Pete Dowson

Really the designers of sophisticated aircraft models such as those from FSL should have all the flight controls reacting realistically assuming a linear input from your levers and joysticks. Different response curves, like those offered by the FSUIPC slopes facility, are just there for you to make your experience more as you like it. So, start with a linear response curve -- i.e. a slope of 0. Only do small adjustments as you feel you need to. From your description is sounds as if you have a rather extreme centre flattening which will of course steepen the edges. If you've done this because of jitter from your controls around the centre zone (or, for example, not always properly centering when released), then you should deal with that by calibrating with a suitable central null zone, not by using a flattened slope. Pete

It seems that the website (petedowson.info) was down. It is up again now. We are looking to find a more reliable web host for the future! Pete

The edition of FSUIPC for the new Beta of FSX-SE is not avaible on any website other than here, in the Forum, in the Download Links subforum. Please read the pinned notice at the top of this, the support Forum! Hmm. I've no idea what can cause that error -- that is very odd. I'm pretty sure it must have been spurious at that time because i know others can view it. I'll see what i can find out. BTW i've moved your post to the Support Forum so others can comment on this too. Pete

The licensed part of WideFS7 is the SERVER which is part of FSUIPC! Therefore the licensing part is performaed by the FSUIPC installer. 😞 Evidently you did not look at the WideFS User Guide packaged within the ZIP you downloaded. It does state this in several places! Strangely enough, even in the section on Installation! This is why documentation is provided, so you can read it and understand what to do! Pete

It means exactly what it says. You may not have any, but normally most folks have some assignments which are common to ALL the aircraft, or perhaps MOSt of the aircraft they fly. So, you replay "Yes" if you want all those non-Profile assignments to apply in this new profile, only being replaced by any specific ones you make for it. Replay "No" if you are starting afresh, completely differently, for this profile. Pete

Didn't you check first for an updated version of FSUIPC for FSX-SE? There's a notice at the top of this forum, not far above your message, and an update posted in the Download Links subforum! FSUIPC needs an update for each an every change in FSx or FSX-Se (or P3D1,2or3). It's only with P3D4, since 4.1, when FSUIPC has no hooks into sim. code which need updating. Pete

The support in FSUIPC for the PMDG Boeings is limited to just the OUTPUTS -- the offsets providing values for cockpit builds.. FSUIPC doesn't know and doesn't process the special <custom control> INPUTS implemented by PMDG for these aircraft -- the assigned control or event is simply passed on. So i'm afraid anything to do with the controls/events and their actions is for PMDG to answer. All FSUIPC can do is send them on. Pete

I've neen checking exactly what the PFCcom64 driver does, and unfortunately no amount of calibration in the PFC driver will affect the values seen in FSUIPC's axis assignments. The reason is that the values fed to FSUIPC are deliberately designed to allow the more powerful FSUIPC calibrations to be used.so they aren't pre-calibrated. There's only one way I can think of, short of writing a Lua plug-in to do the calibration or having me develop new facilities in PFCcom64, and that is as follows. Use the simple arithmetic adjustments available in FSUIPC assignments to adjust the range you get slightly. This is by INI file editing only. In this line in your FSUIPC5.INI file: 0=17Z,512,F,66420,0,0,0 -{ TO SIM: AXIS_THROTTLE1_SET }- Now you say your current range is -14320 to 15867 and we ideally want -16383 to +16383. So a range of 32766 compared to 30187. 32766/30187 = 1.0854. So we multiple the value by that, which gives a range of -15543 to 17222. So we need to sutract 840, giving us a final range of -16383 to 16382, which will do nicely. In the INI this looks like 0=17Z,512,F,66420,0,0,0,*1.0854,-840 This scaling facility is described in your FSUIPC5 for Advanced Users, on page 42: Additional parameters to scale input axis values Hope this helps at last! Pete

Hmm, close but not close enough.perhaps, but then: So how come the others don't also stay off Idle, being fed exactly the same values? Incidentally, didn't you say yo'd setup a user-defined quadrant setting? I don't see that in your INI. The only aircraft assignment you made is: [AircraftQuadrants] Aerosoft_A318_professional_AIR_FRANCE_F-GUGA=J2 so: J2-0=5,30,1,20,35,35,108,108 J2-2=5,5,4,20,56,72,108,126 J2-3=5,6,0,20,56,72,108,126 J2-5=5,32,20,20,56,72,108,123 Now, what I find very strange is that ALL of the Minimums are set to 20 and all the maximums at 108. Now pots are NEVER precisely identical, so i think these are default uncalibrated values. I think you need to calibrate them all properly in PFC. Then FSUIPC will get better values too. Looking back at your pictures, the ones for PFC show Throttle 2, set to its minimum position, gives an input of 8 whilst you have 20 as being the "idle" setting. So anything below 20 will be idle. Good and safe. BUT throttle 1, also at its lowest, shows an input of 0 and a minimum for idle set as 0. Now allowance at all for any variation -- 12 whole units allowed of leeway for Thr2, none at all for Thr1. Please, you MUST calibrate. Always allow those null zones I said, at both minimum and maximum settings. Pete

The pictures are a waste of your time for me. the words are erfectly adequate. But the words that are missing are what the range of values (minimum to maxiumum) you could see operating in the IN box in the Axis Assignments. The whole point is that if those values are correctly going from -16384 to +16383, or close, then the assignment to Axis_Throttle ... controls must work fine or there's a bug in your aircraft. You finished, oddly in a PS, saying that Throttle 1 still did not get you to idle. is that with all aircraft? What about single engined aircraft? Are you really saying that you can't use the thottles at all? Or did you just mean the Aerosoft Airbus. And if you calibrate in FSUIPC do the throttles not work in all aircraft, or just the Aerosoft Airbus? The INI file attachments aren't really useful. The FSUIPC does prove that you assigned correctly: 0=17Z,512,F,66420,0,0,0 -{ TO SIM: AXIS_THROTTLE1_SET }- 1=17R,512,F,66423,0,0,0 -{ TO SIM: AXIS_THROTTLE2_SET }- but I believed that in any case. If the problems are ONLY with the Aerosoft Airbus and none of what I've suggested you try works, then I'm afraid it is an Aerosoft matter. This is espcially true if you are getting the correct range as I asked you to check. Pete

Any 2 engined jet can use the same quadrant, but do you use PMDG with no problems? Because that has difficulties with FSUIPC or PFC supplied throttle inputs too, Hmm. That's a bit strange, unless I mis-rememebering how it works. With them unchecked in PFC are you not seeing any input registered in the Axis Assignment tab of FSUIPC? If there's nothing going through to FSUIPC then, yes, re-enable them in PFC but still do those two tests I mentioned. Is that an unfinished sentence? Else it makes no sense. And with "direct to calibration" you have to calibrate in FSUIPC. That's what "direct to calibration" implies. Best a default two engined aircraft. Doesn't matter which, as long as the two engines each use a throttle. You don't need to fly, just see how the on-screen levers respond. Even a prop would show the same. FSUIPC creates a new Log file every time it startes. Your old ones are irrelvant. Pressing the NEW LOG button starts another new one, renaming the previous one with .1 then .2 etc. You don't get those if you don't start NEW LOGs during a session. Pete

Sorry, when I said I didn't understand the problem, I meant that I don't understand why is T1 not going as far down as T2! If the same sort of values are being sent -- i.e. close to 0 or -16484 (depending on which control is assigned) at idle setting -- for both throttles, then they must surely react the same! The Log you attached earlier did show that 0 was being sent by both. (Though see below for questions on that). I don't think that aircraft likes being given THROTTLE1_SET controls. I don't know how they managed to make the two throttles behave differently, but you could try unchecking the throttles in the PFC calibration and instead assigning them in FSUIPC "direct to calibration" and calibrating there (ensuring in the calibration you set for "No Reverse Zone"). If that gives you problems, just try assigning in FSUIPC to the FS controls "Axis throttle1 set" and "Axis throttle2 set" without calibration. Pete LOG ANALYSIS First off, when you provide a log, please do NOT press the "New Log" button. That closes the current log and opens a new one, losing all of the valuable initialisation information. Nevertheless, looking more closely at the LOG you attached, this sequence, which keeps repeating, all occurs within a millisecond: 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65694 (0x0001009e), Param= 0 (0x00000000) ELEVATOR_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65695 (0x0001009f), Param= 0 (0x00000000) AILERON_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65696 (0x000100a0), Param= 0 (0x00000000) RUDDER_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 66382 (0x0001034e), Param= -16055 (0xffffc149) AXIS_SPOILER_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65820 (0x0001011c), Param= 0 (0x00000000) THROTTLE1_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65820 (0x0001011c), Param= 3280 (0x00000cd0) THROTTLE1_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65821 (0x0001011d), Param= 0 (0x00000000) THROTTLE2_SET 443953 *** AXIS: Cntrl= 65821 (0x0001011d), Param= 2595 (0x00000a23) THROTTLE2_SET Now I don't know what is sending these, but if they arise from the PFC device then you have a fault somewhere, all the axes are "jittering". But it could be that they are sent by the aircraft code, so could you do similar logging 9without prssing the NEW LOG button, with a different, maybe default, aircraft please? If it is the device the log will show similarly. Finally, the Log seems to only really show the same thing repeated over and over 9which is why I suspect the aircraft itslef of originating these). What you need to do is move both Throttles to max and then back to idle so that the log shows all the changes between those.

You mean by ripping out the electronics and cabling from inside your logitech and substituting a Leo Bodnar board connected the same way? I don't see the point. The Logitech unit must have similar circuitry and chips in it to provide its USB interface. Why change one for the other? Or is it old enough to need a Game Port connection, or even older, and more unusual,, a serial port? What sort of plug does it use to connect to the PC? Pete

Sorry, I don't know becase I don't really understand your problem. In just the previous message you were mentioning only the small difference in the axis values. Pete

Sorry, are you talking about a control input or an indicator output? There's nothing listed in the PMDG SDK for rudder trim outputs at all. In fact there's no a single mention of Rudder. So there are no offsets mapped for it. If you are talking about switches or dials, then those are controls processed by PMDG. All FSUIPC does is allow you to assign them as <custom controls>. It can't do anything with them exceot pass them on. Pete

Are you talking the values in FSUIPC Axis assignment, or in Calibration only? In assignment make sure you don't have "RAW" selected. Many joysticks actually have a relative low number of actual different values. For instance the original PFC controls only had a maximum of 127. Even modern stuff using optics only boast around 1024. And the full range of -16k to +16k used in the Sim is only 256 different values -- values closer than that have the same result. Anyway, it certainly sounds like you haven't calibrated in Windows. Do that first. The "IN" value shown in FSUIPC Axis assifgnments tab is the actual vlaue supplied to it by the DirectInput part of Windows. So it's the calibration record stored in the Windows registry which governs the input range. Pete

The same as for aileron and ellevator. Having already calibrated in Windows Game controllers, assign however you like, as for the other two flight controls, and calibrate following the numbered steps in the User Guide. There's really no difference. It is one of the those three major flight controls. Pete

Not necessarily. There are only a maximum od 127 possible values those throttles will return. Even if you had them all 9whereas you only have 111 ad 112 respectivel0, there would still be 256 FS throttle units to just one difference in your throttle output. 3280 - 2595 = 685, so only a little more that 2 values. To get two pots which provide exactly the same value at exactly the same position may not be impossible, but it is certainly very difficult using normal resistive pots, which is what PFC used. I wouldn't worry unduly. Even if the difference was enough to be noticeable with the resulting thrust (N1%), just adjust the throttles appropriately. Except in a brand new freshly commissioned airliner the throttles are unlikely to line up to give the same thrust in any case. I've had many cockpit rides (when it was still permitted and easy to get into) and they are rarely in line. Pete

I don't like that 16,16 in the Throttle 1 setting. i've no idea how you finish up with that. try U1-2=5,5,0,10,56,72,121,127 Your "NULL ZONE" is not recorded in the settings, only the places you marked minimum and maximum: 10-121 for Thr1, 7-119 for throttle 2. If your true measured min and max values are outside that range the difference is your Null Zone. I'm afraid I've no idea what your aircraft is doing, throttle control wise. It makes no sense at l that the same actions on each of two throttles have different results. Maybe the aircraft itself is mis-installed. Might be worth uninstalling and reinstalling it. If that doesn't help, try logging Axis events (an item in the FSUIPC Logging tab). Then you can see exactly the results of your assignments and actions. You can see this in real time by enabling the console log 9you may need to make the sim run in Windowed mode to see that). Pete

That's what user configured quadrant facilities are for. Pete

If the airbus doesn't work with either range, nor with normal assignment without calibration in fSUIPC or the Sim, then i'm out of ideas. Sorry. Aren't there any folks who can help on their forums? Pete

A "null zone" is just a part of the lever movement which is not taking part in sending different values to the sim! You set a null zone at both ends by pressing the set buttons with the lever a little away from the stops! You can use the Automatic way too, and this computes the null zones for you (fixed at 10 units). it may work better for you, i don't know. i always found it better to select it myself. Pete

Good. Sounds like a file went missing before. Pete

I always do it manually. You control eexcatly where things start and stop, and set null zones at either extreme so you know you can always set them. Do not trust those pots to always return the same value in the same place. They use resistance in wire or carbon, and that varies with temperature, humidity, and so on. set the minimum and maximum positions allowing a little movement beyond. Only 2 and 3 are calibration options. Number 1 is to get your calibrations automatically assigned when you load that aircraft. Pete

There are really no throttle units with throttle levers doing anything but provide a continuous range. The only difference between the forward thrust and the reverse is a matter of interpretation. Standard joystick levers when calibrated in Windows give the range -16384 to +16383. With standard Sim assignments, that's ALL forward thrust, with idle at -16384 (plus maybe a set null zone). For reverse of the same lever a portion of the lever movement is designated as reverse, and treated differently. The turboprop one is no different -- it just has markings and maybe a detent. the lever is just the same. Reverse thrust in the sim is obtained either via a different control, or, as used n FSUIPC, an old FS98-dated control (still supported though unpublished) which has the range below 0 used for reverse. Internally -16384 to -1 is all reverse, though each jet imposes a reverse thrust limit, specified in its AIRCRAFT.CFG file. eg the737 would have a figure of 0.25 there, meaning 25%. So the reverse range is -4096 to 0. In FSUIPC, when calibrating with reverse range, FSUIPC does all this manipulation for you. Sorry, ignore all that. I was getting mixed up with someone with a similar question. This point is the one I missed: So here i don't understand. Throttle 2 works as you want it but not Throttle 1. but both are calibrated properly in PFC? If both are providing the same, correct, values, and both are assigned in the same way and noeither calibrated in FSUIPC, then they simply cannot act differently. Therefore wither your calibration is not done properly, or your assignment is different one to the other. Looking at the calibrations: Try changing J2-2=5,5,0,17,58,70,116,127 to J2-2=5,5,0,17,19,19,116,127 Here I'm just trying to make throttle 1 similar to 2, as an experiment. i think you somehow have a central null zone calibrated. This removes it. Pete