Still more multiple controller confusion

[hokfujow@gmail.com]

Hi - I've searched and I know there are other posts with similar questions - but somehow I'm not quite finding the answer I need.

I'm using a computer that has other uses so does not always have controllers plugged in.

Depending on where I'm doing FS, I may have just Saitek X52 controllers in use, or I may also have Logitech/Saitek rudder pedals and a CH Yoke. (I'd like to still use the X52 in that situation for the various buttons, and I prefer the X52 throttle).

So I might have no controllers plugged in, only X52 or all of them. 

My questions are for FSUIPC 4/FSX  SE - but I also registered FSUIPC 7 for MSFS 2020 - if the answers don't apply for both, perhaps you could note where they differ.

I've set up named controllers in the ini file - X for X52, Y for the CH Yoke and R for the pedals.  So far so good.

My questions:

1) Can I calibrate them separately for same axes?  When using the X52 for elevator and aileron, it needs very different calibration than the Yoke.  I'm not clear on how I can associate calibration with them independently so FSUIPIC applies that depending on which controller is active or used.  The calibration dialog responds to both but it's not obvious to me that it is saving the parameters independently. 

2) I did read the user guide - but I'm still not clear on whether I should be assigning axes or not.  I was planning to let FS control the axes and just use FSUIPC for calibration - but if it's better to give complete control to FSUIPIC, that's fine - I'm just not clear on where the axis assignment fits into these scenarios. Sometimes it seems I can do the calibration without doing anything in assignment - other times it seems the calibration page won't respond until I do assignment. I really have read the user guide - sorry I'm not getting this.

3) I also have the Saitek profile software for the X52.  Theoretically I could assign buttons using that, using FSUIPIC or using FSX/MSFS 2020.  For situations where any of them could work, is there an obvious reason to prefer one over the other?  FSUIPC of course has AC specific profiles - but I think it doesn't offer the equivalent of scenario-specific profiles that SST does - eg assignments for landing, IFR, etc.  

Thank you!

Michael

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by hokfujow@gmail.com
Clarified that FSX version is SE

[Pete Dowson]

12 hours ago, hokfujow@gmail.com said:

1) Can I calibrate them separately for same axes?  When using the X52 for elevator and aileron, it needs very different calibration than the Yoke.  I'm not clear on how I can associate calibration with them independently so FSUIPIC applies that depending on which controller is active or used.  The calibration dialog responds to both but it's not obvious to me that it is saving the parameters independently. 

Use profiles. In separate profiles you can have separate assignments and calibrations.

12 hours ago, hokfujow@gmail.com said:

The calibration dialog responds to both but it's not obvious to me that it is saving the parameters independently. 

The calibration operates not on the controller axis but on the assigned axis.  So there is only one calibration saved per axis per profile.

12 hours ago, hokfujow@gmail.com said:

2) I did read the user guide - but I'm still not clear on whether I should be assigning axes or not.  I was planning to let FS control the axes and just use FSUIPC for calibration - but if it's better to give complete control to FSUIPIC, that's fine - I'm just not clear on where the axis assignment fits into these scenarios.

It might be easier to understand with a little history. Early versions of FSUIPC did not offer assignment facilities. The calibration facilities were first. The addition of button and axis assignments was done when we determined that their are a lot more such controls we can expose than available in the FS/P3D user interface.

Once we had assignment facilities it was natural to allow them to be dependent on which aircraft is being used. Especially types -- prop - turboprop - airliner - stunt plane or fighter. Hence "aircraft specific" superseded by "profiles".

12 hours ago, hokfujow@gmail.com said:

Sometimes it seems I can do the calibration without doing anything in assignment - other times it seems the calibration page won't respond until I do assignment.

You need to tell us about that latter problem as I can't think what axis that might be.

Basically the answer for you is that if you want to do all assignments in the sim you should stil be able to calibrate in FSUIPC. But then you don't get different controller assignments and calibrations according to aircraft. The main rule is either assign everything in FSUIPC and disable controllers in FS, or vice versa. Don't mix (at least in FS or P3D -- currently MSFS is a bit different due to current omissions in the interface for external programs).

12 hours ago, hokfujow@gmail.com said:

3) I also have the Saitek profile software for the X52.  Theoretically I could assign buttons using that, using FSUIPIC or using FSX/MSFS 2020.  For situations where any of them could work, is there an obvious reason to prefer one over the other?

Use whatever you wish for assignments, but again it is probably best not to mix.  And if using FSUIPC, uninstall any specific software provided foryour controllers.

12 hours ago, hokfujow@gmail.com said:

FSUIPC of course has AC specific profiles - but I think it doesn't offer the equivalent of scenario-specific profiles that SST does - eg assignments for landing, IFR, etc.  

Well, you can have profiles for anything, but you'd need to change selection which is of course tied to a list of aircraft. If you want to automatically change the actions of an axis in specific flight conditions then in FSUIPC that would be done using Lua plug-ins.

There is a thread here somewhere about someone wanting to be able to change the calibrated response curse ("slope") on the fly, and John added a way of doing it in an interim release. 

Pete

 

 

 

[John Dowson]

To add to what Pete has said, to have different calibration for the same axis (to be used with different controllers) for the same aircraft (and thus the same profile), you would have to have two different ini's that you could switch depending upon which controller(s) you were using.

 John