Originally Posted by xStatiCa

I am rather surprised that soo many seem comfortable with an alpha release . What Alpha means to me is that you shouldn't use it for anything you care about. I am using it for a DLG that I have crashed many times already .

This is what it means for software I have worked on many years ago...
Alpha... it compiles... good luck... don't use it for anything important... minimal testing
Beta... I think it is good but check things just in case... not a lot of testing on it
Release... As far as I can tell it is good to go. I am sure I forgot something... check it anyway

EDIT: To be clear. I am all for alpha releases and really like seeing features as being developed. Lets me see how Lua is coming along. I just hope others know what Alpha software usually means.

Some of us have been here from the very beginning so we are accustomed to how things are being done.

FWIW, in a previous life I worked for a major software company. The naming conventions you are used to were standard where I was.

Originally Posted by aerografixs

thanks for the explanation, now a question , what you have explained is using Lua for making widgets, what else does it do , this is not sarcasm , I really want to learn this

I'm not the best person to answer this by far and the Lua thread would be a better place to ask but from what I think I know:

Lua scripts have access to many transmitter resources, like switches, the screen, SD, sound, telemetry, etc., can execute multi-stage scripts like wizards, accept user input of values, check boxes, and selections for configuration, and also can apparently affect the outputs in ways beyond just driving servos. For example; there was/is a Lua to create a menu for setting the parameters on a Neuron using the s-port connection, and I think another Lua was/is used to setup SxR stabilizers over the air. Those were written by FrSky and may use features not available to users but the capability seems to be there. There is a Lua that reads GPS locations from telemetry and displays the model's position on a map on the screen. One reads various telemetry values from Betaflight I think and displays the info on an elaborate dashboard complete with artificial horizon.

So I think the main limitations are your imagination, programming skill, and available time. And in an X20 Lua is still under construction so some features may not be available or working yet.

A related question I've been wondering is what language is used for programming the operating systems and firmware. Does anyone know what language is used to write Ethos, OTX, and the module and receiver firmware?

Originally Posted by Jet_Flyer

Useful if you are interested in the power that Lua adds to ETHOS. Not important if you are not interested in the value of Lua or the scripts that will be made available by others to any ETHOS user that can easily use them without any Lua programming knowledge.

Mike

Hi Mike - Question: Is it possible to run the iNav script on these updates as yet?

Originally Posted by aerografixs

thanks for the explanation, now a question , what you have explained is using Lua for making widgets, what else does it do , this is not sarcasm , I really want to learn this

An account of my own journey with Lua, which should give you a flavour even though it's not Ethos-specific:

Programming OpenTX - Getting to grips with Lua

Originally Posted by choochoo22

If you just want to fly airplanes there is no need to do this but if you want a whole new hobby it's there for you.

That is the critical balance in a product like this isn’t it.
Many such as myself don’t come to this with a well developed skill set in programming and honestly don’t have the time or inclination to want to play with it too much.

If the capacity is in the product to tweak it can be utilized by those who have that interest and time but must also to my mind be usable out of the box for the pilots who just want to setup the plane and fly.

I am actively reviewing which tx to purchase.
Honestly looking at the hobby now after a long break it seems painfully labor intensive to setup the radios, receivers and associated gear.

I run a business and have several additional full time jobs in my other commitments.
When last flying I was well above foam rtf planes as I was scratch building and flying dlg’s so don’t want and entry level radio.

But……
I don’t have the time to get behind the scenes programs for each and every feature.

Originally Posted by mikeshellim

An account of my own journey with Lua, which should give you a flavour even though it's not Ethos-specific:

Programming OpenTX - Getting to grips with Lua

Thank you Mike, will look this over carefully

Roger

Originally Posted by choochoo22

So I think the main limitations are your imagination, programming skill, and available time. And in an X20 Lua is still under construction so some features may not be available or working yet.

Correct.

MIke

Originally Posted by Aerial Image

Hi Mike - Question: Is it possible to run the iNav script on these updates as yet?

Not yet but eventually and existing scripts most likely will need some edits to run on ETHOS. ETHOS Lua development is progress quite fast.

Mike

Originally Posted by aerografixs

thanks for the explanation, now a question , what you have explained is using Lua for making widgets, what else does it do , this is not sarcasm , I really want to learn this

I have a toy heli that self levels, I wrote a lua script to undo the self leveling by making having the rx maintain bank/roll angles.

I know absolutely nothing about LUA and how to write it but as a end user and flier I can use a LUA that some other third party has made for my SPECIFIC radio.

Example: LUA provided by ISRM for x10/x12 by i3DM for his third party telemetry adaptor for turbines. The LUA emulates a hand held turbine GSU screen and allows me to view all the turbine telemetry in a neat package on my radio. Not only that it has added features that allow display of fuel used calculated by the LUA.


I use a few different LUA for different things it's clever stuff, I don't need to know how they work, dropped in the right place on SD they usually just do and would not be with out.

I'll disagree with ChooChoo22 on one aspect.

Lua can be VERY valuable for aircraft.

Two examples are the Xicoy Lua which allow full integration with Xicoy Turbine telemetry units and Mike Shellim's brilliant little live Flap-Elevator trim adjustment script which allows 5 point adjustment of flap->elevator mixing curve in flight.

My x45 on my x12s with Xicoy LUA. Actually a poor example as I never put the jpegs in the correct place on my SD in that early test of the LUA so it is incomplete

Xicoy x45 Horus telemetry (0 min 40 sec)

Her is how it looks now with jpegs.

Why would I not want a modified LUA to run on my future Frsky radio, thankfully the writers of both the above LUA have shown interest in modifying their LUA's for Ethos/X20.

I will say however I have many planes NOT running a LUA and installing any third party LUA it is not required for success with any of my radio/planes, it is solely a optional extra.

This is the X-45 lua running on my X12S ( otx)
Very helpfull. Expecting to have soon lua for the X20S

Xicoy X-45 TeleX Frsky Horus 12S (1 min 21 sec)

Are there any lua scripts used for helicopters ?.