Yoke Switch Not Performing Programmed Command

[Gregory_Douglas]

I had switch #8 on my Honeycomb yoke programmed for “Selection Increase” (Key press =+). It has worked fine for many months then suddenly instead of performing a “Selection Increase”, it’s performing “View Next Category” (FS keystroke S). It shows up in FSUIPC4.ini like this:

84=P1,8,K187,8     -{Key press: =+key}-

I tried programming switch 8 using the FS Control method and selecting the “Plus” option. The switch still performed “View Next Category”.

I’m using FSX-SE
Windows 10
FSUIPC4 version 4.974 registered

My .ini file and log are attached.

 

Any thoughts?

FSUIPC4.ini FSUIPC4.log

[John Dowson]

1 hour ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

FSUIPC4 version 4.974 registered

The latest and only supported version of FSUIPC4 is v4.977 - please update.

2 hours ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

I had switch #8 on my Honeycomb yoke programmed for “Selection Increase” (Key press =+). It has worked fine for many months then suddenly instead of performing a “Selection Increase”, it’s performing “View Next Category” (FS keystroke S).

What changed? If FSUIPC4 is sending a keystroke, you need to check the key assignments in FSX-SE to see what that keystroke is assigned to - maybe that has changed?

2 hours ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

I tried programming switch 8 using the FS Control method and selecting the “Plus” option.

I am not familiar with this control, but looking at the documentation for this it says:
    Used in conjunction with "selected" parameters to increase their value (e.g., radio frequency)
So it looks like you need to use something else to select the parameter that you want to increase before using this control.

John

[Gregory_Douglas]

Quote

If FSUIPC4 is sending a keystroke, you need to check the key assignments in FSX-SE to see what that keystroke is assigned to - maybe that has changed?

In FSX-SE, keystroke =+ is assigned to "Selection Increase". When I press = on my keyboard, the selection increases.

[John Dowson]

So the selection has  changed to the views. How do you select this normally? i.e. how do you select what the increase is applying to (COM frequency - which COM, active or standby, AP altitude/speed/height, etc)?
I am not familiar with this control or on how to change/select to what it is applied to.
The standard method is to assign directly to the inc/dec control of the system/systems that you want to control. You then add an offset condition on the selection switch (which would have a button for each selection position) so that the correct control is sent depending upon the position of the selection switch.

John

[Gregory_Douglas]

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How do you select this normally? i.e. how do you select what the increase is applying to (COM frequency - which COM, active or standby, AP altitude/speed/height, etc)?

I use the Selection Increase & Selection Decrease mainly for zooming views in and out. To activate a Selection Increase/Decrease for a view, all you have to do is click on the view. The Selection Decrease button is working just fine.

BTW since my initial post I also noticed that when use a button I've programed for moving a view up (to raise pilot's seat), it also moves the flaps one notch. So my problem is beyond just one switch.

I was able to program Honeycomb yoke switch #8 for “Selection Increase” (Key press =+) using the Settings/Controls/Buttons-Keys window directly in FSX-SE and it worked fine. That means there's nothing wrong with the yoke. At this point I think I should take your suggestion and move up to version 4.977. I will make sure to delete the test I made within FSX-SE I mentioned in the 1st sentence of this paragraph. I couldn't find any documentation on your website or the regular/advanced user guides as to how to execute an upgrade. I searched using the word "upgrade".

Do you advise deleting the entire FSUIPC4 folder or should I install over it?

Can I save my current FSUIPC4.ini file and copy it into the new version or do I have to manually program each switch from scratch?

I'm attaching my current FSUIPC4.ini file in case you want to take a look at it to see if you see any issues relating to buttons.

Thanks!

FSUIPC4.ini

[John Dowson]

17 hours ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

BTW since my initial post I also noticed that when use a button I've programed for moving a view up (to raise pilot's seat), it also moves the flaps one notch. So my problem is beyond just one switch.

This sounds like you have controllers (and assignments) activated in FSX. Please check that controllers are disabled in FSX.

17 hours ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

Do you advise deleting the entire FSUIPC4 folder or should I install over it?

Just install over your current installation - no need to uninstall or remove anythung.

You ini shows that you only have one device (SideWinder Precision 2 Joystick), but you also have assignments to another device (with id 1) which is no longer corected.
You should change the following in your [JoyNames] section to prevent issues when device ids change:
    AutoAssignLetters=Yes

As you are using separate file for profiles, I also need to see the profile file of the aircraft you are using (which you don't say).

So, please update, make those changes, and then show me your .ini and .log files.

John

[Gregory_Douglas]

If I install over my current version will my .ini files be overwritten whereby losing all my settings? If it does overwrite my settings I have my .ini files backed up.

[John Dowson]

12 hours ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

If I install over my current version will my .ini files be overwritten whereby losing all my settings? If it does overwrite my settings I have my .ini files backed up.

No, re-installing just updates the files that have changed, it won't affect your settings/assignments. Also you can skip the registration stage as you have already registered and have a valid FSUIPC4.key file.

John

[Gregory_Douglas]

OK I made all the changes you suggested and all button problems have been solved. The vast majority of assignments you see in my .ini file are for the Honeycomb yoke. There are 3-4 assignments for my SideWinder joystick. I've been using the FSX interface to control the SideWinder hat switch and throttle & the Honeycomb hat switch.

It looks like I need to use FSUIPC to control the SideWinder throttle and hat switch + the Honeycomb hat switch, correct? Any tips before I look at the FSUIPC manual and figure out how to do this?

-Greg

FSUIPC4.ini FSUIPC4.log F18.ini Legacy.ini

[John Dowson]

9 minutes ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

I've been using the FSX interface to control the SideWinder hat switch and throttle & the Honeycomb hat switch.

It looks like I need to use FSUIPC to control the SideWinder throttle and hat switch + the Honeycomb hat switch, correct? Any tips before I look at the FSUIPC manual and figure out how to do this?

So your problem was with dual assignments, in both FSX and FSUIPC. You can have assignments in both places, but sometimes FSX will recognise an unsigned controller and automatically re-assign (it does not know that this is assigned in FSUIPC). This is why we recommend disabling controllers in FSX and assigning in FSUIPC.

It should be straight forward to switch your assignments from FSX to FSUIPC - the assignments will be more or less the same. For the hat switch (to control views), assign to Pan View (you just need to assign one of the hat switches to this, and the others will be assigned automatically).

John

[Gregory_Douglas]

I was able to program the joystick hat switch but can't figure out how to program the little throttle lever on the joystick.

[John Dowson]

3 hours ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

can't figure out how to program the little throttle lever on the joystick.

Why - what is the problem? What do you want to assign it to? What was it previously assigned to in FSX?

[Gregory_Douglas]

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Why - what is the problem?

With controllers disabled in FSX, the throttle on the joystick is not working so it needs to be programmed via FSUIPC, no?

Quote

What do you want to assign it to?

I need to assign the joystick throttle lever to control the engine throttle.

Quote

What was it previously assigned to in FSX?

On the FSX Buttons/Keys assignment page, there are 8 different throttle settings, none of which are assigned to the joystick. So I have no idea how the throttle is assigned in FSX. Perhaps since it’s a Microsoft joystick, it connects automatically in the background. So is there a way to assign the joystick throttle lever in FSUIPC?

Quote

For the hat switch (to control views), assign to Pan View (you just need to assign one of the hat switches to this, and the others will be assigned automatically).

The joystick hat switch shows up as 4 switches in FSUIPC:

#32 top switch

#34 right switch

#36 bottom switch

#38 left switch

 If I read your instructions correctly, I needed to assign “Pan View” to one of those four switches and the “and the others will be assigned automatically”. That did not happen. I assigned #34 to Pan View and it did pan the view to the right, but the three other switches were not automatically assigned.

So I assigned each of the four switches as follows:

#32 Pan Up

#34 Pan Right

#36 Pan Down

#38 Pan Left

I checked the “Control to repeat while held” because I like to smoothly pan around the cockpit like a camera on a tripod. Using the FSX assignment, the pan is silky smooth. But when using FSUIPC assignments, whether it’s Pan View or the various Pan Up-Right-Down-Left assignments, there’s a slight delay to when the pan starts and when it does pan, the movement is jerky.

Quote

You can have assignments in both places, but sometimes FSX will recognise an unsigned controller and automatically re-assign (it does not know that this is assigned in FSUIPC).

I sure wish we could figure out why I can’t have assignments in both places anymore. I’ve been able to do this for many years until about 10 days ago.

[John Dowson]

17 minutes ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

With controllers disabled in FSX, the throttle on the joystick is not working so it needs to be programmed via FSUIPC, no?

Yes, of course...

17 minutes ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

So is there a way to assign the joystick throttle lever in FSUIPC?

Again, of course...Try assigning to FSUIPC's (i.e. direct to FSUIPC calibration) throttle axis and then calibrate. That should be the default assignment. For som aircraft, you may need to use a different throttle control, which you can assign in a profile-specific assignment for that aircraft (or class of aircraft).

24 minutes ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

The joystick hat switch shows up as 4 switches in FSUIPC:

#32 top switch

#34 right switch

#36 bottom switch

#38 left switch

 If I read your instructions correctly, I needed to assign “Pan View” to one of those four switches and the “and the others will be assigned automatically”. That did not happen. I assigned #34 to Pan View and it did pan the view to the right, but the three other switches were not automatically assigned.

So I assigned each of the four switches as follows:

#32 Pan Up

#34 Pan Right

#36 Pan Down

#38 Pan Left

I checked the “Control to repeat while held” because I like to smoothly pan around the cockpit like a camera on a tripod. Using the FSX assignment, the pan is silky smooth. But when using FSUIPC assignments, whether it’s Pan View or the various Pan Up-Right-Down-Left assignments, there’s a slight delay to when the pan starts and when it does pan, the movement is jerky.

You assigned in the buttons tab - PAN View is an axis - delete/remove your current assignments, go into the acis assignment tab and move your hat switch (any direction), and then select 'Send to FS as normal axis' and select the Pan View control.

26 minutes ago, Gregory_Douglas said:

I sure wish we could figure out why I can’t have assignments in both places anymore. I’ve been able to do this for many years until about 10 days ago.

You can! However, as I said, if you do this, FSX will occasionally automatically assign a controller that isn't assigned in FSX, so you get dual assignments, both in FSX and FSUIPC. If/when this occurs, you can go into FSX and remove the assignments on controllers/buttons/axis that you have in FSUIPC. Alternatively, and to stop this issue completely, we recommend disabling controllers in FSX and just assigning in FSUIPC. But you don't have to do this if you don't want to. But you need to check for dual assignments each time you get an issue like the one that started this topic...

John
 

[Gregory_Douglas]

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You assigned in the buttons tab - PAN View is an axis - delete/remove your current assignments, go into the acis assignment tab and move your hat switch (any direction), and then select 'Send to FS as normal axis' and select the Pan View control.

I did that and only the pan up button is working in a very jerky fashion. I've attached a screenshot of the Axis tab. I also attached my very latest .ini file. Controllers are disable.

Quote

Try assigning to FSUIPC's (i.e. direct to FSUIPC calibration) throttle axis and then calibrate.

In the Joystick Calibration tab, I see the Throttle section. Is that what you're talking about? I'm trying to figure these things out on my own. In this case I opened the Advanced User guide and did a search for "Throttle". Nothing came up regarding Throttle assigning or calibration. Where do I find the instructions on how to do this? When I click on either of the two set buttons and move the joystick throttle lever, nothing changes; all four numeric parameters remain at zero.

FSUIPC4.ini

[John Dowson]

You assign an axis on the left-hand side of the axis assignment dialog box. The right-hand side is for specific controls when entering/leaving axis ranges. Remove that, and assign as follows:

You don't seem to be familiar with how FSUIPC works. Please consult the manuals - at least the User Guide and maybe also a quick look at the Advanced User guide, so  you at least know where things are. Try consulting the manuals before posting please.

John

[Gregory_Douglas]

Thanks for the clarification. The hat switch is working fine now.

Quote

You don't seem to be familiar with how FSUIPC works. Please consult the manuals - at least the User Guide and maybe also a quick look at the Advanced User guide, so you at least know where things are. Try consulting the manuals before posting please.

Well that’s simply not true. I am familiar with how FSUIPC works, albeit not an expert like you. I used FSUIPC for many years before purchasing the registered version a few years ago. I would say I have figured out 95% of what I needed from FSUIPC on my own.

I do read the manual before posting but sometimes what we read in the manual doesn’t work or we need further assistance. Here’s a good example:

I figured out how to assign the throttle slider on my joystick and wanted to calibrate it. I found this in the User Guide’s “Easy Step-by-Step Way to Calibrate Your Controls”:

2. Move the control for this axis and verify that the values for IN and OUT are changing. If they aren’t, then you’ve either got the wrong control or your configuration is wrong (in FS’s CFG file or its Options-Controls-Assignments).

The values wouldn’t change when I moved the joystick throttle control so I went into the FSX Options-Settings-Controls-Control Axes and deleted the Throttle axis assignment but that didn't fix the problem. Not sure I even had to do that since controllers are disabled. And I wasn’t sure what to do with the fsx.cfg file.

 Turns out I found the solution on the avsim forum. I hadn’t selected “Send direct to FSUIPC calibration”. I’m finding that if I’m having trouble finding a solution in the user manual, a Google search is likely to direct me to a post on your forum or another sim forum that solves the issue.

John, FSUIPC is a wonderful addition to my FSX experience. We appreciate your patience in helping us navigate a very robust and complex FSX addon.