Swapping Control Devices

[Ian P]

Hi folks,

Deities know how many threads I've just trudged through (plus the manual, obviously) trying to find an answer to this, and I'm quite happy to accept that my searches have been bad, but I can't find an answer, although I'd be amazed if I'm the only person needing to do this...

I have two completely different sets of controllers for FS: a yoke and throttle quad for fixed wing GA/airliners, etc and a stick for fast jets, helicopters, etc. Both have one common component - the Saitek pedals which are constantly connected.

The issue is quite simple. Having set everything up with the fixed wing GA kit (Saitek Yoke, CH Throttle Quad, Saitek pedals) and got it working the way I want in FSUIPC 4.207, I now can't disconnect all that, plug in the joystick and fly - the reason being that the joystick is detected as device 2 - calibrated and assigned in FSUIPC as the CH quad. So my joystick has become throttle 1 and throttle 2 instead of elevator/ailerons.

Apart from having everything plugged in all the time, which I physically cannot do, so FSUIPC detects them as different devices, is there any way I can tell it to differentiate between the stick and the TQ?

Cheers,

Ian P.

[Pete Dowson]

Apart from having everything plugged in all the time, which I physically cannot do, so FSUIPC detects them as different devices, is there any way I can tell it to differentiate between the stick and the TQ?

If they are never plugged in at the same time, why is there any need to differentiate between them? The only requirement is that, when they are connected they are consistently seen as joydtick number whatever.

Just use aircraft-specific facilities in the axis assignments of FSUIPC to automatically use a completely different set of assignments according to the aircraft loaded. You can do the same for the calibrations.

Regards

Pete

[Ian P]

Hi Pete, thanks very much for your quick response.

If they are never plugged in at the same time, why is there any need to differentiate between them? The only requirement is that, when they are connected they are consistently seen as joydtick number whatever.

That, unfortunately, is where the problem lies - FSUIPC is seeing both the CH TQ and the Joystick (when not plugged in at the same time, obviously) as "device 2" and as such is assigning the functions I have assigned the TQ to the stick. If I change them for the stick, then plug the TQ back in, I have to reset them back for the TQ. Basically, it is seeing both controllers as the same device which is why I was hoping to find a way of convincing FSUIPC that they are different. Windows detects them differently, but the settings assigned to the CH TQ in FSUIPC overrule those I assign to the stick using any other system.

Just use aircraft-specific facilities in the axis assignments of FSUIPC to automatically use a completely different set of assignments according to the aircraft loaded. You can do the same for the calibrations.

I was hoping to avoid doing that for every helicopter and fast jet I have installed! :lol:

I guess the easiest way is just to do an aircraft specific setup for each one as I use it for the first time. A pain, certainly, but not a massive one.

Have a good Christmas. :)

Cheers,

Ian P.

[Pete Dowson]

That, unfortunately, is where the problem lies - FSUIPC is seeing both the CH TQ and the Joystick (when not plugged in at the same time, obviously) as "device 2" and as such is assigning the functions I have assigned the TQ to the stick.

Ersorry, we must be talking at cross-purposes here.

If both devices, plugged in at different times, are seen as Joystick 2, then plus one set in, and assign the axes on Joystick 2 as "aircraft specific" to one or other of the aircraft you want to use that joystick with. Do the same when calibrating.

Then unplug those, and do exactly the same for a different aircraft, one which you want to use that joystick with.

It doesn't matter that they have the same number because, being aircraft specific FSUIPC will only do the axis assignments actually specified for the loaded aircraft.

Then, to save having to repeat all this for every aircraft, edit the FSUIPC INI file to make the Axes and Calibrations sections apply to everty aircraft you want them to. Using the ShortAircraftNameOk facility should help there.

Actually, even simpler, if 90% of the aircraft use one set, don't make that set aircraft specific for assignments. Only make the lesser-used set aircraft specific. FSUIPC swaps the entire asignments, it doesn't mix them.

Basically, it is seeing both controllers as the same device which is why I was hoping to find a way of convincing FSUIPC that they are different.

But that's the point. It doesn't NEED to if your assignments are specific to specific aircraft. All the axes can do completely different things on each aircraft if you want to.

I was hoping to avoid doing that for every helicopter and fast jet I have installed! :lol:

Why? Just do it for one then edit the INI, either reproducing the same subsection with different aircraft names, or better using a substring of the full name, just enough to differentiate them,, via the ShortAircraftNameOk=substring facility. One easy way might be simply to make sure all of your helicopters have the part-word "heli" in their title. Or if you mean you are using the same joystick for fast jets too (and Airbuses?) you could possibly add the word "Joystick" to their titles and use that as the substring.

Regards

Pete