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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)

button-anatomy.png

Representations

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

Basic Button Representations

Drawn Representations

More complex Button Representations

Deck Specific Displays and Representations

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!