Help assigning Saitek panels on FS 2004

[billy738]

Hello all,

I am trying to set up the Saitek multi panel and switch panels for FS 2004 on my son's new computer (Windows 7, 64 bit). The panels test ok and appear to work when I launch the "Flight Sim 2004 plugin", but there is no assignment for any of the controls.

I downloaded and paid for FSUIPC3, as I read that this would make these work properly. It can be found under the modules folder in FS9, but I can't find the FSUIPC options to assign the controls (gear, flaps, etc). I was reading the part of the users guide that I pasted below, but I can't go any further.

Can anyone help. I am an airline pilot, so I know lots about how the airplanes work, but my literacy with computers is very limited.

Thanks,

Bill

Setting FSUIPC options

Options for registered installations of FSUIPC are controlled by parameters in a file called FSUIPC.INI. This is not supplied

with FSUIPC, but it is generated the first time you run FS with FSUIPC installed. It sits with FSUIPC in the FS Modules

folder. Most of the options of general interest are accessible whilst running FS (or CFS2), via a Menu entry. This is by far the

best and easiest way to access the more popular options. There are still some you can only access by editing the FSUIPC.INI

file, but most of these are not useful to most users and are only described in the Advanced User’s Guide. The exception is the

facility for running additional programs automatically when running Flight Simulator, but there is a separate ZIP packaged

utility available to assist in this—see José Oliveira’s “FSUIPC Run Options” package.

With FSUIPC.DLL correctly installed and registered, and Flight Simulator running and ready, go to the FSUIPC options.

(You know how to do this now, as you had to go there to enter your registration details—use the Mouse to select the Modules

menu entry, then FSUIPC, or simply press ALT then M then F).

[billy738]

Anyone???

[Pete Dowson]

Anyone???

Do your devices work without Saitek drivers? If the buttons and switches aren't seen by FS for assignment, they won't be seen by FSUIPC either. I'm afraid I cannot support Saitek devices directly as they use FSUIPC without permission or agreement.

There is some freeware called SPAD which folks use on Saitek, but if that's not useful to you I can only suggest going to Saitek support.

Pete

[billy738]

Do your devices work without Saitek drivers? If the buttons and switches aren't seen by FS for assignment, they won't be seen by FSUIPC either. I'm afraid I cannot support Saitek devices directly as they use FSUIPC without permission or agreement.

There is some freeware called SPAD which folks use on Saitek, but if that's not useful to you I can only suggest going to Saitek support.

Pete

Ok, thanks. I am familiar with and understand your situation with Saitek. They certainly make it seem as though you are partnered with them.

I have not tried the devices without the Saitek drivers because I'm not sure why they wouldn't work with their own drivers. Like I said before, I don't know much about this stuff. I have the option to return the Saitek devices. Could you or anyone else recommend a similar type of panel that may work better?

Thanks,

Bill

[Pete Dowson]

Ok, thanks. I am familiar with and understand your situation with Saitek. They certainly make it seem as though you are partnered with them.

I have not tried the devices without the Saitek drivers because I'm not sure why they wouldn't work with their own drivers. Like I said before, I don't know much about this stuff. I have the option to return the Saitek devices. Could you or anyone else recommend a similar type of panel that may work better?

I like the GoFlight stuff, but you need a way of mounting them. They do bays for 2, 6, and "many" units (the latter being the floor standing central console). The VRInsight stuff gives you a lot for your money and are good with default aircraft but can be a bit awkward for beginners to deal with some of the more complex ones. I do support both of these ranges with facilities in FSUIPC (GoFlight) and Lua plug-ins (VRI),

Regards

Pete

[billy738]

Thanks, Pete. I almost forgot. Can you offer any advise as to why I can't find the FSUIPC Options (reference my first post)? Maybe FSUIPC didn't install correctly since I had the freeware in first? When I register, It says I have a latter version (or something along those lines-I am not at that computer now). Maybe I should uninstall everything and try again. Any help would be appreciated, especially by my son, who is still unable to use his Christmas gifts.

Thanks,

Bill

I like the GoFlight stuff, but you need a way of mounting them. They do bays for 2, 6, and "many" units (the latter being the floor standing central console). The VRInsight stuff gives you a lot for your money and are good with default aircraft but can be a bit awkward for beginners to deal with some of the more complex ones. I do support both of these ranges with facilities in FSUIPC (GoFlight) and Lua plug-ins (VRI),

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks, Pete. I almost forgot. Can you offer any advise as to why I can't find the FSUIPC Options (reference my first post)?

If in normal flight mode there's no Modules entry in the menu, or there is one but it does not contain an entry for FSUIPC, then FSUIPC.DLL is not in the FS Modules folder.

Maybe FSUIPC didn't install correctly since I had the freeware in first?

There's no "freeware versus payware" difference in the installation nor in the DLL. Registration merely unlocks the user facilities.

When I register, It says I have a latter version (or something along those lines-I am not at that computer now).

There's no message relating to versions during Registration. The installer checks the version to make sure it doesn't overwrite a later one. But that's entirely separate from Registration, which is the (optional) last action at the end of the installation.

Maybe I should uninstall everything and try again

There's nothing worth uninstalling. you can run the Installer again, that does no harm, but the only thing you can uninstall is deleting the DLL from the modules folder which is pointless if you are going to replace it. Replacement doesn't worry about one being there. The installer will only refuse to overwrite a later one with an earlier one.

If you think you aren't getting it installed properly, please show me the Installer log, which is a text file in the FS Modules folder. You can paste it into a message here.

Regards

Pete

[billy738]

Thanks. I will try again and check the log when I get home from my trip tomorrow. I appreciate your time.

Bill

[billy738]

Pete,

I got it figured out. After I launched the Saitek drivers and maximized FS again, FS never came back up properly on the page. I uninstalled and reinstalled FS and it works. Hopefully I'll be able to assign more stuff using FSUIPC, but both panels do work now. I just wanted to thank you for the help.

Take care,

Bill