Axis Calibration Unusable

[Shamrock727]

Using P3D V4.3 with the latest FSUIPC 5.132 I have run into a slight issue with the axis calibration process. If I start calibrating no matter what direction I try to calibrate an axis windows alerts me with a ping and the axis assignment cannot be set. 

I have been looking through the internet for the past half hour for any subject related to this kind of issue, I found a few but none of them helped me. 

In the meantime I have reset all calibration saves within FSUIPC (still using FSUIPC for controllers with all axis deleted within P3D) and the controls are working as they should within P3D, therefore is FSUIPC axis calibration really needed? 

 

[Pete Dowson]

35 minutes ago, Shamrock727 said:

Using P3D V4.3 with the latest FSUIPC 5.132 I have run into a slight issue with the axis calibration process. If I start calibrating no matter what direction I try to calibrate an axis windows alerts me with a ping and the axis assignment cannot be set. 

Axis assignment is a completely separate section and action to calibration, so there's no way one will affect the other, though if you assign in FSUIPC "direct to FSUIPC calibration" then you should calibrate, otherwise the result may not be forwarded to the sim.

The "ping" occurs when you try to set any value which breaks the rule of
minimum <= centre values <= maximum
i.e. left to right, bearing in mind negative numbers are less than positive ones.

Just press the Reset button, then Set, and start again, watching where the numbers should go. Note that for aileron and rudder, for example, LEFT and RIGHT do NOT equate to MINIMUM and MAXIMUM. In its wisdom, Microsoft decreed that left aileron and left rudder were positive maximum values, and right were negative minimum.

42 minutes ago, Shamrock727 said:

is FSUIPC axis calibration really needed? 

Calibration does several things for you, should you wish:

1. It ensures that both extremes of control surfaces and so one can be reached, which is not a given with many controls

2. It provides a way of ensuring the a central neutral position is exactly where it should be, physically, and, by using two values to define a zone, allows a little variation in that, so that a released control when it returns will always give a central result even if the values there vary somewhat, as they do due to spring tensions changing and temperatures or voltages affecting the readings.

3. It allows precise dead zones, like the central area, to avoid drastic aircraft behaviour from small nudges made by mistake, or, in the case of the rudder, to ensure toe brake operation doesn't also move the rudder.

4. It allows a variable slope which to be set which can make the controls less or more sensitive in the central zones whilst still not preventing the extremes being reached.

Pete

 

 

[Shamrock727]

Thank you for the explanation Pete! 

Luckily I was able to sort the issue out though just after creating this post. I hadn't removed the calibration from within P3D which seemed to have been causing some sort of conflict with FSUIPC, upon deleting both the rudder pedals and yoke from the calibration menu in P3D, I was able to calibrate the axis without issue in FSUIPC. 

Thank you for your support as always Pete! 

Regards 

[Pete Dowson]

3 minutes ago, Shamrock727 said:

Luckily I was able to sort the issue out though just after creating this post. I hadn't removed the calibration from within P3D which seemed to have been causing some sort of conflict with FSUIPC, upon deleting both the rudder pedals and yoke from the calibration menu in P3D, I was able to calibrate the axis without issue in FSUIPC. 

Best and safest, really, is to disable controllers in P3d. You don't need to unassign anything then. And otherwise P3D may, as FSX used to do, automatically reassign things if it ever thinks the device is a new connection.

Pete

 

[Eduardo P]

Hi. So to calibrate any joystick  best thing to do is just deselect joystick axis in P3D4? Like there was no controller? And how to use FSUIPC and make simulator knows that there is a joystick assigned?

Tks

Edu

[Pete Dowson]

11 hours ago, EduPassos said:

Hi. So to calibrate any joystick  best thing to do is just deselect joystick axis in P3D4? Like there was no controller?

No. You can calibrate no matter where you assign. You need to disable controllers in P3D if, and only if, you intend to assign them in FSUIPC.

Assignment and Calibration are two different things. Assignment operates with the INPUTS from your controllers, calibration operates on the data being sent to the simulator.

If you've no need for any special assignments, or any need to have them change for different aircraft, then just assign as usual in P3D. You can still calibrate in FSUIPC if you wish.

Pete

 

 

 

[Eduardo P]

Tks for answering so soon.

1) No, I don't want different profiles, just one, so if I understood it there is no need to disable my joystick in P3D4.

2) To calibrate joystick can I do it in FSUIPC?

Pete, I think that maybe you verified that I posted a question about reverser, which I really don't know how to do.

Tks again.

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, EduPassos said:

2) To calibrate joystick can I do it in FSUIPC?

Yes. As I said you can calibrate in FSUIPC wwithout assigning in FSUIPC.

1 hour ago, EduPassos said:

I think that maybe you verified that I posted a question about reverser, which I really don't know how to do.

I don't think P3D has a reverser assignment -- but check. I think you will have to assign in FSUIPC for a reverser, which yould really mean assigning everything in FSUIPC and disabling controllers in P3D. you might get away with a mix but it can be precarious because of P3D's automatic assignmeny of axes (and buttons).

Pete

 

[Eduardo P]

Since I opened another post to finish this one one last question here:

Will I disable all my controllers in P3D4? And how do I make them work in simulator? How P3D4 will recognise that there are joysticks?

Tks

[Pete Dowson]

13 minutes ago, EduPassos said:

Will I disable all my controllers in P3D4? And how do I make them work in simulator? How P3D4 will recognise that there are joysticks?

If you assign them in FSUIPC you really should disable them in P3D, unless you want odd things to happen and controls to become unusable! P3D doesn't need to "recognise there are joysticks" if those joysticks are being recognised and routed to it by FSUIPC! That's the whole point! That's how FSUIPC does things like calibration, reverse thrust, and adjustable response.

Pete

 

[Eduardo P]

Tks

[Eduardo P]

Hi, Pete.

Since I'm using both Saitek X52 & CH Throttle Quadrant I thought that maybe I could use both as follow:

X52 as throttle and CH as reverser. But it doesn't work. I don't know if there is incompatibility between both products or if I'm doing something wrong.

To clarify:

1) How to to set a reverser (printscreen) 

[Pete Dowson]

37 minutes ago, EduPassos said:

How to to set a reverser (printscreen) 

Why reverser2, ie for the second engine? How many reversers are you going to assign?

And why are you setting things on the right-hand side? You don't want ANYTHING set on that side! You only need simple assignment, then calibration. also assigning controls to specific parts of the axis movement is not needed! Keep it simple -- don't mess around trying to make it complicated!

You will certainly need to calibrate when assigning "direct to FSUIPC ...". It won't work otherwise. And be sure to have the throttles set to Idle before trying to engage reverse.

Oh, and the two separate controllers are unrelated and seen separately. There's no such thing as "incompatibility" or otherwise. Such things don't apply to separate devices being seen and read separately.

Pete

 

[Eduardo P]

1) I thought it should have 2 reversers so you explained that there is no need.

Since the results I have are far from good (my CH Throttle reverser seems to create issues with my Saitek X52 throttle) could it be possible to make X52 work both as throttle and a reverse too? If not how could I assign a button to work as reverser?

2) How can I set X52 throttle to idle? Because I don't see any idle in Main controls. Should I use the separate controls windows?

Tks once more and hope that your next answer makes me do the right thing

 

[Pete Dowson]

1 hour ago, EduPassos said:

1) I thought it should have 2 reversers so you explained that there is no need

You can have 1, 2, 3, or 4 reversers, one for each engine. but you seem to have started with Engine 2 reverser.

1 hour ago, EduPassos said:

Since the results I have are far from good (my CH Throttle reverser seems to create issues with my Saitek X52 throttle)

There's really no way one should affect the other. it sounds like you still have assignments in the Sim, instead of disabling controllers there as you should.

1 hour ago, EduPassos said:

could it be possible to make X52 work both as throttle and a reverse too?

Yes. there are instructions in the user guide. you simply have to give up part of the axis movement to reverse. Assign to Throttle 1 then calibrate the reverse zone as well as the main forward zone and the idel zone.

1 hour ago, EduPassos said:

2) How can I set X52 throttle to idle? Because I don't see any idle in Main controls.

Idle is simply the calibration point where the end result is zero! Zero throttle = idle. But note that the methods used by some of the controls use -16384 as idle. those controls don't have reverse thrust.

Best to calibrate. If you use a reverse zone on an axis, the idel zone is the part denoted by the two centre values. Without a reverse zone, idle is denoted by any values less than the minimum point you calibrate.

I think you need to read the User Guide, and follow the numbered steps to good calibration in the Calibration section.

BTW you seem to be effectively asking me you give you a complete basic tutorial here. Sorry, that won't happen. That's what documentation is for. I can only deal with specific support questions here.

Have you tried doing things in the sim first? Are you really sure you want to use FSUIPC? Unless you know how to use the simulator's facilities it seems a little bit of a stretch using a bag of tools like FSUIPC to do all sorts of other things.

Pete

 

 

[Eduardo P]

Sorry, Pete, it wasn't my intention to ask for a tutorial. My questions were meant to be why things seemed not to work. Will read docs hoping that no more issues will occur.