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DR Sim Manager

UDP Output

The UDP Output sends actuator positions over a UDP network connection. It provides the same level of configurability as the Serial Output but transmits data over the network instead of a serial port. This output is designed for custom or DIY motion controllers that accept UDP packets, or for sending motion data to another PC or application over the network.

When to Use This

Section titled “When to Use This”

Use the UDP Output when:

  • Your motion controller accepts data over a network connection (not serial).
  • You want to send motion data to a controller on a different machine.
  • You’re building a custom integration that reads position data from UDP packets.
  • Your controller is not directly supported by one of the dedicated outputs (M4S UDP, YawVR).

Setup Steps

Section titled “Setup Steps”
  1. Ensure your controller/destination device is on the same network as your PC.
  2. In DR Sim Manager, go to the Outputs tab and click the + tab.
  3. Select UDP Output from the list.
  4. Enter the IP address and port of your destination device.
  5. Set the axis count and position bits to match your controller’s protocol.
  6. Choose the output type (Binary, Decimal, or Hexadecimal).
  7. For each axis, set the prefix, suffix, and invert options as needed.
  8. Optionally set startup and shutdown strings.

Settings

Section titled “Settings”

Network Settings

Section titled “Network Settings”
  • IP Address — The destination IP address of your controller or receiving application.
  • Port — The destination UDP port number.

Output Settings

Section titled “Output Settings”
  • Axis Count — Number of axes to transmit (default: 1).
  • Position Bits — Resolution of each position value in bits (default: 8). Higher values give finer positioning.
  • Output Type — Data format for position values:
    • Binary — Raw binary encoding.
    • Decimal — ASCII decimal numbers.
    • Hexadecimal — ASCII hex numbers.
  • Output Rate — How frequently position updates are sent, in milliseconds (default: 2 ms).

Startup / Shutdown Strings

Section titled “Startup / Shutdown Strings”
  • Startup String — A byte string sent once when the output connects. Useful for initializing your controller.
  • Shutdown String — A byte string sent once when the output disconnects. Useful for parking or disabling motors.

Both strings support the same special notation as the Serial Output:

  • Hex bytes — 0xFF notation for raw byte values.
  • ASCII codes — <13> notation for specific ASCII characters.
  • Plain text — Any other characters are sent as-is.

Axis Mapping

Section titled “Axis Mapping”

For each axis, you can configure:

  • Device — The sim component to read from.
  • Actuator — Which actuator output to send.
  • Prefix — Bytes to prepend before the position value.
  • Suffix — Bytes to append after the position value.
  • Invert — Reverse the direction of this axis.

The packet structure is identical to the Serial Output — each axis consists of Prefix + Position Value + Suffix, and all axes are combined into a single UDP packet.

Firewall Notes

Section titled “Firewall Notes”

DR Sim Manager sends outgoing UDP packets. Most firewalls allow outgoing UDP by default, but if your controller is not receiving data:

  1. Check Windows Firewall — Add an exception for DR Sim Manager or allow outbound traffic on the configured port.
  2. Check your router/switch — Ensure UDP traffic is not being blocked between the PC and the controller.
  3. If the controller is on the same machine (localhost), use IP address 127.0.0.1.

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”

Controller not receiving data

Section titled “Controller not receiving data”
  1. Check IP address and port — Verify they match the controller’s listening address and port.
  2. Check firewall — Ensure outbound UDP is allowed on the configured port.
  3. Check network connectivity — Use ping to verify the destination is reachable.
  4. Check output type — Ensure Binary/Decimal/Hexadecimal matches what the controller expects.

Position values seem wrong

Section titled “Position values seem wrong”
  • Verify Position Bits matches the controller’s expected resolution.
  • Check prefix/suffix configuration — unexpected bytes in the packet can cause parsing errors on the receiving end.
  • DR Sim Manager sends binary values in big-endian (most significant byte first) format.

Data is being sent but controller doesn’t respond

Section titled “Data is being sent but controller doesn’t respond”
  • Use a network packet capture tool (such as Wireshark) to verify the packets are arriving at the destination with the correct content.
  • Verify the controller is actively listening on the configured port.