GitHub-Page

1 - Introduction

Directly check & control your FlightSim from the StreamDeck!

PilotsDeck is a Plugin for Elegato's StreamDeck with the Ability to trigger Cockpit-Controls in different Ways and especially reading & displaying a Control's State on the StreamDeck as Text, Image, Bar/Arc or a Combination thereof. It is lean & mean, flexible, completely Open-Source and Free-to-Use.

StreamDeck-wise it behaves like any other StreamDeck Plugin: it runs alongside other Plugins and you can Drag, Drop, Copy, Paste the Actions like any other Action in the StreamDeck Software between your Folders, Pages or even different StreamDecks. The Action Configuration is done through the standard "Property Inspector" of the StreamDeck UI (for the "classic" Actions) or its own "Action Designer" UI (for the new Composite Action). But regardless of the UI: the Configuration is stored in the StreamDeck Profile - You can create, export and share Profiles with the Plugin's Actions. On Top of the StreamDeck builtin Copy & Paste, it has also its own Mechanic allowing to share single Actions via Text with someone else.

Installation is done through its own Installer which will check all Requirements and installs them for you if necessary. With the included Profile Manager App you can easily install Profile Packages (containing the Profiles, Images and Scripts) and can map your existing StreamDeck Profiles for specific Airplanes or Simulators so that the Plugin automatically switches the Profile(s) on the StreamDeck(s). You can write Scripts to directly read Values from a Function, or trigger a Function as Command - all in its own internal Lua Engine (Credits to: Neolithos for NeoLua!).
The Plugin supports different StreamDeck Models: Mini, Standard/15-Key, XL, Mobile and Plus. Other Models might work, but an indented Support for Non-Display Models is not planned. The Plugin runs only on Windows. There are no Plans for Linux or macOS Support (the first is not supported by StreamDeck at all, both do not run or support all Sims and some essential .NET Libraries are only available on Windows).

Simulator-wise it supports all major Platforms on Windows - MS Flight Simulator, X-Plane and Prepar3D. Depending on the Sim, it either uses SimConnect, FSUIPC or UDP Connection (remote capable). Either way it will connect automatically as soon as a Simulator is running. All Variables and Commands these Connections allow are usable with the Plugin. You can directly switch from one Sim to another without reconfiguring anything.
For Prepar3D (and theoretically FSX) FSUIPC is a Requirement, for MSFS it is Optional and for X-Plane not used at all. Either Way: you do not need a registered (bought) Copy of FSUIPC to make the Plugin in Work! (Though some old Profiles may require a registered Copy).

It is designed for advanced Sim-Users which "know how to do Stuff": it does not give you any Lists to select Stuff from. If you know how to read Control-States for your Plane (e.g. which Variables to use) and how to trigger these Controls (e.g. which Command to use), you can quickly define Actions for that on the StreamDeck. Since it does not limit your Selection by a predefined List, you can do everything the Connection/Simulator currently allows 😉
If you don't: be eager to read & learn! 😅 I'll try to give some Background in the Readme, but you have to take it from there!

Note: PilotsDeck is 100% free and Open-Source. The Software and the Developer do not have any Affiliation to Flight Panels. You basically spend Money instead of Time to let a Power-User create the Profile(s) for you. That is totally fine - IF you knew you had the Option. Choose the Approach that suits you best! 😃

Supported is understood as "technical and basically supported by the Connection Method". Support in Terms of ensured Compatibility, Fixing Issues and giving Support exists only for the latest Version of the three Major Simulators: MSFS2020, X-Plane 12, P3D v5. I'm happy if it works for older Versions, but I won't make any Effort for them. It is time to go back to the Future! 😅
And yes: the latest Version for Prepar3D is still considered v5, since v6 was just DOA with nearly every Addon-Dev announcing to not support it.

Here a quick Overview of what you can send to the Simulator ("Command") or from what you can read Values from the Simulator ("Variable"). One of the Things which make the Plugin flexible: Variables can also be used as Commands. For Example to move a Cockpit-Control by writing a different Value to a Variable.

How Commands and Variables are configured and the different Options how they can be executed is described under 2.1 - Defining Commands & Variables.

* = Per Default, B-Vars treated as Command-only Type - only some B-Var have an actual Value to read.
** = While you can read the Result from a RPN Expression, you can't write to it (like with other Variable Types).
*** = Will only be updated when the Event is received.
❕ Please mind that the Command Types Script, Macro, Lvar (on P3D/FSX) and vJoy can only work with a registered Version of FSUIPC!
❕ Both vJoy Command Types are independent of each other and are two different Things! "VJOY" can only be assigned within FSUIPC (and not in the Simulator). The "VJOYDRV" can be assigned by anything which understands a Joystick Button (Simulator, FSUIPC, Addons, ...).

All Actions work on the Keypads (the normal/square StreamDeck Buttons). The Dial/Touchpad (aka Encoder) on the SD+ is supported by most Actions.

	Action Name	Keypad / Encoder	Description
	Display Value*	Keypad / Encoder	Display a Sim Variable as Number or Text (display "ON" instead of "1"). You can scale/round/format the Value as needed and customize the Font-Settings.
	Simple Button	Keypad	Can only send Commands and always shows the same (configurable) Image. Supported in StreamDeck Multi-Actions!
	Dynamic Button	Keypad / Encoder	This Action dynamically changes the displayed Image based on a Variable (in Addition to sending Commands). Different Values trigger different Images.
	Korry Button	Keypad / Encoder	Intended for Korry-Switches in the Cockpit: the Action displays two "Sub-Images" independently of each other. They are shown/hidden based on their own Variable, but will not change the Image based on the Value.
	COM Radio	Keypad / Encoder	Intended for Com Frequencies: the Action shows two different Variables which can be independently scaled/rounded/formatted but share the same Font-Settings.
	Display Gauge	Keypad / Encoder	This Actions renders the Value dynamically on a Bar or Arc. Size, Color, Position and Font-Settings can be tweaked. It can optionally send Commands.
	Display Gauge (Dual)	Keypad	As before, but it renders two Values dynamically on the same Bar or Arc.
	Composite Action	Keypad / Encoder	Not a fixed Template as the other Actions, more a Canvas to draw on: you can add and freely configure different "Elements" (like Text, a Value, an Image) which can be dynamically altered via "Manipulators" on certain "Conditions". Configured in its own dedicated "Action Designer" UI.
	Profile Switcher	Keypad	This not a "real" Action like the others, it only serves to enable/disable Profile Switching.

* = As an experienced User you might miss the "Display Value with Switch" Action - it was renamed to "Display Value" in Version 0.8.0. The Former "Display Value" Action (without Switch) is still there and will keep working, it is just hidden from the Selection now. You can't create them anymore, but still run them!

See 2 - Action Configuration how to configure these Actions.
How to add Custom Images is described under 3.3 - Custom Images.

Just Download & Run the Installer Binary! It will check and install all Requirements and installs/updates the Plugin (or remove it).
On the second Installer Page there are some Options to customize the Process - in most Cases it is recommended to leave them at the preselected Default!
You do not need to remove the old Version for an Update - using 'Remove' in the Installer will also remove all custom Images and Scripts!

It is highly likely that you need to Unblock/Exclude the Installer & Plugin from BitDefender and other AV-/Security-Software. It's the number one Reason for "the Plugin is not working"-Issues because either the Binary is blocked from running or is blocked when connecting to the StreamDeck Software.
DO NOT run the Installer, Plugin or StreamDeck Software "as Admin". It is not recommended to MSFS or FSUIPC7 "as Admin" - it might work, it might fail.
If it still does not work right or at all, please check 4.2 - Troubleshooting.

The Requirements for the Plugin:

• Windows 10 or 11 (updated)
• StreamDeck Software v6.9 and above - The StreamDeck Software will be installed/updated by the Installer, if necessary.
• .NET 8 - The x64 Desktop Runtime will be installed/updated by the Installer, if necessary. Reboot recommended when the Runtime was installed for the first Time.
• If used for MSFS/P3D/FSX: The latest Release of the FSUIPC Major Version specific to your Simulator (e.g. FSUIPC 6 for Prepar3D v4/5) - will be installed/updated by the Installer, if necessary.
• If used for MSFS: The latest Release of the WASM-Module from MobiFlight - will be installed/updated by the Installer, if necessary.
• Optional: If you want to use VJOYDRV Commands you need the BrunnerInnovations Fork of the vJoy Driver - the Installer will check the State, and offers to optionally install/update it for you.
  NOTE: If you install the vJoy Driver for the first Time, don't forget that you need to enable at least one Joystick (configured to have 128 Buttons) in the vJoyConf Application to use it!

The Plugin will be installed to:

%appdata%\Elgato\StreamDeck\Plugins\com.extension.pilotsdeck.sdPlugin

It is automatically started with the StreamDeck Software. It will spawn its own Icon in the System-Tray / Notification Area. Use this Icon to see if a Plugin Update is available, to access the Developer UI or open the Profile Manager to configure Profile Switching.

Note: Since FSUIPC is only a "secondary" Connector for MSFS, you do not need to have it installed anymore (for MSFS). If you not plan to install/run FSUIPC7, uncheck the respective Option in the Installer!
But be aware that some older Profiles might still use Commands and Variables from FSUIPC and might not fully work then.

Starting with Version 0.8.0, the Plugin greatly improves Distribution and Installation of Profiles:

1. Use the Profile Manager App found in the Plugin Directory to install Profile Packages: Open it via Plugin Icon in the System-Tray / Notification Area and drop the Package File to be installed on the big Arrow (or navigate to Package File's Location).
   
2. The Package File will be read and the Description (from the Author) will be displayed - check the Notes for additional Steps.

   

3. If you already have Profiles with the same Name (as shown in the StreamDeck UI), the App will remove the old Profiles (and update existing Profile Mappings to the new ones). If want to keep the old Profiles, uncheck 'Remove old Profiles'.
   If you want to keep the extracted Package Contents, check Keep extracted Files .... The Contents will be kept in Profiles Sub-Folder of the Plugin (named after the Package Name).
4. Click Install. Note that the StreamDeck Software will be automatically started and stopped as needed.
5. The App will extract and copy the Images and Scripts to the Plugin Directory for you.
   The Profiles need to be installed through the StreamDeck UI: Click on the Link displayed in the Profile Manager App, wait for the StreamDeck UI to come up and the select the correct StreamDeck to install the clicked Profile to. Repeat for each Profile. NOTE: All Profiles in the Package must be either installed or ignored before the Installation continues!
   You need to click every Link for the Installation to finish successfully. If you do not want or need one of the Profiles, just Cancel the Installation in the StreamDeck UI!
   
6. If selected, the App will now remove the old Profiles (if your updating existing Profiles), remove the "Copy" from the Profile Name (of the new ones) and update the Profile Mappings (if there are existing Mappings).
   NOTE: The Update-Mechanic will only work, if you keep the Profile Name.
   
7. The Package Author can include additional Files you might to install/use the Profiles. If so, you will find a Folder on your Desktop (named after the Package's Name) with these additional Files.

See 3.6 - Profile Packages on how to create a Profile Packages to share your own Profiles!