Joystick........an observation.

[jonss]

I am posting here, more to reap the benefit of your experience and obtain confirmation of my recent observations about my particular setup.

Firstly, FSUIPC has been a great purchase. It has allayed much of my previous anxt with joystick calibration and has proven to be a better solution for FS9 than the M$ default system. However, (and I doubt it has anything to do with FS9 OR FSUIPC) often when I would re-open FS9 for a flight, I'd notice that the calibration was completely lost, the rudder (twist handle) would only register to the left, the elevator would deflect only marginally and it would 'spike' like blazes. So, back into the calibration menu for another attempt to have everything work. The device is usb connected to an Asus P4P 800E Deluxe Mb and after many years of investigating this calibration problem, I believe I've found a solution which may be of benefit to others.

Once I have all the calibrations set on each axis, I have my flight. At the end of the flight, ie parked, and with FS9 still running, I unplug the joystick from the usb port. Then and only then, I will shut down the program. When I re-boot the program, I set-up my flight (this can take some time as most of the aircraft I fly are payware), thence to pre-flight walkaround and reconnecting the joystick. Lo and behold! Everything works!

Pete, have you ever experienced this? Could it be a shortcoming of the Mb or summat? It has taken me years to find this solution (which works for me and I hope, other people having the same frustration). My joystick is far happier lately, too and my hat is off to the manufacturer for producing such a robust device.

Jon

[Pete Dowson]

... often when I would re-open FS9 for a flight, I'd notice that the calibration was completely lost, the rudder (twist handle) would only register to the left, the elevator would deflect only marginally and it would 'spike' like blazes.

That's very strange. The values are all kept in the INI file, so unless that is somehow being lost or corrupted I couldn't explain that -- unless possibly the device was coming up with a different joystick number sometimes? I believe that can happen on Wind98 and before, but it was certainly fixed in the USB drivers of the later Win98 and WinXP/Vista.

So, back into the calibration menu for another attempt to have everything work.

Did you ever notice the joystick number referred to there was different?

Another possibility, though one which should right itself, is where power management is being applied to the USB ports. If Windows withdraws power it may upset the device. Check in Control Panel - System - Device Manager. Find the USB Hubs and make sure power management is off on all of them.

... I believe I've found a solution which may be of benefit to others.

Once I have all the calibrations set on each axis, I have my flight. At the end of the flight, ie parked, and with FS9 still running, I unplug the joystick from the usb port. Then and only then, I will shut down the program. When I re-boot the program, I set-up my flight (this can take some time as most of the aircraft I fly are payware), thence to pre-flight walkaround and reconnecting the joystick. Lo and behold! Everything works!

Very strange. What version of Windows are you using? And please do check those power management settings.

Regards

Pete

[jonss]

Move over Einstien, Dowson's arrived. How embarrassing :oops: I could'nt believe it when I stumbled into Device Manager, there were 2 of the dreaded yellow question marks. Both of them denying any knowledge of the 82801EB USB hubs and the enhanced host controller. I absolutely and emphatically assure you, there is skulduggery afoot. After a re-install of my XP Pro OS, the very first place I go is to Device Manager to make certain this problem is'nt present, which it always is, and I fixed it now as I did when I re-installed XP 6 months ago ie: deleting both of them and rebooting. Whereupon, they are re-installed and all is right with the world.

My joystick calibrations are now stable each time I start FS9 but I remain puzzled as to why the USB Hub decided not to be recognized.

Regarding 'Power Management': The only place I can see anything about it is in the Details tab. It says 'Current Power State' D0.

Power State Mappings are: S0->D0

S1->D3

S2->unspecified

S3->D3

S4->D3

S5->D3

Swahili, to me.

Thanks, Pete for setting me straight.

Jon

[Pete Dowson]

they are re-installed and all is right with the world.

Good! Well done.

Regarding 'Power Management': The only place I can see anything about it is in the Details tab. It says 'Current Power State' D0.

Power State Mappings are: S0->D0

S1->D3

S2->unspecified

S3->D3

S4->D3

S5->D3

Swahili, to me.

Me too. Not sure where you are looking. Maybe I didn't lead you quite exactly enough. Let me do it whilst I'm typing ...

Start - Settings - Control Panel - System - Device Manager.

Scroll down to "Universal Serial Bus controller" and, for each "USB Root Hub" you find, in turn, do this:

Right click - Properties - Power management.

That should show a couple of options. One of these is "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

This seems to get checked by default. Uncheck it.

Regards

Pete

[jonss]

Pete, I did alla that and finally decided the old joystick was in need of retirement. My shiny new Saitek X52 now sits before me, glinting in its blue led majesty. The difference is chalk and cheese. I should have done this a long time ago.

I'm having AP problems with my LvlD767 and I'm just checking a few things. I had not flown this aircraft for a few weeks and during that time I had changed some aspects, they are:

1) Upgraded the FSUIPC.dll from v3.5 to v3.75. This has not caused a problem with other aircraft.

2) So I could use a program named nHancer, I upgraded to .netfx2. (mentioning this in case there is a conflict you may know about).

I have also, deleted the FSUIPC.ini file which rebuilt itself on a reboot. This has made no difference to the LDS767 AP. At least, I think I did. The .ini file is not actually named that, is it? It's the FSUIPC 'configuration settings' file in the FS9 Modules folder, correct? I don'e need to delete the FSUIPC Text Doc. as well, do I?

Jon

[Pete Dowson]

I'm having AP problems with my LvlD767 and I'm just checking a few things.

Are you calibrating your controls through FSUIPC? Have you set some of the A/P options in the "miscellaneous" page which the LDS767 doesn't like?

So I could use a program named nHancer, I upgraded to .netfx2. (mentioning this in case there is a conflict you may know about).

Sorry, not heard of either of those, and there won't be a conflict with FSUIPC. couldn't say about the LDS767.

I have also, deleted the FSUIPC.ini file which rebuilt itself on a reboot. This has made no difference to the LDS767 AP.

All that would have done is lose all your FSUIPC calibrations and buttons setting, and other options, resetting everything to defaultwhich basically makes it do practically nothing at all.

At least, I think I did. The .ini file is not actually named that, is it?

FSUIPC.INI is named FSUIPC.INI.

I don'e need to delete the FSUIPC Text Doc. as well, do I?

What text doc? You mean the FSUIPC.LOG file?

You don't (didn't) need to delete anything anyway.

Both the INI and LOG files are text -- you can read them in Notepad and paste them here. INI type files are standard Windows configuration settings files, whilst Log files are output=only files containing records of what happens. There are Logging options in the Logging page. See the documentation (which is NOT a "text" file but a DOC or PDF).

If you are getting confused you probably have Windows hiding the proper filenames -- an option which seems to be of no use whatsoever ot me except to confuse folks. Best to turn it off.

Pete

[sn.ave]

What may also have happened is that you now have multiple joystick entries in the FS9.cfg. No amount of messing with the port can supplant a rename of the FS9.cfg ot FS9.cfg.OLD and a reboot of the sim to make a new one.

You've got a pretty pickle because you haven't been quite as methodical as you might have been in thinking about what the implications are of plugging-in a new stick... but it's quick to fix.

Watch out that any specific settings you have in the FS9.cfg will be lost, so if you use this method to experiment with, then the Final Solution will be to copy the new joystick settings from the new cfg to the old manually, and remove all the old ones.

Because EVERY USB port on every USB hub has a separate address, you may also have created yet one more joystick setting for the cfg rather than replacing the old. You should avoid plugging and unplugging devices into USB hubs while the system is `live` if possible, as it can also cause problems, especially through Hubs!

Hope this helps.

[jonss]

Are you calibrating your controls through FSUIPC? Have you set some of the A/P options in the "miscellaneous" page which the LDS767 doesn't like?

Precisely the reason. Actually, the LDS767, apparently does'nt like control surface commands sent to FSUIPC calibration. No matter, I'll just set-up all my other aircraft, checking the "Aircraft Specific" box. Your module, certainly extends a heap of choices.

The other thing I mentioned, the FSUIPC.ini file. I deleted the correct one and as you correctly pointed out, I lost all of my settings but I expected that. Thanks for your support, Pete.

Jon

[jonss]

You should avoid plugging and unplugging devices into USB hubs while the system is `live` if possible, as it can also cause problems

Thanks for the tip, Simon. Here's me believing that USB devices were 'hot pluggable', without any consequences. I don't have a USB hub, per se, on my system but my mb is bristling with them. With my new Joystick (patting the X52) I no longer need to fiddle around as the calibration remains rock solid with every reboot of FS9.

Jon

[sn.ave]

USB PnP relies not just on the USB source, but also the device using it - so what is true for the USB port (hot plugging, no problem) turns out to be less than 100% correct when you use it to plug in a device.

I've encountered problems with soundboards (not sound cards, but external things like mixing desks, mood controllers, synths and amps) as well as ordinary hardware like sticks and yokes. It also can be triggered by turning on a powered hub that was running in passive mode. It can be anightmare troubelshotoing these things, but with FS it is at least easy touse FSUIPC and zero/zero settings like replacing the .cfg file to remove the software from the equation! :lol: