Saving FSX & Control configuration files

[tacomasailor]

I have posted several questions about the loss of key/button and axes assignments for my Saitek ST290 joystick.

I think I have resolved the problem but would like someone to explain why FSX ended doing what I fixed.

FSX loads the fsx.cfg from Users\username\Appdata\Roaming\FSX and the current control.xml files from Users\username\Appdata\Roaming\FSX\Controls.

My problem was that FSX was saving the configuration file (FSX/Options/Settings/Save) in Users\username\Appdata\Roaming\FSX BUT

SAVED the current.xml in Users\Documents\FSX ????? That meant that any changes I made to the controls would be lost the next time FSX loaded because FSX read the old controls from a different directory

The save directory as shown in the Options/Settings/Save display was pointing at Documents and Setting\username\Appdata\Roaming\FSX which is supposed to be hard coded to point to Users\username\Appdata\Roaming\FSX - but FSX did not save there???

HOW can that happen?

I've manually changed the SAVE location (typed in the fully qualified name that seemed to be identical to the one that was alreday there) but am curious about how the SAVE location was changed - it is not easy to make that change - one either types in the fully qualified name or navigates thru a folder display

I don't see anything in FSX.cfg that controls the save location - where is the directory specified?

[PPSFA]

the file you should be saving is the: Standard.XML file in the FSX/Controls folder.

[vgbaron]

Also remember tha is you unplug a USB controller and plug it into a different USB porrt you will lose all your settings for that controller. Youy must plug it into the same USB port.

Vic

[tacomasailor]

PPFSA:
Do I understand the fsx.cfg incorrectly??

Under [CONTROLS] there is a default=standard and a 2nd line that says current="my named file" - when I do a LOAD and then SAVE the current OPTIONS & CONTROLS written to "my named file.cfg" and a NEW entry is made in the CONTROLS folder with the same name as "my named file". The next time I start FSX I see "my named file" load (I watch all the file operations with PROC MON) and then those settings for ALL FSX options go into effect. If I delete the current= "my file name" entry then the standard file and standard controls are loaded. If I change the current= entry in fsx.cfg I can make FSX load any OPTIONS & CONTROLS I have previously saved or created.

Therefore: I understood that I can SAVE any file name I want. I have many different configuration/control files depending on what type of an FSX environment I want.

Do I misunderstand the whole thing - it seems to work very well now that I have the correct directory in the SAVE box.

VIC:
I just tested my ST290 profiles and found they were NOT LOST when I moved the ST290 USB from port to port (my system has eight USB ports). I don't lose the profile if I move the USB while FSX is running (either paused, flying, or even in the initial load screen) and I DO NOT lose the settings if I shut FSX down, move the USB plug, and then restart FSX

[Irocx]

"VIC:
I just tested my ST290 profiles and found they were NOT LOST when I moved the ST290 USB from port to port "


Wow, why post in two different threads on the same topic?? - too confusing.

In the other thread it was mentioned that your Saitek profiles have nothing to do with the FSX and the standard.xml, they must be related to some saitek software, which incidently you don't need (or even want). I use an X45 just for the throttle along with my CH stuff and I simply let windows install the drivers and then I calibrate. Finally I make my assignments with the FSX controls settings menu. Done.

As far as you defining the path to the standard.xml in the fsx.cfg - why even try and I'm not sure it can be done. I suspect that everytime you would rebuild
the fsx.cfg (1st cure for many woes) the path would simply revert back to the controls folder.

I highly suspect you were originally confused by editing the standard.xml which resides in the main FSX folder (this is a back up) instead of the one found in the controls folder - a common mistake made by many.

including
V V V V V V

[tacomasailor]

The reason I made TWO forum posts is that the first was about the BAD behavior of the lost .xml files - the 2nd post was a question about WHY FSX was saving my named config files to a directory other than the one the SAVE box was displaying. The 2nd question was about where does FSX store the name of the SAVE path - NOT! a question about the ST290 profiles - TWO barely related questions in TWO separate posts.

I re-entered the directory\folder name in the save box because FSX was not saving where it said it was - and that did correct the problem. ALL my ST290 problems were resolved after I re-entered the directory\folder path.

I did not edit the standard.xml file - I created and saved a new one just for the ST290 and named it uniquely.

I keep getting answers about profiles and control files that do not match what I see actually happen when I monitor the INTERNAL file activity and processing of FSX. The answers, as I understand them, DO NOT agree with what I see happen. FSX does load the file I name in current= and it does not attempt to load a profile that I create with Saitek Profile editor. Moving the ST290 USB plug has no effect on the contents of the .xml control file - how could it - the reason for USB is that the application does not need to know anything about the hardware behind the USB.

It seems that either my system works very differently than others or I have found a way to do things that I am being told I can not do. Here is the bottom of my current [CONTROLS] .XML file - this IS the file loaded by FSX at startup and IS the file that controls the ST290. Notice it contains many ST290 entries and defines axes and buttons exactly as it does for CH stuff - what am I missing here?

... there is lots of stuff above this in the .xml file
<SimControls.Map>
<Name>CH Pro Pedals USB SLEW {57841C80-AC5F-11DE-8003-444553540000}</Name>
<Axis>
<AxName>ZAxis</AxName>
<Index>2</Index>
<AxEvent>AXIS_SLEW_HEADING_SET</AxEvent>
<AxScale>64</AxScale>
<AxNull>5</AxNull>
</Axis>
</SimControls.Map>
<SimControls.Map>
<Name>Saitek ST290 Pro{7C034370-B339-11DE-8001-444553540000}</Name>
<Axis>
<AxName>XAxis</AxName>
<Index>0</Index>
<AxEvent>AXIS_AILERONS_SET</AxEvent>
<AxScale>64</AxScale>
<AxNull>36</AxNull>
</Axis>
<Axis>
<AxName>YAxis</AxName>
<Index>1</Index>
<AxEvent>AXIS_ELEVATOR_SET</AxEvent>
<AxScale>64</AxScale>
<AxNull>36</AxNull>
</Axis>
<Axis>
<AxName>ZAxis</AxName>
<Index>2</Index>
<AxEvent>AXIS_THROTTLE_SET</AxEvent>
<AxScale>127</AxScale>
<AxNull>1</AxNull>
</Axis>
<Axis>
<AxName>RzAxis</AxName>
<Index>5</Index>
<AxEvent>AXIS_RUDDER_SET</AxEvent>
<AxScale>64</AxScale>
<AxNull>36</AxNull>
</Axis>
<Entry>
<Index>0</Index>
<Down>VIEW_CAMERA_SELECT_1</Down>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>1</Index>
<Down>NEXT_SUB_VIEW</Down>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>2</Index>
<Down>ELEV_TRIM_UP</Down>
<DownRpt>2</DownRpt>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>3</Index>
<Down>ELEV_TRIM_DN</Down>
<DownRpt>2</DownRpt>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>4</Index>
<Down>PROP_PITCH_INCR_SMALL</Down>
<DownRpt>2</DownRpt>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>5</Index>
<Down>PROP_PITCH_DECR_SMALL</Down>
<DownRpt>2</DownRpt>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>6</Index>
<Down>RELEASE_DROPPABLE_OBJECTS</Down>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>7</Index>
<Down>GEAR_TOGGLE</Down>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>8</Index>
<Down>VIEW_MODE</Down>
</Entry>
<Entry>
<Index>9</Index>
<Down>GEAR_TOGGLE</Down>
</Entry>
<POV>
<Index>0</Index>
<Down>VIEW_TRACK_PAN_TOGGLE</Down>
</POV>
</SimControls.Map>
<SimControls.Map>
<Name>Saitek ST290 Pro SLEW {7C034370-B339-11DE-8001-444553540000}</Name>
<Axis>
<AxName>XAxis</AxName>
<Index>0</Index>
<AxEvent>AXIS_SLEW_SIDEWAYS_SET</AxEvent>
<AxScale>64</AxScale>
<AxNull>36</AxNull>
</Axis>

...I've deleted a bunch of SLEW entries here
</SimControls.Map>
</SimBase.Document>

It does appear that I CAN SAVE .cfg and .xml files under any name I wish and they do control the actions of the ST290. I HAVE NOT defined a profile using the Saitek Profile Editor - I don't see the point since the OPTIONS/SETTINGS/SAVE builds a perfectly good .xml control file.

Is it not standard practice amongst experienced FSX users to have multiple .cfg/.xml file depending on what options you want to load and use? Doesn't that require names other than "standard" for the control file?

[Irocx]

"Moving the ST290 USB plug has no effect on the contents of the .xml control file - how could it - the reason for USB is that the application does not need to know anything about the hardware behind the USB."

Yes it does, it will change the instance ID. For example:

CH YOKE USB{77610250-6A4B-11DC-8003-444553540000}

Windows sees controllers as a combination of a particular controller type and a particular USB port. If either of these changes, then the combination will get a new Instance ID assigned to it. The custom assignments will be lost and the controller will revert to the default assignments as defined in the Standard.xml file located in the main directory. Plugging the controller back into the original port will sometimes reactivate the custom assignments since the controller type/USB port pair should have the original Instance ID again unless FSX sees the file as invalid for some other reason. It's not always clear why FSX decides to rebuild the this file. If the application FSX didn't know "anything about the hardware behind USB" it could not pre-assign anything, including the correct name to the instance id in the standard.xml file.


"I HAVE NOT defined a profile using the Saitek Profile Editor - I don't see the point since the OPTIONS/SETTINGS/SAVE builds a perfectly good .xml control file."

The very reason I don't use the software.


"Is it not standard practice amongst experienced FSX users to have multiple .cfg/.xml file depending on what options you want to load and use? Doesn't that require names other than "standard" for the control file?"

Most just use FSUIPC.

Glad to see you seem to have your problems sorted.

[tacomasailor]

You said "The custom assignments will be lost and the controller will revert to the default assignments as defined in the Standard.xml file located in the main directory." That is not my experience during the last several years.

- I am running FSX - I pause the flight, move the ST290 USB plug to a new USB port, unpause the flight and my ST290 custom settings are still valid and work A-OK.

- I am running FSX - I DO NOT pause the flight, I do move the ST290 USB plug to a new USB port, and my ST290 custom settings are still valid and work A-OK.

- I am running FSX - I have every button customized on the ST290 and they work as intended. I shutdown FSX, move the ST290 USB plug to a new port and restart FSX. The ST290 custom settings work just as they did in the previous FSX flight.

I only report what actually happens or is measured on my system. I do not repeat what others tell me – if I haven’t tested it myself I don’t write it.

I have been a systems programmer / software trouble shooter for more than 40 years and probably do things in a less automated, "old school", manner than many FSX users. I have a lot of experience with FSUIPC and do use it for some functions, like reverse thrust, but find that loading specific configuration and control files that I manually edit and manage is easier for me to understand. That is why I started the line of questions about where is the SAVe path stored in FSX - when FSX started saving on a path other than what showed in the SAVE box - it really messed up my cfg/xml management.