Dogfight HOTAS commands?

[imacken]

Can someone please explain what the differences are in the DOGFIGHT HOTAS commands? For example, DOGFIGHT/CENTER (special), and DOGFIGHT/CENTER. Why do some have CENTER and some don't? And, there is a CENTER command. What is that?

Also, what does the 'ENABLE switch depress' actually do?

[Florence201]

The Dogfight switch cycles between Dogfight/Nav/Missile Override modes

 

Enable does various functions, one of which is to uncage missile seeker heads

[imacken]

Thanks but what I was meaning is what is the difference between the various controls stated in the menu. As I said, for example, DOGFIGHT, DOGFIGHT/CENTER, DOGFIGHT/CENTER (special) and CENTER.

[JesseJames38]

The dogfight/center special command is used for toggle switches on the warthog Hotas stick. When the toggle switch is in the op position it is in the dogfight mode. When the toggle switch is in the off position it is then put in the center mode. The dogfight/center switch is used for a button on a joystick where it is pressed once it goes into dogfight mode. When the button is pressed again it goes into center mode

 

 

hope this helps

[Donglr]

The way I understand is that the non-special versions of the command are used for momentary button presses and the special ones are for swicthes that maintain their position. For example I have the DOGFGT/CENTER special on my BOAT/CHINA (I always get confused which one is which, the gray one that sets TV/WHOT/BHOT in the A10) of my Warthog throttle. That switch maintains position and hence also keeps sending the "pressed" command as long as it remains in that position. Regular switches only send the command the very moment they are pressed. So using the CENTER special version of an assignment tells DCS "stay in this setting as long as the button is pressed, only go back to center once the button is released" (useful for permanent swicthes), while the non-special version means "go to that setting on the initial press and stay in that setting even when the button is released, only leave that setting if the button is pressed again". At least that is my understanding, I always use the "special" version because my Warthog is full of permanent switches and I am always happe if I finde some useful binds.

[Falconeer]

The Dogfight switch cycles between Dogfight/Nav/Missile Override modes

 

Enable does various functions, one of which is to uncage missile seeker heads

 

Uncage button uncages the missile seeker heads, Cursor enable switches between bore and slave mode

 

 

[BuzzU]

The way I understand is that the non-special versions of the command are used for momentary button presses and the special ones are for swicthes that maintain their position. For example I have the DOGFGT/CENTER special on my BOAT/CHINA (I always get confused which one is which, the gray one that sets TV/WHOT/BHOT in the A10) of my Warthog throttle. That switch maintains position and hence also keeps sending the "pressed" command as long as it remains in that position. Regular switches only send the command the very moment they are pressed. So using the CENTER special version of an assignment tells DCS "stay in this setting as long as the button is pressed, only go back to center once the button is released" (useful for permanent swicthes), while the non-special version means "go to that setting on the initial press and stay in that setting even when the button is released, only leave that setting if the button is pressed again". At least that is my understanding, I always use the "special" version because my Warthog is full of permanent switches and I am always happe if I finde some useful binds.

 

Think of the boat switch like a canoe. The china switch like a china man's hat.

 

 

[imacken]

Guys, thanks very much for your help here.

Armed with all that, I tried some stuff out, On my Virpil throttle, I have switches that maintain their position and ones that are momentary. I tried both with both the 'special' DOGFIGHT/CENTER and the non special. I could see no difference between the special and non special in terms of behaviour. The maintain switch brings up DOGFIGHT mode until it is switched back down, whereas the momentary ones switch it on, and then another press switches it off. In practice that makes no real difference.

I also now see that the DOGFIGHT bind requires a CENTER to also be bound in order to switch DOGFIGHT off. (Obvious, I suppose!)

With regard to the ENABLE switch, it looks like that has be to held down or bound to a 'maintain position' switch. When I use it with my normal depress mini-stick command, it has to be held down to switch. That is a shame as it means I would have to redefine the switch in Virpil software to be a 'maintain on till pressed' switch and that would mess up other modules.

[Donglr]

 

Think of the boat switch like a canoe. The china switch like a china man's hat.

 

 

When I wrote my post I was of course trying to deduce the correct switch name from its shape. But I eventually came to the conclusion, that mankind in its time has created a plethora of different boat shapes and none of the Chinese people I know wears a hat, so none of the names is a unique identifier IMO. That's why I will just stick with "gray toggle switch" and "red momentary switch". ;)

[imacken]

So, is the ENABLE switch behaving the same for everyone else, i.e. does it need a 'permanently on' switch?

[Falconeer]

So, is the ENABLE switch behaving the same for everyone else, i.e. does it need a 'permanently on' switch?

 

No, it's a momentary switch

[BuzzU]

All the settings are for a two position or three position switch. The three position switch is ideal but not everybody has one.

[BuzzU]

 

When I wrote my post I was of course trying to deduce the correct switch name from its shape. But I eventually came to the conclusion, that mankind in its time has created a plethora of different boat shapes and none of the Chinese people I know wears a hat, so none of the names is a unique identifier IMO. That's why I will just stick with "gray toggle switch" and "red momentary switch". ;)

 

 

 

[imacken]

All the settings are for a two position or three position switch. The three position switch is ideal but not everybody has one.

 

Not sure I understand. My DOGFIGHT/CENTER works using one direction in a 5-way hat momentary or using 'maintain on' switch. Click once for on, then click again to disengage in the case of the hat button, or switch up for on and switch down for off with the 'maintain on' switch. Same with MISSILE OVERRIDE/CENTER, whether 'special' or non-special.

[BuzzU]

 

Not sure I understand. My DOGFIGHT/CENTER works using one direction in a 5-way hat momentary or using 'maintain on' switch. Click once for on, then click again to disengage in the case of the hat button, or switch up for on and switch down for off with the 'maintain on' switch. Same with MISSILE OVERRIDE/CENTER, whether 'special' or non-special.

 

I was just saying why there are so many options. I never messed with them to see what they all do because I use a Warthog and it comes programmed on a three position switch.

[imacken]

 

No, it's a momentary switch

 

My momentary switch for this doesn't work. Switch needs to be either held on, or I have to use a 'maintain on' switch. Does a momentary keep either bore or slave switched on for you? Mine just goes to slave as long as button is pressed. Goes back to bore when released. As I said, either that or use a maintain on switch.

[_SteelFalcon_]

 

My momentary switch for this doesn't work. Switch needs to be either held on, or I have to use a 'maintain on' switch. Does a momentary keep either bore or slave switched on for you? Mine just goes to slave as long as button is pressed. Goes back to bore when released. As I said, either that or use a maintain on switch.

 

have the same happening for me. I need to hold it pressed for it to work.

 

[Frederf]

 

My momentary switch for this doesn't work. Switch needs to be either held on, or I have to use a 'maintain on' switch. Does a momentary keep either bore or slave switched on for you? Mine just goes to slave as long as button is pressed. Goes back to bore when released. As I said, either that or use a maintain on switch.

 

That's how the real airplane works. Pushing in the cursor switch does the enable function and mechanically to the pilot it is like a mouse click to a computer user. Enable to change slave to bore or bore to slave is an emergency hands on function when you need the alternate function quickly during combat. If you want a permanent change set the preference on the SMS format using the OSB next to the slave or bore label.

 

The dogfight switch commands in DCS are various ways to manipulate the three position switch. To save typing I'm going to refer to the switch positions dogfight, center, missile override as A B C.

 

Switch (special) - A/B means that input pressed selects A and input released selects B.

A means that input pressed selects A

Cycle means that repeated presses of input selects A, B, C, A, B, C, A, B, C, and so on.

Cycle inboard means that repeated presses of input selects C B A A A A A A A, and so on. Basically a one way change of state that doesn't wrap around.

Switch A/B - means that repeated presses of input selects A B A B A B A B, and so on.

 

If you have choice of using an ON-OFF-ON switch like the Warthog boat switch then the specials are what you want. If you have a different stick then it depends. One button needs a cycle. Momentary like two directions of a hat switch probably A/B and C/B type. If you have some kind of Saitek programming but have to use keyboard then the explicit states as pulses when entering and leaving the non-centered positions.

[imacken]

Thanks for that.

I only mentioned the enable switch as someone suggested above it was a momentary switch, whereas I have to hold mine on. You have confimred the behaviour I'm seeing is correct.

On the Virpil throttle I have all sorts of switch configurations that I can choose for this. All I wanted by starting this thread was to understand what the difference is between DOGFIGHT/CENTER, DOGFIGHT/CENTER (special), DOGFIGHT and CENTER.

Over the last year or so, I have always bound a direction on one of my 5 way hats for D/C and MISSILE OVERRIDE/CENTER. Always worked perfectly well. Press to switch on, and press to switch off (CENTER). It was only recently that I noticed the 'special' options. I tried binding to them and could see no difference. That is why I asked and I still don't see any difference.

[Frederf]

Dogfight/Center

Press = dogfight

Release = no action

Press = center

Release = no action

(repeat)

 

Dogfight/Center (special)

Press = dogfight

Release = center

(repeat)

 

[imacken]

Thanks but as I said above, both work exactly the same for me.

[Frederf]

Not for me. When I press and release the non-special bind it stays in MO until I press something else. When I press the special bind it only stays in MO until I release. Your DCS files may have been altered.

[imacken]

No, they haven’t been altered. It must be just the way our switches are configured in or different throttles. In my case, the combined DOGFIGHT/CENTER works the same in both special and non special.

[imacken]

OK, so I tried the switches in different configurations within Virpil software, and I see what you mean now. I can now see the difference between them. Thanks for your patience!