Axis assigning failed

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Good Day All

I have just got a PFC Throttle Quadrant Console to work with my FSX. actually, I have tried to assign axis but it's still in gray, couldn't find any axis to be assigned. yesterday at once, I have found 2 axis named N, and T and numbered 17 and 18 but they are sounds to nothing!!!!! the values IN and OUT were changing with the moused movement not with any lever movements. Furthermore, my separate reverse axis is not sound in the calibration inside the program while its showing full values in windows calibration!!!! another thing also is that the spoiler arm is continuously moving (in the FSX's aircraft) ups and down and not following the arm movement in the console.

I don't know what shall I do really, I have all the documentation needed to start everything.......feeling frustrated :S

attached is my .INI file for your reference.......any help Guys???

Regards,

maviFSUIPC4.txt

[Pete Dowson]

I have just got a PFC Throttle Quadrant Console to work with my FSX. actually, I have tried to assign axis but it's still in gray, couldn't find any axis to be assigned. yesterday at once, I have found 2 axis named N, and T and numbered 17 and 18 but they are sounds to nothing!!!!! the values IN and OUT were changing with the moused movement not with any lever movements. Furthermore, my separate reverse axis is not sound in the calibration inside the program while its showing full values in windows calibration!!!! another thing also is that the spoiler arm is continuously moving (in the FSX's aircraft) ups and down and not following the arm movement in the console.

Which PFC driver are you using (name, version number)? Why are you trying to assign in FSUIPC?

I don't know what shall I do really, I have all the documentation needed to start everything.

What documentation? For the quadrant, for the PFC driver? You've given me no information I'm afraid.

attached is my .INI file for your reference

Why FSUIPC4? Why not the PFCFSX INI or, if it is a USB HID device, the PFCHID.INI? I don't understand what you are doing, nor what type of device it is.

BTW you are using an old unsupported version of FSUIPC4. you should be using Version 4.70 or later if you want support.

Regards

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Thanks Pete for reply

Ok, first I will get that 4.70 now.

my PFC device is: Throttle Quadrant Console Part #: DTQC ( https://flypfc.com/?...drant-console1/)

it's a USB device, but what is that PFCFHID.INI??? or where to locate it??

I'm assigning some arms in the FSIUPC (such like the separate reverse arm, the crazy spoiler arm, and the landing gear) , actually, I have been asked by PFC to assign arms through FSIUPC Prog.

The documentation i have mentioned above is the user guide and advanced user guide and some others came to me through PFC Tech support regarding the console.

Thanks in advance Pete

Regards,

mavi

LATER:

I have got the 4.70, will update to 4.714 very soon

Edited July 24, 2011 by Ahmed Y. Hamad

[Pete Dowson]

my PFC device is: Throttle Quadrant Console Part #: DTQC ( https://flypfc.com/?...drant-console1/)

That looks exactly the same as one I have here, dating back about 10 years or more --but mine is a serial port connection and uses my PFCFSX.DLL in FSX.

it's a USB device, but what is that PFCFHID.INI??? or where to locate it??

I wrote a driver called PFCHID.DLL for PFC's USB "HID" devices. They've had it now for a couple of years. It was initially aimed at their new Cirrus Pro consoles, and that features a USB HID type quadrant too. I don't know what other devices they use it with, but I would strongly suspect the USB quadrant you have needs to use it too. They should tell you what to install, and point to where you can get it. (See the Download Links subforum. There's one there, probably a later one than on the PFC website).

Does FSX itself see all of the levers? If so then so should FSUIPC without any other driver. That's the main test.

actually, I have been asked by PFC to assign arms through FSIUPC Prog.

And there's no installation instructions, no other driver supplied?

The documentation i have mentioned above is the user guide and advanced user guide and some others came to me through PFC Tech support regarding the console.

The first two sound like FSUIPC documentation. Up to date copies of that are installed for you when you run the FSUIPC4 installer. See the Installation guide.

Don't the PFC documents tell you anything useful?

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

That looks exactly the same as one I have here, dating back about 10 years or more --but mine is a serial port connection and uses my PFCFSX.DLL in FSX.

I wrote a driver called PFCHID.DLL for PFC's USB "HID" devices. They've had it now for a couple of years. It was initially aimed at their new Cirrus Pro consoles, and that features a USB HID type quadrant too. I don't know what other devices they use it with, but I would strongly suspect the USB quadrant you have needs to use it too. They should tell you what to install, and point to where you can get it. (See the Download Links subforum. There's one there, probably a later one than on the PFC website).

Does FSX itself see all of the levers? If so then so should FSUIPC without any other driver. That's the main test.

And there's no installation instructions, no other driver supplied?

The first two sound like FSUIPC documentation. Up to date copies of that are installed for you when you run the FSUIPC4 installer. See the Installation guide.

Don't the PFC documents tell you anything useful?

Pete

Good day Pete

That console looks good really, but with serial ports? How difficult was that: D

Actually my PFC Console came only with a small sheet instructed me to how calibrate the device through windows….and nothing more !!!!

I have went through those calibration via windows (I’m using 7) and works very nice as per PFC sheet (in the sheet they have showed that when you move arm no.# this will sound on the screen with say X or Y rotation and so on) the only thing that not as per the sheet is the landing gear button, it was inverted (when I press it down should reflect on screen Button 1 but it showed 2) and vs. versa

The problem is that,

1- My landing gear button working very strange : to down the gear, I’m pulling it down, to up the gear I HAVE to pull it up and then down!!!

2- The separate reverse arm couldn’t be assigned by FSX itself, this option is not there, so I have to assign it through FSIUPC. When I tried to calibrate it on the programme, it showed zero for in and out, so its not seen by the prog. I guess.

3- Finally my spoiler arm in the aircraft is either going ups and down in crazy way, or doesn’t’ respond to the arm movement in the console

This is what I'm in 4 days a go!!!

Thanks in advance Pete

Regards,

mavi

LATER:

I will do a trail again when be back home @ 1630z and will see what happened with the new version 4.714 and I will copy the INI file and will send it to your kind self if there any problems

Regards

mavi

Edited July 24, 2011 by Ahmed Y. Hamad

[Pete Dowson]

That console looks good really, but with serial ports? How difficult was that: D

A lot easier than USB HID stuff. I've been using serial ports for all sorts of things for many years, starting with the Commodore Pet in the late 70's.

Actually my PFC Console came only with a small sheet instructed me to how calibrate the device through windows….and nothing more !!!!

Did they provide a calibration program? I think I've seem one.

I have went through those calibration via windows (I’m using 7) and works very nice as per PFC sheet (in the sheet they have showed that when you move arm no.# this will sound on the screen with say X or Y rotation and so on) the only thing that not as per the sheet is the landing gear button, it was inverted (when I press it down should reflect on screen Button 1 but it showed 2) and vs. versa

Ah, in that case it sounds as if your quadrant isn't like the one on my Cirrus console, but one made to look like a normal Windows joystick device with axes and buttons.

The problem is that,

1- My landing gear button working very strange : to down the gear, I’m pulling it down, to up the gear I HAVE to pull it up and then down!!!

It's because it is assigned to the gear toggle. FSUIPC can assign to both on (press) and off (release) actions. You want one assigned to GEAR DOWN and the other to GEAR UP.

2- The separate reverse arm couldn’t be assigned by FSX itself, this option is not there, so I have to assign it through FSIUPC. When I tried to calibrate it on the programme, it showed zero for in and out, so its not seen by the prog. I guess.

How did you assign it? If Windows and FSX can see all your axes then so can FSUIPC. And if you managed to assign it in FSUIPC then obviously it is seeing it! Please be a little clearer in your descriptions.

3- Finally my spoiler arm in the aircraft is either going ups and down in crazy way, or doesn’t’ respond to the arm movement in the console

Do NOT try to calibrate a spoiler axis on the ground! When the lever goes through the "ARM" position FS detects the compression switch on the gear, so deploys 100% spoilers, as it would on landing. You have to get in the air. do so then pause whilst calibrating.

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Did they provide a calibration program? I think I've seem one

No they didn't :S

It's because it is assigned to the gear toggle. FSUIPC can assign to both on (press) and off (release) actions. You want one assigned to GEAR DOWN and the other to GEAR UP

Hope to do so really.....my problem as described in the first post was that I couldn't use the axis assigning in the Prog:-

I have tried to assign axis but it's still in gray, couldn't find any axis to be assigned. yesterday at once, I have found 2 axis named N, and T and numbered 17 and 18 but they are sounds to nothing!!!!!

. Hope to do it today after the updates!!!

How did you assign it? If Windows and FSX can see all your axes then so can FSUIPC. And if you managed to assign it in FSUIPC then obviously it is seeing it! Please be a little clearer in your descriptions.

its seen by windows not FSX, in FSX there are no options to assign separate reverse arm....so when I went to FSIUPC Calibrations, all the axis were getting IN and OUT but not the separate reverse arm...this is the problem

Do NOT try to calibrate a spoiler axis on the ground! When the lever goes through the "ARM" position FS detects the compression switch on the gear, so deploys 100% spoilers, as it would on landing. You have to get in the air. do so then pause whilst calibrating.

YES....coz when I'm applying a full thrott....it becomes up to ARM !!!! good advice really....I will do it in the air today

Thanks Pete

Regards

mavi

Edited July 24, 2011 by Ahmed Y. Hamad

[Pete Dowson]

Hope to do so really.....my problem as described in the first post was that I couldn't use the axis assigning in the Prog:-

But the Gear switch isn't an axis but a switch/button. And you've not yest explained any inability to assign, only to calibrate. That's why I need you to be more explicit.

its seen by windows not FSX, in FSX there are no options to assign separate reverse arm....so when I went to FSIUPC Calibrations, all the axis were getting IN and OUT but not the separate reverse arm...this is the problem

Groan! The options to ASSIGN axes in FSUIPC are in the Axis assignments tab. You have to have an axis ASSIGNED before it can be calibrated! Calibration doesn't know what axis you are using unless it is assigned!!!

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

But the Gear switch isn't an axis but a switch/button. And you've not yest explained any inability to assign, only to calibrate. That's why I need you to be more explicit.

Groan! The options to ASSIGN axes in FSUIPC are in the Axis assignments tab. You have to have an axis ASSIGNED before it can be calibrated! Calibration doesn't know what axis you are using unless it is assigned!!!

Pete

Yes Pete I know that, as I said above, that axes assining tabe dosen't work at all and remains gray

Will go today through a trail when I'm back home, will see what will Happened

mavi

[Pete Dowson]

Will go today through a trail when I'm back home, will see if the axis assining tab working or not. as it was not working before

Sorry, I don't understand that. If Windows sees the axes, and FSX sees the axes, then so will FSUIPC. It can't avoid seeing them.

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Sorry, I don't understand that. If Windows sees the axes, and FSX sees the axes, then so will FSUIPC. It can't avoid seeing them.

Pete

Pete, FSX see the axes, the assign axes tab don't show any axes to be assigned....This is the problem for me. I will give you an example:

Thrott 1 its working with FSX (and assigned via FSX controls) very good, its not seen in the FSIUPC assign axes tab at all....that tab shows nothing even if I press rescan several time with arm movement.

my point is: what is wrong with my assign axes tab??? why it is showing nothing.

I will wait until being back home to do the trial

Thanks

mavi

[Pete Dowson]

my point is: what is wrong with my assign axes tab??? why it is showing nothing.

I have no idea! The scanning in FSUIPC4 uses the same sort of DirectInput calls as FSX. It should see exactly the same calls as FSX.

You haven't edited the FSUIPC4.INI file at all have you?

What was all that earlier about "I have found 2 axis named N, and T and numbered 17 and 18"?

T is a slider, N is a POV, but I've never seen either show up in FSUIPC before. And if you mean joystick numbers 17 and 18, then those numbers are used by the PFCFSX and PFCHID drivers. You haven't installed either of those in your FSX Modules folder, have you? I don't know any other way for those joystick numbers to be seen -- the DirectInput joystick numbers are only ever in the range 0 to 15 inclusive.

I just looked again at the INI file you posted earlier:

[JoyNames]
AutoAssignLetters=Yes
1=Logitech Extreme 3D
2=PFC Throttle Quadrant Console

The PFC device should show up, therefore, as joystick 2.

What is a "Logitech Extreme 3D"?

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

I have no idea! The scanning in FSUIPC4 uses the same sort of DirectInput calls as FSX. It should see exactly the same calls as FSX.

You haven't edited the FSUIPC4.INI file at all have you?

What was all that earlier about "I have found 2 axis named N, and T and numbered 17 and 18"?

T is a slider, N is a POV, but I've never seen either show up in FSUIPC before. And if you mean joystick numbers 17 and 18, then those numbers are used by the PFCFSX and PFCHID drivers. You haven't installed either of those in your FSX Modules folder, have you? I don't know any other way for those joystick numbers to be seen -- the DirectInput joystick numbers are only ever in the range 0 to 15 inclusive.

I just looked again at the INI file you posted earlier:

[JoyNames]
AutoAssignLetters=Yes
1=Logitech Extreme 3D
2=PFC Throttle Quadrant Console

The PFC device should show up, therefore, as joystick 2.

What is a "Logitech Extreme 3D"?

Pete

Hi Pete

A good day really :) it works very well !!!! The new version 4.714 works very well :)

I think that there was something wrong with the old version

N.B: Logitech Extreme 3D is the stick of the aircraft. :)

I Do appreciate your great help Pete

Thanks

Regards

mavi

[Pete Dowson]

A good day really :) it works very well !!!! The new version 4.714 works very well :)

Ah, good. I should remember not to engage in technical support exchanges until the user is using the current version! ;-)

I've no idea which of the many changes between 4.60 and 4.7xx would have been responsible -- there's a comprehensive list in the installed History document though. ;-)

Regards

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Ah, good. I should remember not to engage in technical support exchanges until the user is using the current version! ;-)

I've no idea which of the many changes between 4.60 and 4.7xx would have been responsible -- there's a comprehensive list in the installed History document though. ;-)

Regards

Pete

A BIG YES :) and a BIG THANKS also Pete :)

Regards

mavi

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Good morning Pete,

I’m facing such a minor problem with my PFC Throttle Quadrant that is the separate reverse arm is not responding properly when it’s moved. I mean that when I’m moving the arm, the FSX throttle is not going to the reverse position or sometimes they went differentially and start going ups and down. I don’t really know what the problem is and I’m seeking your help.

Attached is my INI file , and my system is W7 FSX

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Mavi

FSUIPC4.rar

[Pete Dowson]

I’m facing such a minor problem with my PFC Throttle Quadrant that is the separate reverse arm is not responding properly when it’s moved. I mean that when I’m moving the arm, the FSX throttle is not going to the reverse position or sometimes they went differentially and start going ups and down. I don’t really know what the problem is and I’m seeking your help.

Attached is my INI file , and my system is W7 FSX

Well, one obvious mistake is shown clearly here:

0=1T,3074,D,25,25,0,0

You have set a Delta of 3074, which means no change less than 3074 will have any affect.

Why have you changed the default? Do you understand the Delta facility? If not, never ever mess with it!

Try

0=1T,256,D,25,25,0,0

Another possible problem lies with your Throttle calibrations:

Throttle1=-16256,-16256,-16256,16256

Throttle2=-16256,-16256,-16256,16256

Reverse cannot engage unless the main throttles are reduced completely to zero (idle). Those "16256" values look suspiciously like the actual minimum and maximum values supplied by the levers. If so, you cannot guarantee to reach the FS zero throttle and max throttle values because you've left no leeway. If you simply follow the numbered steps to calibration in the FSUIPC user manual, and leave a small unused zone at either extreme, you'll get better, more consistent results.

BTW I see the same in your Airbus-specific settings:

Throttle1=-16256,-512,512,16185/32

Throttle2=-16256,-16256,-512,16220/32

and

0=1T,1446,D,25,0,0,0

Why a Delta of 1446? Why mess with it?

Pete

[Ahmed Y. Hamad]

Well, one obvious mistake is shown clearly here:

0=1T,3074,D,25,25,0,0

You have set a Delta of 3074, which means no change less than 3074 will have any affect.

Why have you changed the default? Do you understand the Delta facility? If not, never ever mess with it!

Try

0=1T,256,D,25,25,0,0

Another possible problem lies with your Throttle calibrations:

Throttle1=-16256,-16256,-16256,16256

Throttle2=-16256,-16256,-16256,16256

Reverse cannot engage unless the main throttles are reduced completely to zero (idle). Those "16256" values look suspiciously like the actual minimum and maximum values supplied by the levers. If so, you cannot guarantee to reach the FS zero throttle and max throttle values because you've left no leeway. If you simply follow the numbered steps to calibration in the FSUIPC user manual, and leave a small unused zone at either extreme, you'll get better, more consistent results.

BTW I see the same in your Airbus-specific settings:

Throttle1=-16256,-512,512,16185/32

Throttle2=-16256,-16256,-512,16220/32

and

0=1T,1446,D,25,0,0,0

Why a Delta of 1446? Why mess with it?

Pete

Thanks Pete for ur reply

Will try this when being back home. it seems that I have missed somthing regarding that delta. I will check that.

Will be back to you ASAP.

Thanks in advance

Mavi