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X-Plane 12 Compatibility Guide

Overview

Your X-Plane Dataref Bridge application is compatible with X-Plane 12 with the updates implemented. This document outlines the compatibility status, required changes, and recommendations.

Compatibility Status

✅ What Works Out-of-the-Box

  • UDP Protocol: The X-Plane UDP protocol (ports 49000/49001) remains unchanged
  • Dataref Reading/Writing: RREF and DREF commands work identically
  • Array Datarefs: Multi-dimensional array support is fully functional
  • Custom Datarefs: User-defined datarefs continue to work
  • Auto-discovery: Beacon discovery protocol is supported

⚠️ Updates Required

  1. Version Detection: Automatically detects X-Plane 11 vs 12
  2. Deprecated Datarefs: Handles removed/changed datarefs
  3. Database Updates: X-Plane 12 specific datarefs added

Key Changes Implemented

1. Version Detection

# Automatically detects X-Plane version on connection
async def _detect_xplane_version(self):
    await self.subscribe_dataref("sim/version/xplane_internal_version", 1)
    version_value = self.get_value("sim/version/xplane_internal_version")
    if version_value:
        self._detected_version = int(version_value)

2. Deprecated Dataref Handling

Common X-Plane 11 datarefs that changed in X-Plane 12:

X-Plane 11 Dataref X-Plane 12 Replacement
sim/flightmodel/position/mag_psi sim/flightmodel/position/true_psi
sim/cockpit/electrical/landing_lights_on sim/cockpit2/switches/landing_lights_on
sim/flightmodel/controls/yoke1_pitch sim/cockpit2/controls/yoke_pitch_ratio
sim/cockpit/electrical/beacon_on sim/cockpit2/switches/beacon_on

3. Enhanced Error Handling

  • Graceful handling of "Dataref not found" errors
  • Automatic suggestions for deprecated datarefs
  • Fallback values for type conversion failures

Recommended Actions

Before Using with X-Plane 12

  1. Update Dataref Database

    # Run the update script to get latest X-Plane 12 datarefs
python update_dataref_db.py

  2. Test Connection

    • Start X-Plane 12
    • Run your application
    • Check logs for detected version

  3. Verify Deprecated Datarefs

    • Monitor logs for "deprecated dataref" warnings
    • Update any hardcoded datarefs in your profiles

Network Configuration

Ensure X-Plane 12 network settings match:

  • UDP Port: 49000 (send) / 49001 (receive)
  • Data Input: Enabled
  • Data Output: Enabled
  • IP Address: Your computer's IP (not 127.0.0.1 for remote connections)

New X-Plane 12 Features

Web API (Alternative to UDP)

X-Plane 12.1.1+ includes a Web API:

  • REST Endpoint: http://localhost:8086/api/v2/
  • WebSocket: ws://localhost:8086/api/v2
  • Features: Dataref CRUD, subscriptions, commands

Your current UDP-based implementation remains fully supported.

Testing Checklist

  • Connect to X-Plane 12 successfully
  • Version detection shows v12.x
  • Read common datarefs (altitude, airspeed, heading)
  • Write to writable datarefs (lights, flaps, gear)
  • Test array datarefs (engine N1, controls)
  • Verify custom datarefs work
  • Check for deprecated dataref warnings

Troubleshooting

"Dataref not found" Errors

  1. Check if the dataref is deprecated
  2. Look for replacement suggestions in logs
  3. Update your profiles with new datarefs

Connection Issues

  1. Verify X-Plane 12 network settings
  2. Check firewall rules for ports 49000/49001
  3. Ensure IP address is correct

Performance Considerations

  • X-Plane 12 may have higher data update rates
  • Consider adjusting subscription frequencies
  • Monitor network bandwidth usage

Future Considerations

X-Plane 12.1.4+ Features

  • Enhanced Web API capabilities
  • Additional datarefs for new aircraft systems
  • Improved error reporting

Migration Path

Your application can seamlessly work with both X-Plane 11 and 12. No separate versions needed.

Support Resources

Bottom Line: Your application is X-Plane 12 ready! The implemented changes ensure backward compatibility with X-Plane 11 while adding X-Plane 12 specific enhancements.