37-Button Joystick

[funkyp]

Hi Peter,

I'm using an older PC-Dash II of Saitek (aka P8000), which has 37 buttons. Originally, it is released in DX7 mode which only supports 32 buttons per gaming device. There is a software tool included, to set it into DX8 mode which supports also the 37 buttons directly, as one can see in the control applet. In both configuration, buttons can be mapped to keysequences with the supplied programming tools.

Actually, I would like to map buttons directly to appropriate actions in FSX, to guarantee sending events to FSX, rather than keystrokes to the window in focus. However FSX only supports 32 buttons.

As I'm a registered FSUIPS users, the obvious alternative would be to use FSUIPC. Apparently FSUIPC supports only 32 buttons, too, which means I'm still bound to the SST Programming tool, at least for the last 5 buttons.

Is this a principle limitation of FSUIPC, or would it be possible to consider in a future release?

best regards,

Peter

[funkyp]

Ok,

just found the answer in the doc.

"... FSUIPC does not use DirectX ..."

regards,

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

However FSX only supports 32 buttons.

Really? That does surprise me, as it has been using DirectInput for joysticks (axes and buttons) since FS2002.

As I'm a registered FSUIPS users, the obvious alternative would be to use FSUIPC. Apparently FSUIPC supports only 32 buttons, too, which means I'm still bound to the SST Programming tool, at least for the last 5 buttons.

Yes, sorry, but the work to expand it to 64 buttons per joystick, even in FSUIPC4 (where I do use DirectInput for the axes already) turned out to be a complete re-write, and as it is so complex (with all the conditional programming facilities etcetera) I didn't want to possibly jeopardise existing users' setups.

The only way I though I might do it was to operate as if buttons 32-63 were on a different joystick, one you haven't otherwise got. But really that is also a whole heap of work (including converting the current simple button reading direct in Windows "joy" API to the horribly complex DirectInput interface). Quite honestly, for the few devices which have more than 32 buttons it simply isn't worth it. Sorry.

Regards

Pete

[funkyp]

Hi Pete,

tnx for the quick reponse. Indeed, FSX apparently is not prepared to accept 64 bits wide joystick information. Could it be, they have reserved just one 32bit word for holding the information? :mrgreen:

Of course, I have a workaround by using SST, only that it makes the tanker a bit more sluggish again.

Yet, I understand and agree fully to your reasoning.

regards,

Peter

[Pete Dowson]

Indeed, FSX apparently is not prepared to accept 64 bits wide joystick information. Could it be, they have reserved just one 32bit word for holding the information?

Possibly, I just don't know. Maybe their code is as complex as mine! ;-)

Regards

Pete