Trim + Trim-Reset with VKB Joysticks (alternative/workaround)

[durp]

Hi,

those of you with a VKB joystick, you can create a trimmer with trim set/reset using VKBDevCfg-C (VKB config software)

Using one button to 'set' the position (no need to return to center, you can keep hitting 'set' and the other for reset. You can also combine rudder with it if you have the T-Rudders connected to the same blackbox as the joystick.

 

Assign a button to Trimmer-Reset (and select the desired axis)
and another button to Fix-Axis, FA-Type: FA0 (also selecting which axis to apply to)

On the Profile page, select on the Physical Axis for X,Y, (and Z if you have rudders) ,

Trimmer: "Trim+"
Mode: -1- (X,Y, for Z I had to select mode -2-)
 

On the global tab, set FA0 Mode to "M2" and M2 Time to something other that "none" (if you use none it will lock the controls, haven't figured out why, can't find any documentation about M2 Time)

General Tab

 

Profile Tab

 

Trimmer Reset

Trimmer "set" 

 

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(alternative)

you could also use another axis for each X,Y to trim like a regular plane trim.
select on the profile>axes tab "combine1" for X and Y, and point it to another axis on the #Axis field (it seems the other axis must be in absolute mode)

---

(alternative)

another approach would be to replicate a trimmer hat (like in the Hind) by binding Trimmer: Trim+- on 4 buttons and optionally another button for reset. 

 

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should give you some ideas what else could be done with the VKB software. 
I did spend quiet some time with that tool since I was desperately seeking a way to trim the Apache. 

My setup is just 2 buttons mapped as Trim Set (function is called Fix Axis) and Trimmer-Reset (spring joystic, GMC), both acting on X,Y,Z. and it works almost like the trim in the Huey. 
I have the others as separate config file. 

 

I couldn't map a Tempo button to use short/long presses, they all seem to support only logical buttons, not physical but hey.. it's a start.

Oh and btw, you don't bind to the force-trim up then, it might work with the Apache trimmer mode for sticks without spring, but I did not try that.

 

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by durp

[kdfw]

this works very nicely!  thanks.  

 

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by kdfw

[petsild]

Change the Trim.Time value to 500ms, the reset will be smooth.

[Hammer1-1]

I'll have to give this a shot later...got a few other things I'd like to do with my stick like install the analog slew on board too.

[Dangerzone]

Oh man... shot down! I have both the MCG and the T-Rudder, however I think I have to run 2 separate black boxes, because my joystick has the twist built into it. 

Do you know if the twist can be removed through the settings/firmware to allow the t-rudder to be connected (without physically having to remove the twist itself)?

 

Edit: Yes it can   (see 2 posts down)

Edited March 31, 2022 by Dangerzone

[Hammer1-1]

37 minutes ago, Dangerzone said:

Oh man... shot down! I have both the MCG and the T-Rudder, however I think I have to run 2 separate black boxes, because my joystick has the twist built into it. 

Do you know if the twist can be removed through the settings/firmware to allow the t-rudder to be connected (without physically having to remove the twist itself)?

couldnt you just take the twist out? i believe its just an addition like the extension.

[Dangerzone]

13 minutes ago, Hammer1-1 said:

couldnt you just take the twist out? i believe its just an addition like the extension.

Actually I think I've figured it out (without having to physically remove the twist):

1) Click the big DEFAULT button in VKB Device Config 

2) Plug in the T-Rudder into the same black box

3) Click Bootloader and load the most recent Firmware (the one without TWIST referenced in it's name)

4) Recalibrate

5) Repeat steps 1-4. (For some reason the first time I did it, black box flashed with a red light - second time it worked correctly)

Now seems that I have both.

I think I can restore a saved configuration to have my original configuration back - I just need to make sure that after loading it I set Profile-Axes-7 to "D-Mars" (and not V-Mars), and then go into Global-External-External Devices and make sure Axis 8 is set to NONE, and then save it. Yet to be tested in DCS or elsewhere - but a quick assessment in VKB_Joytester appears as though rudders are working as expected. 

If this works, I'll be absolutely stoked!

 

[Pac-man_]

This seems like the exact thing I have been looking for with the Apache. However, I have not used the VKB config tool much, yet. So I have kind of a rookie question:

If I set the two buttons like described in the first post, they are permanently mapped and I should not assign a button to them in DCS (because then I would have two different functions on the same button), correct? So if I want to use that same VKB profile for lets say the F/A 18c, I can no longer use the two buttons I have bound for Trim and Trim Reset for other functions, correct? So I would need to create a separate profile with this Trim and Trim reset solution, so I don't mess up my button configuration for other modules like fixed wing aircraft. Or am I missing something obvious here?

[Dangerzone]

3 hours ago, Pac-man_ said:

So if I want to use that same VKB profile for lets say the F/A 18c, I can no longer use the two buttons I have bound for Trim and Trim Reset for other functions, correct? 

Yes - that is the unfortunate part about it. And it has to be physical buttons, so you can't use just one, and have long press be the Trim, and short press the trim reset (at least yet, or from what I can tell). 

[Pac-man_]

Alright, then I will just create another profile. Hopefully I can switch them „on the fly“ without having to restart DCS. 

[durp]

You can store the configuration in a file and load it on demand, even while DCS is running. Not a perfect solution, but feasible.

 

[Hammer1-1]

12 hours ago, Pac-man_ said:

This seems like the exact thing I have been looking for with the Apache. However, I have not used the VKB config tool much, yet. So I have kind of a rookie question:

If I set the two buttons like described in the first post, they are permanently mapped and I should not assign a button to them in DCS (because then I would have two different functions on the same button), correct? So if I want to use that same VKB profile for lets say the F/A 18c, I can no longer use the two buttons I have bound for Trim and Trim Reset for other functions, correct? So I would need to create a separate profile with this Trim and Trim reset solution, so I don't mess up my button configuration for other modules like fixed wing aircraft. Or am I missing something obvious here?

I recently added the 2 microsticks back onto my joystick the other day. They essentially do the same as the hat switches I replaced them with, but with the addition of a few axes and an extra button press. With that said, if you're careful about it, you can essentially use the old profile you had - save for the buttons you changed and the axes you added from your older joystick mapping. The buttons you had changed physically or via software will have to be redone. For example: putting the trim hat axis on gives you a POV U, D, L, R (or if an 8 way more...) instead of button 3, 4, 5, 6. The button to switch between axis and button layer counts as an additional button if you made it a TempoB press...which means you need to press LONG to swap between the button layer and axis layer, but button short can be mapped inside the simulator.

As Im still new to the VKB software, can vouch its a big pill to chew...but it gets easy after playing with it for an hour or so.