USB devices not recognised

[lluisdc]

Hi,

I have found a temporary solution to this problem and I wanted to share it with you.

In the Topic: "Sticky rudder" when I said

Usually, FSUIPC does not recognise either the THQ or the pedals

you said that

is because the devices have "gone to sleep". You need to disable Windows power management on all your USB hubs. Check their properties in the Windows device manager.

I disabled windows power management for all USB hubs but FSUIPC still did not recognise the flight devices connected to them. I have been testing some alternative solutions and I found one, although it is bothering because I have to edit FSUIPC.ini file each time I run the simulator, but at least it works. Here it is:

When I start the computer and look at the FSUIPC.ini file, the section [JOYNAMES] looks like this:

[JoyNames]

AutoAssignLetters=Yes

A=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

A.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

B=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

B.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

C=CH PRO PEDALS USB

C.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

0=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

0.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

1=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

1.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

2=CH PRO PEDALS USB

2.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

The sequence I follow to fly is:

1. Run FS2004

2. Plug in the USB devices (CH Pro Pedals and CH Throttle Quadrant)

3. Check if axes and buttons work. They do not.

4. Close FS2004

5. Edit FSUIPC.ini and remove all lines in [JoyNames] section beginning with a number. After that, this section looks like this:

[JoyNames]

AutoAssignLetters=Yes

A=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

A.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

B=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

C=CH PRO PEDALS USB

B.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

C.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

6. Run FS2004 and all axes and buttons work correctly. However, if I edit FSUIPC.ini again, it again looks like:

[JoyNames]

AutoAssignLetters=Yes

A=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

A.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

B=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

C=CH PRO PEDALS USB

B.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

C.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

0=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

0.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

1=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

1.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

2=CH PRO PEDALS USB

2.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

I do not know why, but at least everything works correctly.

Cheers,

Lluís

[Pete Dowson]

I disabled windows power management for all USB hubs but FSUIPC still did not recognise the flight devices connected to them. I have been testing some alternative solutions and I found one, although it is bothering because I have to edit FSUIPC.ini file each time I run the simulator

You most certainly have a faulty PC or USB hub, because all connected USB devices should be readily recognised by any software using the standard Windows interfaces, as both FSUIPC and FS do. If you truly have disabled the power management then you have some other problem on your PC.

When I start the computer and look at the FSUIPC.ini file, the section [JOYNAMES] looks like this:

The FSUIPC generated part of that merely shows the alignment of the USB names and the Windows IDs.

0=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

0.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

1=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

1.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

2=CH PRO PEDALS USB

2.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

This merely means that FSUIPC has found the devices assigned to those numbers. It looks in the Registry for these.

The sequence I follow to fly is:

1. Run FS2004

2. Plug in the USB devices (CH Pro Pedals and CH Throttle Quadrant)

There's your first problem. Neither FS2004 not FSUIPC will see any devices not plugged already when you load FS. Simply either keep them plugged in, like most people, or at least plug them in BEFORE starting FS!

3. Check if axes and buttons work. They do not.

Of course not. They are only scanned during load time. But at least FSUIPC, unlike FS, will re-scan if you go into the FSUIPC Axis options tab. It does it automatically when you do that.

4. Close FS2004

5. Edit FSUIPC.ini and remove all lines in [JoyNames] section beginning with a number. After that, this section looks like this:

That's a complete waste of time and effort. Those lines are merely a record of what it found in the Registry. Their absence cannot make it behave any differently. They are there for YOUR information, not its information!

6. Run FS2004 and all axes and buttons work correctly. However, if I edit FSUIPC.ini again, it again looks like:

...

0=CH FlightSim Yoke PC

0.GUID={19CDE180-2A1F-11DF-8001-444553540000}

1=CH THROTTLE QUADRANT

1.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8002-444553540000}

2=CH PRO PEDALS USB

2.GUID={29646AC0-2A19-11DF-8001-444553540000}

Yes, because it has found the details in the Registry again. It will be re-writing those lines EVERY TIME you run FS, not only after you've deleted them, as it doesn't care a fig whether they are there or not. Deleting them makes absolutely no difference whatsoever -- they are not USED by FSUIPC, they are used by YOU when deciding how to relate your Joystick Letters to real devices.

I do not know why, but at least everything works correctly.

Please yourself, if you enjoy doing such things. But the proper answer is to plug in joysticks BEFORE running FS. It always has been, whether you use FSUIPC or not. FS has never been able to handle devices being added after it has started -- but FSUIPC can, if you really want to do such odd things, and that is by simply going into the Axis (or Joysticks) options after you've plugged them in.

Regards

Pete

[lluisdc]

Hi,

You most certainly have a faulty PC or USB hub, because all connected USB devices should be readily recognised by any software using the standard Windows interfaces, as both FSUIPC and FS do. If you truly have disabled the power management then you have some other problem on your PC.

This is my secondary computer because the new one is under repair. This second PC is a Pentium 4 born in 2005 running W XP Pro. It has never had any problem, I regularly run hardware and software tests and all reports are perfect. If any report is incorrect, I run the tool to fix it.

I can confirm that the power management is checked off in all my USB hubs. I did it when you suggested it. Any other device (external HDD, video or photo camera, etc.) plugged into any of those USB hubs work correctly.

The sequence I follow to fly is:

1. Run FS2004

2. Plug in the USB devices (CH Pro Pedals and CH Throttle Quadrant)

There's your first problem. Neither FS2004 not FSUIPC will see any devices not plugged already when you load FS. Simply either keep them plugged in, like most people, or at least plug them in BEFORE starting FS!

The first experiments were done plugging in before running FS9 with the same results. However, I will try it again.

On the other hand, before using FSUIPC and calibrating devices by means of FS itself, sometimes I forgot to plug in the pedals after FS9 was started, but those were recognised as it automatically released parking brakes when plugged in.

4. Close FS2004

5. Edit FSUIPC.ini and remove all lines in [JoyNames] section beginning with a number. After that, this section looks like this:

That's a complete waste of time and effort. Those lines are merely a record of what it found in the Registry. Their absence cannot make it behave any differently. They are there for YOUR information, not its information!

Thanks for the information but I did not know that, and I did it to experiment and try to solve my problem.

I do not know why, but at least everything works correctly.

Please yourself, if you enjoy doing such things. But the proper answer is to plug in joysticks BEFORE running FS. It always has been, whether you use FSUIPC or not. FS has never been able to handle devices being added after it has started -- but FSUIPC can, if you really want to do such odd things, and that is by simply going into the Axis (or Joysticks) options after you've plugged them in.

I do not please myself doing such things. I have many other more pleasant things like flying to relax myself after a week of hard work at the office.

As said before, I firstly tried plugging the devices before running FS9 but without success. However, I will continue trying. Unfortunately, I cannot leave the devices permanently plugged in as I need the space for other things when not flying.

Thanks for your effort.

Lluís

[Pete Dowson]

Unfortunately, I cannot leave the devices permanently plugged in as I need the space for other things when not flying.

Okay, but then, if you plug one in later or for some reason it is still asleep when FS loads, try simply entering FSUIPC options, select the Axes tab, then OK back out. FSUIPC re-scans when you enter that options tab.

It's always a good idea with USB devices to give them a good waggle before using them in any case. Think of it as a normal pre-flight check, or part of the wlk-around check before boarding! ;-)

Regards

Pete

[lluisdc]

Hi,

If you plug one in later or for some reason it is still asleep when FS loads, try simply entering FSUIPC options, select the Axes tab, then OK back out. FSUIPC re-scans when you enter that options tab.

It's always a good idea with USB devices to give them a good waggle before using them in any case. Think of it as a normal pre-flight check, or part of the wlk-around check before boarding! ;-)

Thank you, I will.

Lluís

[yimmy149]

I'm having what I think are some similar problems with my CH USB Yoke and Pedals. I am wondering if there is some sort of whitespace issue with USB names in the .INI file. I know blank lines are insignificant, but I'm not sure about trailing spaces. I have selected the text in the screenshot to highlight the excess whitespace appearing at the end of the lines:

My Saitek devices have no problem with their assigned letters, but my CH Pedals would not accept the "P" assignment by name & GUID, even though I was just copy & pasting the lines, then editing the number to a letter (preserving the whitespace). When I changed to P=1, it started working. Now I'm having the same problem with my yoke, the axis editor is still seeing it as 0, not as Y. It seems like each time I use FSX, the whitespace amount changes in the INI file.

(This is on Windows 7 64-bit if that helps)

-james

[Pete Dowson]

I'm having what I think are some similar problems with my CH USB Yoke and Pedals. I am wondering if there is some sort of whitespace issue with USB names in the .INI file. I know blank lines are insignificant, but I'm not sure about trailing spaces. I have selected the text in the screenshot to highlight the excess whitespace appearing at the end of the lines:

I'm not sure from the picture whether there are any spaces at the ends of the GUID lines or not -- my editor seems to highlight a bit past then ends of lines in any case. But the variable number of spaces at the ends of the CH names are rather strange. Are you sure they are spaces, not tabs or something? Shame you only posted a picture, not the file extract so I could see exactly what was going on.

It seems like each time I use FSX, the whitespace amount changes in the INI file.

Seems that the CH USB data is messing things up somewhen. I'll change FSUIPC to remove all non-printable characters from the end, so it'll deal with tabs and spaces. Look out for an interim update in the Announcements this week, (It will have to be before Thursday since I'm then on holiday for a week).

[LATER]

Okay. Done. Please try the updates available in the Announcement and let me know.

Regards

Pete

[yimmy149]

Thanks, I will try the update. I turned on the "view special characters" feature of the editor and it showed them as spaces, not tabs. And you are correct, it was only the CH devices that had the spaces, the Saitek ones did not.

Enjoy your holiday.

-james