# X-Plane Glass Cockpit (Web)

Bring X-Plane 12 instruments — a G1000-style **PFD**, an **MFD**, and an
**autopilot** panel — to any iPad, tablet or laptop on your network. Pure web,
no app install on the tablets. Just open a browser.

```
 X-Plane 12          Node bridge (this repo)            your devices
 ┌──────────┐  ws    ┌────────────────────┐   ws/http   ┌──────────┐
 │ Web API  │◀──────▶│ resolves dataref    │◀───────────▶│  iPad    │
 │ :8086    │  REST  │ IDs, streams values │             │  laptop  │
 │ (local)  │        │ serves the React UI │             │  phone   │
 └──────────┘        └────────────────────┘             └──────────┘
                          binds 0.0.0.0:8080
```

## Why a bridge?
X-Plane's built-in web server (v12.1.1+) only listens on `localhost`, dataref
IDs change every session, and CORS blocks browsers. The bridge runs **on the
same PC as X-Plane**, talks to it locally, and re-broadcasts everything to your
LAN — to as many tablets as you like at once.

## Requirements
- **X-Plane 12.1.1 or newer** (the web API ships built-in; nothing to enable).
- **Node.js 18+** on the PC running X-Plane (`node --version`).

## Setup (run these on the X-Plane PC)
```bash
cd X-PLANE-MOD
npm install        # also installs the web app's deps
npm run build      # builds the React UI into web/dist
npm start          # starts the bridge on http://0.0.0.0:8080
```

## Open it
1. Make sure X-Plane is running and you're in a flight.
2. On a tablet/laptop on the **same Wi-Fi**, open:
   `http://<PC-LAN-IP>:8080`
   - Find the IP: macOS `ipconfig getifaddr en0` · Windows `ipconfig` (IPv4).
3. The status pill top-right shows **X-PLANE** (green) when data is flowing,
   **NO SIM** if the bridge is up but X-Plane isn't reachable, **OFFLINE** if
   the tablet can't reach the bridge.
4. Tip: on iPad, "Add to Home Screen" → it opens full-screen like a real app.

## Development (hot reload)
```bash
npm run dev:bridge   # terminal 1 — the bridge on :8080
npm run dev:web      # terminal 2 — Vite dev server with HMR (proxies to bridge)
```
Open the URL Vite prints. Edits to `web/src/**` reload instantly.

## Configuration
All env vars are optional (defaults shown):
| Var | Default | Meaning |
|-----|---------|---------|
| `BRIDGE_PORT` | `8080` | Port the UI/LAN server listens on |
| `XPLANE_HOST` | `localhost` | Where X-Plane's web API is |
| `XPLANE_PORT` | `8086` | X-Plane web API port |

## Adding instruments / datarefs
Everything is driven by [`server/config.js`](server/config.js):
- **`DATAREFS`** — values streamed to the UI (alias → `sim/...` name).
- **`WRITABLE_DATAREFS`** — values the UI may set (knobs/bugs).
- **`COMMANDS`** — buttons the UI may press (mode toggles).

Add a `sim/...` name there, then read `values.<alias>` in any component. For
**G1000-specific** gauges, add that aircraft's `laminar/...` or
`sim/cockpit2/...` datarefs the same way.

## Notes & limits
- Update rate is X-Plane's (~10–20 Hz) — fine for instruments, this isn't a
  scenery stream.
- The autopilot buttons fire X-Plane's own commands, so the sim stays the
  source of truth. Mode-highlight bits (`AP_BITS` in `AutopilotPanel.jsx`) are
  best-effort and can differ per aircraft.
- LAN only by design. Don't expose port 8080 to the public internet.