buttons DISAPPEARING on DCS during my set-up/ WTH is wrong???

[wotrwokr]

new user here.
am in the process of setting-up my virpil:
CM3... alpha on warbrd... control panels #1 and #2.
have double-confirmed VPC software is running fine, but i come back the next day to pick-up where i left off and (sporadically) find various DCS control panel-side buttons have now DISAPPEARED!!!  (W. T. H. ???) 
seems to be more with the control panels, but not exclusively.
(sometimes it's axis controls as well).

is there some setting i am missing?  or a proper way to ensure the buttons are saved and stable?  i've had to go over (with the paper mapping templates i've used to track my progress) now NINE times... to try and determine any rhyme or reason for this... and to see if there's any pattern.  nothing.  having to go over my templates to count my buttons.... and then determine the ones that disappeared is (finally) affecting my blood pressure. 

please help.
ANYONE have some solid input or ideas?
thx SO much,
ww

 

[silverdevil]

@wotrwokr i do not have these controllers or software. but it sounds like to me that the controller IDs are changing. see this post. maybe some help?