to start by using as many definitions as possible in the simulator and a barebones "heli" in the transmitter.

Thanks in advance for your help.
ThomasC
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Joined: 29 Mar 2012 16:29
Location: Germany

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by ThomasC »

what does "jscal" say? Does it detect your controller? Because of the version number I assume you use Ubuntu (I use 14.04 LTS, not primary for several reasons, but I love it ;) )
vmsda
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Joined: 24 Sep 2015 20:23

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by vmsda »

ThomasC wrote:what does "jscal" say? Does it detect your controller? Because of the version number I assume you use Ubuntu (I use 14.04 LTS, not primary for several reasons, but I love it ;) )
"jscal" says:
Joystick has 5 axes and 3 buttons
Correction for axis 0/1/2/3/4/5 is broken line, precision is 0
Coefficients are: 112, 142, 5534582, 5534582 [also for each axis]

PS. I also use Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (not 15.04). Use Ubuntu exclusively since 1999. Reason I bought HELI-X was because of Linux support, but my interest is beginning to flag, since I hate asking questions all the time because the manual gives next to none installation instructions (first time I heard of jscal), no simulator operating principles, hence no contextualization of config chores, and so on. I learned more from Simulator Setup by ArchmageAU in HeliFreak than from the whole HELI-X manual, although it does not cover this simulator or my radio specifically.
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Michael
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Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by Michael »

Do I understand correctly that the interface is not recognized by HELI-X? Then please post the output of the terminal window.

Michael
vmsda
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Joined: 24 Sep 2015 20:23

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by vmsda »

Michael wrote:Do I understand correctly that the interface is not recognized by HELI-X? Then please post the output of the terminal window.

Michael
I do not understand the extent of your question; I am not aware of any HELI-X command which will output on an Ubuntu terminal window.
But, to be on the safe side and save some time, I started by displaying the output of the terminal window when I connect the usb side of the cable to my laptop and issue the "dmesg" command:

[ 292.868685] usb 2-1.2: new low-speed USB device number 4 using ehci-pci
[ 292.966110] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0401, idProduct=0401
[ 292.966120] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=4, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 292.966125] usb 2-1.2: Product: PPM\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a
[ 292.966129] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: \xffffffd0\xffffff89\xffffff89
[ 293.007807] hidraw: raw HID events driver (C) Jiri Kosina
[ 293.016780] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
[ 293.016788] usbhid: USB HID core driver
[ 293.022604] input: \xffffffd0\xffffff89\xffffff89 PPM\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2/2-1.2:1.0/0003:0401:0401.0001/input/input12
[ 293.022903] hid-generic 0003:0401:0401.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.00 Joystick [\xffffffd0\xffffff89\xffffff89 PPM\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a\x1a] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.2/input0

Then, I connect the cable to the T6 and power it on: no new output on the terminal window. Next, I launch HELI-X: no errors reported. Now I think I understand your question, because I opened the HELI-X manual and find a terminal option under the Simulation tab; I open it and this is the output:

Set new path for the resources: /home/me/HELI-X/HELI-X6/resources
Set new path for the user files: /home/me/HELI-X/HELI-X6/files
Controller found: Name: ..PPM(..PPM) NOTE: .. stands for a symbol I cannot reproduce with my keyboard
Using stick ..PPM
Digital component found: Trigger
Digital component found: Thumb
Digital component found: Thumb2
Analog component found: x
Analog component found: y
Analog component found: z
Analog component found: rx
Analog component found: ry
Controller configuration file found: /home/me/HELI-X/HELI-X6/files/controller/PPM.XML
Controller configuration file /home/me/HELI-X/HELI-X6/files/controller/PPM.XML
read

What I did from now on I was unable to do because HELI-X told me it could not detect 4 channels. But this time it did, ask me not why. I managed to go into Stick Calibration, go through the motions and the operation finished successfully, with Collective Pitch, Cyclic Nick and Rudder inverted. I save everything in a file, which looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project>
<Pitch>z</Pitch>
<InvertPitch>true</InvertPitch>
<Roll>x</Roll>
<InvertRoll>false</InvertRoll>
<Nick>y</Nick>
<InvertNick>true</InvertNick>
<Yaw>ry</Yaw>
<InvertYaw>true</InvertYaw>
<Thrust>z</Thrust>
<InvertThrust>true</InvertThrust>
<UseFiveChannels>false</UseFiveChannels>
<IgnorePitchThrust>true</IgnorePitchThrust>
<IgnoreExpoDualRate>true</IgnoreExpoDualRate>
<ServoPlusx>3.3552628</ServoPlusx>
<ServoMinusx>3.269231</ServoMinusx>
<Offsetx>-0.18431371</Offsetx>
<ServoPlusy>3.541666</ServoPlusy> <Offsetry>-0.18431371</Offsetry>
<Button1>none</Button1>
<Button2>none</Button2>
<Button3>none</Button3>
<InvertButton1>false</InvertButton1>
<InvertButton2>false</InvertButton2>
<InvertButton3>false</InvertButton3>
<Keyboard>2,idleUp1;3,idleUp2;4,autoRotation;57,togglePauseFunction</Keyboard>
<AnalogButton />
</project>

In my other life, I used to be an IBM Systems Engineer, problem determination was my daily life. There was nothing more disappointing than when the customer had not gone the extra mile, to collect all the needed info. I hope I have not exaggerated.

Looking forward to your comments. Thank you.
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Michael
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Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by Michael »

vmsda wrote:Next, I launch HELI-X: no errors reported.
Well, that means the operating system recognizes the USB interface.

vmsda wrote: Now I think I understand your question, because I opened the HELI-X manual and find a terminal option under the Simulation tab; I open it and this is the output:
...
Controller found: Name: ..PPM(..PPM) NOTE: .. stands for a symbol I cannot reproduce with my keyboard
Using stick ..PPM
Digital component found: Trigger
Digital component found: Thumb
Digital component found: Thumb2
Analog component found: x
Analog component found: y
Analog component found: z
Analog component found: rx
Analog component found: ry
Controller configuration file found: /home/me/HELI-X/HELI-X6/files/controller/PPM.XML
Controller configuration file /home/me/HELI-X/HELI-X6/files/controller/PPM.XML
read
Ok, the interface offers more than 4 channels, the configuration file coul be written. Everything ok.
vmsda wrote: What I did from now on I was unable to do because HELI-X told me it could not detect 4 channels. But this time it did, ask me not why. I managed to go into Stick Calibration, go through the motions and the operation finished successfully, with Collective Pitch, Cyclic Nick and Rudder inverted. I save everything in a file,
Thsi sound good, however, there is no need to press the "save" button, the file is saved automatcally.
vmsda wrote: which looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project>
<Pitch>z</Pitch>
<InvertPitch>true</InvertPitch>
<Roll>x</Roll>
<InvertRoll>false</InvertRoll>
<Nick>y</Nick>
<InvertNick>true</InvertNick>
<Yaw>ry</Yaw>
<InvertYaw>true</InvertYaw>
<Thrust>z</Thrust>
<InvertThrust>true</InvertThrust>
<UseFiveChannels>false</UseFiveChannels>
<IgnorePitchThrust>true</IgnorePitchThrust>
<IgnoreExpoDualRate>true</IgnoreExpoDualRate>
<ServoPlusx>3.3552628</ServoPlusx>
<ServoMinusx>3.269231</ServoMinusx>
<Offsetx>-0.18431371</Offsetx>
<ServoPlusy>3.541666</ServoPlusy> <Offsetry>-0.18431371</Offsetry>
<Button1>none</Button1>
<Button2>none</Button2>
<Button3>none</Button3>
<InvertButton1>false</InvertButton1>
<InvertButton2>false</InvertButton2>
<InvertButton3>false</InvertButton3>
<Keyboard>2,idleUp1;3,idleUp2;4,autoRotation;57,togglePauseFunction</Keyboard>
<AnalogButton />
</project>
This look good.

So everything works now, right?

Michael
vmsda
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Joined: 24 Sep 2015 20:23

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by vmsda »

Michael wrote:... Well, that means the operating system recognizes the USB interface ... Ok, the interface offers more than 4 channels, the configuration file coul be written. Everything ok ...
Thsi sound good, however, there is no need to press the "save" button, the file is saved ... This look good...

So everything works now, right? Michael
Everything works now, so far.
Next, I shall go to ArchmageAU's Simulator Setup in HeliFreak, set up a basic SimHeli to use as input to HELI-X, omit the 5-channel option in Controller Config, set up the curves in HELI-X, choose the Airport and the Helicopter, choose IdleUp1 in Flight Mode to start nice'n'easy, have a last, anxious look at Terminal in Simulation to see if there are any warnings, and try Hover in Training. Am I thinking right?
Then, and only then, can I say that everything is working.

Thanks for your help so far.
vmsda
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Joined: 24 Sep 2015 20:23

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by vmsda »

After the post I wrote this morning, I set about implementing the suggestions in Simulator Setup: after I defined the heli in the radio, I decided to run an HELI-X simulation from the Align T6, so I went into Controller Config to check the 5-channel box and the two others below. I did not like the look of the stick bars, so I went into Terminal in Configuration, but everything was like yesterday, nothing suspicious. I went into controller files, there were two, one I had saved and one called PPM, exactly the same content.
But the sticks are not obeyed, the heli flies and crashes immediately. If I try to calibrate it, I get the dreaded "channels not detected" message, and despite many attempts, nothing worked again.
Back to square one.
ThomasC
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Location: Germany

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by ThomasC »

I don't know your radio, but be sure you check in your transmitter's servo monitor, that

1. aileron, elevator, tail and pitch sticks use the full -100% / +100% range
2. in case you want five channels, throttle channel also goes from -100% to +100% (or from 0 to +100%, as I don't know how you transmitter reports throttle)

So you need a special configuration for calibration purposes. Generate a "sim_calibrate" model memory or use a special flight mode for this. After calibration you can use your controller just like you would to fly a real model (this only applies to 5 channel config). The sim_calibrate model memory is only for calibration.

Have success

ThomasC

p.s. if that solves your problem, this has nothing to do with linux. The same problems would occur under Windows or MacOS.
vmsda
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Joined: 24 Sep 2015 20:23

Re: Need help with controller configuration

Post by vmsda »

Thank you for your reply, ThomasC.
This morning I double checked my radio and could not find anything in my calibration configuration to contradict your recomendations. When I launched HELI-X, and accessed Controller Configuration, everything was ok, including stick displays, stick movement.
Then I defined "S" key to Start/Stop Training, checked 5-channel button and the two below, saved and left. Changed my radio to another memory position which supports one of my choppers, and when I went back to Controller Config everything had gone wrong, stick displays pointing SW, no reaction, and so on. Trying calibration again, I get the "channel not detected" message.
I am now convinced that HELI-X gets into a strange state as a result of implicit or explicit save operations, since they are the only ones which survive multiple launches and stops.

Any ideas?
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