Small tip for x52pro users

[goldfinger35]

I don't know if you know this, but if you are not using Saitek Profiler and you are setting your buttons iniside the game (like me), do this:

open windows control panel-game controllers-properties (see attached pic).

You have to have this screen opened every time before you start Black shark game.

 

What will this give you? You will be able to use (program) buttons:

16,17,18,19,32,35,36,37,38,39.

 

This works on my vista 64...

[ogiedogg]

I have a X52 Pro, why do you have to have this screen open to get the functionality of those buttons? I had my orginal X52 for 5 years... Tues. 05/05/09 I finally recieved my new X52 Pro, its Awsome... Thanks to the wife... I know some apps like DCS Max or Track IR, you have to minimized to your sys tray. But I never heard of this. Is it part of the new Beta SFTW??? Pls. post back as I'm interested......

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

I thought the problem was with the profiler and Vista not the X52 and game? Although I'm going by hearsay as I dont have an X52pro or Vista.

[goldfinger35]

Try this:

1.

Do NOT open windows control panel-game controllers-properties

Do NOT open Saitek profiler.

Open Black shark game-options-controls and try to setup button 16 (that button is on Hotas - left of ministick - usually it simulates left mouse click) for something. Does it work?

 

2.

Now exit the game, open windows control panel-game controllers-properties. Do NOT open Saitek profiler.

Open Black shark game-options-controls and try to setup button 16 (that button is on Hotas - left of ministick - usually it simulates left mouse click) for something. Does it work?

 

Please report back so we can compare.

[Panzertard]

Try this:

1.

Do NOT open windows control panel-game controllers-properties

Do NOT open Saitek profiler.

Open Black shark game-options-controls and try to setup button 16 (that button is on Hotas - left of ministick - usually it simulates left mouse click) for something. Does it work?

 

2.

Now exit the game, open windows control panel-game controllers-properties. Do NOT open Saitek profiler.

Open Black shark game-options-controls and try to setup button 16 (that button is on Hotas - left of ministick - usually it simulates left mouse click) for something. Does it work?

 

Please report back so we can compare.

 

Confirmed, Win7x64rc1, x52 pro, DCS:BS v.1.0

(No saitek profiler software installed - drivers only)

 

1. Open Devices, Select the x52, open Game Controllers page

2. X52 "Properties"

3. Keep that window open (at all times)

4. Return to DCS:BS

5. Assign buttons / keys - or just fly using them if they are allready assigned.

 

Without profiler software, and without that window open - you will not be able to use some of those extended(?) buttons.

 

However - I've not been able to assign the "Mouse" on the trottle to anything yet. It can be used in the Controller Properties page, but thats about it.

No DCS:BS Axis assignment - not Key assignment will react to it.

[goldfinger35]

Yes, it is a nice trick, isn't it? It gives you additional 10 buttons.

I haven't been able to assign mouse ministick to anything, too. But that makes sense, I guess.

[Panzertard]

Absolutly. Love it, great tip.

Just bought the product - I think I would have climbed the walls if you hadnt come up with this actually. :thumbup:

[Panzertard]

This thread needs s serious *bump*.

If you preffer to NOT use Saitek SST for your x52 - and map all your keys ingame - then this is the way to go.

[Boulund]

This functionality should be included from the start...

I wonder why it's not possible to use without this trick, I'd love to find a use for the two "rolls" underneath the display =D

[topdog]

Those ones are locked into the X52's MFD (rather, LCD,) control mechanism.

 

They CAN be programmed (I mean actual write code to do stuff, not edit a profile) to do various things using Saitek's "DirectOutput" API (not to be confused with anything DirectX related from MS).

 

[Edit: line removed, unsure if it's accurate]

 

So out of curiousity, if you could use the LCD and scroll wheels, what would you want them to do exactly?

 

I had a couple of ideas I'm toying with myself, but I'm limited to some extent on the shape of the LCD (3 rows, 4 would have been nice for KA-50's ekran,) and some display outputs we can't easily get (PVI-800 LED displays) for example.

 

I haven't thought about Lockon yet as I was waiting to see what changes might come through in FC2 before I checked that.

 

In my project I'm feeding back various states through to the X52 Pro's various button LEDs as well, and other things, so it's taking a while to find time to piece it all together - if anyone else could use what I end up with, it would make the efforts more worthwhile.

Edited April 6, 2010 by topdog

[richiehatchet]

Nice one...was pulling my hair out last night trying to program button 39 (right MFD) in A10 to use those 4 buttons for Coolie Hat (MFCD cycle/etc). Will try this later!

[Boulund]

Is this still valid?

I just reinstalled everything on another computer and with the latest drivers it seems I don't need to keep the control panel open any more. I shall double check this when I get home from work (might have left it open by old habit).

[snipey]

yes it is, but an empty profile also works

[hAirypAulsAck]

Maybe I missed something because I didn't read all the comments but..

 

Yeah it seems that y'all might be going to extra steps to achieve the extra functionality of these extra buttons. Maybe this was an issue that was sorted out over time but I found out long time ago that all you needed to do was no assign the buttons (say 16, 17 and 18 = the three on the throttle mouse wheel [left click + wheel up and wheel down]) and same with the other buttons on the MFD (dont know # - ~38 or something lol) = [MFD Page Up, MDF Page Down, MFD Page Up / Page Down *PRESSED DOWN*, MFD (on current page) Selector Up, MFD (on current page) Selector Down, MFD (on current page) Selector Up /Selector Down *PRESSED DOWN*, MFD Timer Start/Stop, MDF Timer Reset.

 

 

Basically the mouse one's are the ones able to be freed up in my experience, (I only listed three above but there is actually 4 if the left mouse button on the throttle is unbinded (RClick, LClick, WheelUp, WheelDown) and the other MFD one's just depended on the game/sim in question. Some would detect the extra buttons and others wouldn't. DCS has always gave me the extra buttons.