Using a hat switch differently in cockpit and spot view modes (FS9)

[Cameron Holland]

Hi Pete and Company,

After finally getting around to getting off my crappy old desktop and onto my new, much faster notebook, I've really discovered the true power of FSUIPC (even though I've had it for years). One issue, I've run into, however, is the seeming lack of intuitiveness in using the hat switch on my CH Products Flight Sim Yoke USB in different view modes. I've configured the hat switch as specified in John Cook's great tutorial, but that is completely dysfunctional in the spot view mode. Since the command on release is effectively to snap back to the forward view, this makes it very difficult to use the hat switch in spot plane mode, since as soon as I let go, it snaps back to the forward view (just for the sake of thoroughness, the command being input upon press is the PAN, with parameters 0, 45, 90, 135 etc..., and the View Forward is upon release).

So I guess my question is, is there any way to set it up such that I can use the View Forward, Forward Right etc... modes in the cockpit, and the PAN commands in spot mode? This is how it worked before I used FSUIPC for the control inputs, but I've become increasingly disillusioned with the FS interface. Up to this point, this issue is the only thing it handled better!

I'm running FSUIPC 3.999 on Windows 7.

Cheers,

Cameron

[Pete Dowson]

I've configured the hat switch as specified in John Cook's great tutorial, but that is completely dysfunctional in the spot view mode. Since the command on release is effectively to snap back to the forward view, this makes it very difficult to use the hat switch in spot plane mode, since as soon as I let go, it snaps back to the forward view (just for the sake of thoroughness, the command being input upon press is the PAN, with parameters 0, 45, 90, 135 etc..., and the View Forward is upon release).

That's the way i use it, because I am inside a cockpit viewing the outside would through a window onto a projected screen. I need to know that on release I am actually looking forward. UIt is very easy to get disoriented otherwise.

Generally, though, most folks prefer the standard pane view, with continuos adjustment.

So I guess my question is, is there any way to set it up such that I can use the View Forward, Forward Right etc... modes in the cockpit, and the PAN commands in spot mode? This is how it worked before I used FSUIPC for the control inputs

Really? How do you do that? Maybe that's only in FS9 -- it's so many years now since I used FS9 I don't recall. Why not just assign the hat switch in FS if its treatment is better for you?

If you want two modes for any switches or buttons in FSUIPC assignments you'd need to do it via conditionals -- the Advanced Users guide for FSUIPC explains that, but it does involve editing the INI file. You can't do it in the Dialogue at all.

I'm running FSUIPC 3.999 on Windows 7.

At least in FS9 there is an FSUIPC offset which tells you what mode the currently selected window is in -- 8320 is 1 for cockpit, 2 for virtual cockpit, 3 for tower, 4 for spot and 5 for top down modes. So an offset condition could be used to make it operate differently.

Regards

Pete

[Cameron Holland]

Really? How do you do that? Maybe that's only in FS9 -- it's so many years now since I used FS9 I don't recall. Why not just assign the hat switch in FS if its treatment is better for you?

If you want two modes for any switches or buttons in FSUIPC assignments you'd need to do it via conditionals -- the Advanced Users guide for FSUIPC explains that, but it does involve editing the INI file. You can't do it in the Dialogue at all.

At least in FS9 there is an FSUIPC offset which tells you what mode the currently selected window is in -- 8320 is 1 for cockpit, 2 for virtual cockpit, 3 for tower, 4 for spot and 5 for top down modes. So an offset condition could be used to make it operate differently.

Regards

Pete

Pete,

Thanks very much for the reply. As far as how I do it, I didn't do anything. This is just how it behaved when I first plugged in the Yoke. It "knew" to snap back to the forward view in the Cockpit mode, and knew to pan in the Spot mode. I didn't do anything with it.

Any chance you could help me with the offsets at all? I looked through the Advanced Users Guide, and while I understand the basic concept, I'd have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!

If you could just post an example of the proper syntax and stuff for one of the directions on the hat switch (where say, on pressing forward/up it looks up in cockpit mode, and on release it snaps back to forward, and in spot mode it pans up), I should be able to figure out the rest of them.

Thanks again! It's wonderfully refreshing to see someone so thoroughly support their product, even for us "geezers" that are still on FS9.

Cheers,

Cameron

Edited May 22, 2012 by Cameron Holland

[Cameron Holland]

Really? How do you do that? Maybe that's only in FS9 -- it's so many years now since I used FS9 I don't recall. Why not just assign the hat switch in FS if its treatment is better for you?

If you want two modes for any switches or buttons in FSUIPC assignments you'd need to do it via conditionals -- the Advanced Users guide for FSUIPC explains that, but it does involve editing the INI file. You can't do it in the Dialogue at all.

At least in FS9 there is an FSUIPC offset which tells you what mode the currently selected window is in -- 8320 is 1 for cockpit, 2 for virtual cockpit, 3 for tower, 4 for spot and 5 for top down modes. So an offset condition could be used to make it operate differently.

Regards

Pete

Pete,

Thanks very much for the reply. As far as how I do it, I didn't do anything. This is just how it behaved when I first plugged in the Yoke. It "knew" to snap back to the forward view in the Cockpit mode, and knew to pan in the Spot mode. I didn't do anything with it.

Any chance you could help me with the offsets at all? I looked through the Advanced Users Guide, and while I understand the basic concept, I'd have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!

If you could just post an example of the proper syntax and stuff for one of the directions on the hat switch (where say, on pressing forward/up it looks up in cockpit mode, and on release it snaps back to forward, and in spot mode it pans up), I should be able to figure out the rest of them.

Thanks again! It's wonderfully refreshing to see someone so thoroughly support their product, even for us "geezers" that are still on FS9.

Cheers,

Cameron

Edited May 22, 2012 by Cameron Holland

[Pete Dowson]

If you could just post an example of the proper syntax and stuff for one of the directions on the hat switch (where say, on pressing forward/up it looks up in cockpit mode, and on release it snaps back to forward, and in spot mode it pans up), I should be able to figure out the rest of them.

Not sure why you posted twice.

I'm just about to go to bed now, and I'm out all day tomorrow. Post again, please, on Thursday. But first please look again in the Advanced User's manual, in the section on Button Programming, and find the part where there are examples of the format for offset conditions. I'd like to know what is difficult for you so I can see what can be explained better there. I'd really rather get the documentation better than do the actual work because the latter way means I have to do it all the time. This particular subject hasn't cropped up here before otherwise presumably the document would have been improved already -- after all, that part is over 10 years old now! ;-)

Regards

Pete

[Cameron Holland]

Not sure why you posted twice.

I'm just about to go to bed now, and I'm out all day tomorrow. Post again, please, on Thursday. But first please look again in the Advanced User's manual, in the section on Button Programming, and find the part where there are examples of the format for offset conditions. I'd like to know what is difficult for you so I can see what can be explained better there. I'd really rather get the documentation better than do the actual work because the latter way means I have to do it all the time. This particular subject hasn't cropped up here before otherwise presumably the document would have been improved already -- after all, that part is over 10 years old now! ;-)

Regards

Pete

Cheers Pete!

I'm not sure what happened, either. Sometimes message boards are a bit...screwy. I'll go through it again, and try to isolate what could be better explained. Thanks again for the help!

Cheers,

Cameron

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks very much for the reply. As far as how I do it, I didn't do anything. This is just how it behaved when I first plugged in the Yoke. It "knew" to snap back to the forward view in the Cockpit mode, and knew to pan in the Spot mode. I didn't do anything with it.

It occurred to me that FS will be using the "PAN" commands instead of the VIEW commands, and that from what you say these might operate differently in cockpit and spot modes. Have you tried them?

I'm not sure why you tried a third-party method first. There are two possible methods using PAN commands provided in the FSUIPC User Guide -- search for the boxed section enititled

Example of assignments for HAT programming for smooth panning

Try those please before venturing into complex programmed options.

Regards

Pete

[pschlute]

In FS9 I use the PAN settings for the hat switch. But instead of "pan forward view" on release I use "pan reset cockpit". I think that will give you what you wish.

Peter