The Representation of a button determine how it will be displayed on the deck device.

The representation depends on the capabilities of the button on the deck. There is a list of valid representations or a given button on a deck. A image or icon cannot be displayed on a LED-only button.

In the button definitions, the presence of a specific attribute with determine how the button gets represented on the deck. The name of that attribute is the key word of the representation. For example:

• icon: To show a image image
• led: To turn a LED on or OFF
• annunciator: To display a complex image as an icon
• etc.

The first attribute mentioned in each section below determines the type of Representation (icon, text, multi-icons, etc.) If more than one representation is found, or a representation that is not valid for the given button, a warning message is reported and the button does not render anything.

If no Representation is found, a warning message is reported and the button is assumed having no representation. For example, a X-Touch Mini slider has no representation. To suppress the warning message, the representation attribute can be used and set to false.

  - index: slider
    name: SLIDER
    type: slider
    representation: false

will not issue any warning message.

Representation Attributes

A representation often has attributes that customise its behavior.

All representation-specific attributes must be declared under the attribute that declares the representation: (See attributes in pink in picture below.)

This is a requirement to differentiate attributes at the button activation level (not indented, in blue or green), and button representation (indented, in pink)

Representations

Here is a list of currently available, general purpose representations.

Basic Button Representations

• Basic#Icon
• Basic#MultiIcons
• Basic#IconText
• Basic#MultiTexts
• Basic#LED
• Basic#ColoredLED

Drawn Representations

• Annunciator
• Drawn Buttons – Switches
  • Drawn Buttons – Switches#Switch
  • Drawn Buttons – Switches#Circular Switch
  • Drawn Buttons – Switches#Push Button and Knob
• Other drawn representations
  • Drawn Buttons#Data
  • Drawn Buttons#Decor

More complex Button Representations

• Animations
• Weather
• Other
  • Aircraft

Deck Specific Displays and Representations

Please refer to the following pages for deck specific representtions.
Deck specific means those representations on one deck will (probably) not work on another deck.

• Deck Specific – Stream Deck
• Deck Specific – Loupedeck
• Deck Specific – X-Touch Mini

Aircraft / Deck Specific Representations

(To be used as model for alternate development.)

• Toliss Airbus FMA Display
• Toliss Airbus FCU

Common Representation Attributes

Managed

dataref: dataref-path

Path to a dataref that is interpreted to determine whether the value is managed.

If the value is managed, the value can be displayed as a text string in an alternative way depending on the text-alternate value.

text-alternate: dash=4: Represent managed value by a set of -. Default is 3 dashes.

text-alternate: dot: Represent managed value by a single dot •.

  - index: 0
    type: none
    name: FCU Airspeed display
    label: SPD
    text: ${sim/cockpit2/autopilot/airspeed_dial_kts_mach}
    text-format: "{:3.2f}"
    text-color: khaki
    text-size: 24
    text-font: Seven Segment.ttf
    text-position: cm
    text-bg-color: (40, 40, 40)
    managed:
        dataref: AirbusFBW/SPDmanaged
        text-alternate: dash

In example above, speed managed mode, if AirbusFBW/SPDmanaged dataref value is non zero, the text will display ---. Otherwise, it will display the air speed.

Guard

dataref: dataref-path

Path to a dataref that is interpreted to determine whether the button or key is guarded (protected against unintentional use by a cap or lock). If guarded, it can be displayed in an alternative way depending on the options value.

type: Protects the button with a full red cover (type: full) or a see-through grid (type: grid)(cover is the default).

color: Color of the guard. Default is red for cover, and translucent red for grid.

    label: RAM AIR
    guard:
      type: grid
      color: black
      dataref: ckpt/ramair/cover
      # 0=closed, 1=opened

Guarded buttons or keys need to be pressed twice to activate, the first activation lifts the guard, the second one acts normally. To replace the guard, a long press of more than 2 seconds is necessary to replace (close) the guard.

Long Press

Make sure long press lasts 2 seconds or more, otherwise the button will be activated!