X52 Pro SST Profile - Advanced

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I need your support at Saitek forums regarding a bug that prevents this profile work flawlessly!

http://www.saitekforum.com/showthread.php?t=18719 (read POST #4)

Post your support or a simple '+1'!

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Long story short I think my upcoming profile deserves a topic. I will post updates here as well as the profile itself when it's out.

The button layout temporary sketch is based on my X52 / X52 Pro printable button layout and template

Current progress

No problems so far, every thing's working! Some nifty programming tricks like separate throttles assigned to rotaries. Moving in increments despite commands for Idle / Gov / Auto / Max are not available in Black Shark!

Early version of my profile available in the attachement (change the file extension to pr0 - this is NOT a zip file). Only assigned commands are tested. There's a lot of junk, not working, commands (unused commands section).

Current problems - see post #2.

Edit:

I've tested the profile and it works great! I've already printed out the button layout in 4xA4 format to be hanged on my wall. I immodestly consider this set as the best and the most comprehensive X52/Pro profile for DCS BS.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Disable clutch button in X52 Pro properties -> MFD tab -> unthick 'Enable Clutch Mode' to be able to use shkval lock (Enter)

2. Set the following in DCS GUI -> Options -> Controls:

- Gun Fire - trigGER 1 (JOY BTN1)

- Release Weapons - trigGER 2 (JOY BTN15)

- (AXIS) zoom view - precision slider; also set AXIS TUNE -> Invert

3. Have the button layout printed and in front of you!

The PACKAGE includes:

README.txt

x52pro_dcs_bs_profile_bucic_017b.svg - editable button layout in vector format (use freeware Inkscape f.e.)

x52pro_dcs_bs_profile_bucic_017b.pr0 - Saitek SST profile

x52pro_dcs_bs_profile_bucic_017_blayout_4xA4poster_*.pdf - the button layout in 4xA4 format

x52pro_dcs_bs_profile_bucic_017b_A4.pdf - same but single A4

Changelog since v017b (Sept 2010):

[+] by default: Trim works independently from rudder pedals i.e. you don't have to move your rudder pedals back to center to unlock your cyclic! (original idea by PeterP, see http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=40624)

NOTE 1: Limitation - I used 25 s T press so you can't fly with trim pressed down longer than 25 s I'll make it a minute and it will be ready for release

NOTE 2: Button layout not updated since v017.

Changelog since v017 (April 2010):

[+] Weapon Mode Switch mapped to Mode 2 T2+Pinkie

[+] the button layout in 4xA4 format, pdf

To do:

- investigate if clearing whole ategories in DCS GUI -> Options -> Controls is required.

PACKAGE download http://www.mediafire.com/?nsvmkwu6ztnyrkb

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A tip of the day:

Use windowed mode and throughout the whole process of setting up SST profile you won't have to restart even your mission.

If it works in the built-in SST tester, it will work in-game too.

I stumbled on few problems and I'm hoping someone will help me out.

Two additional questions:

Case 1:

Buttons 7 and 8 used to rotate a knob left/right. I set a rotary to Directional Axis mode and assign 7 and 8. In the tester I get nice 7 7 7 7 and so on when I rotate rotary in one direction and 8 8 8 8 when rotating to another direction and yet the knob won't move.

Setting tMacros instead of Keypresses doesn't help either.

Case 2:

A rotary is set to Bands mode and used as a weapon selector. The problem is when I press Pinkie button to get to Combat+pinkie mode for a moment the keypresses from the weapon selector are sent on each Pinkie button release.

Profile x52pro_dcs_bs_profile_bucic_017.pr0.

http://rapidshare.com/files/379655682/x52pro_dcs_bs_profile_bucic_017.pr0.html

10 downloads only so don't download if you're not going to look into the problem.

I downloaded your profile and checked it out. the 7 and 8 for the abris is very flakey in the game. Even if I try to use the keyboard to rotate the dial using 7 and 8 it goes so fast in the game that it is useless. I guess I never noticed this before because I always used my mouse to operate the Abris.

You may be able to get it working if you set the axis to bands and just have it press the same key several times but add delays in between your macro so that it wont go too fast. You may also try turning down the sensitivity or a combination of both. I messed with it a bit but couldn't get it to a point I was happy with it.

for your second problem I noticed a problem in your profile that is causing issues. I copied a piece from the help section for the stick that explains it better than I can.

"Why didn't we just create one split so that the axis area was split in half and then just assign the keystrokes to the two areas? Because we need a position where the axis is 'at rest' and isn't issuing any keyboard commands. In this example no commands are assigned to the middle position of the area. This is because no matter which controller you have or which axis you are programming, you must always have a band at the middle of the axis movement with no command assigned to it - commonly called a deadzone. "

SO what is happening every time you press the pinky button it is sending the whatever is maped to your bands because there is no deadzone...

To get rid of all your mistakes and unused commands, right click on an empty button and pick "delete unused commands" from the menu, then click delete all from the other box that opens. or you can pick which ones you want to delete....that box is screwy though especially if there are a lot of unused commands in there.

Sorry, but it makes no sense to me. The dead zone for rotary band. The rotary will not send accidental keystroke after Pinkie only when it will be positioned at the dead zone at the moment of pressing the Pinkie. Am I right?

The rotary will not send the command in the middle position if you don't turn it but what happens is when you press the your pinky button to shift to a different mode it will send the keys unless the rotary is in a deadzone.

You can see it happen if you open the profiler and put it in test mode for your profile.

Let me reprhrase that: You have the right idea in your profile but it is a frustrating limitation of the software when using those bands - Every time you use the mode rotary or shift button it triggers the commands on the bands....it shouldn't but it does.

I know, I know, but I'm just saying that dead zones are not a solution to this issue because the rotary may or may not be at dead zone at the moment of Pinkie press. So it's "mayormaynotsolution" = not a solution. At least with your help I don't waste time searching one. Rep inbound again.

I also always use the Test mode before going into game. For complicated commands. Recently I started testing profiles with DCS in windowed mode without mission restarts. It make the taks a lot faster. You just need to save and reload the profile. The mission can be running in the background.

This issue makes rotaries almost unusable for Bands assignments! You can count only on luck that accidental keypress will not mess up your particular game. What a waste of controls! Rotaries are perfect as selectors and there's not much of use for them beside that even in Black Shark.

I set Throttle Levers to rotaries too but they don't seem to cause problems like the weapon selection. I might give up on the weapon selection using rotary OR I will avoid using Pinkie in the combat mode.

Well now you come to the same realization that I did when trying and testing profiles with BS :/

One thing that DOES work good though is the mouse wheel on the throttle. You didn't use those in your NAV mode so maybee you can do the 7 and 8 keys as macro off wheel up and wheel down and the brightness off a shift starte of the mouse wheel.

Will try that later. I have to fly a mission or two now. Getting a fresh Black Shark and HOTAS and then spending two days on a profile is just stupid :D

Nice, all my work resulted in... a bug report to Saitek...

http://www.saitekforum.com/showpost.php?p=86009&postcount=4

Edit:

A temporary solution is to set the rotaries to Fall back in every Pinkie+Mode. Then the unintentional macro will be triggered only when switching between modes. Much safer than before.

Package with version 017b and goodies added (see the first post).