Difference between send direct FSUIPC and send to FS

[piper99]

Hi,

In trying to assign an axis to control the flaps (including flaps detents) I noticed it didn't work with some my add-on aircrafts (the flap lever is jumping all over the place). However when I changed the default "send to FS as normal axis" to "send direct to FSUIPC calibration", it all works fine!

I am happy but I am curious to know why using "send direct to FSUIPC calibration" makes it work. Unfortunately the manual does not tell much about the difference between "send direct to FSUIPC" and "send to FS".

Cheers,

Christophe.

PS: if it matters, I use FS2004, FSUIPC 3.65, Joystick disabled in FS, flaps axis assigned and calibrated in FSUIPC, aircraft specific.

[Pete Dowson]

In trying to assign an axis to control the flaps (including flaps detents) I noticed it didn't work with some my add-on aircrafts (the flap lever is jumping all over the place). However when I changed the default "send to FS as normal axis" to "send direct to FSUIPC calibration", it all works fine!

Interesting. I assume you de-assigned the axis in FS when you changed to the direct method? Otherwise it will be actioned twice.

I am happy but I am curious to know why using "send direct to FSUIPC calibration" makes it work.

There are two possible reasons. The most likely is that the FS axis assignment has the sensitivity and null zone sliders set all wrong. This seems to happen a lot. For any FSUIPC calibration set the FS sensitivity to maximum (full right) and the FS null zone to minimum (full left).

The second possibility is that you have an aircraft panel which is intercepting and dealing with the flaps control too, and this is interacting with FSUIPC's attempts.

By going direct to FSUIPC, it is FSUIPC reading your joystick axis, not FS, and both FS and your panel only see the post-FSUIPC calibration results.

Remember, the original FSUIPC joystick calibration system was really not so much a joystick calibration as an "FS axis control" calibration. It does NOT read joysticks, it doesn't know about them. It merely intercepts FS axis controls on their way to the simulation engine. It is FS which scans and reads the actual axes.

The new Axis assignments facility in FSUIPC is a replacement to the FS axis assignments facility and allows FSUIPC to keep everything "in house" so to speak.

Unfortunately the manual does not tell much about the difference between "send direct to FSUIPC" and "send to FS".

Hmm, really? What about this:

Turning to the other assignment method, the one labelled “Send direct to FSUIPC calibration” actually bypasses FS altogether until the axis input has been through FSUIPC’s own Joystick Calibration section. In this case the drop-down shows only those controls which can be calibrated in FSUIPC, but this includes some which you would otherwise have to assign special numbers to in FSUIPC.INI as described in the Advanced User’s guide. For example these include Aileron Trim, Rudder Trim, and the four Cowl Flaps controls. (Part of the drop-down list for this option is shown in the illustration to the right).

Whichever you choose, you can still use the FSUIPC calibration section as normal—in fact you have to in the latter case. NOTE, however, that using the Direct to FSUIPC option will make the selected axis controls bypass any advanced cockpit panel coding you may be using. Try things first, and if they do not work with your panel you will probably need to revert to the normal methods.

The bit about by-passing FS is important to note, as well as the bit about having access to axis types not even assignable in FS (which previous could only be used by editing parameters in the FSUIPC.INI file for "stealing" axes assigned to less useful things in FS).

Regards

Pete

[piper99]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for your very detailed answer.

Interesting. I assume you de-assigned the axis in FS when you changed to the direct method? Otherwise it will be actioned twice.

The joystick is disabled in FS, so axis assignment in FS shouldn't have any effect, should they?

There are two possible reasons. The most likely is that the FS axis assignment has the sensitivity and null zone sliders set all wrong. This seems to happen a lot. For any FSUIPC calibration set the FS sensitivity to maximum (full right) and the FS null zone to minimum (full left).

I am afraid this is not the reason. Joystick is disabled and calibration is ok (sensitivity max, null zone min).

The second possibility is that you have an aircraft panel which is intercepting and dealing with the flaps control too, and this is interacting with FSUIPC's attempts.

That is likely to be the case, indeed. I tried with the following aircrafts: Aussim Warrior, PMDG 737, PMDG 747. The first two won't work with "send to FS". The 747 works with any method. (I asked PMDG why their 737 could behave differently than the 747 but they don't answer)

By going direct to FSUIPC, it is FSUIPC reading your joystick axis, not FS, and both FS and your panel only see the post-FSUIPC calibration results.

Unfortunately the manual does not tell much about the difference between "send direct to FSUIPC" and "send to FS".

Hmm, really? What about this:

Turning to the other assignment method, the one labelled “Send direct to FSUIPC calibration” actually bypasses FS (...)

The bit about by-passing FS is important to note, as well as the bit about having access to axis types not even assignable in FS (which previous could only be used by editing parameters in the FSUIPC.INI file for "stealing" axes assigned to less useful things in FS).

I did read that part of the manual. However because I don't know about the internals of FS nor about how panels integrate with FS and FSUIPC, I can't cleary understand what is the effect of "send direct FSUIPC" vs. "send to FS".

Anyway I think I can now better guess what could be happening: with "send direct to FSUIPC", aircraft panels cannot access the axis before FSUIPC calibration, which is where the flaps detents are created. So with "send to FS", some aircraft panels may intercept the axis before FSUIPC gets a chance to create the flap detents. Would that be correct?

Cheers,

Christophe.

[Pete Dowson]

Anyway I think I can now better guess what could be happening: with "send direct to FSUIPC", aircraft panels cannot access the axis before FSUIPC calibration, which is where the flaps detents are created. So with "send to FS", some aircraft panels may intercept the axis before FSUIPC gets a chance to create the flap detents. Would that be correct?

Yes, that's what I said wasn't it? ;-)

Pete