changes in HOTAS settings

[Robo76]

When HOTAS Virpil is plugged into a different USB hab socket (i-tec USB 3.0 Charging HUB 13 port) than was plugged in during setup, some axis settings change randomly. For example, the throttle pedal locations are set, or the axis invert is swapped. Teammates on other devices and USB hubs have the same problem. It's annoying to look for why autostart broke. Uploading control settings from a backup for each machine is unnecessarily time consuming.

Translated with DeepL

[silverdevil]

12 hours ago, Robo76 said:

When HOTAS Virpil is plugged into a different USB hab socket (i-tec USB 3.0 Charging HUB 13 port) than was plugged in during setup, some axis settings change randomly. For example, the throttle pedal locations are set, or the axis invert is swapped. Teammates on other devices and USB hubs have the same problem. It's annoying to look for why autostart broke. Uploading control settings from a backup for each machine is unnecessarily time consuming.

hello. this is likely because the controller got a different hardware ID when plugged into another USB.

example

\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Config\Input\F-16C_50\joystick

null

[Robo76]

Will this ever be fixed or will we be forced to tag the cables ?

[Flappie]

There's nothing to "fix", because it's not a DCS issue. Windows does the change of name on its own. Here's what happens:

1. You install Windows, then you plug your devices to your PC. Windows gives each of them a "unique" name, let's say our stick is given "A", your throttle is given "B" and your 2 MFD Cougars are given "C" and "D".
2. Now your run DCS. When it starts, it asks Windows for the list of your controllers. Windows answers: A, B, C and D.
3. As you customize your controls, DCS stores your changes in files named after the controllers Windows names (A.diff.lua, B.diff.lua...).
4. Sometimes, Windows re-discovers your devices. It happens of course if you reinstall Windows. If I understand correctly, it can also happen whenever a controller is plugged on a USB hub. Windows gives them new names: your joystick is given "W", your throttle is given "X", and your two MFD Cougars are given "Y" and "Z".
5. Now you run DCS, which asks Windows for the list of your controllers. Windows tells it there are W, X, Y and Z. Therefore, your former .diff.lua files are "orphaned". You need to rename them because DCS won't guess.

 

Now, can ED improve things? Maybe. Let's think about it.

When Windows renames your devices, several things must be done:

a) Someone has to decide that the old "A" and the new "W" are the same device. DCS can only guess thanks to the device model name (e.g. "Thrustmaster Warthog Joystick"). But remember the 2 MFD Cougars of my example. How can DCS know which one was previously named C? It cannot. You'll need to tell him. Now imagine you have this at home, made of several controllers sharing the same model name... But DCS can at least detect the change and ask you questions like "You have no custom settings for this joystick, yet I have found some custom controls for another device sharing the same model name. Do you want me to rename 'A.diff.lua' to 'W.diff.lua' ?".

b) Someone must rename all fomer .diff.lua files to match the new names. DCS could do this very easily.

 

I'll create a request and see if devs come up with something.

Edited November 3, 2023 by Flappie

[Rudel_chw]

1 hour ago, Robo76 said:

Will this ever be fixed or will we be forced to tag the cables ?

tag the cables and ports, its the quickest way to solve this.

[Robo76]

Thanks for the explanation.