msfs_sim_vars

🛩️ A set of utilities for extracting and analyzing Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) simulation variables. These tools help convert official documentation into structured Excel/CSV tables and identify which variables are actively used in a running simulation.

MSFS Docs to Var TABs (msfs_doc_to_tabsimvars.py)

This script parses the official MSFS2020 online technical documentation to extract simulation variables. For each documentation page, it generates an Excel file containing:

• Page reference
• Variable name
• Unit of measurement
• Description

It also produces a consolidated Excel file (msfs2020_sim_vars.xlsx) that merges all individual tables into a single dataset for streamlined analysis.

MSFS Sim Var Scanner (msfs_sim_var_scanner.py)

This utility helps identify which simulation variables are currently active during a live MSFS session. It's especially useful for cockpit builders who want to map gauges and indicators to the correct variables—without relying on trial and error.

• The list of variables to scan is sourced from the Excel file generated by msfs_doc_to_tabsimvars.py.

How to Use

1. Launch MSFS and start a simulation.
2. Once the simulation reaches a steady state, run msfs_sim_var_scanner.py, passing 2.1 a Excel file with variables to inspect. 2.2 a list of indexes needed for indexed variables (e.g., GENERAL_ENG_RPM:index).
3. The script will populate the value column in the output table:
   • Standard variables will show a single value.
   • Indexed variables will show a list of values (e.g., [value 1, value 2]).

Disclaimer

These tools are released into the public domain in the hope that they may be useful to the MSFS development and cockpit-building community. However, they are provided as-is, without any guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or reliability. Simulation variables and documentation may change over time, and results may vary depending on aircraft, configuration, and MSFS updates. Use at your own discretion. Contributions and improvements are welcome!