X-KeyPad gives you the ability to create Virtual Keyboards with highly dynamic key behavior and labels that can interact with and display data in X-Plane 11/12. These virtual keyboards can be placed on a secondary monitor, touch monitor, or a tablet by using Duet Display or SpaceDesk.
X-KeyPad also supports a rich integration with all the Elgato Stream Deck Devices, the X-Touch Mini Midi Controller and P.I. Engineering X-Keys keyboards as well as a graphical user interface to create and edit all your configurations.
Using X-KeyPad with these devices makes an X-Plane 11/12 home cockpit more immersive. You will spend less time clicking with a mouse or searching for keys on a keyboard.
The following demo videos illustrate the use of X-KeyPad with Stream Decks, Virtual Devices, the X-Touch Mini and the XK-60 and XK-80.
X-KeyPad Demo Using Stream Decks
Stream Deck Features
- 64 rotary encoder definitions for use on the Stream Deck Plus each with a center push button and touch sensitive LCD display
- Ability to emulate dual concentric encoders found in most aircraft
- Activate functions with dial rotations, dial presses, or taps on the LCD panel
- Control many simulator functions
- Com frequencies
- Autopilot parameters
- Altimeter
- DG
- Panel lighting brightness
- GPS modes
- And many more
- 512 key definitions that can be used on all Stream Deck devices
- Control all simulator and aircraft functions
- Images and text on the keys can be dynamically changed based on the state of the simulator
- Generic Sample configuration available.
Watch this video demonstrating a configuration for the ToLiss Airbus:
X-KeyPad Demo Using an X-Touch Mini
X-Touch Mini Features
- 16 infinite rotary encoders (8 on each of 2 layers) each with a center push button
- Ability to emulate dual concentric encoders found in most aircraft
- Control many simulator functions
- Com frequencies
- Autopilot parameters
- Altimeter
- DG
- Panel lighting brightness
- GPS modes
- And many more
- 32 illuminated push buttons (16 on each of 2 layers)
- Control many simulator
- Leds under buttons can be controlled by simulator data
- 2 Sliders (1 on each of 2 layers)
- Control audio volume
- Flaps
- Etc.
- Support for up to 8 units
- Sample configuration available for the Cessna 172
X-KeyPad Demo Using Virtual Devices
Virtual Device Features
- Eliminate the need for rotary encoders by entering simulator numeric data on your Virtual Device
- Any writable dataref
- COM radio frequencies
- Nav radio frequencies
- Altimeter setting
- Transponder code
- Autopilot parameters
- Altitude
- Vertical Speed
- Air Speed
- Heading
- Course
- Control the background color of the key based on simulator data
- Control the label of the key based on simulator data
- Control the font and font color of a key based on simulator data
- Optionally enable Text to Speech confirmation for key press and data entry
- Support for up to 256 (512 with shift) per virtual device
- Support for up to 8 units either as 8 separate windows or one or more windows with easy unit selection
- Configurable grid layout per virtual device
- Works with a secondary monitor and mouse, a secondary touch monitor, and / or tablets through the use of the 3rd party IOS / Android App Duet Display
- Support a wide variety of 3rd party planes through advanced configuration capabilities and FlyWithLua scripts
- Sample Configurations
- Baron 58 – works flawlessly with the free (unregistered) version of X-KeyPad
- Cessna 172
X-KeyPad Demo Using an XK-60 and XK-80
Physical Device Features
- Eliminate the need for rotary encoders by entering simulator numeric data on your X-Key device
- Any writable dataref
- COM radio frequencies
- Nav radio frequencies
- Altimeter setting
- Transponder code
- Autopilot parameters
- Altitude
- Vertical Speed
- Air Speed
- Heading
- Course
- Control the X-Key back-lighting for each individual key using data from X-Plane
- Optionally enable Text to Speech confirmation for key press and data entry
- Support for up to 8 units
- Support a wide variety of 3rd party planes through advanced configuration capabilities and FlyWithLua scripts
- XK-80 sample configurations available
- Default Cessna 172
- Default Baron 58
- Default 737
- Default C90
- Aerobask DA62
- Dden Challenger 300
Requirements
- X-Plane 11 or 12
- Windows
- OSX
- Linux
- FlyWithLua plugin is need for a number of the sample configurations
- A willingness to learn about X-Plane datarefs and commands
- The dataref tool plugin for X-Plane is highly recommended.
Register X-KeyPad
X-KeyPad can be run in a registered (paid) and an unregistered (free) mode. The unregistered version will limit you to defining keys 0 – 31 on an X-Key or virtual device and up to two units. The registered version allows you to define all keys from 0 – 127 (0 – 255 on a virtual device).
You can download the plugin for both the registered and unregistered version below. Even if you have not purchased an X-Key device yet it is a good idea to download the archive, read the manual, and look at the sample configurations. They will give you a good idea what is involved with setting up your future X-Key device. There are also some X-KeyPad tutorial videos here. You can obtain a license key by registering your copy of X-KeyPad.
P.I. Engineering X-Keys
P.I. Engineering has worked with Stick and Rudder Studios to configure special kits for the XK-60 and XK-80 that includes a free back-light mask for these devices. The mask enhances the back-lighting feature by reducing the light interference from adjacent keys. The two units featured in the demo video above had these masks installed. We recommend that you purchase these specialized from this URL: http://xkeys.com/xkeys/xkeypad.php
Community Configurations
X-KeyPad user are welcome to share their configurations X-Plane.org. This is a great place to see if someone has done a configuration you can use or to learn how other users have solved problems for a wide variety of aircraft.
https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/category/187-x-keypad-configurations/