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lvar_support

LVAR Support

Definition

LVAR (correct would be L:Var) are Local Variables that only exist in the simulator itself and are not accessible from the outside via SimConnect.

Those LVAR are used by all aircrafts (even the stock ones that come with the simulator) to hold local values or trigger functions.

An good example is the Master Caution warning, which purpose it is to focus the pilot's attention that there is something he/she needs to care about. It's a value that is not existing normally in the simulator, but a combination of several conditions.

IF any engine is on fire OR fuel low OR ground proximity warning OR TCAS alert THEN master caution warning

Now to make things easier for the developer of a panel/gauge/aircraft they use a LVAR (e.g. Master_Caution_Alert ) to hold the value, and any component that has influence on it can change it. So the panel that displays the alert does not need to know about the condition. It just checks that LVAR for a descent value.

Most of the addon aircrafts for FSX/Prepar3D use these LVAR frequently (or even excessively) and some (if not most) of them can be used to trigger certain things within the simulator.

SPAD.neXt support for LVAR

Since some of the addon aircrafts do not expose any kind of SDK, but expect that you change LVAR to trigger actions, LVAR Support has been introduced to SPAD.neXt.

However due to the nature of LVAR (remember they are local) a little magic is needed to be able to use then withing SPAD.neXt, which runs outside the simulator.

This magic is done by the SPAD.neXt Bridge, which can be installed automatically by enabling the appropriate option in the SPAD.neXt configuration Wizard.

If your need to install the SPAD.neXt Bridge manually please see the installation instructions.

Usage

Simulator integration

When the SPAD.neXt Bridge is installed into your simulator(s) a menu entry SPAD.neXt will show up in the addons menu. By default the bridge is enabled, but you can disable it temporarily using the addon menu, if you need to. If disabled you can of course enable it again.

When you restart the simulator the bridge will be enabled automatically again.

SPAD.neXt integration

To be able to use LVAR with SPAD.neXt SimConnect has to be enabled, as SPAD.neXt talks to the bridge using SimConnect, which allows to access the LVAR even if you have a networked installation. If everything is fine and the loaded aircraft has LVAR defined, you will find those when configuring an event within the Simulation Data browser in the subtree LVAR.1)

Please note that LVAR are aircraft specific and will only show up if an aircraft has been loaded into the simulator.

All LVAR are treated as a number variable. Strings are currently not supported.

Known LVAR

In this section you will find Links to the LVAR documentation of the manufacturers, if they provide any, as well es investigated LVAR by SPAD.neXt users.

A2A

Aerosoft

Wilco

  • Unknown

PMDG

  • Unknown

See Also

1) Depending on the aircraft the names of the LVAR are more or less meaningful. SPAD.neXt has no influence on the naming.
lvar_support.txt · Last modified: 2016/02/24 13:34 by c0nnex