Renaming HID in Windows 10

[Caldera]

Hey all,

 

As in the title, does anyone know how to do this?  Or send me a link for referal?

 

My first button box project of this sort.  I am using Zero Delay cards for the ease of installation and set-up.  I am only using the 12 digital inputs per card.  There are six such cards in my box. I have made the box intentionally generic so that it was not specific to any one aircraft. 

 

DCS provides the unique Hardware Key (HKey) so I have managed to get it all set up for the switches that I wanted for the A-10C (took a couple of hours) to operate correctly.  But I would like to set up unique names for each card to make that process easier.  Windows also seem to shuffle them around a bit on reboots so I had to do a few reboots to establish the order that was stable.

 

The cards are listed in the Device Manager as HID - Compliant Game Controller.  So finding these values in the Registry can be confusing enough.  Even at that, I am unsure exactly which variables in the Registry to edit.

 

Is this even a possibility?

 

Thanks in advance,

Caldera

Edited March 15, 2021 by Caldera

[LASooner]

You could try this
https://www.avoiderrors.com/rename-devices-device-manager/

EDIT: Actually this probably doesn't do what you want, it renames it in the device manager not in the USB game controller list

Edited March 15, 2021 by LASooner

[dukovac]

You can use USBDeview to quickly navigate through your USB controllers and for renaming check this tutorial https://www.isrtv.com/forums/topic/25278-how-to-rename-peripherals/

You are just postponing your inevitable transition to Arduino:)

[Caldera]

Thanks Guys,

 

I am not sure any link posted above really works for what I have in mind.  I have read the AvoidErrors link several times.  The istv.com link would would work but I think that all the generic joystick controllers would have the same name, just as they do now.

 

Maybe I am already transitioning to Arduino...  I am guessing Arduino boards can be named / re-named at the firmware level?  

 

For the time being, my box is working as designed and I am pretty happy with it.  Allot of my switches are maintained contacts and the Zero Delay can report 12 on inputs simultaneously.  I am using several On-On and On-On-On switches.   I choose not to use rotaries due to their larger size and expense.

 

The Arduino Mega is the largest digital input capable board that I found after a quick search.   It has 54 digital input pins. I wonder how many always on digital inputs can it handle?

 

Caldera

Edited March 16, 2021 by Caldera

[crash test pilot]

For the Arduino way i would like to bring two different ways to ypur attention:

DCS-BIOS: pro: can be expanded to an unbelievable number of inputs (via rs485-bus). I have my complete A-10 cockpit attached to my computer with only one usb connection. Con: Each module is bound to the plane it is programmed for, so no generic box. Also requires a bit of programming.

MMJoy2: con: no mega, only boards with at90usb646 at90usb1286 atmega32u4/5V 16MHz (the pro micro being a cheap and available example). Pro: can be expanded with shift registers to 96 inputs and each board can be given unique names and PID/VIDs. No programming involved, full graphic gui.

[Caldera]

Crash,

 

11 hours ago, crash test pilot said:

MMJoy2: con: no mega, only boards with at90usb646 at90usb1286 atmega32u4/5V 16MHz (the pro micro being a cheap and available example). Pro: can be expanded with shift registers to 96 inputs and each board can be given unique names and PID/VIDs. No programming involved, full graphic gui.

 

If you get back to this thread...  You lost me a little with this statement.

 

Are you trying to say that the Arduino Mega is not a good choice to use with MMJoy2?  And I should select boards with the at90usb646 at90usb1286 atmega32u4/5V processors?

 

Thanks Again,

Caldera

[crash test pilot]

Yes, you cannot use the mega with mmjoy2 because it has a atmega2560 chip. Have a look here for compatible boards:

https://github.com/MMjoy/mmjoy_en/wiki/Controllers-(compatible-base-boards)

Most i/o are on the teensy++2.0, cheapest are the pro micro clones. With button matrix even the small pro micro can handle 81 inputs, with shift register you can go up to 96.

[Mr_Burns]

On 3/16/2021 at 6:37 AM, Caldera said:

Hey all,

 

As in the title, does anyone know how to do this?  Or send me a link for referal?

 

My first button box project of this sort.  I am using Zero Delay cards for the ease of installation and set-up.  I am only using the 12 digital inputs per card.  There are six such cards in my box. I have made the box intentionally generic so that it was not specific to any one aircraft. 

 

DCS provides the unique Hardware Key (HKey) so I have managed to get it all set up for the switches that I wanted for the A-10C (took a couple of hours) to operate correctly.  But I would like to set up unique names for each card to make that process easier.  Windows also seem to shuffle them around a bit on reboots so I had to do a few reboots to establish the order that was stable.

 

The cards are listed in the Device Manager as HID - Compliant Game Controller.  So finding these values in the Registry can be confusing enough.  Even at that, I am unsure exactly which variables in the Registry to edit.

 

Is this even a possibility?

 

Thanks in advance,

Caldera

 

I tried a few years ago, IIRC even if you find them they swap registry or something each time so you lose your inputs. There was an old thread on HID Macros or something, if you search your question I know we discussed it years ago.

[Sacarino111]

On 3/16/2021 at 4:25 AM, Caldera said:

Thanks Guys,

 

I am not sure any link posted above really works for what I have in mind.  I have read the AvoidErrors link several times.  The istv.com link would would work but I think that all the generic joystick controllers would have the same name, just as they do now.

 

Maybe I am already transitioning to Arduino...  I am guessing Arduino boards can be named / re-named at the firmware level?  

 

For the time being, my box is working as designed and I am pretty happy with it.  Allot of my switches are maintained contacts and the Zero Delay can report 12 on inputs simultaneously.  I am using several On-On and On-On-On switches.   I choose not to use rotaries due to their larger size and expense.

 

The Arduino Mega is the largest digital input capable board that I found after a quick search.   It has 54 digital input pins. I wonder how many always on digital inputs can it handle?

 

Caldera

 

Hi.

I'm having the same issue, but with some Arduino Mega (3 off them, indeed), and the name causes problems as they swift position from time to time. Chek that post: https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/97434-an-arduino-usb-hid-controller-composite-usb-controller

you will go up to 256 (256!) buttons plus 8 axis per Arduino, so if you plan on having less buttons/inputs, a simple one should do, so the namimg problem desapears. If in doubt, contact me; I have been fiddeling with it for a few years now and maybe I could help you in some of the features.

Saludos.

Saca111

[No1sonuk]

I've found a video explaining a way to rename Atmega32u4 based Arduinos rigged as HIDs

This video has a part which explains how to modify some files to make the programmer rewrite part of the Arduino's code so that it reports a different name to Windows when it connects.
Hopefully, the link will take you to the right part:

I've personally tried this with an Arduino Leonardo, and it works.
 

[gersonh]

Excellent video, thanks for share, There was an old thread on HID Macros or something. I love use Arduinos rigged as HIDs

[Arikaj]

On 5/11/2021 at 7:06 PM, No1sonuk said:

I've found a video explaining a way to rename Atmega32u4 based Arduinos rigged as HIDs

This video has a part which explains how to modify some files to make the programmer rewrite part of the Arduino's code so that it reports a different name to Windows when it connects.
Hopefully, the link will take you to the right part:

I've personally tried this with an Arduino Leonardo, and it works.
 

Thank you very much, this video is a life saver

[Nikolas_A]

Nice! I've programed a Micro to enumerate as four joysticks. Does anyone know if I can name them joystick1, joystick2 etc?

There's no worry about them being rearranged but it would be easier to assign functions to...