June 6th, 2015
To see me use the MCP in real time,
Visit My Twitch Stream.
That is, if I am flying…
http://www.twitch.tv/fess_ter_geek
To see me use the MCP in real time,
December 23, 2014
If you do any coding on a Windows PC, then you probably already know about Notepad++.
If you are just entering the world of coding, whether it be HTML, PHP, C, C++, C#, LUA, JAVA, RUBY, and the rest, then you need to at least try Notepad++.
Don’t let the name fool you, this is not your Grandpa’s Windows “Notepad”.
Notepad++ is a source code editor with syntax highlighting among many other functions.
I have been using Notepad++ for a number of years for HTML and PHP web work. I have also used it with the Arduino IDE to make Arduino Sketches. Notepad++ has been in constant development with oodles of buzzers, bells and whistles being added to it over the years.
For my limited needs and usage, I really haven’t scratched the surface of its capabilities. I did find its search and replace function very useful when needing to change every instance of a variable name.
Notepad++ is free and distributed under GNU General Public Licence. There are no crapware toolbars distributed with it.
You can check it out here. http://notepad-plus-plus.org/
November 17, 2014
A few folks have asked me how to connect a MAX7219, 8 Digit, 7 Segment, Tube Display Module to an arduino and code it to display information from Flight Simulator X (FSX) via Link2FS.
Below are pictures and explanation of one way to set this up.
At the bottom of this article is a working but limited Arduino Sample Sketch that will only display the Autopilot Altitude Set from FSX via Link2FS. The Arduino Code has been mostly stripped down to this one function for simplicity and is remarked heavily for educational purposes.
In the picture above I am using an Arduino Leonardo Clone. An Uno or Mega will also work.
To connect the MAX7219 to the Arduino, we use 5 wires connected to the 5 pins on the left side of the module. Three of them are for communication and two are for 5 Volt and Ground connections.
In this particular example I use pins 10, 11, and 12. If you compare the wire colors in the picture below with the picture above, you will see Orange, Data (DIN) is connected to pin 12, Yellow, Load (CS) is connected to pin 11, and Green, Clock(CLK) is connected to pin 10.
Red and Brown are connected to 5Volt (VCC) and Ground (GND), respectively.
The Modules have another set of pins on the right side of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB), that are labeled nearly identical to the left side. The right side pin labels are on the backside of the PCB. They are VCC, GND, DOUT, LOAD, CLK. If you have more than one module that you want to “chain” together then you do it through these pins. The second module’s left side, DIN, CS, and CLK would go to the first modules right side DOUT, LOAD, and CLK.
NOTE: Do NOT chain the VCC 5Volt and GND from one module to another. As I understand it there is a diode in each module that will drop the voltage on the out going side. It may work ok with 2 or 3, but if you chain more you may be looking at dimming digits or failure to function. So, it’s easy enough to run the 5Volt and Ground to a common bus from the Arduino.
In the picture below you can see we are connected to Link2FS and receiving the Autopilot Altitude Set as it is present on the display.
Link2FS Output to Arduino
In the above picture you can see what Link2FS sends to the Arduino when the Autopilot Altitude Set is at 18000.
=b18000
First the Arduino Code looks for the “=”.
After finding the “=” it checks the next character and find a “b”.
The “b” tells the “Switch Case” in the code to start storing and display the Autopilot Altitude set “18000”.
Hardware Notes:
The picture above is just to show how the displays can be tethered away from the module. On my first go, I used male/female jumpers. I found that the female connection to the displays would sometimes become loose and subject to vibration making the connection intermittent. This would result in some or parts of the display digits to flicker or go off completely. Jostling the wires would cause it to work again. This picture has soldered connections on the display side, with heat shrink covering.
The Jumpers and Heat Shrink
Pictured above is the type of jumper wires needed to tether the displays away from the module.
The leads have round male connectors.
NOTE: Dupont brand wire jumpers with square male connectors that work fine with Arduinos, will not fit the female connection on the Max7219 display module.
The picture below:
If you find the need to do a lot of soldering and cover the connections with heat shrink, it is far cheaper to buy heat shrink by the 100ft spool.
I used 3/32 for the above wires. I found the 100 foot spool on ebay for about $13 US.
Here is the Code with a lot of Remarks
I tried to format it for understanding.
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/* This is a simple demonstration of code to Display information on a MAX7219 8 Digit 7 Segment Tube Display Module. The Information is extracted from Flight Sim X via a program called link2fs_multi and then sent to the arduino. There are snippets in this code that came from Jim, the author of Link2FS. Find him at jimspage.co.nz. Also, in the mycockpit.com forums under link2fs. This example will only work with FSX's default Auto Pilot. Some planes like PMDG's 737 does not use FSX's default variables. I use an Array variable to store the Auto Pilot Altitude Set Display. Its probably not necessary, but its what I used in my Radio Box for quicker updates when using shared displays with a Mode/Function Selector knob. ***************************************** ***** Info on how the Displays work ***** ***** This is an excerpt from my ***** ***** Radio Box Code ***** ***************************************** led_Display_1.setDigit(0,7,Com1Active[0],false); // setDigit(0,7,Com1Active[0],false) The 0 is the first display, 7 is the first character in the led_Display_1.setDigit(0,6,Com1Active[1],false); // display, Com1Active[0] is the stored Integer to be displayed, false is no decimal point. led_Display_1.setDigit(0,5,Com1Active[2],true); // "true" puts in the decimal point led_Display_1.setDigit(0,4,Com1Active[3],false); // setDigit is for putting in numbers led_Display_1.setDigit(0,3,Com1Active[4],false); // You can also use setChar for putting in some letters // character, symbols, and ' ' space. // NOTE: setChar has to use single quote 'A' // Double quote "A", is for Strings and wont work. ****************** The 300 Level Remarks **************************************** In the "300 Level Class", you can use setRow to light one of the 7 segment displays using binary or hex equivalent. It would look like this: led_Display_1.setRow(1,4,B00110000,false) that would display the number 1. __A_ The segments on my displays are lettered A thru H F| |B However, using the setRow with Binary the H (decimal point) comes first. |__G_| If you want an 8 with no decimal... E| |C H A B C D E F G |__D_|.H B 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 = 8 B 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 = 7 ********************************************************************************* */ #include "LedControl.h" // ****** LedControl Library is required to drive the MAX7219 7 segment LED displays. ******* // led_Display_1 is the variable name of my set of displays chained LedControl led_Display_1 = LedControl(12,10,11,8); // together running off of pins 12,11,10. // Pin 12 is the DataOut // Pin 11 is Load or CS // Pin 10 is clock. // The 8 is for how many displays you have to chain. // I have 4 but put 8 incase of expansion. It cost no memory. // You can run any pins you want in the instruction, // just plug the module in correctly. // LedControl(Data,Clock,Load,Displays) // I used 12,10,11 so I could have a straight ribbon connection // from the module without crossing leads. int CodeIn; // used on all serial reads from Jim's code String Digit; // Variable as a string to take from getChar() int Count; // This variable used in loops in the EQUALS() function int AP_alt_set[5]; // AP_alt_set[5] is an array of the 5 digits that are the Auto Pilot Altitude Set //********************************************************** //*************( START of void setup() )******************** void setup() { //The MAX72XX is in power-saving mode on startup, we have to do a wakeup call delay (500); led_Display_1.shutdown(0,false); // I have 4 displays, these start them up // delay (500); // I put the delay in so they all dont start drawing // led_Display_1.shutdown(1,false); // current at the same time. // delay (500); // I had an issue with running on only USB power and getting a display glitch. // led_Display_1.shutdown(2,false); // The delay seems to have fixed this issue. // delay (500); // led_Display_1.shutdown(3,false); // Set the brightness to a lower than medium values led_Display_1.setIntensity(0,8); // led_Display_1.setIntensity(1,8); // led_Display_1.setIntensity(2,8); // led_Display_1.setIntensity(3,8); // and clear the display led_Display_1.clearDisplay(0); // led_Display_1.clearDisplay(1); // led_Display_1.clearDisplay(2); // led_Display_1.clearDisplay(3); Serial.begin(115200); } //**************( END of void setup() )******************** //********************************************************* //********************************************************* //*************( START of void loop() )******************** void loop() { if (Serial.available()) { CodeIn = getChar(); if (CodeIn == '=') { EQUALS(); // The first identifier is "=" } // if (CodeIn == '<') {LESSTHAN();}// The first identifier is "<" // if (CodeIn == '?') {QUESTION();}// The first identifier is "?" // if (CodeIn == '/') {SLASH();}// The first identifier is "/" (Annunciators) } } //*****************( END of void loop )******************** //********************************************************* //********************************************************* //************( START of getChar() Function )************** char getChar()// Get a character from the serial buffer { while(Serial.available() == 0); // wait for data return((char)Serial.read()); // Thanks Doug } //***************( END of getChar Function )*************** //********************************************************* //********************************************************* //*************( START of EQUALS() Function )************** void EQUALS() // The first identifier was "=" { CodeIn = getChar(); // Get another character switch(CodeIn) // Now lets find what to do with it { case 'b': // AP altitude set Count = 0; // clear the Count while (Count < 5) // we will count to 5 from 0 to 4 { Digit = ""; // clears the string variable Digit Digit += getChar(); // Makes the string Digit what ever getChar() is holding AP_alt_set[Count] = Digit.toInt(); // Turns the string Digit into an Integer and // then stores it in the Array AP_alt_set[] 0,1,2,3,4 Count++; } led_Display_1.setDigit(0,4,AP_alt_set[0],false); // First digit of Alt Set is displayed led_Display_1.setDigit(0,3,AP_alt_set[1],false); // Second digit of Alt Set is displayed led_Display_1.setDigit(0,2,AP_alt_set[2],false); // Third digit of Alt Set is displayed led_Display_1.setDigit(0,1,AP_alt_set[3],false); // Fourth digit of Alt Set is displayed led_Display_1.setDigit(0,0,AP_alt_set[4],false); // Fifth digit of Alt Set is displayed // false denotes NO decimal point break; /* ****************************************************************************** ********* REMARKED OUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT AUTO PILOT ALTITUDE SET ************ ********* IF YOU TRY TO USE THE BELOW CODE IT WILL NOT WORK ************ ********* IT HASNT BEEN FULLY SET UP IN THIS SAMPLE ************ ****************************************************************************** case 'c': // AP vertical speed set Count = 0; while (Count < 4) { Digit = ""; Digit += getChar(); if (Count == 0) { if (Digit == "-") { AP_vs_minus = '-'; } else { AP_vs_minus = ' '; } Digit = ""; Digit += getChar(); } AP_vs_set[Count] = Digit.toInt(); Count++; } led_Display_1.setChar(2,4,AP_vs_minus,false); led_Display_1.setDigit(2,3,AP_vs_set[0],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(2,2,AP_vs_set[1],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(2,1,AP_vs_set[2],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(2,0,AP_vs_set[3],false); break; case 'd': // AP heading set Count = 0; while (Count < 3) { Digit = ""; Digit += getChar(); AP_hdg_set[Count] = Digit.toInt(); Count++; } if (AP_hdg_set[0]==0 and AP_hdg_set[1]==0 and AP_hdg_set[2]==0) { AP_hdg_set[0]=3; AP_hdg_set[1]=6; } led_Display_1.setDigit(1,6,AP_hdg_set[0],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(1,5,AP_hdg_set[1],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(1,4,AP_hdg_set[2],false); break; case 'e': // AP course set Count = 0; while (Count < 3) { Digit = ""; Digit += getChar(); AP_crs_set[Count] = Digit.toInt(); Count++; } if (AP_crs_set[0]==0 and AP_crs_set[1]==0 and AP_crs_set[2]==0) { AP_crs_set[0]=3; AP_crs_set[1]=6; } led_Display_1.setDigit(0,7,AP_crs_set[0],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(0,6,AP_crs_set[1],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(0,5,AP_crs_set[2],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(3,6,AP_crs_set[0],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(3,5,AP_crs_set[1],false); led_Display_1.setDigit(3,4,AP_crs_set[2],false); break; //etc etc etc // You only need the "Case" testing for the identifiers you expect to use. ****************************************************************************** ********* REMARKED OUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT AUTO PILOT ALTITUDE SET ************ ****************************************************************************** */ } // *** End of Switch Case *** } //***************( End of EQUALS() Function )************** //********************************************************* |
August 5, 2014
This project was conceived and started with the ordering of parts around Sept-Oct, 2013.
Functional construction and coding was completed mid Nov, 2013.
A friend and I worked on this together. He was also building a radio. His was a bit different than mine with a smaller footprint for a fighter cockpit setup.
If you are an ate-up, Flight-Sim geek, then you may have a setup similar to that above.
In the picture we have MicroSoft Flight Simulator X (FSX), CH Yoke, CH Throttle Quadrant, CH Rudder Pedals (on the floor), three 24 inch displays in span view, a single 21.5 inch overhead display, TrackIR (head tracking device), and on the right side of the desk, lit up with red 7-segment displays, is a custom built Radio Stack of which this article is about.
Here is a close up with a $1 bill for scale.
Acknowledgements
This project would not have been possible without a software interface program that allows Arduino cards to talk to FSX. The program is called Link2fs and was written by a man named Jim who lives in New Zealand. I have been following Jim at jimspage.co.nz for a number of years. He has built at least two incarnations of a flight simulator motion platform.
A motion platform is the dream.
I had dabbled a bit, in the past, with Arduino. Once I built an interface for a recumbent stationary bike-to-PC using an Arduino, a magnetic reed switch, and a game controller. It allowed the user to run in first person shooter games by pedaling the bike.
When I read that Jim had discovered Arduino and he had written the Link2FS interface software to talk to FSX, I had to give it a shot.
Disclaimer
Let me warn you…
If you start down this path of building interface devices for Flight Simulator, it is a dark path and it never ends. Each new buzzer, bell, or whistle that you make will give you a “discovery and accomplishment” high. It will make you feel as if there is nothing you can’t do. But the high is fleeting. It does not last. You will soon become discontent with the status quo. Then you start thinking, “Well it would be easy to add this or to add that.” It won’t stop until you have a full scale replica cockpit consuming substantial square footage of living space in your home. If your family is lucky, you prefer small general aviation aircraft over commercial jets.
First We Crawl
The first thing I needed to do before ordering some of the more pricey parts was some proof of concept testing. I had downloaded Jim’s software and had confirmed that it did indeed connect to FSX and could change things, like radio frequencies.
Next, I hooked up a simple push button switch on an Arduino clone and modified some of Jim’s example code, to make the switch change one of the radio frequencies in one direction.
That’s all it did, you press the button and the Mhz go up by one tick.
As simple as it was, it gave me the first rush.
One of the other things I did, not pictured, is wire up some LEDs as Landing Gear status lights and used some more of Jim’s sample code to make them work. By experimenting with the Link2FS software and different Arduino code, it allowed me to learn more about the nuance and communication relationship of FSX to Link2FS and Link2FS to Arduino.
Arduino Leonardo Clone with simple push button switch.
Pictured below is a snapshot of an older version of Jim’s Link2fs_multi program. It is the program that interfaces FSX to Arduino. It is the middle man, that sends and receives from FSX and also sends and receives from Arduino. The “multi” version allows you to control multiple Arduinos with one instance of the Link2fs program. Need more Arduinos than one instance can handle? Not a problem. You can also run multiple instances of Link2fs_Multi.
FSX <-> Link2FS <-> Arduino.
Link2fs_Multi, interface program for FSX to Arduino.
The Acquisition
Now that I have proved that it is possible to change things in FSX from an Arduino, it is time to start finding components to build a Radio Stack.
Many different aircraft avionics utilize “Dual Concentric Rotary Encoders”. These are basically 2 dials in one. Elma makes a good one in the E37. Unfortunately, they aren’t cheap and they aren’t easy to come by. There is one guy on the planet, that I know of, that sells them in single quantities and that’s Leo at leobodnar.com in the UK. At the time of this writing one E37 with knobs, from Leo, shipped to the US via Royal Mail Airmail would be $40.26 USD. In Dec of 2013, I had enquired at Elma to see what I could get if I wanted to buy bulk. At 100 units they would cost $17.50 per each not including knobs.
I bought three E37s from Leo, one for me, one for a friend and one for a spare or future project.
Elma E37 Dual Concentric Rotary Encoders.
Since I didn’t want to drop big money for multiple Encoders, I decided to use a Rotary Switch as a function selector on the Radio. You dial the function you want with the switch and then use the encoder to change the frequency.
Functions that I coded in were: COMM/NAV 1, COMM/NAV 2, TRANSPONDER, ADF, and a limited AUTO PILOT function for experimentation.
Rotary Encoder on the left. Rotary Switch on the right.
The Elma E37 Rotary Encoders are not plug-and-play. They come with a small Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that needs to be soldered to the encoder. The PCB has marked pinout holes in it that allows you to also solder wire leads to it.
When I first coded the Arduino to work with the Encoder, again taking Jim’s sample code and modifying it for my purpose, I got the accomplishment rush again, “I am turning a knob and the frequencies in the sim are changing! So cool, so cool!” When I showed it to my friend, his response was a satisfied, “Ok, that’s perfect. I’m done.” As if that is all he needs to make him happy, he needs no more. But no, that was just his first “high“. We didn’t even have the 7-Segment Displays yet.
MAX7219 8-Digit 7-Segment Tube Display Module
While looking for a 7-segment LED display solution, I came across a number of possibilities.
Some were serial driven modules that had 16 digits. I had also seen other folks actually drive multiple single digit 7-segment displays by multiplexing outputs on Arduino. An incredible accomplishment with an insane amount of wires but way too complex for me. Plus it uses too many Arduino input/output pins.
I finally stumbled onto the MAX7219 8-Digit 7-Segment Tube Display Module. The chip on the Module is the MAX7219 which is the driver for the displays. In short, it receives a serial instruction, displays what the instruction told it to display, and holds that display until told to do otherwise.
These displays work with the LedControl library for Arduino.
The beauty of these display modules is that they are comprised of two 4-digit displays that are not soldered to the board. They are in sockets. This got me to think that I can tether these displays with wires and place them any where I want to on my radio without the PCB getting in the way.
The other great thing about these displays is that you can chain up to eight of them together and only have to use three pins on the Arduino.
3 MAX7219 Display Modules chained together for testing, pre tethering.
Here are 3 MAX7219 Modules with the 7-Segment Displays tethered away from the boards.
Also pictured is the Rotary Encoder, Rotary Switch and Arduino and experiment board for wire junctions behind the Modules.
Box It Up
The hardware and software are now working together. We need to get all of those wires in a box.
This is the face plate that my friend helped me come up with.
The rough fit. I added a 4th MAX7219 Display Module for Transponder and DME.
The back side fitting after paint had been applied.
Lexan cover for the face plate.
Backside with a dollar bill for scale.
Acceleration on the Encoder and updated functions.
Notes
After months of use and testing, some things I would do differently…
The female end of the tether wires on the 7-segment displays doesn’t cut the mustard. Sometimes, from movement, the segments on the displays will flicker because of the female ends slipping. A little jostling and they work. To do it better, the tether wires need to be soldered to the 7-segment displays. The other end of the tether wire can still be plugged into the MAX7219 Module without problem.
I am planning on designing and building a new Radio Stack with multiple displays and multiple encoders instead of sharing the main display and encoder with multiple radios.
The Sickness Continues…
Scale print out of the next project, a Mode Control Panel (MCP)/Auto Pilot for a Boeing 737.
May 30, 2014
Catch Up
Good golly, it’s been almost a year since my last post. I blame apathy. Last November I built a Radio Stack for Flight Simulator X (FSX). It uses an Arduino Leonardo clone, and third party software called “Link2FS_Multi”.
I didn’t have to use a clone, its just what I had on hand.
Other parts used:
4 MAX7219 display modules to drive the 7 segment displays
1 Elma E37 Dual Concentric Rotary Encoder with push button
2 Momentary Push Switches
1 Toggle Switch
1 Rotary Switch
FSX Radio Stack
After the Radio Stack, I got cocky and started work on a 737 style MCP/autopilot.
It uses the same type of interface, Link2FS_Multi to talk to FSX, but this time I used an Arduino Mega.
As of this writing the MCP is still under construction, but is partially functional.
I plan to program it to work with the PMDG 737NGX. Not a walk in the park, as PMDG uses proprietary offsets with their aircraft. Fortunately they publish the offsets.
FSX 737 MCP Autopilot
I NEED TO…
I need to document these projects with more photos and detailed explanation.
June 28, 2013
This is to help others figure out how to send data from an
ARDUINO with ETHERNET to a MySQL database
via the POST method through a PHP page.
Arduino Uno with Ethernet Shield
I am not an expert.
I am just a hack.
I do not understand all of the code nuance.
I take what others have done, substitute my variables and modify the code to my requirements.
There are a million ways to skin a cat.
This is one way that I have muddled through.
I don’t go into how to set up a MySQL data base, try google.
ARDUINO CODE
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#include <SPI.h> #include <Ethernet.h> int bstate = 0; // This is the variable we will send, but it will be formated as String first. String txData =""; // This is the Data that will be sent to the PHP page. It will have variable names and data in it. // Local Network Settings // My mac 90-A2-DA-0D-83-9D Must be unique on local network // (should be on the back of ethernet shield) byte mac[] = { 0x90, 0xA2, 0xDA, 0x0D, 0x83, 0x9D }; byte ip[] = { 192, 168, 1, 199 }; // Must be unique on local network byte gateway[] = { 192, 168, 1, 1 }; // I left these in for reference in case you need them byte subnet[] = { 255, 255, 255, 0 }; // I left these in for reference in case you need them void setup() { Ethernet.begin(mac, ip); // Mine works with just the mac and ip. Gateway and DNS may be needed. //Depending on your router setup, you may need to // reference http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/EthernetBegin Serial.begin(9600); // Just for output so we can see if its working delay(1000); } void loop() { bstate++; // This just adds one to the variable "bstate" each time thru the loop. I just did this for testing // I send the data as a String. I read about some having difficulties sending integers. // 'txData' is a string that is sent to the PHP page. txData = "BUTTON_STATE="+ (String (bstate)); // 'BUTTON_STATE' is the POST variable that the PHP page is looking for. // The '+' puts the string parts together. // '(String (bstate))' formats 'bstate' from a numerical value to a string. // Multiples would look like //txData = "VARIABLE1="+ (String (var1))+"&VARIABLE2=" (String(var2)); EthernetClient client; //("yourwebsite.com",80) could also be, I think an IP, (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx,80) or // you could define a variable 'server' like we did with 'ip' and 'mac' // like this, 'byte server[] = { xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx }' // then this line would look like 'if (client.connect(server,80))' if (client.connect("yourwebsite.com",80)) { Serial.println("Connected to yourwebsite..."); // This isn't required, just for feedback Serial.println(); // HERE IS THE MEAT AND GRAVEY // The '/update/update.php' is the directory and file you are sending to // if the file is in the root of the domain it would just be '/update.php' client.print("POST /update/update.php HTTP/1.1\n"); // yourwebsite.com, domain where the php file is hosted client.print("Host: yourwebsite.com\n"); client.print("Connection: close\n"); client.print("Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\n"); client.print("Content-Length: "); // Remember our variable txData? It has all of the info we are sending // to the PHP page, 'update.php'. BUT, the PHP page needs to know how many characters // are coming. We give it by using 'txData.length()' client.print(txData.length()); client.print("\n\n"); client.print(txData); // after all of the required junk we send the data } else { Serial.println("Connection Failed."); // Again the Serial is for feedback. Serial.println(); } delay(5000); //this delay was for my test to send a number every 5 sec } |
Next…
Make a PHP file called config.php.
CODE for config.php
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<?php $dbhost = 'localhost'; //mysql server address, it can be an ip address typically it is 'localhost' // It could look like 'mysqlserver.mydomain.com' // To access the mysql database you need a username and password $dbuser = 'mydatabase_username'; $dbpass = 'mydatabase_password'; $dbname = 'mydatabase_name'; //This is the name of your database on the mysql server $conn = mysql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass) or die ('Error connecting to mysql'); mysql_select_db($dbname); ?> |
AND ‘DEN…
Make a file called update.php
CODE for update.php
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<?php require("config.php"); // You need to create a table on your MySql server database. Here it is called 'MY_TABLE'. // You will also have to define fields in the table. //I happen to name my fields the same as my POST variables. $query = "INSERT INTO MY_TABLE(BUTTON_STATE) VALUES('$_POST[BUTTON_STATE]')"; if(!@mysql_query($query)) { echo "&Answer; SQL Error - ".mysql_error(); return; } ?> |
NOTES
Multiple variables being posted might look like…
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$query = "INSERT INTO MY_TABLE(VAR1, VAR2, VAR3) VALUES('$_POST[VAR1]','$_POST[VAR2]','$_POST[VAR3]')"; |
In PHP you can break lines for readability.
End of line or statement is denoted by a semicolon.
May 29, 2013
I had decided to try and document my projects for posterity, and to possibly aid others with similar projects of their own. Hence, this site. The documentation of these said projects, is a project in and of itself. It takes time to take pictures, upload them, and write things about them. It takes even more time to take good pictures, upload them, chronologically display the progress and write coherent things about them. Time is probably my biggest hurdle…next to The Latest PC Game addiction (which eats up time). But also, there is that whole… working a full time job, being the “engineer” that keeps a house of six occupants operational, being a Dad, being a husband, being a car mechanic, being a computer tech, being a plumber, being a contractor, etc.
So far, I have failed at project completion and documentation.
I have ideas. I have experimented with my ideas for proof of concept. If I can focus, pull it together, follow through, get it done, and document it, I think I’ll have something worthy to share.
January 19, 2013
I will only ever be, half the Geek, I wished I was.
Fortunately this allows ample room to grow.
I go by a number of names, Fess_ter_Geek, Fess_ter, Fess, and at work, they call me Fesstus. I’m married with four, home schooled children, seven desktops, and two laptops in the house. I build my own desktops and usually overclock to boost the price/performance ratio.
The first pre-built, store bought, desktop that I purchased was a Packard-Bell 486sx 25Mhz sporting a 5.25in floppy and a 3.5in floppy. It did not come with a CD-Rom drive or a sound card. I had to add those later and I also upgraded the processor which was the start of my computer hardware knowledge that eventually lead me to build my own.
My first exposure to a computer was about 1979 when I was 11 years old. My Uncle Norm, sold computer learning systems to schools. So, as a salesman he had one for demonstration.
His was an ATARI 800, 8 bit computer. It was big, beige and brown and it was beautiful. When my mother and I would go and visit them, 3 hours away with a “55 stay alive” speed limit, I would stay up until 3 or 4am playing Star Raiders until my eyes bled.
Around 1983-84 my mother relented and spoiled me with an ATARI 800xl of my own. It was a more modern looking machine although, disappointingly, it couldn’t run some of the original 800 software.
As I recall, some of the older titles could be run by using a “Translator” disk but there were others that wouldn’t run at all. I still have my old 800xl in the closet. Every four or five years or so, when the nostalgia hits me, I pull it out, plug it in, and relive a few old memories. I took that machine to college with me and turned in a crappy paper or two written on ATARI Writer word processor and printed on an ATARI daisy wheel printer. (Whrrrrrr chunk chunk chunk whrrrr)
After college, the procurement of employment, and marriage, I started to get into the “IBM” type of machines or “clones” as they used to be called. Today we call them “PCs” (pee-sees). My wife brought to the marriage, in her dowry, an actual IBM PS2 that cost as much as a used car. It was a 386 16 Mhz and sported the new IBM Micro Channel Architecture, MCA. IBM was going to change the industry with MCA. It was kind of like PCI slots. They were faster and “better” than ISA slots. But, the “industry” thought otherwise and MCA was short lived. The 386 had no sound card, most computers didn’t, and you couldn’t find one for it because there were very few MCA cards around. With no upgrade options this led me to buy the first Packard-Bell.
Over the years as computers got faster and my knowledge grew, I started learning about overclocking. When Intel came out with the Pentium II, their top end was a 450 Mhz processor. I was contemplating building two identical machines, one for my wife and one for me. It was going to cost a “Mint” for two top end processors. Fortunately, my timing and research revealed that Intel’s lower end processor, the Celeron 300a with a smaller on die cache could easily overclock to 450 Mhz and yield identical performance,and in some cases higher, than Intel’s PII 450. That was my first stellar overclock and price/performance, value success. In the years since, my system builds have migration between AMD and Intel systems depending on which one was deemed best at the time for the price/performance ratio. As of this writing I have both AMD and Intel systems running in my house.
In the last couple of years I have started tinkering with Arduino. If you have to ask, Google it.
I have been slowly remodeling my house. If you have ever dug remotely, into a home repair or modification job, you have likely found out that attempting to do one job usually reveals two other things that need fixing.
I like computer games, BF3, Flight Simulator, and others. One of my all time Uber Geek dreams is to build a full motion flight simulator platform. Oh yes, someday it will be mine and I will make it. In the mean time, I intend to learn to interface Arduino with Flight Simulator X via FSUIPC. Speaking of Flight Sim, at one time I was involved with a Virtual Airline on VATSIM and did a lot of PHP web work for our site, learning as I went. Then we had child number 4 and leisure time was gone. I learned just enough PHP/MYSQL to be dangerous but not proficient.
I play guitar, rhythm and chords mostly. If you don’t play guitar, I sound really good. If you do play guitar then, I’m just a hack like all my other “talents”.
Well that’s the start, anyway…