delete old style mode switches

[dagar]

Having multiple ways to configure RC switches is bad for both users and developers. There are certain features that only work in one mode, but not the other, and we don't have good test coverage for either.

I suspect some people will be opposed to this, so I'm opening the PR to prompt the discussion.

Let's figure out how to get to a single good RC configuration. Keeping both with little to no testing is not acceptable.

[LorenzMeier]

@DonLakeFlyer How do you feel about this?

[hamishwillee]

FWIW, I agree this is needed.

I guess the benefit of multiple channel mode setup is that the transmitter doesn't need to be particularly configurable. However this this was one of the hardest things I have documented (QGC/PX4) and I'm still not sure it is something I'd ever choose to use.

[dagar]

Personally I could live with either (as long as you can use QGC to change as well), but definitely not both.

[DonLakeFlyer]

Are you talking about flight mode switch setup? The simpler 6 mode selection method versus the insane flight modes from hell flowchart setup which I can't even remember how it all works? If so, then I assume you are talking about getting rid of the crazy one? And if that is the case, then yes that should be yanked out, stomped on and remove to the bastions of hell.

[jgoppert]

I agree that just settling on one is best, I personally use the "old style" still, but would be willing to learn the other to ease development.

[tubeme]

We think that with two ways setting up flight modes selection is very complicated especially for the novice. It creates users manual complications as well.

For a long time we used the multi-channel selection vs. single channel selection because we had the option to use more than 6 modes which is a must for some professional setups.

But the single channel selection is very straight forward and much easier to grasp for the pilots if they are novice or if they come from another autopilot.

So our request is to ADD two more mode slots in the single channel selection ie 8 instead of 6 modes and remove the multi-channel selection option totally.

This way whoever wants to use 3 mode switch, 6 mode switch or a mix in their RC will be able to do it very nicely and fast with the single channel selection.

I can prepare a Template for the Taranis mix that could help the novice to set it up very fast their craft?

[sanderux]

How long has the single channel switch been in stable?

[dagar]

Only 2 years or so.

[sanderux]

Then i suppose its time. But it does seem to me like it should be in a major release, not a minor.

[tubeme]

@dagar @sanderux How about the 8 modes idea vs. 6 modes? or toggle between 6 and 8?

[hamishwillee]

Is there a theoretical limit to how many modes could be set in a channel, and on a Taranis how many switches can be mapped to a single channel? If not, then why stop at 8?

Also, multi-channel as currently implemented is complicated, but another alternative is to support single channel as we currently have it "multiple times". Ie you select a channel, do the mapping using single channel, then you select another channel and do the same thing.

[tubeme]

@hamishwillee There is no limit on the mixing in the RCs so no problem to do it with 10 modes... but I think just 8 channels is good enough to accommodate the take off and landing.

Your idea is not possible with using multiple channels with 6 slots each because you need to introduce priorities and it is impossible to make it work nicely because of 100 corner cases. That was discussed long time ago in the git.

[dagar]

Related #9144

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. Thank you for your contributions.

[dagar]

This will be done with the px4io cleanup (manual override deprecated). #16444

[DonLakeFlyer]

@dagar It's unclear to me. Should the crazy complicated flight mode switch setup be removed from QGC?

[dagar]

@dagar It's unclear to me. Should the crazy complicated flight mode switch setup be removed from QGC?

Not quite yet, but I think we'll finally be able to soon. Any concern from your side?

[DonLakeFlyer]

My only concern is that it can't go away fast enough! That whole thing makes my head hurt.