Multi-joystick axis assign question

[scott967]

I've been looking at the multi-joystick assignment "method 2" shown in the advanced user guide. My question concerns the throttle axis:

joystick 1 has a single throttle lever which normally would be assigned "axis throttle set".

joystick 2 has multiple throttle levers, set "axis throttle 1 set""axis throttle n set" as appropriate on a per-aircraft basis.

Joy1 is always connected. Joy2 is only connected at times. So when Joy2 is not connected I want to use Joy1, but when Joy2 is connected I want to prefer Joy2.

Any way to make those work together? I haven't experimented, but I assume that the "throttle" and "throttle 1" would be seen by fsuipc as different controls and each would be sent to FS? My first thought was to assign the joy1 throttle to "throttle 1", and then in calibrations calibrate throttle 1 and in throttle 2 check the "map 1 to 234" checkbox, but that seems to prevent calibrating throttle 2, 3, or 4 on joy2.

scott s.

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[Pete Dowson]

Joy1 is always connected. Joy2 is only connected at times. So when Joy2 is not connected I want to use Joy1, but when Joy2 is connected I want to prefer Joy2.

You can have any number of joysticks assigned to similar or even conflicting axes, provided only that they do not send any inputs when not being used. The problems with disconnecting joysticks altogether are twofold:

1. Without taking precautions, like using FSUIPC's joystick lettering facilities, disconnecting and reconnecting USB hardware can make Windows assign different IDs each time. This could make a complete mess of your assignments.

2. A joystick which is not connected but which still has an opoerating driver in Windows could provide spurious values on interrogation. This certainly almost always happens with Game Port devices, but I think this should be less of a problem with USB.

Aside from that, if both joysticks are connected, with conflicting assignments, just be sure the levers or axes not being used are left "parked" in a position where no changes are ever seen. For a throttle this means having a generous enough idle dead zone to avoid any sort of jitter resulting in changes. FSUIPC only reacts to changes on the inputs.

The other, cleaner, way of tackling this is to have two profiles, one using one throttle and one using the others. The restriction you have then, of course, in on aircraft assignments, as profiles are selected automatically for the aircraft assigned to them. If you wanted to fly the exact same aircraft with either profile, you'd need to duplicate that aircraft with a different name. However, the same aircraft with different liveries, for example, can be assigned to different profiles -- the name is the distinguishing factor.

Any way to make those work together? I haven't experimented, but I assume that the "throttle" and "throttle 1" would be seen by fsuipc as different controls and each would be sent to FS?

Yes, but only when they changed values.

My first thought was to assign the joy1 throttle to "throttle 1", and then in calibrations calibrate throttle 1 and in throttle 2 check the "map 1 to 234" checkbox, but that seems to prevent calibrating throttle 2, 3, or 4 on joy2.

That isn't the way in any case -- for different assignments and calibrations it is best to use different profiles.

Regards

Pete

[scott967]

Thanks,

I'm a little slow getting back because I am reinstalling everything on Win 7 x64 and I am trying to redo stuff in a better setup, rather than just duplicate what I had been using before. I've always plugged the second joy into the same USB and seem to not have had any problems with windows xp reassigning , though I guess Win 7 may differ.

I think just having both sticks assigned will probably work OK, at least for the throttle as I have a bit of idle zone assigned. Will have to see how it works with aileron and elevator. My saitek x45 stick seems to get noisy pots sometimes.

In my old setup I had different fs9.cfg files I called by shortcut and each called a different fsuipc.ini but I was wanting to get away from the two different FS9 shortcuts.

scott s.

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[Pete Dowson]

In my old setup I had different fs9.cfg files I called by shortcut and each called a different fsuipc.ini but I was wanting to get away from the two different FS9 shortcuts.

The problem with that is that you have to restart FS just to change aircraft using different controllers. FSUIPC offers that automatically, just be selecting aircraft.

Regards

Pete