FSX Control Assignment issues (Problems!)

Fellow Flight Simmers;

I'm not a new sim pilot, nor and I new to this forum.. I have just not been around for a number of years..

Okay, I have FSX installed in my "hot rod" eight core computer (built 2012) and "upgraded" to Win7 (from WinXP) and I fly, exclusively, the A2A WOP B-17II.

I might add that I have NOT flown my sim since 2012, as well.. life got in the way..

My problem is with FSX's Controller Assignments.. they will NOT stay "set", and when they do, I end up with multiple items set to the same setting (ie Axis Z is set for Engine #3 on the "first" Saitek Throttle Quadrant BUT my second Saitek TQ's "#3", which I set to "Mixture", ALSO cross-controls Engine #3. AND I noticed, after a wild ride, the horizontal stabilizer is, somehow, ALSO controlled via "Axis Z", even tho it was initially assigned to my Rudder Pedals!! The real kicker is my throttles seem to have a "null" area from 25% to 75%.. In other words, I have Idle and Wide Open.. NOTHING in between!! (Yes, I made sure my "sensitivities" and "Null" areas were set correctly.)

I'm going absolutely Batsh... uhm, crazy trying to sort this issue.. even tho it is the exact SAME set-up (equipment and programming) I used five years ago.. and it worked perfectly, then!

I have looked into FSUIPC4, but such an item is beyond this retiree's means..

Any and ALL help would be greatly appreciated.

Charles.

Hi Charles,

You don't say but I'm assuming that your controllers work correctly when checked in Control Panel prior to running FSX. I'm only focusing on the inappropriate axis operation. I had a problem where my yoke and pedal assignments suddenly where swapped. I believe it occurred after I had moved the USB plugs around. I had the free FSUIPC installed at that time and strongly suspect that this was part of the problem. I suggest deleting your active Standard.xml (the one down there where the active FSX is, not the template in the main FSX folder. Then starting FSX with the main controller installed. After all is working properly add the additional. If you've re-assigned a lot of keys it may be easier to edit the existing Standard.xml. To do that I suggest using the free Microsoft "XML Notepad 2007" and simply deleting every controller section and then start FSX as above with just the single controller.

Jim F.

J&J;

Appreciate the reply and info.. However, when it comes to digging into the guts of "The Computer", I fear I am a royal dumas.. I CAN find the main FSX Folder (I put ALL my flight sim "stuff" into it's own 64bit folder titled "FSX").. that said, I have a file simply titled "Standard" that is an XML Document that is "down" where all the "dll", "cfg" and "Application" files are located.. is this the one you are talking about?? I don't see an "Active X" file or folder anywhere... makes me believe I'm not in the right place...

And, yes, when I reinstalled FSX (several times before it was "right") I did plug-in all my controllers first.. I plugged them into the same powered USB Hub I had used originally, but I doubt each item was plugged into it's "original" port, plus my Rudder Pedals are plugged into a different powered USB Hub (I'm looking for a 6 or 7 port Powered USB Hub, by these electronics stores don't know what a "powered USB Hub" is.. They think I mean a "A/C Charging Port" for cell phones and the like) So, I don't know if having the rudder pedals on a different hub would make a difference, or not.

Now, as to my controllers "working correctly".. I go into the FSX Controls window and assign various functions to my Yoke, both TQ's and Rudder Pedals.. Sensitivities are set to "max" with the "Null" set to zero (none). Once in the cockpit (which is another issue), everything "seems" to operate correctly, but then I didn't operate my throttles when checking the rudder and horizontal stabilizer's operations.. The "Cockpit Issue" is, I can move the "eyepoint" forward" to see out the windscreen OR move it rearward to see the B-17's instruments, BUT I cannot position my "view" to see both clearly.. makes for exciting flying when I notice my altimeter winding down when I "look" to click my landing gear "UP'.. Back in Win XP and this same flight sim, I could "see" both instruments and out the left windscreen.. Is Win 7 THAT different??

Again, any and all help is appreciated.

Charles.

Jim F;

Well, I answered your very detailed reply to my first post then hit the "Reply to Thread"" button then went-on to other things.. Yesterday, I clicked-on to this forum to see if you had replied and saw that my reply wasn't there.. I realized I should have clicked the "Post Quick Reply", instead (Dumb Move!)..

I should add that I installed FSX into it's own private folder "C://FSX" so there wouls (should??) be no "outside interference".. At least, that was the intention!

Anyway, I appreciate your detailed information.. but before I start deleting "things", I need to note that (1) I don't have "Active X" (is that part of the FSX install??) and (2) I don't have a "Standard.xml" folder/file per se.. I do have an entry simply titled "Standard" with a notation that it is an "XML Document".. I do not want to assume these are one-in-the-same..

Okay, as to my controllers "working correctly", I can say, while still "in" the FSX Control Panel, everything is as I assigned it (even when rechecking).. Once in the sim (A2A B-17 Cockpit), I have learned to "double check" and I now see that "things" are NOT as I "set" them in the FSX Control Panel. To add a new (or previously unknown) wrinkle, my TQ's have a 25% to 75% Null area.. I have Idle and a small "fast idle" and Wide Open throttles.. everything in the middle is dead! (Sensitivities are set "full right", Nulls are "full left"!!) I'll add that I have gone into both TQ's, as well as my Rudder Pedals, cleaned the internals and douched the pots with the CRC brand of "QD (Electrical) Contact Cleaner".. Testing the ohms after shows full continuity of all moveable levers in all these units. The reason for the cleaning was these controllers have sat, unused, for the last five years. Additionally, there is more "crosstalk" between the controllers.. I forget which controller it is, but it's a commonly used item in the cockpit that, when engaged, the aircraft immediately goes down and to the right.. In external view, I see the right aileron goes up, the horizontal stab goes down and the ground comes-up REAL Fast!! Bottom line is, it appears my "setting" the controls does not last long enough for me to (try to) fly the plane!

On a related subject, when I last flew the A2A B-17, my operating system was WinXP.. I recall being able to not only "see" (clearly) all the flight instruments but I had a quality view out the windscreen, as well.. NOW, in the Win7 O/S set-up, I have a choice.. I can either see the pilot's panel, OR thru the pilot's windscreen.. NOT both.. Is this a Win7 thing, or do I have another "setting" FUBAR?? There are a lot of switches used during a B-17 flight (the original 1943 "Pilot's Operating Instructions" are required to fly this plane.. I use my Dad's original issue book.. He also flew B-29's, C-47;s, C-54's, B-24's, B-25's, C-119's, etc.)

Once I'm positive (on your confirmation) that my "Standard" XML folder/file is, indeed, the correct one, I'll use the free editor and go in and delete ALL the listed controllers, as you have recommended.. Then I'll start-over and see what happens..

Charles.

Hi again,

I won't attempt to comment on everything now but here's a snip showing the location of Standard.xml:

Its location is independent of where FSX is installed. As far as seeing things I liken it to what I see out the windshield of my car. My speedometer is in my peripheral vision but when I want to know how fast I'm going I look down. When I note the speed I return to looking forward. I always use the Virtual cockpit in FSX and to replicate as closely my flying view with my driving view I have my joystick or yoke trigger button programmed to "Look forward (3-D cockpit)" in the "Views" section of "Controls". In FSX while I can't see the controls in my peripheral vision I know they're there and I use the hat switch to look down and when I see what I wanted I press the trigger and am instantly returned to the VC looking straight forward. And as I said it unless you have a lot of keys reprogrammed from the default it may be easier to delete the Standard.xml referenced above and let it rebuild.

Jim F. (JRF to the computer)

P.S. It's likely that after you hit Preview Post you forgot to hit Submit Reply; I know from experience.

Open a Windows file explorer window.

Click view-folder options-

on the middle tab, remove the check mark from: "hide extensions of known file types."

that way instead of 'standard' you will see the full filename 'standard.xml'.

Jim F & Top Gun;

I'm sorry to take so long in getting back to you both.. Partly because I realized the Moderator(s) "hold" a newbie's posts (for some reason and after I sent a second post..) and the fertilizer got dumped into the fan around here (things that should not go wrong, Did!) and I could not miss the annual Talladega (Nascar) crashfest (something like seven cars crossed the finish line, AFTER three "Red Flags"! Racing at it's finest! I raced motorcycles for ten years, three as an AMA Pro. We NEVER had crashes like Nascar does!!)

Anywho.. I appreciate both y'all's replies.. sad to say, I could not get them to work.. I might note, I'm using Win7 now and I'm not that familiar with it, yet.. When I was using WinXP, I knew exactly where "things" were..

Case-in-point.. On Jim's linear instructions, I got just short of AppData.. I don't have that file/folder after my "computer name" (or JRF in your case).. So, dead in my tracks.. On Top Gun's instructions, I open Windows Explorer and all I get is "Libraries" with no option for "View-Folder Options"... BUT, after a bunch of "clicking around" (SOP with MS Windows!), I DID find "Folder Options" and unchecked the "hide extensions of known file types".. So, I went back into FSX files and saw that "Standard" had simply changed to "standard.xml".. I DL'ed "XML Notepad 2.5" and now I just have to read-up on how to use it.. Hopefully it will be simple for my simple mind and I'll be able to get on with actually "flying" in my Flight Sim"..

I Really appreciate y'all helping me get this far.. I'll keep y'all posted as to my results..

Thanks, again.

Charles.

As far as seeing things I liken it to what I see out the windshield of my car. My speedometer is in my peripheral vision but when I want to know how fast I'm going I look down. When I note the speed I return to looking forward. I always use the Virtual cockpit in FSX and to replicate as closely my flying view with my driving view I have my joystick or yoke trigger button programmed to "Look forward (3-D cockpit)" in the "Views" section of "Controls". In FSX while I can't see the controls in my peripheral vision I know they're there and I use the hat switch to look down and when I see what I wanted I press the trigger and am instantly returned to the VC looking straight forward.

Jim;

As you described your experience in the Flight Sim, That is exactly how mine was when I had FSX installed in WinXPx64.. BUT.. In Win7, if I "zoom back" far enough to simply "show" both windscreen AND pilot's instruments, everything is so small as to be unreadable. Zooming "forward" to be able to actually "read" the gauges, makes the windscreen "disappear" out-of-view.. and yes, I have my "hat" programed to allow me to "look around" the cockpit and I have a "rocker switch" on my yoke that lets me zoom in and out. but the view is NOT like driving a car where one can simply "look down to see the speedometer", the A2A B-17 has several "panels" with different control functions, to be able to "read" these, one must change views via the drop-down box.. PLUS, in one mode (3D or 2D, I don't recall off hand), one cannot use the various cockpit controls, one must switch to the "other" view. It's been several years since I've flown in my sim, but I do NOT recall it being like this before. I had a "dual boot" set-up back then with WinXP and WinXP64.. FSX was set-up in WinXPx64.. other than being unsupported for a number of "add-ons" (like TeamSpeak3, etc) XP64 was a great O/S for FSX!! I had high hopes for Win7x64.... So far, WPx64 was a helluva lot better!

Charles.

Good t hear you're making progress.

Sorry bout ealier, it was 'organize' - 'folder and search options' - 'view' Tab.

Again go there, and put a check mark in front of

"show hidden files, folders, and drives"

Then you will see the folder /Appdata.

(It' sometimes recommended to switch the option off again after done editing, as some files are hidden for good

reason and should not be messed with.

When you become more aware of what is hidden, and why, you can leave "show hidden" on longer.)

Yes, for new members posts take some time (depends how long, sometimes up to 24 hours,) to show.

I can't follow the full tale, but I do notice you speak of "TQ's". I think you mean you have more then one throttle quadrant.

That may be difficult to set up right with just default fsx assignments and or Saitek software.

You may be better off using a FSUIPC and buying a license for it. With a license FSUIPC becomes a utility that can be used to assign every axis of every controller separately, and completely to your liking.

(It's very versatile. For example you can also use FSUIPC to set up different profiles. One to use with each aircraft. That way you don't have to start reassigning things each time you switch aircraft. The correct profile gets used automatically.)

Before moving right along..............

Per "I got just short of AppData"

Double click to open any folder.

Press the "Alt" key and a new toolbar will be displayed. (Window must have focus and this toolbar will disappear at the drop of a hat, If you don't see it click in the folder window and try again.)

Click on the "Tools" tab and then "Folder options..."

On the newly opened "Folder options" window click the "View" tab.

Look down and you'll see "Show hidden files and folders" with a circle in front of it.

Click in the circle so its filled in. Click "Apply"!!!!! Look around or whatever the files will now be displayed until you clear that circle and hit Apply again.

Jim F.