DCSFlightpanels (DCSFP) thread. Saitek Pro Flight Panels & DCS

[pepin1234]

Please check here: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=2794577#post2794577

 

Nice. Thank you

[GrizzW]

Have DCS-Bios, Flight panels installed and working with 2 Saitek PZ65 radio panels. Have altitude working on PZ70 Multipanel, but can't get VS working. I can't seem to be able to get VS working. I only get what seems to be "raw" data from DCS-bios on panel. Also can't figure out how to program the buttons working as well. ie: ALT,VS, etc.

Does anyone know what I'm not doing or understanding how to proceed.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks and kind regards

Edited August 15, 2016 by GrizzW

[mch_zh]

stupid question: is this limited to DCS or will keyboard emulator work with other flight sim i.e. IL2, war thunder?

[pdmarsh]

stupid question: is this limited to DCS or will keyboard emulator work with other flight sim i.e. IL2, war thunder?

 

That's not a stupid question. As a keyboard emulator it will work with any program.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Paul

[blake.legacy]

I am building a real homebuilt airplane and would like to use Saitek FIP displays. I have used their device driver and API under Windows to write my own flight displays but I want to drive the FIP using Raspberry Pi (unix) instead of windows, any know how to do this?

[goteron]

I am having a strange conflict issue with the FlightPanel program and my X-55.

 

When FlightPanel is running, my X-55 throttle registers button presses randomly. I have SA342 Autostart mapped to a button on the throttle and during flight it will randomly start.

 

When I shut down the flight panel program there are no issues.

 

Any thoughts?

[pdmarsh]

Never mind. I wasn't thinking. The X-55 would not have been programmed in Flightpanels. I deleted that message.

 

If I can think of any reason for the conflict, I'll post again.

 

Thanks,

Paul

Edited November 28, 2016 by pdmarsh

[pdmarsh]

@Goteron -- Can you post your Flightpanels profile? I'll look it over. Any chance that you have one of the Saitek panel buttons programmed in Flightpanels for auto start as well?

 

Paul

[Mars Exulte]

goteron, I'm also using a X-55 and Flightpanel. Two things I have commonly encountered:

 

#1 DCS, for some reason, defaults a lot of random commands across controllers. For example, I have two Thrustmaster MFDs, Stick, throttle, pedals, and a gamepad all hooked up... Profiles that I haven't set up yet have weird commands assigned to all kinds of stuff across all the controllers. I'd check to make sure there isn't any weird stuff going on there first. Also ensure you don't accidentally have any macros or anything set in the Rhino software, or that you haven't set the mode switch accidentally (which may have default keypresses associated with another mode)

 

#2 Ghost key presses were a HUGE issue, perpetually, with the X-55, particularly the throttle, for the entire time I owned it until recently. I tried a wide variety of solutions, running off a powered USB hub, trying to put the controls on different "USB lines" (my PC had multiple sets of USB ports, but they were 'paired', i.e. I had six ports, but they were arranged in three pairs on the wiring end, meaning you could overload a bus or something).

 

I FINALLY cured the problem by installing USB 3.0 expansions in my PCIex1 slots. I strongly suspect that, at least in the throttle's case, the USB ports were half-assed/underpowered and simply unable to cope with it without power fluctuations causing ghost keypresses.

 

A USB PCIe expansion is very cheap, very easy to install. Just plug it in the slot, run one of the SATA power cables to it, and PROBABLY that will fix your ghosting problems.

 

That's only for the ghosting, obviously if the "keypresses" are doing something, it thinks something is assigned somewhere, so you need to hunt that down first.

[pdmarsh]

#1 DCS, for some reason, defaults a lot of random commands across controllers. For example, I have two Thrustmaster MFDs, Stick, throttle, pedals, and a gamepad all hooked up... Profiles that I haven't set up yet have weird commands assigned to all kinds of stuff across all the controllers. I'd check to make sure there isn't any weird stuff going on there first. Also ensure you don't accidentally have any macros or anything set in the Rhino software, or that you haven't set the mode switch accidentally (which may have default keypresses associated with another mode)

 

This seems to be a problem in general after DCS updates. It's a good idea to save all of your controller profiles for each aircraft. After an update, I delete profiles in the controller GUI and reload the saved ones.

 

Paul

[RAZBAM_ELMO]

Has anyone figured out how to intergrate the display for HS and whatnot?

[pdmarsh]

Has anyone figured out how to intergrate the display for HS and whatnot?

 

Development of Flightpanels has pretty much ended as the developer has moved on to other interests. While Flightpanels can be used with any module as a keyboard emulator, higher functionality, like using the radios or having access to the MultiPanel display, will be limited to the modules currently enabled in FP (A-10C, UH-1H, MiG-21 and Ka-50). All of these use DCS-BIOS for the higher functionality. Also, newer modules don't even have DCS-BIOS support yet, if ever.

 

The developer has offered to let others take Flightpanels to the next level. If anyone is interested, let us know.

 

I hope I understood your question correctly.

 

Thanks,

Paul

Edited December 1, 2016 by pdmarsh

[JaBoG32_Prinzartus]

I am getting a massive CPU Load when running that programme. That CPU is loaded already at startup from the GUI. Even before loading a profile and before loading DCS. I find that strange. Anyone not having such CPU load issues with latest win 10?

[JaBoG32_Prinzartus]

Compiling the latest source code branch did wonders. Hardly any CPU load caused by the GUI any longer.

[TheHighwayman]

Would it be possible to make a more user friendly instruction guide?

 

Unzip the files into the folder where you want to keep the program.

 

- What files?

-Where do I install them?

-In what order do I do things?

 

You start the application by executing ProUsbPanels.exe

-Then what?

-Where do I start?

-Is are there pictures or a video?

 

Problems? Try running FP as "Administrator".

You do not need any additional drivers

 

Great. But what's the DCS-BIOS thing?

-How does that work and why?

-How do I get everything running?

 

If a person does not have much familiarity with this project or installing files and getting things to work, they will really struggle with this. As for me, I am at a loss and I am trying to figure everything out by trial and error.

 

To the person in the know, this is childishly simple. But to an outsider, this might as well be a foreign language.

 

That said, thank you for your work. If I figure this out, I will probably write up my own tutorial and post it.

[TheHighwayman]

I am confused beyond measure... lol

 

WHAT do I do?

WHEN do I do it?

and HOW do I do it?

 

There's a lot of help out there, but it's rather "technical" and I simply don't speak the language.

 

Sorry for being that guy.

[TheHighwayman]

Okay, I have figured out how to interact and program the panel!

 

Now, how do I get it to interact with specific DCS modules in my OpenBeta installation?

 

Thanks!

[TheHighwayman]

I got the darn thing to work!

 

Do not plug in the switch panel yet, leave it unconnected to your computer.

 

1. Install the driver from Saitek

http://www.saitek.com/uk/down/drivers.php

From the "Choose Your Product Range" pulldown, choose:

 

-Pro Flight (even though nothing on the Saitek G product, packaging, or manual labels it a "Pro Flight" item, I suppose it is implied).

 

Under Select Product choose:

-Pro Flight Switch Panel

 

Under "Select Operating System" choose:

-Your operating system

 

Pay attention to which OS you choose and 32 vs 64 bit.

 

This will download your driver.

 

2. Run the downloaded program to install the driver.

 

-The driver will install, this takes only a few seconds. then it will ask to install a software package. Agree at the prompt to install this although it does not appear to install a particular software for use, the software is essential.

 

3. FOLLOW these instructions which are good, but a little confusing.

https://github.com/jdahlblom/DCSFlightpanels/blob/master/Documentation/Manual.pdf

"Step 5" is awkwardly worded. You need to copy the specified files TO that folder, not from it. (You cannot copy files from it, since they are not there initially. However, a literal reading of the instruction will cause confusion as you look for files to copy that aren't there. Obviously copying FROM cannot complete an installation, which is your hint do copy TO that file.)

 

4. You need to find "export.lua" and copy it to your saved games folder. For me, this was This PC> Windows> Users> My Name> Saved Games> DCS.openbeta> Mission Editor

 

There are several files that need to be copied here but I do not have a list of them. They are all JSON and LUA files for different aircraft. This is where I become unclear because I don't remember precisely what I did. Perhaps someone can come behind me and correct me.

 

5. Open the ProUsbPanels application.

 

6. Click on NEW and choose NONE or the Module you wish to configure to panel for.

 

7. This part is unintuitive and isn't explained anywhere, but click the little tab on the screen that says "PZ55." This will show you the panel and you can begin configuring your buttons.

 

This is the best I can do for now, I hope it helps someone out there.

[pdmarsh]

@TheHighwayman -- Feeling a bit like a voice in the wilderness? Sorry for not responding to your posts. I recalled writing a short description on how to configure the Switch Panel LEDs that I believe was put into the program itself. I actually forgot about the manual you found. That was done by another volunteer. I just looked it over and see that it was done very early in the development of Flightpanels and before all panels were supported.

 

In any case, I'm glad you stuck with it and got it sorted out. I use Flightpanels just about every day and know I'm going to wear out my Saitek panels eventually.

 

Paul

[TheHighwayman]

@TheHighwayman -- Feeling a bit like a voice in the wilderness? Sorry for not responding to your posts. I recalled writing a short description on how to configure the Switch Panel LEDs that I believe was put into the program itself. I actually forgot about the manual you found. That was done by another volunteer. I just looked it over and see that it was done very early in the development of Flightpanels and before all panels were supported.

 

In any case, I'm glad you stuck with it and got it sorted out. I use Flightpanels just about every day and know I'm going to wear out my Saitek panels eventually.

 

Paul

 

LOL Yeah. I love my new panel and it is easy to use, once it is configured.

 

I do wish I could use a different config for each airframe. One of the problems I've encountered is each module has different names for the same command and different keypresses. It's difficult for me to decide what to send to the panel vs. what to send to the stick and throttle, or leave on the keyboard. But that's nothing to do with the panel.

 

As for the panel, I think there's a need for a new, clear and concise installation guide. My feeble attempt is posted above, and while incomplete and crude, it worked.

 

It took me a few hours, but I found some of the problem was I needed a fresh brain, which I had yesterday. The day I got the panel I was tired and impatient which added to my confusion.

 

Thanks for your work!

[Erk104]

It took me a few hours, but I found some of the problem was I needed a fresh brain, which I had yesterday. The day I got the panel I was tired and impatient which added to my confusion.

 

Thanks for your work!

 

 

I felt he same way, I read your post, TheHighwayman, and I was like what? then the next day I read it again after researching the links and it made a bit more sense, now I think I may make an attempt at it. The problem I am having is that the Saitek profiler is not launching or downloading. Could it be that its because I have a Saitek X52? and I just need to switch devices? I am not sure how to do that with the profiler. I was hoping there was just one for the Switch panel.

[TheHighwayman]

I felt he same way, I read your post, TheHighwayman, and I was like what? then the next day I read it again after researching the links and it made a bit more sense, now I think I may make an attempt at it. The problem I am having is that the Saitek profiler is not launching or downloading. Could it be that its because I have a Saitek X52? and I just need to switch devices? I am not sure how to do that with the profiler. I was hoping there was just one for the Switch panel.

 

The installation program for the Saitek G panel SAYS it is installing a profiler, but I have never seen one for the panel. The profiler I have, which adjusts my Saitek Rhino controller, does not seem to detect the panel.

 

However, the good news is you don't need to worry about that.

 

1. Install the Saitek G Panel driver from the Saitek site

2. Follow these instructions https://github.com/jdahlblom/DCSFlig...ion/Manual.pdf and make sure you have the correct files and folders copied to your saved games folder. (Note, there is NO folder called "Saved Games" within DCS, it is instead the "OpenBeta" folder or something like that.

3. Install the ProUSBPanel program

4. Run the ProUSBPanel program

5. Run DCS

 

And it should work.

 

The tricky part is having the correct files copied to the correct spot. That's the part I don't remember very well. A list of those files and where to find them would be most useful.

 

We need someone who has this down pat to revise the install guide and make it so simple to follow a child can do it. At this point, a person has to view 3-4 different sources to get the complete run down of what to do, how to do it, why, and when.

[Erk104]

After a lot of reading I finally got mine figured out. I had to download a .Net software before the Flightpanels program would save anything. I at least have a Keyboard emulator which helps a great deal. I may fiddle around with getting the gear lights to work with the game at a later date. If I can get that to work I may buy the radio panel. Thanks for your help TheHighwayman

[Hawkeye60]

FYI

 

I have had this program working for ages.

 

I do not use it as much since going Rift.

 

However, when set up properly, It works fine.

 

I have had the occasional crash.

 

May be my set up. I have all the panels. And all work.

 

I also have 4 of the Saitek mfd's working with the supported aircraft.

 

Still waiting for a update to that program.

 

So buy the panels while you can.

 

They do work. Although a DCS update may break the program in the future.

 

You never know.........

 

Hawkeye

[pdmarsh]

@Hawkeye60 -- I have to agree with you. Flightpanels works great once you get past the installation issues. It was all volunteer, so there won't be much, if any, support going forward. I can answer the simple stuff, but that's about it.

 

When you mention Saitek MFDs, are you referring to the Flight Instrument Panels (FIPs)? If so, I have those working fine in X-Plane, but not in DCS.

 

Thanks,

Paul