Profiles from Profiles

[ark1320]

I have a profile defined, and now would like to define a 2nd profile which will differ from the first in only one axis assignment. To do this I would like to carry over the settings from the first profile to a new one, and then make the necessary changes in FSUIPC4 for the new profile.  I don't see how to do this directly in FSUIPC4. I suppose I could do it by editing FSIPC4.ini (by copying the 1st profile, pasting it into FSUIPC4.ini, and then change all the name references in the differnet sections of the new profile),  but I suspect there is a better way. 

Thanks,

Al

[Pete Dowson]

I have a profile defined, and now would like to define a 2nd profile which will differ from the first in only one axis assignment. To do this I would like to carry over the settings from the first profile to a new one, and then make the necessary changes in FSUIPC4 for the new profile.  I don't see how to do this directly in FSUIPC4. I suppose I could do it by editing FSIPC4.ini (by copying the 1st profile, pasting it into FSUIPC4.ini, and then change all the name references in the differnet sections of the new profile),  but I suspect there is a better way.

 

Yes, indeed.  When you load an unassigned aircraft and select Use Profile you will get a selection list. It includes those profiles you have already, and also "New" and "New, based on". With "New" you start afresh, but with "New, based on" you get to select one of the existing profiles which will be copied with the new name you give. Easy! ;-)

 

Pete

[ark1320]

Pete, thanks.  My problem was the a/c had previously been assigned under the first profile, so I wasn't getting the menu options for the new profile. Once I edited the FSUIPC4.ini to remove the a/c from the first profile, all worked just as you said. Is editing the FSUIPC.ini file the only way to remove an a/c from being assigned?

Thx again,

Al

[Pete Dowson]

Pete, thanks.  My problem was the a/c had previously been assigned under the first profile, so I wasn't getting the menu options for the new profile. Once I edited the FSUIPC4.ini to remove the a/c from the first profile, all worked just as you said. Is editing the FSUIPC.ini file the only way to remove an a/c from being assigned?

 

Yes, because entries can be shortened (i.e. not full titles) and ambiguity becomes dangerous  even for semi-automatic actions. Also the user interface was already getting more complicated than I wanted. The problem is that once you are using the profile in one section (eg Buttons) it becomes the automatic selection (naturally) for the other three sections -- axis assignments, joystick calibrations and keypresses. The user may know what he's doing for the tab he is in at the time but not realise that removing it from one would remove it from the others.

 

And then there's the problem of what happens when the last aircraft in a Profile is removed?  You can't have empty sections, so the [Profile.name] section disappears, leaving all the settings for that profile orphaned. If I automatically deleted the orphaned sections (which would be the correct thing to do), the user could suddenly lose all of his carefully devised settings in all four categories just by answering "yes" to a delete request.

 

There may be good solutions to these things, but it gets a little complicated when you realise this was all bolted onto a previous system of Aircraft-Specific assignments which also had to be supported for existing users at the time. I suppose in the end a separate tab, or even utility, specifically to manage profiles would be a way towards tidying it, but it would be a lot of work and quite error prone at this late stage of FSUIPC development. I think the compromise of a little INI editing is reasonable on the few occasions it is really needed.

 

Regards

Pete