Add type "a" to FSUIPC Offset variables for byte[]

[ngreatorex]

Hi,

I wanted to be able to read the contents of the PMDG 777 CDU units via FSUIPC. In particular, I want to do this to determine if the auto time compression functionality is enabled. In order to do so, it would be very useful to be able to retrieve a byte[] from FSUIPC. This PR adds the capability to do that.

Out of completeness, here is an extract of my global Lua script that I wrote to use the new functionality:

RunSim("MSFS")
RunAircraft("PMDG 777")
RunInterval(200, "UpdateVariables")

local CDU_COLUMNS = 24
local CDU_ROWS = 14
local AutoCruise = 0

SimVar("0x5800:1024:a")
function UpdateVariables()
    local bytes = SimRead("0x5800:1024:a")
    local rows = {}
    local byteIndex = 0

    for col=1,CDU_COLUMNS do
        for row=1,CDU_ROWS do
            if col == 1 then
                rows[row] = {}
            end
        
            rows[row][col] = { Symbol=string.char(bytes[byteIndex]), Color=bytes[byteIndex+1], Flags=bytes[byteIndex+2] }
            byteIndex = byteIndex + 3
        end
    end

    local title = ""
    for idx, cell in ipairs(rows[1]) do
        if cell.Symbol ~= string.char(0) and cell.Symbol ~= " " then
            title = title .. cell.Symbol
        end
    end

    if title == "AUTOCRUISE" then
        if bit32.extract(rows[9][2].Flags, 0) == 0 then
            AutoCruise = 2
        else
            AutoCruise = 1
        end
    else
        AutoCruise = 0
    end
end

function GetAutoCruise()
    return AutoCruise
end

PS. Great work on this project! I find it very useful and use it every flight 😃

[Fragtality]

Uhm ... I'm a bit surprised to be honest 😅
That is all that is needed for it to just work? 😳

Have you tried what happens when such a Byte/Array-Address is used with in an Action? I.e. as Read or Command Address? 🤔

[ngreatorex]

I haven't tried writing as the offset I was testing with is read only. I will try to test tomorrow

[ngreatorex]

I've added support for writing as well, using any of the formats: "[int,int ...]", "[0xff,0xff ...]" or "0xFFFFFFFF...".

Still need to update the README though with that info 😃

[ngreatorex]

README updated

[ngreatorex]

Hi @Fragtality. Just wanted to give you a nudge on this in case you'd forgotten. Would be great to see this in an official release 🙂

[Fragtality]

Oh it will definitely be in the official release, it is a really great Contribution!
Not forgotten, more like pushing it in front of me all the time 😅

The "problem" is that the Plugin was/is undergoing some underlying Changes again which certainly cause merge conflicts (including changes to Folder-Names, the Build Process and Stuff moved out of the Plugin to a common Library). And I'm still a bit unsure what the best/fairest approach would be 🤔
I think I'll just merge/pull your Request to the Repo first, then merge/synch it with my local & current code and then push it all to the Repo. While constantly praying to get out of the Mess 😂

[ngreatorex]

Alright, no worries. As I said, just wanted to check it wasn't forgotten 😄

I find Git is much better than it used to be at handling renamed files, as long as you commit the rename as a separate commit to modifying said file!

Hope the merge conflicts aren't too painful 😄

[Fragtality]

What could possibly go wrong?