Usage of PARAMETER_DESCRIPTION for manufacturer-specific PIDs

[ericthegeek]

Unfortunately there's no way to come up with a description format that will work for every possible MFG specific PIDs. The PARAMETER_DESCRIPTION format works well for simple PIDs that have one, straightforward setting. There's enough information for a controller to put up a knob or slider that the user can adjust. When you get into any kind of packed data structure or complex setting it just won't work.

Your best bet, when possible, is to break your complex data structure down into several simpler PIDs that can be described within the structure available.

If you can't do that, then you just have to document it in the manual. The question then becomes do you include it in the list of supported parameters? If you include it, and implement PARAMETER_DESCRIPTION, you can at least send the human readable string. Unfortunately there's no "Not declared" option for the "PDL Size" field. If you don't mind violating the standard slightly you can put dummy values in, just enough to let the user read the string. But, some controllers that strictly enforce the values given in PARAMETER_DESCRIPTION may not let the user send what they need to send.