installing open beta 1.2.8 and KEEPING ONE'S PROFILES, options and key mappings!

First of all, BRAVO!!!!

this update is most significant and as a faithful LOMAC-LOCKON-DCS user since the very first days, 2004, I can only applaud to what is happening to our marvelous world of simulation!!!!

YOU WANT TO KEEP ALL THOSE KEY BINDINGS AND HOTAS MAPPINGS THAT WERE SO LONG TO MAKE?

For those who own DCS (and some modules) under a RELEASE form (the last was 1.2.7.23803) and want to download the new OPEN BETA 1.2.8 with all the new bells etc...) (And do this before playing around with the options and the controls and key mappings in the new 1.2.8, let it virgin before you do this, and use no mods)

1) you should make sure your current DCS is the last version (run the updater) and it should be 1.2.7.23803.

2) download the DCS 1.2.8 Open Beta installer on the DCS website (which will ask you for a destination on your HD that will be DIFFERENT from you current DCS 1.2.7, it is a separate instal. Here again is the link :

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/dcs_world_open_beta/

(and you need to sign unto the DCS web site).

3) once you have downloaded and INSTALLED the 1.2.8 build (open beta) it should have copied a bunch of files from your other 1.2.7 folder and some new files and that makes it a SEPARATE BUILD with its own shorcuts, etc... (DCS WORLD open beta single and multiplayer versions). YOU NEED ALSO TO OPEN THE MODULE MANAGER, SIGN IN AND DOWNLOAD ALL YOUR PAID MODULES, it is very easy and it does propose it to you right when you open it.

4) in order to get your options, key mappings and joystick bindings back, you need to copy them from your old saved games folder...

-go to your ...users/username/saved games/DCS/config FOLDER

-select :

option.lua

modifiers.lua (if you have made some)

input FOLDER (whole)

view FOLDER (whole)

5) copy all of these files directly into users/username/saved games/DCS.openbeta/Config FOLDER

6) launch the game in its new form (1.2.8 or DCS Open Beta) and go to the options. First of all you will notice that your old system options are transfered (screen resolution, HDR settings, etc.) But the most important for most of us is the HOTAS profile (or keyboard mappings) since they take long so make and are independant for each plane...

7) in the Options screen, clic the CONTROLS tab, in the leftmost choice (LAYERS) select the aircraft or vehicle for which you want to retain your old settings (ex.: F-15C OR SU-33). Once it is selected (and you might see a little lag or time to load some info...) just close the whole OPTIONS window by clicking OK at the botton (that will create the new controler files).

8) I am not sure, but I think you have to do it again for every one of your controlled vehicle or aircraft (because it is when you click OK that the files are created) : select another bought airplane or controlled vehicle and click OK, and open again the options window and controls tab, etc...

9) once you are finished, in each specific aircraft FOLDER inside Saved Games/DCS.open beta/Config/Input/ there will be a new file saved with all your old settings with the same name as before but with the suffix .diff.lua (instead of just .lua as before)

10) these are the new files and all should be OK (I am not an expert but it worked very well for me):)

hope this will help a few like me who tried to understand how to...

JEFX

4) in order to get your options, key mappings and joystick bindings back, you need to copy them from your old saved games folder...

-go to your ...users/username/saved games/DCS/config FOLDER

-select :

option.lua

modifiers.lua (if you have made some)

input FOLDER (whole)

view FOLDER (whole)

 

It is not recommended to copy over the bindings to the open beta.

Open Beta user folder is 'Saved Games\DCS.openbeta'

 

All files and folders inside it are the same as in 1.2.7 release. The main difference is new input files format. Now user profile saves as a difference between default and user assignments (*.diff.lua). It allows to make easy input updates in future.

 

'options.lua' file also has somee differencies, so, please - do NOT copy or import your old input or config files.

As mentioned, please note that following this advice exempts you from posting bug reports for the open beta.

I will personally open a supersize can of whoopass on anybody that tries to post bug reports with their old config files loaded. :D;)

OUPs, ok sorry, I should have titled : for those who dont want to file bug reports but want to have their old key/HOTAS bindings quickly into 1.2.8...

Sorry about the confusion. It was not my intention. I was only trying to clarify something that I had read in another thread (http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=122479) in the 1.2.8 report area... I read that this could be done but it was not all clarified and I just wanted to help...

Sorry

(but for those who dont want to file bug reports, it works quickly)

JEFX

Sobek, a question : how about this : if one copies the old input lua files, loads the SIM and opens up the options and loads a favorite aircraft and then shuts down 1.2.8 and then DELETES the old files, just keeping the new .diff.lua generated, is that OK?

A word of caution about using v1.2.7 keymaps in v1.2.8b: if you've assigned a default-bound key to something else, you'll get duplicate mappings because the sim now loads BOTH the default binding AND the one you made - and this even if you have already deleted this default binding in v1.2.7. Be warned!

Yes, msalama is right, it requires a bit of cleanup...

Sobek, a question : how about this : if one copies the old input lua files, loads the SIM and opens up the options and loads a favorite aircraft and then shuts down 1.2.8 and then DELETES the old files, just keeping the new .diff.lua generated, is that OK?

At first sight, yes, but the answer might be less trivial than i perceive.

Safety first, so the logical thing to do is to say no, unless specifically stated otherwise by a member of the dev team.

The beta only recognizes one of my controllers as "Joy0" Is anyone else getting this error? I can configure controlls in the vanilla game, it recognizes controllers by their name "CH Fighterstick" "Ch Rudder" ect.