Aileron, Rudder & Elevator axis stop responding after working briefly (specific problem with Quality Wings 757)

[Andy Blair]

Hello,

 

I have a fairly simple setup which consists primarily of Prepar3D v2.4 (latest cut), FSUIPC (latest available download) and a relatively simple Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X USB joystick (most recent available driver). I have a Windows 7 x64 system, i5 4670k processor, 8GB RAM, GTX670 (2GB).

 

Software add-ons I use are ASN, REX TD, Orbx FTX EU regions, FS Commander, FSPS FlightSchool, EZdok, Accufeel - should any of that be relevant.

 

I recently started using FSUIPC to set up specific controller profiles for the different aircraft I fly. So far, I've successfully created a profile for the Carenado B58 Baron, which includes axis assignment, calibration, button assignment, etc and I'm delighted with the result. I've since made a number of successful flights without any problems whatsoever. I then tried to create a specific profile for the Quality Wings 757 (latest download of the P3D compatible version). I used the 'based on' option to copy the 'B58 Baron' profile with a view to editing it to suit the QW757.

 

The problem: With the specific QW757 profile active, when I switch from the FSUIPC axis assignment or calibration pages to the cockpit of the QW757, I find the aileron, elevator and rudder axis all stop responding after 1 second if I move any one of them. The throttle axis however, remains free. I have disabled the joystick controller is P3D.

 

I have configured the axis thus:

 

Aileron and elevator axis conventionally assigned to the joystick yoke

Rudder axis assigned to rocker on back of throttle (yoke 'twist' movement disabled)

Throttle axis is conventionally assigned to the joystick throttle.

 

I suspect since I didn't have any issues setting up a specific profile for the Carenado B58 Baron, FSUIPC is working perfectly and has done all I can ask of it? I can see on the assignment and calibration pages that FSUIPC is indicating all 4 joystick axis inputs and none of them suddenly stop responding while I'm in FSUIPC. This only happens once I switch the cockpit of the QW757. The sim doesn't crash or hang and I can free the 3 affected axis (throttle remains functional) by going back into FSUIPC axis configuration, resetting and recalibrating them - but they get stuck as before once I switch back to the cockpit.

 

I don't have a lot of experience using FSUIPC to set up controllers, so I'm wondering where the problem lies? Could there be a compatibility issue with the QW757? Presumably, the workaround is to leave the axis assignments for the QW757 in P3D and keep the button assignments in FSUIPC, toggling the 'disable joystick' option in P3D whenever I want to switch between the QW757 and other aircraft.

 

Thank you again for all your time and effort,

 

Andy 

Edited November 25, 2014 by Andy Blair

[Pete Dowson]

The problem: With the specific QW757 profile active, when I switch from the FSUIPC axis assignment or calibration pages to the cockpit of the QW757, I find the aileron, elevator and rudder axis all stop responding after 1 second if I move any one of them. The throttle axis however, remains free. I have disabled the joystick controller is P3D.

 

I have configured the axis thus:

 

Aileron and elevator axis conventionally assigned to the joystick yoke

Rudder axis assigned to rocker on back of throttle (yoke 'twist' movement disabled)

Throttle axis is conventionally assigned to the joystick throttle. 

 

It sounds like QW have done their own thing with the main flight controls and are intercepting them at a higher priority level in SimConnect. If you've assigned them "direct to FSUIPC calibration" then this will certainly by-pass that level. FSUIPC's calibration does the same thing -- intercepts controls at the higher priority level and feeds them back at the lower (the reverse way would end in an infinite loop).

 

So, try assigning those three axes just to the FS controls, Axis ailerons set, etc.  I'm afraid that if this is indeed what QW are doing then you will find calibrating them in FSUIPC will either not do anything, or may even stop them working again -- depending which app intercepts first. You may need to go and press the "reset" button in the three calibration sections.

 

Since the axis assignments are Profile specific, this change should not mess up anything else.

 

Regards

Pete

[Andy Blair]

Thanks for the reply Pete - I've done as you suggested and assigned those 3 axis as FS controls and I now have a specific profile I can use for the QW757 in FSUIPC.

 

Incidentally, it's great that I can still assign the throttle axis in FSUIPC. I was messing around with the throttle setup in the hope I might get reverse thrust to work and by chance I assigned the throttle axis to 'Throttle 1' and 'Throttle 2' - as opposed to the general 'Throttle' assignment, which wouldn't allow me to calibrate a centre position for throttle idle. After I calibrated, I was delighted to find the forward half of the throttle movement now controlled forward thrust and the rear half controlled reverse thrust. I won't pretend I knew 100% what I was doing but I won't argue with the outcome - it's perfect for me as the Hotas X has a strong detent in the middle of it's throttle travel for the idle position. Seemed almost too easy given some of the posts I've read about folk trying to get their reversers to work :)