Latching project...
Okay, guys...thanks for the input, and it'll probably help if I just outline the basic project. What I'm doing is creating a real-time "cockpit" that works in conjunction with MS-Flight Simulator 2004...the goal is to move as much functionality as possible away from the keyboard/mouse and out to the real world...switches, levers, buttons, knobs...things a real pilot would have to do. A typical scenario, for example, is raising/lowering the landing gear. With the Flight Simulator program, you mouse-click the gear handle and the landing gear comes up or goes down, and the appropriate indicators show you the status. With my project, there's a real gear handle that trips microswitches, and there'll be LED's on the real control panel (dashboard?). I've gathered most of the control-codes for the various functions for different aircraft, and my intent was hard-wire the "switching" into a keyboard decoder, to replicate what you'd do with the keyboard...(which works fine when I hot-wire the keyboard and do them singly). The mechanics are all done...throttle quadrant, control yoke, rudder pedals and toe brakes. Now I gotta tackle the smart-part...making those manual functions "talk" to the Flight Simulator program, and then lighting up the appropriate LED's. If you imagine a real "flight trainer" with manual everything, versus a PC program with mouse & keyboard, that's what I'm doing. Maybe this microcontroller thing is the way to go...it might make more sense than my approach with paralleling keybaord functions, and in firing the right LED's for the right action.
Anyway, that's what this madness is all about, and it's the "funnest" project I've ever tackled! I'm an engineer, by the way...I own Jetcoder International (we design/develop commercial inkjet printing systems) so I'm not new to technical stuff...I'm just looking for the most practical way to approach with this. If one of you smarties out there wants to get involved, let me know: I have a spreadsheet of the various functions and control-codes for each, and I'd more than welcome a brainiac or two onboard! I've also got a bunch of pix of the mechanical stuff during development, so you can see what gets fired and how.
That's it...Again, thanks for your input.
Garry