Multiple USB Joysticks with WideFS in FS2004

[bogysim]

Dear Peter,

I'm working on an A310 Cockpit project(http://www.bogysim.com) and I modified a USB joystick to wire it on the original controls in our Airbus nose section.

I have a problem, I have 7 controls to wire (Elevator, Rudder, Aileron, Flaps, Speedbrakes, Throttle 1 and Throttle 2).

Unfortunately the joystick I took apart has only 4 axis and I've seen that it is impossible to use a second USB joystick at the same time on the same computer in FS2004.

If I would have a network of two computers with each computer having a joystick, could WideFS be helpful?

best regards,

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

I've seen that it is impossible to use a second USB joystick at the same time on the same computer in FS2004.

Where have you seen that? As far as I know there's no small limit on the number you can have.

If I would have a network of two computers with each computer having a joystick, could WideFS be helpful?

Not directly at present as it doesn't transmit axis values, only button presses. You could write a program to transmit joystick axis values of course.

However, I don't see why it is necessary. There are even facilities in FSUIPC for allocating multiple joysticks to the same FS controls for pilot/copilot use. I know they are used successfully. The problems of single joystick devices were in the old Game Port days. The whole point of USB was/is to do away with all those restrictions.

Regards,

Pete

[bogysim]

Dear Pete,

Thanks for your fast reply.

I installed two joysticks on my PC and as far as I understand I can only select one at a time to use in FS2004.

How do you do it to use multiple USB joysticks at the same time to fly in FS2004?

Could you give me some advice on that matter?

best regards,

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

I installed two joysticks on my PC and as far as I understand I can only select one at a time to use in FS2004.

In Options Controls Assignments there will be a drop down list of all the joysticks it sees connected. You select one, make all the assignments on that one, then select the next, make different assignments, and so on.

How do you get the idea you can only use one?

BTW, this isn't even a recent feature of FS -- way back in FS95 and FS98 I was assigning buttons and axes on the 16 joysticks emulated by the ISA-based EPIC board of the time! ;-)

Pete

[bogysim]

Dear Pete,

Thanks again!!! You saved my life!!!

I always used one joystick for FS2004, therefore I didn't know that it is possible to use multiple joysticks.

As we replaced the original potentionmeters of the joystick by slide-style potentiometers for easier use in our project I noticed that not the whole range of the potentiometer is effective. One third of the potentiometer is not effective. One can notice that on most of joysticks the throttle lever isn't completely effective.

Do you know how to make a joystick axis completely effective?

best regards,

Tom

[Pete Dowson]

As we replaced the original potentionmeters of the joystick by slide-style potentiometers for easier use in our project I noticed that not the whole range of the potentiometer is effective. One third of the potentiometer is not effective. One can notice that on most of joysticks the throttle lever isn't completely effective.

Do you know how to make a joystick axis completely effective?

Calibrate properly in Windows game controllers and ensure FS sensitivity slider is max and null zone slider is min.

Pete

[bogysim]

Ok, thank you very much for your precious information Pete.

best regards,

Tom